Millbrook Exchange Sprayground and Pool

Well, after a long rainy and somewhat cold start to the season, summer is definitely here, and next week is shaping up to be no different.  So, here's a great way to keep cool and have some fun while it's still so hot.

What it is:  Millbrook Exchange Pool is located in North Raleigh, about a half an hour drive from our house in S. Durham.  They have a nice lap pool located under a shelter.  In the summer, they open up part of the walls of the shelter to make it more of an outdoor pool.  However, that part of the pool doesn't open up for public swim until noon, so we weren't there to check it out this time.

We headed over to check out the wading pool and sprayground which conveniently open up at 9am.  The wading pool is great because at its deepest it is 18 inches.  The sprayground is lots of fun with fountains, trees dripping rain, buckets that dump water on unsuspecting kids, and sprayers that the kids can turn in different directions and spray their buddies.  Both the sprayground and wading pool are completely fenced in, and to get from one to the other you have to walk out one gate, around the pool, and into other gate.  My kiddos had fun in both areas, and unbelievably the wading pool was nice and cool and refreshing, not like bathwater (like my neighborhood pool right now).

What we liked:  We loved both the big sprayground and wading pool because they don't really have either option in Durham.  They keep it very safe with fences, lots of lifeguards, and mandatory parent accompaniment.  They also have a playground across the parking lot which we would have happily enjoyed on a little cooler day.  They also had shaded picnic tables near the wading pool so we could bring and enjoy a pack lunch.

What we would change:  Not many negatives except maybe the fact that the big pool doesn't open till noon, when my munchkins need to head home for lunch and quiet time.  We didn't really need the big pool though and had a great time and had plenty to occupy us for the whole morning.

Website and other important information:

Website: http://www.raleighnc.gov/arts/content/PRecRecreation/Articles/AquaticsHoursOfOperation.html#Section3

Address: 1905 Spring Forest Road, Raleigh, NC

Hours:

Public Open Swim

Mon-Thu: 12pm - 8pm
Fri & Sat: 12pm - 8pm
Sun: 1pm - 6pm

Lap Swim | Lap Lane Availability

Mon-Fri: 5:30am - 8pm
Sat: 6am - 8pm
Sun: 7am - 9:30am, 1pm - 6pm

Wading Pool & Spray Ground

Mon-Fri: 9am - 8pm
Sat: 10am - 8pm

Sun: 1pm - 6pm 

Cost: Raleigh Residents-$2 (2-12 years), $4 (13-54 years), $3 (55+), Non-residents-$3 (2-12 years), $7 (13-54 years), $5 (55+)

Photos: 

(a view of the sprayground from the wading pool)

(the wading pool with large pool structure behind it)