Garfield Pool — Attraction in San Francisco

Pretty decent pool, except towel hangers in the showers are quite scant, the lap swimming might open slightly late (as opposed to on time or 5 minutes ahead of time to allow time to change into your swimming suit), and the cost is pricey: was $7 for a drop-in, now $8. If you went every day in the month, that'd be over $150 (they're closed Sundays and, very oddly, Mondays). The schedule is a bit chaotic and extremely restricted, with no consistent times every day for lap swimming, making it difficult to develop a healthy, easy-to-follow routine. The pool opens relatively late and closes relatively early, there's little to no chance for people who work a regular 8 am-5 pm shift to come swim here (considering transportation time before and after work to and from the pool), combined with the fact that they're closed two days per week. This pool (and all City pools) are severely underutilized in spite of the high demand. It's uncomfortable and potentially risky to swim with 4+ people per lane -you have to be on the lookout constantly to make sure you don't bump into people, and it's hard to get into a rhythm with swimmers of different skill, style, stamina, age, and speed, all crammed into the same lane (the lane divisions by speed are intended to help, but ultimately, you still have diversity of swimmers in each lane). A national lifeguard shortage is purported as the reason for the chaotic, restricted hours, but I don't understand why adults can't simply sign a waiver and come swim at their own risk -like at gyms that have swimming pools or the public beaches (neither have life guards). To promote health in the community, the pool should be open 7x per week, and could be open for unguarded, uninterrupted adult lap swim from 5:30 am to 7:30 am + 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm on workdays. Even public high schools in Daly City and Pacifica open their pools 7x per week... and somehow SF can't do it? Plenty more examples in other states. It's embarrassing for the...

This place is to serve the communicate as it once did but no longer. Today I was there at 1:40 PM with my son. The door was closed. There were people inside not letting anyone in. I waited unti 3:30 PM. I was informed that on Sunday's children can use the pool between 1:30 PM until 3:30 PM. At 3:00 PM Mr. Russell showed up at the door at 3:30 PM and put a sign stating the pool would open at 4:PM to 5:00pm I waited from 1:30 PM until 3:00 PM looking forward to swimming with my son. This was a complete waste of our time and disappointment to my son. I feel discriminated against and still remain with no reasonable response as to why I was not aloud in the pool. This was a waste of our time. There was no phone message left of a planned closure nor an explanation given as to why we could not entered. I felt discriminated. I do not...

Run down but serviceable. Locker rooms are well lit though many are too beat up to be locked. Showers in decent shape and warm water is available. Pool itself starts at 4' (ladder-only entry) and gets deeper from there; water is about 80^F according to rec and parks' website.

Recreational swim times can be something of a madhouse, especially on warm days, as kids and semi-organized groups pile in, though the staff are attentive.

Entry fee is exact change only, and short of the shops over on 24th there's no good way to get change if you don't have the...