With the summer heat in full gear there’s no better place to cool off than at the pool. This past week we explored Ridge Road Pool at 1709 Ridge Rd in Raleigh. It’s adjacent to Martin Middle School, so as you pass the school, bear right where you’ll find the pool parking lot. The crape myrtles in the parking lot provide shade while you’re relaxing at the pool.
The sidewalk leading down to the pool entrance passes by the nicely terraced landscaping and bike rack areas. Before heading into the pool, you have to stop by the front desk to pay the entrance fee. Since I’m a Raleigh resident and I had a child under 1, we only had to pay $3. Once you pay, you’ll pass the restrooms, the lifeguard office, and the life vest rental office.
After exiting the building, you enter the pool area where the baby pool is, on the left, and the main pool is straight ahead. The baby pool is 16 inches deep and there is a lifeguard on duty. This area has several water sprinklers and a large fountain that sprays water when the dial is turned. The young kids thoroughly enjoy splashing around in the fountains. There is quite a bit of open space for seating along the perimeter of the baby pool area. There are also a few canopies set up in the baby pool area, which are the only options for sitting in the shade in the afternoon. Don’t forget to bring your chair or large blanket.
The main pool area contains a few lap lanes, general play/open area, and deep end area. The water depth in the lap lanes and general play area varies from 3-5 feet. There are wide steps for entering the pool at the 3ft depth area. The deep end is separated by a rope and goes up to 12 feet deep. Inflatables are not allowed in the main pool, but they are allowed in the baby pool. The water temperature in the main pool was like a warm bath, so on this particular day, it was hard to cool off.
The main pool has a large grassy area towards the far end of the deck, which would be great for laying out and enjoying some peacefulness. There are also a few picnic tables scattered throughout the grassy area and concrete deck. There is also plenty of space around the concrete deck for laying out. Again, don’t forget to bring a chair!
For being such a scorching day, I was surprised at how lowly attended the pool was. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy at how easy it was to find a good space to lay out all our stuff. Luckily I had packed some snacks and drinks for myself as this pool does not sell concessions and I didn’t see any vending machines either. Ridge Road Pool is open until September 5th, so be sure to check it out before the summer ends. For more information about the pool hours, fees, etc., check the City of Raleigh website.
Thumbs up: open space for laying out, great baby pool area, small crowds in pool, canopies in pool area, cheap fun
Thumbs down: lack of vending machines/concessions