BLOG: County parks and beaches make big splash with families

Palm Beach County is popular with families who want to splash in the water. The weather is great year-round for a day at the beach or a dip in the pool.

Check out these opportunities for people of all ages to play in the water, courtesy of the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department:

POOLS AND AQUATIC CENTERS

Six venues offer activities and classes, such as water aerobics, adult lap and open swim time. Check with each facility for times, dates and hours.

    • Aqua Crest Pool in Delray Beach is heated year-round. It features a 50-meter pool with a diving well and children’s play pool. Various swim teams practice at here, including the Palm Beach Masters, East Coast Aquatic Club Team and Palm Beach Coralytes synchronized Swim Team.
     • Gleneagles Country Club Aquatic Center is at the Club Managers Association of America Therapeutic Recreation Complex in John Prince Park in Lake Worth Beach. It runs from April through September with activities such as adaptive swim lessons, aqua motion, family and lap swim and scuba instruction.
     • Lake Lytal Family Aquatic Center also operates during the winter in West Palm Beach and offers water walking. The Palm Beach Masters and Lake Lytal Lightning swim teams practice here.
     • North County Aquatic Complex in Jupiter is heated year-round, featuring a 50-meter pool and a children’s wading pool, as well as water aerobics classes. The Jupiter Dragons, Palm Beach Masters and the Jupiter Diving Club, a competitive springboard team, practice here.
    • Pioneer Park Aquatic Center in Belle Glade is open from May to September, featuring a 25-yard pool with tipping water buckets for kids and waterslides.
   • Santaluces Aquatic Complex in Lantana is open from May to September, featuring a 25-meter pool, diving boards and a children’s wading pool.

County pools and aquatic facilities offer swim lessons for people of all ages. Check with the facility for schedules and rates. You can check if swim lesson vouchers are available through the Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County.

And you can find locations for low-cost swim lessons via Children's Services Council's free SafeMap app. Click here to download it on iOS or click here for Android. If your kids spend a lot of time with other relatives, encourage them to do the same. 

WATERPARKS

Two waterparks, which open in March for spring break and close for the winter, offer affordable opportunities to get children outside and into the water:

    • Calypso Bay Waterpark in Royal Palm Beach at Seminole Palms Park offers a nearly 900-foot river ride, lily pad walk, four-story high waterslides, water playground, lap pool with diving boards and more.
    • Coconut Cove Waterpark is in Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park west of Boca Raton, featuring an 897-foot river ride, lily pad walk, two waterslides, a children’s water playground pool and more.

SPLASH PARKS

Looking for a great free way for your children to cool off in the water? The county operates three brightly colored, interactive splash parks for children to run and jump in:

    • John Prince Park in Lake Worth Beach, year-round
    • Westgate Park & Recreation Center in West Palm Beach, seasonal
    • Glades Pioneer Park in Belle Glade, seasonal

Interactive features include rotating spray cannons, ground-level water jets and animals such as frogs and whales. Shade sails provide sun protection.

Splash parks are free, but groups of 10 or more require weekday reservations at Westgate and John Prince parks for a nominal fee. Contact each park for details.

BEACHES

Beaches are the No. 1 reason people visit Palm Beach County, and the county operates 16 beach parks from Tequesta to Boca Raton. Fourteen of those provide lifeguards. Families can spend time basking in the sun, building sand castles, playing catch on the beach or swimming in the ocean — all free.

The county's websites denotes which beaches offer wheelchair accessibility.

Watch this video for beach safety information.

Bibi Baksh is public relations specialist for Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department.