Where to swim and splash this summer around Charlotte

The weather is heating up, and soon everyone will be looking for a way to cool down. We’ve gathered the latest information about places to swim and splash in the Charlotte area summer of 2021.

We’re focusing on pools and spraygrounds in Charlotte, as well as some other unique outdoor swimming areas that are worth the drive. You might want to also look into the pools and spraygrounds in neighboring towns and cities.

Double Oaks Family Aquatic Center

Double Oaks Family Aquatic Center, an outdoor pool at 2014 Statesville Avenue, opens on Saturday, May 29th, 2021. It will be open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. It will also be open Memorial Day, Monday, May 31st, the same hours.

Time slots are 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m., with 1.5 hours of swimming, and 30 minutes of cleaning in between. Tickets are first come, first served and can be bought on the day of your visit, for any time slot. $2 per person. Limited capacity.

Cordelia Pool

Cordelia Pool, 2100 N. Davidson Street, will be open, starting June 6th, every Sunday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Time Slots are 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m., with 1.5 hours of swimming, and 30 minutes of cleaning in between. Admission is $2 per person. First-come, first-served. May be purchased same-day in advance.

Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center

Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center, an indoor pool complex at 800 E Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, is open, with modified hours and capacity.

The pool is for one-hour time blocks.

Fees are $5 for a time slot for adults, and $3 for children and seniors. Monthly memberships are currently discounted 50%.

Call 980-314-3483 with questions.

Eastway Regional Recreation Center

Eastway Regional Recreation Center, at 3150 Eastway Park Drive, is the newest recreational facility in Charlotte. It offers an 8-lane lap pool and a kids’ waterpark with a slide, lazy river and a zero-entry toddler pool. The cost is currently the same as Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center (see above.)

Fees are $5 for a time slot for adults, and $3 for children and seniors. Monthly memberships are currently discounted 50%.

Call 980-314-3772 with questions.

Spraygrounds in Mecklenburg County

The Mecklenburg County spraygrounds will open on Friday, May 28th, 2021, at 10 a.m., and remain open until Labor Day, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and are free.

Clarks Creek Community Park, 5435 Hucks Road,
Captain Jack, Elizabeth Park, 1100 E. Trade St.
Cordelia Park, 600 E. 24th St.
First Ward Park, 309 E. Seventh St.
Latta Park, 601 East Park Ave.
Nevin Park, 6100 Statesville Rd.
Romare Bearden Park, 300 S. Church St.
West Charlotte Recreation Center, 2401 Kendall Drive

Other Mecklenburg County Facilities

The following facilities will not be opening on Memorial Day:

Marion Diehl Pool: Facility Closed – Re-opening June/July 2021
Ray’s Splash Planet: Facility Closed – Re-opening Fall 2021
Ramsey Creek Beach: Beach Closed – no lifeguards on duty

Cane Creek Park

Cane Creek Park, at 5213 Harkey Road, Waxhaw, is part of the Union County park system. At the park there’s a 350-acre lake where you can boat, fish and swim. The swim beach opens Saturday, May 29th, 2021. The cost is only $2 per person. Or pay $5 a person for an All Day Pass that allows you to swim, rent a pedal boat and play miniature golf.

Lake Norman State Park

Lake Norman State Park, at 759 State Park Road, Troutman, has some great hiking trails, and also a swim beach. The swim beach is open, and free to use at this time. There are no lifeguards, however, so you swim at your own risk.

Ebenezer Park

Ebenezer Park, 4490 Boatshore Road, Rock Hill, South Carolina, is a 26 acre park on the southern shores of Lake Wylie The park has undergone renovations, and one of them is an enlarged and dredged swimming/beach area, enclosed by a semicircular pier. This is one of the only spots where there’s public access to swim in Lake Wylie.

Ebenezer Park also offers boating, fishing, camping, basketball and volleyball.

You’ll need a day pass for your vehicle, which is $5 for York County residents, and $8 for non-county residents. There are discounts for seniors, disabled people, and York County employees.

Carrigan Farms Swimming Quarry

Carrigan Farms’ Swimming Quarry, at 1213 Oak Ridge Farm Highway Mooresville, is not the cheapest place to swim, and it’s not the closest to Charlotte, but it’s probably the most beautiful in the area.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with select evenings from 3:45 p.m. to sunset.

They’ve limited capacity, and you need to make a reservation online. That costs $5 in addition to the cost of admission, but the $5 becomes a food and drink voucher when you arrive. The cost to swim is $20, depending on the date and time.

YMCA of Greater Charlotte Pools

YMCA pools are popular places to cool down and swim. Learn about membership prices here.

Harris YMCA
Brace Family YMCA
Keith Family YMCA
Morrison YMCA
Simmons YMCA
Dowd YMCA
Lowe’s YMCA
Sally’s YMCA
Lake Norman YMCA

You can find all the information on the hours and rules here.

Kannapolis Spraygrounds

The Kannapolis spraygrounds are worth a mention, even though it might seem a bit of a drive from Charlotte for a sprayground, because of what else is around them.

Village Park, at 700 West C Street, has a sprayground, with admission of $1.50. Also in the park is a wonderful carousel. And early this summer the Rotary Train Express will open as well.

And there’s also a sprayground at the Atrium Health Ballpark, 1 Cannon Baller Way, which is open every day. There’s no charge.

Learn more about visiting Kannapolis and its beautifully revitalized downtown.