San Jose State University – Aquatic Center

It’s not the Santa Clara International or Stanford pool, but it will do in a pinch. SJSU’s pool is 25 yards by 50 meters, cordoned off into sections for lap swimming and recreational swim
PROS:
— Open for both lap and recreational swim all day (7am-​8pm M-​Th, 7am-​6pm F, 8am-​3pm S-​Su)
— $ 3 entry! That’s really a steal
— Diving board available in the afternoons
CONS:
— Don’t post closures online (staff/​lifeguard meetings sometimes at noon)
— Enforcement of different pool areas. Too many students hanging out in the middle of lanes talking to their friends when there is plenty of non-​lane space to do so.
— Parking can be a pain and/​or costly
— Not the most immaculate aquatic center ever
Bring your own lock!

I’m an out-​of-​towner wanting to keep up my new swim régime, found this pool on Unilocal!and went after work yesterday evening.
What everyone else said — friendly staff, clean pool, nothing wrong with the locker rooms, I had a lane to myself, the timing clocks work and it’s nice being outdoors. Parking didn’t seem to be a major issue as long as you don’t mind paying a couple of bucks to use the South Parking structure.
And $ 3!
I’ll be back this evening, and the on future trips to San Jose.

A huge pool that’s not overcrowded in a city of 1,000,000 for $ 3? Perfect enough for me.

There is one particular lifeguard who is pessimistic! I brought my nephew, my daughter, her friend and my son for the 1^st time. My daughter was able to pass the test, but my nephew almost made it. I asked this lifeguard can he attempt again. At this point, he inserted his pessimistic opinion, stating that he would NOT make it anyways. Another attempt to have fun at the Aquatics center came to an abrupt end, when this same lifeguard decides to flex his Supervisory authority and enforce a rule that I was not aware of. Apparently if I have 2 kids who haven’t passed the test, I have to be ALL THE WAY IN THE WATER! Not just sitting on the edge of the pool with my feet in the 3 ½ feet water. My kids had been there a couple of times, I was poolside many times with nobody saying anything, but this Lifeguard, who I’ve had a prior encounter, wants to enforce this rule. These people had seen us 4 – 5 times, and not once was sitting on the edge of the pool was an issue, until this day. I tried to email his Supervisor for clarity on his unprofessionalism, and she has not even attempted to apologize for his actions. Great pool, great school, PESSIMISTIC LIFEGUARD #PartyKill

It’s getting a little built up around the pool with the new construction, and they don’t have the nice trumpet vines on the back wall any more, but it’s still a really great place to hang out on a hot summer day. Just splash around or lap swim in any of about fifteen 25 yard long width-​wise lanes, or dive off your choice of 1 and 3 meter boards. Especially great for the family now that the kiddo can dive and swim on his own after passing a little test.

I only found out about this swimming opportunity when browsing reviews for the Santa Clara International Swim Center, which is more than double the price. Thanks to reviewers, we went here instead!
It’s only $ 3 per person, which can be all day. If you’re a SJSU student, it’s free. This pool is open every day and a lot more hours than Santa Clara or any other public pool that I know of in the area.
However, the fly in the ointment is parking. If you have to pay, you could end up doubling your cost of admission or more! Fortunately, we found street parking for free. Otherwise the parking garage is $ 2/​hour or $ 8/​day. If you’re a student or staff of the university, that’s different. They have designated parking near the pool for special permitted people but we weren’t among those. We did have to walk a bit, from where we could find parking to the pool itself. Bear that in mind if you’re lugging around young children and all their stuff, or if you’re really exhausted after swimming; it could be a trek. There were beautiful roses to stop and smell along the way, so that was a plus.
We were very impressed with the pool itself. The water temp was slightly warmer than Santa Clara so there was no getting used to it; just climb in. There’s no foul odor and it’s clean and resurfaced. It’s huge and they even have kick boards to use. I used one. We didn’t use the locker rooms nor restrooms so can’t comment on those. It’s wonderful to be able to swim so early in the day (or later, in our case) that it’s out of peak sun damage hours, unlike other public pools that are only open in the sunniest part of the day.
The blonde hottie who cashiered for us was also super nice. She explained about parking, which was very helpful. In fact, everyone we talked to was really nice. I think they only accept cash but I’m not sure about that. you can also buy monthly passes for $ 35, and I’m not sure what methods they accept for that. If you need in and out privileges, they will either stamp your hand or provide a receipt that you can show to get back in. That’s wonderful!
I suggest going to their website before you go, to familiarize yourself with their hours and plan for parking or public transit. Parking can be tricky so allow plenty of time. We saw people of all ages, including families, but the noise was much less than at other pools. If you go to the deep end, away from the kids, you probably won’t even hear it because the pool is huge.

The aquatics center is located in the vicinity of the south east corner of San Jose State University which is easy walking distance from just about anywhere in or near downtown San Jose CA. If you are driving I can see where parking might be a challenge. I was staying at one of the downtown hotels and used Unilocal to find this location to try and keep up with my swimming while away from home; it was a perfect Unilocal find. The aquatics center pool and facilities go back to a time decades ago when we spent resources on such public places. We don’t seem to build facilities like this anymore. It is a massive pool; 25 yards wide and I’m not really sure how long it is. This pool is as big as or bigger than any other pool I have seen. Being an older facility the locker rooms are dated and small but they and the deck space are kept clean. I didn’t come to critique the locker room, I came to lap swim and had a great time! The price to walk in is an unbelievably low 3 Dollars. It is an outdoor facility, the pool and water were clean and the temperature was perfect; no shock when you first jump in. I couldn’t imagine a better deal for lap swimming in or around San Jose CA.

In A Nutshell:
–The SJSU pool is a definite hidden gem!
–Super affordable — $ 3 single entry or $ 35 monthly (I chose the latter)
–The pool has multiple swimming lanes and a partioned off general pool area.
–The water quality is superb (no heavy chlorine smell & definitely no urine smell!)
–There’s a lifeguard on duty and the college kid staff were all friendly.
Overall, my favorite part is that it’s an outdoor, warm pool that rocks out to the latest music :)

For the love of the pool!
This pool is a MUST visit for anyone visiting or living here that likes to swim at all! This pool is larger then an Olympic size pool and one of the largest in California. It is maintained impeccability with the water temperature and chemical content is at an optimum for comfort and exposure. I rarely smell of chlorine when I leave here. Showers are a communal stall with one tower and can be a bit cramped. Limited lockers are available as are chairs, umbrellas, and parking, so get there early for the best selection. Being in downtown there are many options for public transportation and many amenities within walking distance.
SJSU pool boasts a large open swim in 13 feet with two diving boards, high and low, and lap swim lanes in shallow water. There is a handicap ramp into the water and a reserved area for water therapy. A large clock tower makes it easy to keep track of the time and friendly rotating lifeguards keep your mind at ease, and kindly remind children how to behave to be safe.
Bring a lunch and for $ 3 a person it is a cheap, fun and relaxing day!

To add to my review, & to re-​emphasize the tiny bank of lockers… I’ve gone at times where there were no empty lockers available, & resorted to leaving my duffel bag on the pool deck. They have certain lockers labeled for use for athletics, but sometimes those are the only ones available.
Someone corrected me via message on here that it’s not a salt water pool… well, maybe not completely, but maybe they do a combo of salt water & chlorine, because I’m used to smelling like chlorine when I get out of a pool & if I go frequently (like I did as a kid/​teenager) smelling like chlorine, even after showering, but have yet to have that happen here.
I heard that they will be renovating the pool in the next few years, & if so, they need to put in more lockers! There’s a lot of groups on campus (swim/​diving team, water polo team, scuba, water aerobics, etc.) that use this pool, plus people who come in for lap swimming, recreation/​play/​hanging out.

I am a two-​time SJSU alum, and the Aquatic Center is something that keeps me coming back to school. I’m a lap swimmer, and this is my favorite place to swim in the South Bay. At one point, this pool was the largest in the state– it’s bigger than an Olympic-​sized pool, and that’s awesome because there are always dedicated lanes for lap swimming, space for kids in the shallow end, and open swim in the deep end/​diving area. The pool was recently resurfaced and is about to get a new pool deck, which is a much-​needed improvement. The water is very clean and heated year-​round to a comfortable 82 degrees, great for lap swimming, water aerobics, and play. Feels like a little oasis in Downtown San Jose. Free for students. $ 3 for a day pass for everyone else, with monthly passes available (including discounts for Alumni Association members and faculty/​staff). NOTE: this pool is chlorinated. It is not a salt water pool, as another Unilocaler mentioned (I even called the pool to double-​check).

This pool is awesome, it is clean and well kept. The prices are pretty reasonable and if you’re a student it’s free!
There are not many chairs but it’s not that bad since they have bleachers. The bathroom is fairly clean and they have open showers with great water pressure.
Lastly, they have boards and buoys to do different swimming exercises in the water!

Daily pass for drop in is $ 3 although it’s very cheap for monthly membership. If you love lap swim like I do, this is the your best choice in south bay.

Getting back into the pool on a daily was tough. I was going all the way to Santa Clara Swim Club, which for me is a bit out and they are trey expensive. The monthly at SJSU is only freakin (35 bucks) and your guest pay (2). They are open till 8pm M-​Th and 6 Fri, Sat –Sun till 3.
I have been going several times a week and am pumped to leave work to do my traditional jump into my warm up. Parking takes a bit of learning but you guys can figure that out on your own hahahahaha.
Staff is chill and deck changes are allowed. The locker is cool but I only go in for a quick rinse with complimentary liquid soap.
DONT TAKE ANY VALUABLES IN HERE!!!
Car keys are ok but wallets and phones and such are not… even in the lockers. Stuff gets stolen… your call.
Light crowd, mostly doggy paddlers and some lap swimmers. I like it.

Such a great public pool! I live within walking distance and have been going here consistently for the past month and a half. At $ 3/​day for community members (or $ 35/​month), it’s a great deal, especially compared with some of the other public pools in the area. Plus, it’s never overly crowded, so you don’t have to worry about too many kids underfoot or too many serious swimmers taking over the lap lanes.
During peak times (after work hours in the summer), pretty much every lane ends up with 2 people in it, but there’s a good flow of people in and out of the pool, so I’ve never seen anyone waiting for a lane or having to squeeze three people into one.
The pool is split into three sections — free swim shallow end; approximately 10 lap lanes; and the deep end, which features a diving board and is often used for water polo.
If you’re going during the school year, it’s easy to call ahead to find out what times the teams will be practicing, so you know when not to go. The swim teams will take up most of the lanes (usually from 1:30 — 3:30), so you don’t want to end up there and then have to wait for them to be done. On weekends, it’s all free swim, all the time, unless there’s something special happening.

Been coming here for a while now and it’s always been a great experience.
The pool and its amenities are generally clean for being a public pool. It’s never ever super crowded and staff is amazingly helpful.
They offer swimming lessons for the juniors and swim tests for kids to ensure they can adequately swim on their own.
Only thing is, you’d have to keep your eyes peeled for chairs as there aren’t very many around. Otherwise, it’s a great place to get your swim on and burn off the hot heat.

this place is a great for kids trying to escape the heat of summer
free for students and $ 3 for public
, 2 diving boards
kids must pass a swim test in order to use diving boards or enter the water alone.
Not too busy on weekdays

Not always easy to find public pools. This one’s cheap, and the pool temperature is kept decent. Kickboards are free to borrow.
Some of the lanes are quite green, so I have to wonder about that.
Locker room (at least women’s) is pretty nice. Can borrow a locker. They have soap in the shower, hair dryers, and even plastic bags to put wet suits in. I’m told there was no soap or hair dryers in the men’s, which seems odd, but maybe he’s just not observant?
Parking could be a bit easier, perhaps more public swim time, but not bad. No tall dive board, though.

Chlorine still smells like home…
I’ve attempted to «get back into swimming» a few times over the years. I tried workouts at my local gym but a limited number of lanes and lots of «recreational» swimmers killed my mojo fast and forced me to explore other outlets. When a friend suggested we start swimming again I was apprehensive given my past experience with lap pools. The SJSU Aquatic Center was a pleasant surprise.
For $ 3 the non-​student rate, there are several lanes open for lap swimming. Kickboards and pull buoys are provided, yay for not having to lug my own around with me. Kids and other «recreational» swimmers have their own area sectioned off from the lap swim lanes. The water temperature is cool enough to be invigorating but not so cold that your muscles will stiffen up if you take a pause. The water is also surprisingly clear for a public pool, thumbs up on their filtration system. The walls can be a little slippery so be careful when doing flip turns things can get a little bit sketchy if your footing isn’t perfect. The locker room and shower area are clean.
If nothing else, blue sky and sunshine trumps dingy ceilings and dim lighting. The best part, I don’t have to get up at 5 am to get a lane. WIN!
Now all I need is a way to counter-​tan the swimmers «X «on my back. :P

A great way to get in a workout if you are getting tired of the same ol’ same ol’ at your gym. I am so glad my gf convinced me to go swimming on this fine and lovely day.
The SJSU pool is heated all year round, free for students, and just $ 3 if you are not one. The pool is very spacious, plenty of lanes and shallow-​deep end zones. The whole common area is kept very clean as well and there are lawn chairs where you can lay out and work on your Jersey Shore tan.
Lastly when you are done swimming, there is a very clean shower/​restroom area to rinse off and change.
I will definitely be back to get my back-​stroke on especially when the weather gets warmer… can’t wait till I get to bust out the sandals and shorts again :)