Grant Park Pool

I love going here. Lots of working class families come here to hang out, and that generally keeps the vermin yuppies away, at least when I visit. The pool is surrounded by beautiful trees and is set basically in the middle of Grant Park. Gorgeous setting. For $ 4/​person, it’s a cheap way to have a good time, and you can have a BBQ in the park when you’re done swimming.
However, for the first time today I was turned away for wearing gym shorts rather than swim trunks. The guy at the door actually said he needed to see my shorts netting, which is weird because that’s like asking somebody to see their underwear. This policy boggles the mind, and needless to say after gearing up for a fun afternoon I was incredibly disappointed. But it’s not like there is competition for public pools in the area, so I really have no choice but to go back if I want a swim… bitter.
Read the policies at
before going.

Great pool in my neighborhood. It’s an easy walk for us to go there.
The tips:
1. Parking can be found in the Grant Park lot. Lock your valuables or you’re asking for a busted window.
2. Prices are good at $ 4 for adults but they do have a free period from 1:30 — 4:00 during the week. I’ll be taking advantage of that this summer.
3. No deep end as it’s 4.5 feet in the main pool. It’s Olympic size so you can get plenty of exercise doing laps.
4. It’s a public pool so be prepared for throngs of people. No lockers were available so you want to secure your personal items. It’s unfortunate that this is the day and age in which we live.

The pool is awesome and I love that it is in Grant Park. It is tucked away and unseen from the busy streets and therefore remains a little hidden gem. Adults pay $ 4 on the weekends which is a fair price for the amenity. It opens on May 30^th — check their website for official hours and rules.

Later in life, I plan to summer in an Italian villa overlooking the Mediterranean, complete with a pool boy that looks like a younger George Clooney to bring me frozen cocktails.
Until that time comes, you will find me paying my $ 4 admission to be happily ensconced in a chained up lounge chair at the Grant Park Pool, being lightly splashed as energetic children jump cannonball style into the five foot deep pool.
There is a large parking lot located right behind the pool, but this Saturday it was closed, leaving me to scrounge for a street spot. Thankfully, there are plenty of those to go around.
The pool and bathhouse have been recently remodeled, and both were very clean and well maintained. However, I would still suggest a pair of flippie floppies for the shower.
The lifeguards inspired about as much confidence in their lifesaving skills as a fifteen year old can, but they did a good job of keeping the younger pool patrons under control, providing a relaxing environment for all. Though the mercury tipped 95 today, the pool itself was never that crowded, and two long lanes were kept open for lap swimmers. The smallest of pool patrons seemed happily entertained by the separate, zero entry baby pool, complete with giant flower shaped waterfalls.
While it’s missing the sweeping views of the Mediterranean, the cute Victorian houses across the street and the overhang of the big trees of the park will have to do in the meantime.