Greetings,
I am going to be in the twin cities on business for a week and need to find a pool. Anyone have any ideas in this area? I will be staying by the Depot downtown but would be willing to travel a little ways to find one…
Or even a public swim area in one of those million lakes they have there…
Thanks!
the ywca downtown off nicolet has a nice pool. its 25 meters instead of yards though so it feels a bit weird the first time in there. also the ywca in midtown is decent but if you go at the wrong time youre screwed. the lifetime fitness downtown has a good pool as well and no one is ever swimming when ive gone there but its been a while.
if you want an open water swim head to lake nokomis and swim the bouys. if you want an amazing open water swim drive up to square lake.
Do you know how much it costs to swim at the Y’s?
unfortunately i dont. when i swam there i had a membership. i know you can buy some punch passes that makes it cheaper. the lakes are free though!
I don’t know of anything in Minneapolis that is downtown. The University of Minnesota has public lap swimming at the Natatorium most nights at 6pm and it’s usually long course (and freakin cold) in the summer. I believe the cost is $2 cash.
https://www.google.com/calendar/b/0/embed?src=umn.edu_omlef5m7ld5tpa36eqoma0van8@group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/Chicago&gsessionid=pibP3yI3_Tl8Y_5Ww3T4SA
Highland Park Aquatic Center has an outdoor 50m pool that costs $5 and is open for lap swimming from 5pm to 6:30pm (I think)
https://maps.google.com/maps?q=highland+park+aquatic+Center&hl=en&sll=44.980154,-93.175821&sspn=0.295789,0.617294&hq=highland+park+aquatic+Center&t=m&z=11&iwloc=A
The lakes in and around the cities forbid swimming 
However Lake Nacomis to the south of Minneapolis (near the Airport) now allows triathletes to swim across on Tuesday nights from 5:30pm until 7pm.
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=55415&daddr=Lake+Nokomis,+Minneapolis,+MN+55417&hl=en&sll=44.90863,-93.242021&sspn=0.01851,0.038581&geocode=Fd9GrgIdcQJx-ilh53FOYC2zUjH6FblCVk16nQ%3BFVZArQIdWz1x-ilntwTCjSj2hzFuVLKlxXKckA&gl=us&mra=ls&t=m&z=13
I know quite a few people swim in Cedar Lake early in the mornings before the lifeguards get there
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=55415&daddr=Cedar+Lake+Pkwy&hl=en&ll=44.959636,-93.293238&spn=0.036987,0.077162&sll=44.954289,-93.320215&sspn=0.004624,0.009645&geocode=Fd9GrgIdcQJx-ilh53FOYC2zUjH6FblCVk16nQ%3BFbburQIdtwpw-g&t=h&gl=us&mra=ls&z=14
i forgot about those! the u of m pool is really nice.
i have swam in cedar lake for years and never had an issue. ive even swam across calhoun on multiple occasions in the early am. without problems but i wouldnt recomment it. (its exactly a mile from beach to beach) and nokomis puts bouys about 100 yards apart that you can swim anytime.
The YMCA in Shoreview, about 5min drive from the city has a 50m outdoor pool. It is awesome
http://www.ymcatwincities.org/locations/shoreview_ymca/
Square Lake is worth the drive (just north of Stillwater).
The beach is almost exactly 200 yards long so you can therefore swim 200 yard laps. The water is clear. Or since the entire perimeter of the lake is bouyed for no wake you can swim the outside maybe 100 yards anytime of day with no boat traffic.
We go almost weekly. I generally swim the beach as 200 yard laps in water up to 6-8’ in depth (or less if you want) is all I need.
If you can make the free weekly Tues evening OWS at Lake Nokomis, it’s the bomb. It’s a smaller city lake, but nice & clean, and great temp right now (78-80).
The OWS goes back & forth between the north and south beach (~600 yds). Normally, the Minneapolis Parks cops & lifeguards do not allow swimming* across* the city lakes (they will ticket you!), but this Tues night thing is sanctioned by the City - complete with kayak & paddle-board lifeguards out there.
Lake Nokomis is south of downtown Minneapolis, and is pretty easy to get to if you are staying down there. Heck, The Depot may even have a shuttle that will take you there and pick you up - it may be worth asking about.
Lots of triathletes there swimming and hanging out, so if you leave a small bag with a change of clothes or whatever off to the side, it should be just fine.
Have fun during your stay!
ETA: Call The Depot and see if they have an arrangement with any of the downtown pools (Lifetime or YWCA) - they may have some kind of gym/pool partnership deal with them. Again, no harm in asking…
Cheers, Chris
The YMCA in Shoreview, about 5min drive from the city has a 50m outdoor pool. It is awesome
http://www.ymcatwincities.org/...ions/shoreview_ymca/]
maybe 5 minutes by helicopter.
St Louis Park rec center has an outdoor pool that is great. It’s REALLY 5-10 mins from downtown.
Yep
Nokomis on Tuesdays.
Otherwise check Lifetime or LA Fitness.
good luck.
I’ll second or third or whatever it’s up to now. Get out to Nokomis on Tuesday if that works. I live in the neighborhood and it’s great.
As other have mentioned, Lifetime Fitness downtown has a pool and it’s also very nice. If at all possible get a 7 day pass to Lifetime for free and show up at the pool on Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30. There is a great Masters program that is coached by Tim Liebhold. He’s a former Team USA swimmer and there are 4 lanes dedicated to the program.
Hopkins masters would also be a good option.
http://www.genesisaquatics.org/