in comparison to other pools in the bay area, menlo swim is decent...not overly crowded...no time…read morelimit...pay $9 adult or $5 child resident and just $1 more for non-residents...check for drop-in schedule...go and pay before you entre...pool water is very warm...lap pool, fun pool and a separate gated toddler pool....swim laps or swim around in the open pool...grass area to picnic...lockers available, but bring your own locks...bathroom have open showers, so no privacy...soap provided...

I love both swimming and walking in shallow water here. I use the warmer pool and it is delightful…read more The staff members are always courteous and friendly and the pool is not too crowded. My only request is to fix the machine that extracts water from wet swimsuits so that it would work reliably and not be temperamental.

Dear Transplants, We…read moremoved here thinking we'd go to the beach. It's California after all. Quickly you learn that the ocean is damn cold. Stinson Beach and Capitola seem to be decently warm patches of sand, but other than that, you're SOL. Enter Avery Aquatic. No sand. No waves. No seaweed. No surfers. Not quite the great Pacific. But sun! and water that doesn't induce hypothermia! and, oh, baby, nice Speedo! Olympic-size lap pool (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/Uoeuk_HjFHbWpvOuPyZHBQ?userid=Suw8tiW7EHWpt7HhuB7SDw#tNDdigZKdLoACXygawLGgw) with separate lanes for slow/med/fast swimmers and one for aqua joggers. Generally open during lunch hours (12-2 PM ish) and afternoons (after 4 or 6 PM depending on the day) Separate "Family" swim allows you time for a workout without running over the little guys with their swimmies on. ALWAYS check the hours before going (https://www.stanford.edu/dept/pe/cgi-bin/services/aquatics/rec-swim-hours/) Can't swim? Tired? Plenty of grass to lay out your towel or park yourself and be impressed with the high-dive or synchronized swimming practices. Oh, and those water polo guys... them too. Post-swim: Out-of-date locker rooms with everyone's favorite, communal showers :-) Not at all fancy and definitely bring your shower shoes. CRUCIAL DETAIL: You can't get in without a Stanford ID (otherwise a friend can get you a pass for $5) And to be honest, I really wasn't that into your Speedo, but I commend your confidence.

I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to swim in this pool. I work PT for Stanford and was…read moreshocked that I was allowed to use the facilities. Bonus!!! The open swim is for the students and faculty. It appears that guest passes can be purchased? I haven't looked into that. Okay as a guest of this pool, you first check in with your ID badge at the front. Beep! Okay, now into the locker rooms. Um....? Can we say super 70s? You just deal. Open changing room, open showers, you see more than you want to. Now the pool, it is heated to a reasonable temperature. There are lanes marked for your speed level. I tend to stick with slow. Gets super busy, I always have had to share my lane with someone. Sucks, because these people going in the slow lane, seem kind of fast? Open swim is from 10am-2pm.

What a great place to spend an afternoon at the pool, or Jollly Cork bar, or time at the well…read moreequipped gym, or racket ball/squash courts, or pool room with friends. Food & bar are good, and membership fees reasonably priced, and the Fellowship unbeatable. Our family loves belonging to this Elks Lodge!

Had a girl scout party here. Paid $200 for 3 hours and you can bring in outside food but not…read moredrinks. The bar has pitchers of shirley temples though and free water. We got 3 pitchers for $14 which is pretty good! Girls had a blast!

Our family of four joined Ladera Oaks 11 years ago. Our son and daughter started with swim lessons…read moreat a very early age and each rolled smoothly into the PSA (Peninsula Swim Association) spring and summer swim program which includes relaxed swim meets between other swim clubs in the area plus a relay meet and championship meet in late July. My son progressed further into the USA swim program which includes year round swim practices and more competitive meets around the Bay Area. This has enabled him to quickly integrate and do well on his high school swim team. He has learned valuable life lessons from swimming and has built great relationships with his coaches as well as friendships across several school districts. My wife joined the Masters swim program shortly after we became members. It has become a long lasting exercise routine with friendships which will last forever. We often bring visiting summer guests to the club to escape the heat and relax in front of the pool. The two pools at Ladera provide a clear advantage over other clubs since the lower pool is all about recreation and fun while the upper pool can be dedicated to more serious swimmers except on the occasional weekend time slots when they open the 3 meter diving board for fun and games off of the high dive. We frequently take advantage of the cafe or bring lunch in a cooler or have dinner around the BBQ. I routinely use the exercise room while my children are at swim practice or at a swim team social event. It has a sufficient collection of weight lifting and cardio equipment. We have not taken advantage of the tennis side of the club. I have many memories playing with my kids in the lower pool as they became more proficient and confident swimmers and divers. Now the joy is watching them win an event or relay in a swim meet. I am sure that these memories will last a lifetime in each of us.

We've been members at Ladera for a little over 2 years. The kids swim program is top-notch, all the…read moreway from the swim school through the PSA and USA swim team programs. We've also had our kids in the tennis program and they've done well. For us older folks (parents), we've been part of everything from the Masters swim program to twilight tennis and fitness classes. The pool, tennis, and fitness facilities are very good, though the locker rooms are small and very tired. This is getting fixed right now with a major renovation focused on the main building and locker rooms, plus an expansion of the fitness center. We were introduced to the club by neighbors across the street, who had joined when their kids were young (they are now 40+) and we can see why they have stayed members all these years. This club is more of a community and family spot than most - which is obvious especially in the summer with all the families poolside during the day. If you've got young kids, and like being involved with them, this is a great spot to get them into swimming and tennis. If you want a place where you drop your kids off at the daycare and work out, it's not for you. Lastly, here's a quick rundown of the facilities: - 25yd waveless deep lap pool (for adults) - 25yd shallower pool (for kids) with diving L and alcoves for toddlers that are 1' deep - 6 lit tennis courts with ball machines, pro shop, and tennis lounge - Fitness center with 8-10 cardio machines, free weights, and resistance equipment - Fitness classes and personal trainers available

What a terrific experience it's been to work with Ernesto and his crew. They are as professional as…read morethey come in my opinion. We had our pool redone including a new heater. I got quotes from two other outfits and by far they were the most reasonable. They did the job on budget and on time and the pool looks great. Would highly recommend Aqua Blue. They and the folks they recommend and work with are excellent!

I don't typically write negative reviews, but after spending over $200,000 on our pool, I think…read moreit's important to share our experience for anyone considering Aqua Blue. We selected Aqua Blue because they came highly recommended. They weren't the lowest bidder--in fact, we received less expensive proposals--but we believed we were paying for experience, professionalism, and a well-managed project. That turned out to be an expensive assumption. We were told the project would take about two months. It took closer to seven. Construction delays happen; that's not what this review is about. The real problem was the complete lack of communication and follow-through. We were repeatedly told crews would be onsite, only for no one to appear. Weeks would go by with little progress, and instead of the contractor managing the project, we found ourselves managing the contractor. I also expected far more guidance during the design process. Instead, the answer to most questions was simply, "Whatever you want." While that may sound accommodating, it's not why you hire an experienced pool builder. We wanted professional recommendations based on years of experience. Instead, I often felt like I was serving as both the client and the designer. There were also decisions made without consulting us. Plumbing was rerouted, exposed hoses were added, and other construction choices appeared to be driven by convenience rather than thoughtful design. We even had to push back on the proposed location of the pool equipment because it prioritized permitting convenience over the appearance and functionality of our backyard. Project planning was equally frustrating. We'd routinely receive notice the day before an inspection that we suddenly needed a gate installed, a pathway prepared, or other work completed immediately. None of these requirements were surprises to the contractor--they were simply surprises to us. One discovery after construction was particularly disappointing. During our landscaping project, our contractor uncovered large amounts of hardened concrete buried throughout the yard from the pool construction. Instead of being removed, leftover concrete had simply been left underground. Our landscaper had to spend additional time and labor breaking it up before the hardscape could be completed, adding costs that never should have existed in the first place. Apparently, "cleanup" meant covering it with dirt and hoping no one would notice. The biggest disappointment came after the project was finished. When warranty issues arose, I spent nearly four months following up through texts and repeated promises that someone would come out. No one ever did. Eventually, I hired my pool maintenance company to fix the problems at my own expense. A written warranty has little value if no one honors it. To be fair, the finished pool is beautiful. That is the reason this is a two-star review instead of a one-star review. But a pool builder is being hired for much more than the final product. You're also paying for communication, project management, design expertise, accountability, and service after the check clears. Those were the areas where Aqua Blue consistently fell short. If you're considering Aqua Blue, don't just ask to see completed pools. Ask how often you'll receive updates, how change decisions are documented, how warranty claims are handled, and who will actually follow through once the project is complete. Based on our experience, those answers matter every bit as much as the finished pool.

A very nice place to relax and have a beautiful memory with a special person. I really enjoyed…read moremyself here and I recommend it

Recently visited for epatt fundraiser dinner. Was a beautiful scenery, food was good and everything…read morewas very elegant great service as well

Full variety of fitness options, so you can do a variety of things including on-site fitness…read moreclasses, tennis, swimming (recreational and fitness), yoga, weightlifting, swim lessons... you name it. Friendly staff make it easy to try something new. Very family oriented. Not fancy, but the people make up for that.

We've been swim members for four years and have been really disappointed the last two summers. The…read moredeep end is now for lap swimming only (aside from the two "island days") which means no diving board for the kids all summer and they are restricted to the shallow area (3 ft of water) all summer. Total shame and not worth the money we pay. This will be our last summer here unless something changes.