Rinconada Pool

I give five stars to the lifeguards, and to the pool which is really nice for children enjoyment. Unfortunately, my family experienced mistreatment, rudeness and perhaps racism from the ladies that were working at the front desk on Saturday August 22. The lady with whom we interact had no respect, no manners, and no costumer service skills at all. We are Latinos and felt being discriminated. Please do not use this pool or demand respect when you are being mistreated.

Love everything about this pool, except for the young lady who is at the check-​in counter.
For the second time in a row she can’t find us in the system* and is really rude while dealing with the issue.
She was there today, Sunday, August 16^th, 11:15am when the pool opened.
Once you’re past that rude teenager, everything is good. Have fun!
*we are MEMBERS still trying to get our cards done, but they can never do it because the pool is always crowded and they always seem to be under staffed — plus the rude young lady does not seem to care enough to fight her laziness and go through the trouble of making us cards.

My son recently had sweeming lessons with Tony. He is very good as a teacher he is very patience, witch means a lot to me but I have to admit that I was not impress at all with the customer service at the front desk. The communication lacks in between the front desk and the sweeming teachers… very disorganized from the start and there should be a system in place to make it a better experience for everybody the management should hire people at the desk that really want to serve the community… and treat everybody with respect.

It’s great to see that some things never change,…but some things that maybe should? I came to the pool yesterday with my two year old for the first time since working there myself as a lifeguard for a lot of years. The pool is great, the systems in place for lifeguard rotations and swimmer safety is all in place. Those are the great things that have stayed the same!
The cashier seemed a bit mopey, but maybe we all were as teenagers? If so, I am so sorry for all the guests that visited the pool in the 90’s to whom I may have been a total crab-​apple.
Sadly, I would have thought that the locker rooms would have gotten a bit of a facelift. That doesn’t seem to be the case. They really are in disrepair. I suspect it is only a matter of time that they get an overhaul, but when? It really should have happened years ago. They are dirty and «yucky.»
Thank you for the extra long wading pool hours in summer!

I have loved this pool for years, and my kids think this place is awesome. Unfortunately, after our last visit I won’t be coming back. Both of my kids and the other kids we came with all left after playing in the pool last Thursday with chlorine burns on their legs and private parts. Unfortunately, we had to leave early and complained to the pool staff since the kids were all in tears over the fact that they were burning/​itching so badly. When I told the lifeguards they said «other people had complained that day, you aren’t the only ones», but didn’t really give any explanation. It was pretty scary, and we went home and waited a day or two for the burns to go away.
Even after a few days (its been 5) both of my kids hair feels like straw, and I’m concerned. Also, the chemicals were so harsh that their swimsuits turned about 10 shades lighter. From ONE visit (and a brand new suit). I don’t normally mention one little problem, but with the burning, the bleached swimsuit, and the dried out nasty hair, I was seriously alarmed. Please double check your chlorine levels Rinconada so other kids don’t have the same problem!

FIRST AND LAST VISIT TO THIS POOL! I would have given this a 5 star only because the pool is really wonderful. But the reason for this one star review is because the head lifeguard there who didn’t want to share his name gave my family and I so many problems.
#1 women’s bathrooms/​lockers barely get cleaned and it was so dirty that we had to change at a different location about 500 feet to the pool entrance
#2 pools capacity was quickly reached so many people weren’t allowed in. They even conducted a wait list.
#3 even if you do not step foot into the pool you still have to pay the cover charge.
#4 everyone was sneaking in food. They might as well permit it. And also the receptionists don’t communicate at all.
#4 We were celebrating 2 kids birthdays of about 10 – 15 people and my father just came in to get keys. The head guard harassed my father telling him he would call the cops because he was there for more than 30 sec. Come on really. My dad was saying okay one second but couldn’t even get those words out because the guard interrupted by repeatedly saying «leave now» in a very irritated tone. It was just so uncalled for.
They received a lot of profit from my family and it was too bad we had this experience. Hope this helps anyone throwing a party. I will say that the pool design and hours were very fitting. They should tear down all the staff and replace em with fresh faces.

This pool looked so promising but we couldn’t believe it when they didn’t let us in. Apparently when they reach «capacity» they put people on a waiting list. I’ve been to a lot of pools and it did not look like it was at capacity. There was never more than 3 kids in line at one time for the diving board. Disassapointing.

Just for our family needs. I have a 10, nine, four, and six month old, and everyone can play safely here. It is kind of silly that babies cost two dollars.

I do really like this pool in that the actual facilities are the best of all the outdoor pools in the area. However, the 1 star is for the fact is closes at 4.15pm, especially on the weekends in summer. Seriously.

Great pool for toddlers and children under 10… The pool has areas where it is really shallow and at the most gets three feet deep… Get here early on the weekends there are alot of people! Many of the people who were near us shared the grass area and moved over so we can park our stuff. There is vending machines with healthy snacks and its adjacent to the palo alto junior museum and a great park as well, Also the entrance is cheap and cheaper if you are a palo alto resident. Also ask about the bundle pack were you can buy more passes at a discount rate.

Nice pool, locker room could be improved, but for a public pool and the price of entry this is a great local pool!

Fantastic pool and PERFECT for kids. Highly recommended.

It had been a few years since we visited the pool and something significant changed: the lounge chairs are gone! Maybe it is my imagination, but I seem to remember sitting poolside on a lounger not a plastic chair? The pool is clean, the staff is very attentive, but there is nothing comfortable about sitting on concrete, especially after you’ve had surgery and go to a pool to do some rehab. Bring a yoga mat!

Wonderful and cheap community pool in the heart of Palo Alto. The lap pool seems to be a favorite of serious swimmers of all ages but for my kids, the five petal wading pool is the bomb. Some features they like — zero inch depth to three feet, the mushroom, a slide and three stationary bikes. Me? I’m just thankful I don’t have to shell out $ 10 per person every time I go.

I give this place a definite 5 star. My 3 ½ yr old had a blast. Parents can lay out while watching their kiddies splish splash. The water is 1−3ft high so most parents don’t have to worry. Food and snacks are allowed which is a plus. Cost to get in very cheap. One downfall would be that theres no in’s and out’s. If you want to step out you have to pay again to get back in.
Other than that, I recommend this place 100%

Absolutely the best pool that is closest to where we live. My toddler loves to go here and he loves the water and mushroom pool.
It does tend to get crowded and no snacks available close by so make sure to pack a picnic lunch and make it a day. We love the staff, they are efficient, helpful and work hard to make things pleasant for you.
Three cheers for the the nice ladies at the registration desk, they always have a smile, patient and ready to help you with your questions and get you all checked in.
Lots of lifeguards and the Pool Rules help make it a pleasant experience. We’ll be back there soon.

This pool is great for families with little kids. I have a 3 year old son and the kiddie pool was perfect for him. It goes up to 3 feet and he can walk almost the entire pool.
We went on a foggy day but it was still pretty warm so the place wasn’t too crowded like the other reviewers mentioned. They charge about $ 5 per adult and $ 4 per kid ages 3 and up. There’s plenty of street parking if you’re here on a day that’s not too busy. They accept credit cards so that’s great.
The lap pool is pretty warm and there wasn’t too many people in the pool when we went so my son and I had an entire lane to ourselves.
The lifeguards are definitely on alert and it’s great to know that the kids are watched very closely. There was a kid who had a little accident when I was there and the lifeguards cleared out the kiddie pool right away and had to close it for approximately 20 minutes to clean up. My son and I just hung out in the lap pool while they cleaned up.
The showers are warm and love that they have a little chair that my son can stand on while we clean up. I will definitely be back and will bring all my girlfriends and nieces with me soon. love it here.

The perfect family pool for summer days. It is just right for bringing little ones. I spent the better part of a hot day sitting in the shallow water of the wading pool with my infant. There is even a very small water slide for small children.
The fee is really cheap and even cheaper with 10 Card Pass. It is a little more expensive if you are not a Palo Alto resident.
The kids on staff are pretty friendly. They are kids though, and lack some level of general professionalism. I had one girl repeatedly ask me if I was a Palo Alto resident, as if she couldn’t believe that some WAAYYYY over in Mountain View would travel so far to get to Palo Alto. Then she kept muttering, «not from Palo Alto, not from Palo Alto» while clicking around on her computer. That bugged, but whatever.
Be sure to bring your own snacks because there is not snack bar. There are a couple of picnic tables, though.
I will be there all summer, so I might just see you around the pool!

This place is great for people with little kids, especially on a hot summer day. Pool is pretty shallow with a slide and water mushroom. It’s $ 4 per person, and kids under 2 are free.
There are also lifeguards on duty.
I brought a mat to sit in the grassy area, and of course lunch and snacks which they allow.
Definitely a fun day to spend with the little kids, and not too crowded during weekdays

I think I can say that my son officially learned how to swim here! It’s perfect for toddlers and little ones because of the Beach –type layout and the depth.
I love that there is a small water slide that doesn’t look too intimidating for the kiddos. The cute mushroom shade waterfall thing is cool for splashing about too. And the bike things that squirt water are fun (for the kids, that is)!
It’s cool cause the pool starts really shallow (like the beach) and then gets deeper. 4 year olds can tippy toe the whole time and totally enjoy themselves. It’s also deep enough for parents to just sit there and enjoy watching the kids enjoy themselves.
And those with older kids (or no kids), don’t worry, Rinconada didn’t forget about you. On the other side is the adult pool with the diving boards. My 14 year old spends the whole time doing his flips (and flops) into that nice cool water.
There is also a park right outside and lots of ice cream vendors. Ahhh the joys of summer!