Highland Park Aquatic Center — Attraction in Saint Paul

The pool facilities are excellent at the Highland Park Aquatic Center, and it's a very entertaining destination for kids of all ages and adults too, but the way it's run leaves a lot to be desired unfortunately. There was plenty of free parking and lots of shade available on the pool deck, but during the 4+ hours we spent there (2 adults, 3 kids under age 10) I didn't see one adult worker anywhere-just lots of teen life guards and workers.

Also, the pool and deck rules are very unclear, sparsely posted and inconsistently enforced, so we found ourselves breaking all kinds of secret, nonsensical rules only the lifeguards seemed to know about (and we definitely weren't alone). Then, when asked to clarify how what we were doing was wrong, we could never get a clear answer and the lifeguards were often rude and dismissive. We were also given contradictory information from 3 different lifeguards about the same rule! We figured things out for ourselves quick enough and learned which lifeguards really could be consistent, so in the end we had a really good time, just be aware when you go that it's on you to figure it all out, not many of the staff will be helpful (even in matters of safety) at all.

Lastly, the admission cost is a little steep ($6 per adult, $5 per kid under 48" tall), and even though they give a little break to families, it's not like you're getting all that much bang for your buck. Also be aware that no outside food or drinks are technically allowed--which I understand to a point, but this is also not listed online or posted officially anywhere on site which is annoying and inconvenient, especially since the concessions are mainly very overpriced junk food. So it would be nice if they offered some healthy alternatives like fruits and veggies rather than more processed, packaged, sugary junk for sale. If that's not possible then just let us bring at least those things with us? With little kids it's not easy to drag them out of the pool, back to the car for a healthy snack--which we ultimately did only to be harassed exiting AND re-entering by the overly enthusiastic little "teen bouncer" at the front gate even though re-admission is permitted as long as you're wearing your wristband. Like I said earlier though; ALL the rules at this facility and how they're communicated and enforced are very inconsistent to say the least! We resolved that if we return we'll just smuggle our own snacks in since they that's what we observed most people doing anyways!

The bottom line: you can have a great time in the pool and the facilities have a lot to offer people of all ages if you take some of these tips to heart, learn how to work the ill-managed "system" of rules and their teen army of enforcers, advocate (and think) for yourself a little, and just basically ignore the incredible inconsistency that...

We were looking for a water park that was kid friendly. To be fair, these do not profess to be a water park, but they show up as one in on-line searches and from the outside when you look at the place it looks like one. So we paid to get in.

We should have read the reviews. We arrived just as they started a mandatory 20 minute break, where staff had took to the pools and we stood around with nothing to do. No one bothered to tell us this as we got our tickets. It took us a bit to figure it out as there were hardly any staff around. I asked the one life guard I spotted at the far end of the park, who seemed annoyed that I had asked him question. It was as if I was asking him to do manual labor. We, or at least I was still fine up to this moment. Now I'm annoyed, nothing to do for us and the only person on duty is a rude teen. I wanted to report him but as I looked around I did not see one adult worker anywhere-just lots of teen life guards and workers.

The food options were very poor, limited options and all junk food. The door to the family rest room was in need of repair, wouldn’t close all the way, so you couldn't lock it.

I could go on, but will jump to the end of our poor experience as it was the most disappointing. It turns out that they end the open swim at 5:00, meaning they boot all the kids out and covert it to a lap pool. I tried to make the best of it and do some laps, but there are some locals that seem to feel they own the place, rude territorial, who make it clear they want the p[lace to themselves. So we left. On the way out we looked at the ticket counter and there was not any sign that warned the pool basically closed for the day at 5:00 and the kids working the sales counter didn't really know what to say, how to be apologetic, or offer any compensation or even a...

The lapswimmers bully the elderly and the overweight all summer long and the center does nothing to combat it. Fat, old people deserve to cool off in the summer time just as much as snotty rich "olympic" (eye roll) swimmers do!

"circle swimming" doesn't work when you are fat and slow and old and sick with cancer and or handicapped! And these disgusting humans PLOW you over and KICK you if you aren't following their made up rules!

I've discussed this "rule" in length with the lifeguards, and they say it is NOT the aquatic centers rule to be forced to "circle swim" the "Olympic" (another eyeroll) lap swimmers made this rule up and punish you if you cannot swim fast enough to keep up in the circle! It's just beyond stupid. Other public pools simply swim in a straight line back and forth and share the lanes that way, so that each person has their own line of space. It's a much more sensible philosophy when you are sharing a pool with people that have different abilities. To the snotty entitled "olympians" ~if you have that big of a problem with it, buy your own pool and stop tormenting the weak and the sick.

This is supposed to be a "COMMUNITY POOL" for the entire community to enjoy. The competitive olympic training groups should have their OWN facility or arena that is ONLY for them , this is no longer ok with the rest of us as these entitled anorexic dreamers have taken over the communities space!

Also they rush in and rush out the aqua aerobics classes like we are cattle, no time to relax in the sun and have social time.

They need to build another pool specifically for the handicapped, elderly, and obese so we can enjoy our lives....I know there are a great many of us that would gladly pay double to have our...