Homestead Aquatic Center

The weather is warming up nicely.  Spring is in full bloom and summer is just around the corner.  Even though summer is almost here, it's still not quite warm enough for us to hop into the neighborhood pool.  My boys are getting itchy to go swimming though, so we decided it was time to find a place for them to swim and get back in the water before summer is here.  So, we headed to Homestead Pool.

What it is:  If you live in Durham, your indoor pool options are a bit scarce.  There's Edison Johnson in North Durham, the YMCA in downtown Durham (if you're a member), and Campus Hills in East Durham (but I'm not even sure if it's open right now).  Sure we can drive to Triangle Aquatic in Cary or Pullen Park in Raleigh (Are there any others we have missed?), but it was great to find another indoor option in Chapel Hill.  Homestead Pool is an indoor aquatic center on the far side of Chapel Hill. They have a pool for lap swimming and one for teaching and playing right next to it.  The locker rooms were nice and clean and the facilities looked nice and new.  The pool for the kids was great for little ones and felt like it had a bit more room that some of the indoor kids pools we've been to.  They had a nice wide ramp with a long, really shallow part and a big area for swimming and playing next to the ramp.

What we liked: We liked the nice wide ramp for lots of toddler play.  We also liked how the facilities were nice and well-kept.  It was a fun place to spend the afternoon.

What we would change: The one part about the pool that I would change is the layout of the ramp.  It is separated by the rest of the pool by a railing that's pretty easy to just step over.  So, I had to keep an eye on the kids to make sure they didn't hop over the railing from the 6-inch deep water to the 4 ft. deep water.  In addition, keep in mind that if there is any thunder heard, the pool will close for half an hour, just like the outdoor ones.  So, be mindful of that if you want to swim on a stormy day.


Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us/index.aspx?page=806

Address: 300 Northern Park Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Hours: See Website for open swim schedule

Fees: $2 for preschooler (0-5 years), $4 for child (6-18 years), $6 for adult non-residents, but you can buy passes for a discounted rate.

Photos:

 1. Kids' pool

2. Lap pool