Review Highlights
“Tried to swim with this pool's swim team (Masters?), but then I found out I would have to pretty much swim for one hour straight.” in 12 reviews
“Temescal Masters is an amazing team that's incredibly welcoming to newcomers and very social.” in 5 reviews
“Most groups I have swam with are very competitive and not very friendly, this team is definitely the opposite.” in 10 reviews
Location & Hours
Mon |
| |
|---|---|---|
Tue |
| |
Wed |
| |
Thu |
| Closed now |
Fri |
| |
Sat |
| |
Sun |
|
You Might Also Consider
in Gyms, Pickleball, Venues & Event Spaces
in Trainers
Amenities and More
Ask the Community
Got a question about Temescal Pool? Ask the Yelp community!
People also searched for
Recommended Reviews
Overall rating
74 reviews
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Maya L.San Francisco, CA133498Mar 14, 2024I like this pool. I like that it's saline, and not damaging-all-my-strands-of-hair levels of chlorine like the YMCA. The lifeguards are friendly, and even helped me set up an online account while their internet was offline so I could buy a pass and swim. There was plenty of space in the pool. It's a great place to swim when the sun is out.
My only wish is that this place would make the locker rooms a little nicer. I don't like the shower heads where I have to push every 2 seconds to keep water coming out, and I couldn't find a suitmate.
Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0- Fred F.Galleria/Uptown, Houston, TX09Jul 23, 2024
A simple place. But sometimes that's all you need. Good people. Good vibe. Of course for a public pool the facilities are BASIC. Showers are gross. All standard.
I do wish they had chaise lounges but this place is for SWIMMING so I get it.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 1Oh no 1 
Tiffany C.Berkeley, CA226325Apr 2, 2024Love this place!! Pool temp always great and flexible hours (early morning) I this is my favorite pool in Oakland, CA
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0- Aug 3, 2023
Love this pool! I normally come for the lap swims during the week or saturdays. Lanes are perfect, the pool is 33 yards i think? Has a shower/locker room area, pretty standard. Staff is pretty cool, younger group of staff. Only thing i wish they would have change onsite, they never seem to have any change bring exact cash or card
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 1Oh no 1 
Jess A.Oakland, CA617Aug 14, 2023Great pool. Unusually acceptable family swim time. Haven't tried lap swim yet. Will return!
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 1Oh no 1
Christophe P.Reno, NV717610Jul 14, 2021I like this pool, even with its 100 ft length...different but kind of a fun change from all of the other standard length pools in other cities. The water seems to be clean, and the locker room is dated. Hence, there's absolutely no reason to linger there, right? I've seen plenty of comments about how competitive the swimmers are in the pool. I have to say that the one Cal Grad and NCAA Champion swimmer who jumped in my lane, wasn't rude at all...just faster than anyone within 20 miles. I still don't know if he took a breath during his entire swim... I was thinking, "Who tossed the Barracuda in the pool, kind of a risky prank"?
I couldn't run as fast as this guy was swimming, and he was just cruising. So I moved to another lane where the swimmers were somewhat slower, actually a lot slower. Was I in reverse? Couldn't be, but I have no other explanation.
Anyway, I really like to swim in this pool, but swimming in any Oakland pool post-Covid, has really been a challenge since they have recently opened. Throngs of swimmers want to dampen their gills after the layoff, and the lap swim hours have been reduced from what they were prior to Covid.
I say give it a little time for the Parks and Rec people to remember what their jobs are, and a little more time to get more lifeguards trained. Should be fun again down the road!Helpful 5Thanks 0Love this 2Oh no 2
Jerri K.Oakland, CA2467Oct 23, 2022Nice lap pool with a great staff. Schedules for lap swimming has morning, afternoon and early evening choices. Changing rooms have sowers and toilets; being a lock if you want to use a locker. Temescal Pool offers swim tests on Saturday afternoons.
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 2
Sierra S.Sacramento, CA539334550May 3, 2022Nice pool, somewhat clean locker rooms, but always crowded. $6 for lap swim - exact cash or credit card only.
Helpful 3Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 1
Pied P.Alameda, CA0126Jun 23, 2019Updated reviewSummer swim season 2019 is upon us. Please please please leave your ego and pride at home.
If you are a new swimmer, new to this pool, a triathlete, someone who didn't grow up swimming, please take a minute to educate yourself on lap swim etiquette. Read the signs posted at the pool. Ask the guards and other swimmers. If a guard or other swimmer gives you a suggestion (kick boarding in the fast lane on a busy day...you should probably do this in the slow lane), please be receptive and understand that you are probably holding other swimmers up and or getting in the way.
If a faster swimmer tries to pass you, do not consider this rude. Many new comers and triathletes consider this behavior rude, when in fact, we are just trying to pass you. Get a clue!!
This past weekend was busy.
Saturday 6/22: nine swimmers in one fast lane (seven is the limit). All swimmers knew and followed lap swim etiquette. No problems
Sunday 6/23: seven people in fast lane, six of whom are constantly passing a slower swimmer. Slower swimmer refuses lifeguard and other swimmers' request to move a slower lane. Slower swimmer pushes off in front of other swimmers, causing other swimmers to "pile up" behind her. Please do not be this woman. As I wrote in my first review, leave hour pride and ego at home. Remember that you are not entitled to swim in one particular swimming lane, and that this is a space that is shared.
Helpful 3Thanks 0Love this 2Oh no 1Jul 14, 2017Previous reviewUpdate: it has been almost two years since my original review. For the most part, I still love swimming here because the pool is beautiful and the people (read: regular patrons and guards) are great. The regulars can get aggressive, especially in the summer, when there are new people that swim here who have no clue what they're doing (see previous review). Again, under NO circumstances should you ever stand or block the black center '+' in the lane, take off in front of someone who is faster than you, etc.
That being said, MOST of the regular swimmers at Tem are great and know:
1. How and where to pass others
2. How and where to let others pass
3. When to take off
4. Where to stand at the end of the lane EVEN if there are multiple people at the end
5. Where others are in the lane at any given time (I call this lane awareness and apply this spatial awareness to driving as well as walking down dimly lit streets...it's a safety skill...)
6. That doing breaststroke is cool, but if you're gonna do 20 laps straight of this stroke, get your ass and that slow ass breaststroke to the slow lane
Ask just about any regular and we can spot you new swimmers about a mile away just from one of the above infractions. If the above list means nothing to you or confuses you, please ask a guard or another swimmer about how to best ease into a lane. It is my belief that everyone is entitled to their workout...just not at the expense of other people.
**Face palm** to the guy about a month ago who hopped in the fast lane (head up freestyle, no goggles, arms flailing like limp spaghetti noodles, AND first time at Tem I might add)...I asked him to either swim faster or to kindly move to another lane since he was not keeping up with the rest of the swimmers and was slowing everyone's pace down...unfortunately, instead of "getting it," he replied that he knew it was the fast lane but that he was being courteous by stopping at the wall and letting me pass. "Well, there are tiered lanes for a reason, perhaps you could try the slo-," "No I'm ok in this lane, see? I'm letting you pass. So pass." Obviously this man lives in by a river called de-Nile. Poor guy. If you have to stop after every lap to let other swimmers pass, YOU ARE IN THE WRONG LANE.
By the way, LOL to the reviewer below who complained about the "blasting" music in the afternoons. The regulars love it and even pitched in to help the guards buy a new Bluetooth speaker when the old one went out. Don't ruin our fun...there are plenty of other pools in the Bay Area. We won't be sad to see you go and will be relieved that the crowds have thinned out.Aug 16, 2015Previous reviewSo there's a lot a talk of some of the lanes being too aggressive and competitive. It's true and it's one of the main reasons I like swimming here. That being said, if you are too slow for your chosen lane or don't follow lap swim etiquette, expect to get called on it. Usually, it's polite at first because the regulars (me being one of them) will assume that you just don't know (versus you not caring), but if you continue to swim too slow and therefore are clogging up the lane with a bunch of swimmers behind you, trying to pass you, etc., don't be surprised when we get annoyed and say something. It's nothing personal when we tell you to either swim faster or change lanes, but most of us want to get the best possible workout in and if that means telling youto go swim in a different lane because you aren't fast enough, then move over.
Tips:
-faster swimmer has the right of way
-do not take off in front of someone and do breaststroke
-if you are tapped, that means the person behind you wants to pass you. LET THEM PASS.
-if you keep getting passed in your chosen lane, you are too slow for that lane and need to change lanes
-do not under any circumstances stand at the wall in the middle of the lane
-do not swim down the middle of the lane (do you drive like this? No. Then don't do it while swimming. It's a safety issue)
-leave your ego at home and do not take it personal if you are asked to change lanes.
Amber C.West Seattle, Seattle, WA46165174Jun 10, 2019Usually so busy that I can't get a decent workout. Unless you're the very first in or the very last out, you will have to fight to keep a consistent pace, as many ppl don't understand the different between slow, medium and fast, or a fast swimmer will be doing a kick drill with a board in the fast lane. With only 2 lanes per speed and 5+ ppl in a lane, a workout here can often be frustrating rather than satisfying.
Women's locker room is your standard concrete room square with an adequate number of benches and lockers for your things. The communal shower is too close for comfort, though, and the water temp is unreliable. Also, *no* hooks for towels by the shower area. I wrap a towel around myself and shower at home.
New self-check in system is great.Helpful 1Thanks 1Love this 0Oh no 1
You Might Also Consider
in Nutritionists, Trainers, Gyms
in Pickleball, Tennis
