Swimming Beaches, Pools & Splash Pads

To cool off from the summer’s heat and get your hair wet, there are several swimming spots that the locals favor.

Slather on the sunscreen, gather up the kiddos, and head over to one of the area’s swim beaches, public swimming pools, wading pools, and aquatic playgrounds, also known as splash pads! Here are the best places to swim or wade in the Tri-Cities.

For fun and helpful tips to keep your kids safe around water, visit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water safety site at bobber.info. They have great activities and information to make water safety enjoyable and easy to understand for children.

Richland

George Prout Pool
1005 Swift Blvd
10:00 am–8:00 pm daily
Open Memorial Day–Labor Day
Richland’s public pool, George Prout Pool, is a perfect spot for families and individuals to cool off during the hot summer months. This pool includes an 1,100 square-foot wading pool (6 inches to 30 inches deep) and a 4,625 square-foot, 25-yard pool (3.5 feet to 12 feet deep).

Badger Mountain Aquatic Playground
350 Keene Rd.
10:00 am–8:00 pm daily
Open Memorial Day–Labor Day
The Badger Mountain Aquatic Playground is a fantastic destination for families seeking a fun-filled day of water play. With its zero-depth water playground that features 19 interactive water spray elements and 5,950 ft² of space for children to splash and play, this playground is sure to be a hit with kids of all ages.

Howard Amon Wading Pool
500 Amon Park
10:00 am–8:00 pm daily
Open Memorial Day–Labor Day
The Howard Amon Wading Pool provides a safe and enjoyable environment for young children to splash and play in the water while parents sit under the shade of trees nearby. This wading pool is a great option for families looking for a relaxing day by the water.

Columbia Point Marina Park
660 Columbia Point Drive
Columbia Point Marina Park offers a sandy beach setting for swimming and water activities. With its picnic shelters, restrooms, a walking trail and mature landscape for shade, this park is an ideal spot for families to enjoy a day by the water. Keep an eye out for the waterfowl and boats approaching the day-use docks.

Leslie Groves Park
40 Park St.
Leslie Groves Park features a variety of recreational facilities, including a sandy beach for swimming, volleyball courts, picnic tables, walking paths and a boat ramp. With its beautiful riverfront location, nearby restrooms and ample shade, this park is a popular destination for families and water lovers in the Tri-Cities area. The park is named after Lieutenant General Leslie Groves, who was the director of the Manhattan Project.

Kennewick

Kenneth Serier Memorial Pool
315 W. 6th Ave
Public Open Swim Monday-Saturday, 1:30 pm–4:30 pm
Kennewick’s public pool, the Kenneth Serier Memorial Pool, offers three separate swimming tanks for individuals and families to enjoy. With a six-lane, 25-yard pool, a diving tank with a maximum depth of 13 feet and one diving board, and a training tank that starts at 6 inches and a max depth of three and a half feet, this pool is a great option for cooling off on hot summer days.

Columbia Park Aquatic Playground
1903 Columbia Park Trail
9:00 am–7:30 pm daily
Open Memorial Day–Labor Day
Located right next to the Playground of Dreams, the zero-depth Columbia Park splash pad is a great way to cool down on a hot day. Picnic shelters located nearby can be reserved for private events.

Underwood Aquatic Playground
2020 W. 7th Ave.
9:00 am–7:30 pm daily
Open Memorial Day–Labor Day
This zero-depth splash pad offers a range of exciting water features for children to enjoy.

Southridge Aquatic Playground
2901 Southridge Blvd.
9:00 am–7:30 pm daily
Open Memorial Day–Labor Day
The Southridge Aquatic Playground is a zero-depth splash pad. Picnic shelters located nearby can be reserved for private events.

Grange Aquatic Playground
1600 S. Union St.
9:00 am–7:30 pm daily
Open Memorial Day–Labor Day
The Grange Aquatic Playground is a zero-depth splash pad. Picnic shelters located nearby can be reserved for private events.

Pasco

Memorial Aquatic Center
1520 W. Shoshone St.
Memorial Aquatic Center is Pasco’s popular public pool. This seasonal aquatics facility has a 50 meter lap pool, leisure pool, 2 slides and multiple play features.

Kurtzman Splash Pad
331 S. Wehe Ave.
10:00 am–7:00 pm
Kurtzman is a 9-acre neighborhood park that includes a splash pad.

Pasco Sporting Complex Splash Pad
6520 Homerun Rd.
In addition to the splash pad, the Pasco Sporting Complex also has a playground, two sand volleyball courts, and six softball fields.

Chiawana Park
2020 Rd. 88
A local favorite on the Pasco side of the Columbia River, Chiawana Park may not have a beach, but it offers plenty of shade trees, a covered picnic area, a playground, a volleyball court, a boat launch, trails, and restroom facilities. It's typically less crowded than other parks, making it a peaceful spot to relax and enjoy the outdoors.

Sacajawea Historical State Park
2503 Sacajawea Park Road
Sacajawea Historical State Park has a designated swim area, plus you can enjoy boating, waterskiing, camping, walking the trails, wildlife viewing, horseshoe pits, a volleyball field and interpretive activities.

Finley

Two Rivers Park
21331 E. Finley Road
Two Rivers Park, located at 21331 E. Finley Road, offers a range of water-based activities, including swimming and wading. With lagoon swimming, shade trees, picnic tables, trails, boating and a 21-hole disc golf course, this park is the most developed and most visited park in Benton County.

Burbank

Hood Park
2339 Monument Drive
Just across the bridge from Sacajawea Historical State Park, at the Hood Park day-use area on the Snake River in Burbank you can enjoy a sunny swim beach, picnic tables, a playground, grills, horseshoe pits, a basketball court, trails, fish ponds, a boat launch, and camping areas—everything you need for a perfect day out!

FREE wading pool at the Civic Center Splash Pool featuring a “Mushroom” water spout and a max. depth of 2 feet.

Related Stories