Escape the heat at these indoor pools in Tucson

Arizona: it’s synonymous with sunny. Mix that sun with the sprawling urban blacktops and the result is the nationally recognized heat that is Arizona summer (“But it’s a dry heat!” they all declare). The typical triple-digit heat is why every local can tell you where the nearest community pool is.

Outdoor pools are great for play and a quick cool-off, but this is only sustainable if you plan to swim before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m.—when the sun is done settling its score—or take out stocks in SPF. That midday point between 10 and 5, when the sun is the hottest and the rays are the highest, tends to be the most alluring time to take a dip. However, it is recommended to take cover during these hours (Let’s not get started on how the sun reflects on water)..

Unless you want to soak in the high heat and harsh rays, there are alternatives. Here is a list of places in Tucson where you can beat the sun by swimming indoors, or at least in the shade.

 

Strictly Indoor Swimming:

LA Fitness

This nationwide gym is the most affordable indoor pool option in Tucson. All three Tucson locations have an indoor pool, and for $34.99/month plus the $75 initiation fee, you have access to all of them, in addition to the 550+ clubs across the US and Canada. While swimming at a gym is not the most glamorous, it is a great motivator to work on your fitness.

Hours: M-Th 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. / F 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. / Sa-Su 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: $34.99/month plus a one-time $75 initiation fee

Tanque Verde Ranch

This option is on the pricier side but is the only other indoor pool that is available to all. Tanque Verde Ranch is a resort with nightly packages beginning at $474 for a weekday summer stay. While the indoor pool may draw you in, this resort has several fun amenities that can make it a fun family or friend staycation!

Mission View RV

If you are aged 55 or better, you can opt for a nightly or weekly stay at this RV park with a beautiful indoor pool. The nightly rates for the summer start at just $36. That is, if you have an RV!

Military only

Another gym with an indoor pool, this one is for military ID cardholders, whether active, retired, or a dependent. Rates are not available to the public and require a phone appointment to get started. Clubs are open 24/7, though!

Covered Pools:

While not the same as an indoor pool, a covered pool is also not the same as an outdoor pool, either. It stays warmer in the winter (which is a whopping one to two months in Tucson), may not be subject to the same closure protocols during monsoons, and can block a good portion of those UVA/UVB rays. Here are two public pools that have you covered (at least while swimming).

YMCA – Lohse

A nationwide gym with notoriety, this is a trusted place to swim and work out! The Loshe family club in Tucson also has a covered pool. Just be prepared to stay in your lane as it is a lap pool.

Hours: M-F 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. / Sat 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. / Closed Sundays
Cost: Adult memberships are around $50/month per person, with both family memberships and select discounts available.

Edith Ball Adaptive

This is a city-run facility that offers therapy pools as well as an outdoor covered recreation pool. The limited hours are reasonable when you consider that entrance is free! Just be aware that this is a popular place, so prepare to get to know your community while exercising your patience.

Hours: M-Th 1:30 to 7 p.m. / F 1:30 to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free entry!

Indoor Swim Lessons:

This isn’t exactly an open-swim option, but it can help your kiddos beat the heat. Tucson has two swim-lesson facilities that have indoor pools, and one even rents the pool out for parties; hello, fun!

DeMont Family Swim School

Swim lessons here are for people 3 months of age and older and follow proven methods for teaching the art of swimming. Lessons start around $34 per session. Having an hour or so a week for your kiddo to learn a valuable skill during the high heat may prove to be quite cool.

Saguaro Aquatics

Toddlers, kids, adults, persons with disabilities: This all-inclusive swim school opens the lanes to anyone who needs a swim lesson, ranging in price from $27.50-$65 per lesson.

What is unique about this place, though, is that for $575, you can host a 2.5-hour pool party with up to 20 swimmers! The best part is, there is no rule saying that the pool party has to be for a birthday—you can host a pool party just because. Maybe just because you and several others feel like swimming inside.

Closing Thoughts:

When I first got to Arizona, I loved how much time in the summer locals spend at the pool. I was right there, with cold bubbly water in hand and a revolving selection of bikinis to wear. It wasn’t long, though, before I learned that moonlight swims are preferable to sunny daylight swims, morning swims are preferable to high noon swims, and that the Costco pack of sunscreen will get used before the expiration date.

The sun is powerful here in the Grand Canyon State, and power can be both glorious and destructive. The trick, here, is to find the proper balance between the two with careful consideration for happy swimming.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.