Rinconada Pool
777 Embarcadero Rd, Palo Alto, CA
PUBLIC TRANSIT ACCESS:
proximity to BART? No (closest is Millbrae Bart)
Bus? Santa Clara VTA #35, get off at Middlefield & Embarcadero, transfer to caltrain
CURRENT POOL HOURS:
http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/depts/csd/activities_and_recreation/aquatics/
COST:
Senior (60+): Drop-in $3; resident membership $2, non-resident membership $2.50
Adult: Drop-in $5; resident membership $3.50, non-resident membership $4
(you can set up membership at pool, minimum purchase 10 swims)
PARKING:
parking plentiful? On weekday afternoons there is usually street parking on Hopkins Ave.
disabled spots? I think so, in parking lot on Hopkins Ave, about 100 yards from pool entrance
INDOOR OR OUTDOOR POOL:
outdoor
CHLORINE OR SALINE WATER:
chlorine, I think
TEMPERATURE OF WATER:
86 degrees F
DEPTH OR DEPTH RANGE OF WATER:
4.5 feet to 10 feet
MOBILITY ACCESS TO THE POOL AREA:
distance between parking and pool entrance? 100-400 feet
distance between shower/changing areas and pool? 25 feet to shallow end of pool, 75 to deep end
any stairs required? there might be one step into the changing room.
are there ramps? no
ACCESSIBILITY OF POOL:
stairs/ladders/lift? ladders only
ACCESSIBILITY OF POOL AREA:
seating nearby? yes
what type? picnic tables, white plastic armchairs, metal bleachers, concrete shelf
is seating fat-friendly? bleachers and shelf are ok
if outdoor, is there shade? yes but only in the picnic table area
non-smoking? not sure; probably (haven’t encountered any smoke that I recall)
CHANGING ROOM PRIVACY:
private changing areas? I can’t remember
semi-private changing areas? no
one big group changing area? yes
CHANGING ROOM FAT-FRIENDLINESS:
seating available? yes
what type of seating? benches affixed to the wall
is seating movable? no
LOCKER ROOM GENDER-NEUTRAL FRIENDLINESS:
gender-neutral changing areas? no
gender-neutral showers? no
can M/F locker rooms be avoided? in the fall through the spring, yes. You enter through a gate directly to the pool area. But in the summer you enter through the pool building and then go through the men’s or women’s locker room to the pool.
SHOWERS:
single stalls? there might be one, i can’t remember
group showers? yes
shower seats available? can’t remember
TOILETS:
disabled stall available? i think so
is it well marked? i think so
CLOTHING RULES:
swim caps needed? no
t-shirts allowed? yes but they are supposed to be worn only over swimsuits. i doubt the lifeguards bother to police this.
AMENABILITY TO DIFFERENT STYLES OF SWIMMING:
water walking allowed? yes although if the lap lanes were crowded, it might be frowned upon
recreational swimming? summer only
lap swimming? yes
are weights available/allowed? don’t remember
are noodles available/allowed? not available or allowed
are toys available/allowed? not available or allowed
other provided devices: kickboards, pull buoys (i think), possibly swim paddles
LIFEGUARD ON DUTY?
yes
RELATED AMENITIES?
spa or sauna? no
other? none
CAN THIS POOL BE RENTED PRIVATELY?
no
WHO CREATED OR CONTRIBUTED TO THIS REVIEW?
stef maruch
OTHER COMMENTS:
I go to this pool weekday afternoons. I hate the changing rooms. I wear my suit and a robe to the pool. I leave my stuff on the bleachers. I swim, dry off, and put my robe on over my suit, then go home to shower.
