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    Dolphin Scuba Center

    4.2 (201 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Services - Dolphin Scuba Center

    Group fitness

    Virtual fitness classes

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    Recommended Reviews - Dolphin Scuba Center

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    Store front
    Ida H.

    My family and I ended up here again after some decades past. When my mom passed away, we found ourselves cleaning up and purging a lot of old and outdated stuff in the house we grew up in. That's when we discovered my dad's old scuba diving gear. He is now 88 years old and no longer has use for said equipment. In fact, he almost forgot he still had it all buried under years of stuff until we brought it out to the light of day. Then his memories came flooding back! We called Dolphin Scuba Center and asked if they accepted old tanks from the 1960's. They said "yes"! We gathered up two scuba tanks, diving flag buoy, and diving weights. We drove down to the swim center and started reminiscing about the time our father took lessons here and got certified. Rich D. helped us unload and transport the heavy gear into their facility. He was very knowledgeable on all things scuba from it's history to the present. He was so nice to my dad and made him feel welcome and even important. We got a quick tour around the shop. It carries everything one would need for the scuba enthusiast. We also had a chance to view the pool with class in session. I even tried to take classes here when I was a teenager but failed miserably! But the main reason for this review is that my dad had a chance to reminisce about happier times in his life when he was a young and active man! Thank you Rich for making our visit positive and being able to accept my dad's equipment for the diving museum! LOL! I just couldn't bear to see it all going to the dump!

    Buckle up Buttercup... this is going to be fun!!
    Theresa H.

    This is a very special place. They actually CARE about their customers. Mike, Julie, and the many Steves actually truly want to help you fall in love with diving. This Scuba center is a hidden gem in Sacramento, and if you love the ocean dive into this spot. You will regret nothing!!

    Lake Tahoe (Meek's Bay)
    Felicia P.

    Unfortunately due to the new Stay at Home orders, the Dolphin Scuba Center is closed for the time being. So this review is for when I took my open water course last year prior to Covid chaos. To "Scuba Steve" Ramirez Jr.: Such a calm, patient and knowledgeable instructor. I had the open water dive course with him and highly recommend him. I can tell he truly enjoys scuba and teaching others. His passion is infectious. Thank you for helping me conquer my fear and finally "get" what all the fuss Scuba is about!!! To Brandon Flood (Assistant Instructor): Funny guy who also is very knowledgeable and will help you to feel comfortable. The Open water scuba course is partial classroom, partial pool practice (pool spoils you with the nice heated temp), then an open water test. You have your choice of where to take the open water course. For me since I tend to panic more in murky water, I chose Lake Tahoe which was just like being in a big swimming pool. They have equipment that they can loan you for the entirety of the class or you can bring your own. I actually brought my own that hubby gifted me and wanted me to get comfortable with. They also offer swimming lessons and fun international scuba trips.

    Jason W.

    Everyone there is extremely nice and answers all questions about what you need. Also Richard, Mike, Steve, Bill (in back with equipment), Michelle (manager). All the instructors are awesome. Some instructors, take the extra time, on their time to help. Then when it comes time for open water, altitude, buoyancy and other classes that you are interested in. They are extremely knowledgeable. No pressure to buy what's not necessary. But can instruct you on products that are better than others. Hold to their word and as far as me. They know me by name. That takes it to a personal level and respectful to me. The best in the greater Sacramento area hands down. If it is you first experience and don't know if you'd like it. They provide equipment to use on every other Friday a month, to see what it's like in their pool area. Most importantly Richard Dewitt is a 30 year professional teacher and will show you exactly what to do as far as masks are involved. You don't need the most expensive mask if it doesn't work. He will stay with you and explain everything until you find your mask. Excellent teacher as the rest are as well. There stories are priceless. This is supposed to be a fun sport. As they will demonstrate as much. Wouldn't go anywhere else.

    Alex L.

    By almost every measure, this was a less than stellar experience. We signed my son up for two weeks of swim lessons that were not only plagued by their scheduling mistakes but ultimately overpriced, rushed and disorganized. This may be a good place for scuba, but it wasn't for a young child's swim lessons. Things were rocky from the get-go. When I first called to secure lessons, the gentleman who answered said he had failed to track down someone from the swim side of things for me to talk to so I left a message they never responded to. I called back a week later for my second attempt, left another message and was called back several days later. My initial impression was they seemed busy and overwhelmed. The lessons come in two week blocks, two days a week. When we arrived, we wandered around until we came across a guy in the middle of this busy room with a paper pad writing down the names of who was coming in without any real verification of who they were or whether they were signed up. As for the lesson itself, it was a rushed, impersonal experience. We walked in for the first time, were told to send our son to one end of the pool and then watched him try to get down some basics in the span of half an hour with an instructor who did not introduce herself to us or try to understand why we had brought him there in the first place. We also eventually learned she was a substitute instructor for someone else. When we showed up for our third lesson we were told it had actually been cancelled so they could accomodate a Cal Fire scuba school and that they had failed to inform us. I stood at the desk, told the manager about all our frustrations so far and she seemed to hear me, even offering us some extra lessons as an apology. That offer was never followed through on or honored. Ultimately, we felt more like we were being pushed through for a quick buck without any concern for why we were there, what our goals were or long-term customer retention. The priorities here seem to be larger training classes like Cal Fire, then scuba divers and ultimately the kids. And with four quick half hour lessons in a two week span, it wasn't worth the cost. There is no tangible discussion or measurement of how your child has improved, but we were told about six different times that we should get him to start scuba someday. The silver lining in this was that our son's instructor was quite friendly and he seemed to like her during their brief interaction. And after I complained, she did spend some time talking to us after a lesson, which is something.

    Cellulitis from constantly chafing thanks to an eager salesman selling boots that were way too big.
    Zin M.

    Overall pretty negative experience w/ Dolphin Scuba but didn't want to burn any bridges w/ a neg review since this was the only scuba place around us (or so I thought- recently learned of Fish Eye Scuba in Folsom). Pros: One of the few scuba places in the Sac area. Indoor pool & locker room were clean. My one on one refresher course w/ Brandon Flood was pretty good. He was patient and gave me some pro tips. Cons: instructor, rental manager, salesmen...so...almost everything. On looking back, we were pretty unhappy w/ Steve Ramirez as an instructor. Husband signed up for a scuba class where Steve was an instructor. He felt Steve was not very patient during some in class lessons. He was also persuaded to sign up for the nitrox class, thinking it was only $10 more (apparently for the class materials only). But it ended up being about $100 more. We felt like that was a bait & switch...they could have explained it more clearly. Moreover, we were led to believe that he'd use nitrox during the open water dive instruction class, so we were told to rent nitrox tanks. NO ONE ELSE in the other classes had the certification (& we were told that beginners cannot take the nitrox course BEFORE passing their open water certification... so really... why did he have them take it??) so we didn't get to stay underwater longer, only ended up paying more for rentals (& no, it didn't make us feel like we were more "refreshed" to use nitrox since most instruction dives in Monterey don't come close to using up O2, it's the cold that gets you out of the water sooner). Moreover, in places like Hawaii, no one even offered nitrox rentals, so it was not a super useful skill to have (we really only wanted to dive on vacations). Moreover, I was also told I HAD to get the certification to dive with my husband (I was in a diff class) since his whole class would be doing nitrox. So I also ended up paying an extra $120? (I had to pay more bc husband got a discount for being an open water student while I only did refresher course) for a skill I will not be using anytime soon. Husband & I highly disliked one of the salesmen- I think his name was Jason (wore American flag mask that he constantly wore under his nose wrongly for covid safety precautions). First, he was not very patient w/ answering our Qs since we were both new to coldwater diving. And he sold my husband boots that were way too big (sz 11 boots when husband's shoe sz was 10), but said that was how it was supposed to be. So after our trip to Monterey, the shoes had chafed his feet so bad that he developed CELLULITIS from this (see photo), so he needed antibiotics & we got a medical bill on top of the discomfort & now useless boots. When we went to Hawaii, I thought getting neoprene socks under the boots would help, but even that didn't completely stop the chafing & he got another infection AGAIN ugh. It's great to have painful feet on vacations. I was very unhappy w/ the rental manager because he sized me completely wrong for the neoprene hood (gave me a LARGE), so when I went to Monterey, my googles & everything were very loose & I got chilled very quickly/ I had trouble putting on my mask due to my hair & hood being so loose. I had never needed a hood before, so I trusted his judgement. My instructor saw right away that the hood was too big and I had to pay AGAIN to rent another hood at Monterey for $7.50. There I was told that Hoods only are not common anymore, everyone uses hooded VESTS now. So I was not only sized wrong, but given only a hood when everyone else at the class had vests which kept them much warmer (I am a thin person, so I needed all the warmth I could get!!!). I also was told at the Monterey Dive Shop that I couldn't just rent a hooded vest without a wetsuit rental since they come together. Moreover, they tell you the rentals are in great condition, but my husband's neoprene gloves had GIANT holes in them & the rental manager said to him "oh we'll give you different ones on the day of" but it was the exact same shitty gloves he tried on during the fitting, so his hands were freezing during the dives. If they're that shitty, please replace them already! Prices for gear did seem high but I compared it to Amazon prices and they were similar (& you do get a discount here if you're a student). HOWEVER, we went scuba diving in Maui and found that equipment was SO MUCH CHEAPER there with different brands that worked just as well (at least at Scuba Shack in Maui). For example, the googles that were at Dolphin were about $70-100+, but the goggles that fit me really well in Maui were only $45. Overall, we were both pretty unhappy with Dolphin Scuba, felt like we were taken advantage of but didn't know of any other places around here. We recently learned of Fish Eye Scuba in Folsom and will be going there instead for future scuba needs. But the negative experience w/ Dolphin has made my husband not want to scuba much unfortunately, esp cold water diving

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    Incredible selection of goods and services. Travel trips with them are top notch and incredible.

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    Knowledgeable people. Fair prices. Good selection Great service. Wish they would go back to PADI from SSI

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - Dolphin Scuba Center

    What temperature is the pool for the baby swim lessons?

    Do they have swim classes for babies?

    I believe I recall seeing a baby getting a one on one. I'm very impressed I've even seen them work with special needs children and that just touched my heart the most to see the joy in those children's smile.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Dolphin Scuba Center

    I've been purchasing SCUBA gear from this store for several years and they are amazing!

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

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    Doyle Pool

    Doyle Pool

    4.7
    (3 reviews)
    3.2 mi

    Doyle rules Doyle rules!!! (O'Doyle rules from Billy…read moreMadison) Open when school lets out, for the 2018 season its open from 6/04/18 to 08-05-18. $2 for kids 17 and under $4 age 18+ Family night Fridays everyone is $2 ea. Parking in lot or street side, all free. Life Guards inforce the rules, have fun but be safe or get the whistle. Have the kids wading pool with a huge mushroom waterfall. Ages 7 and under and less than 4' 2". Middle pool is 3 1/2 feet to 4 1/2 feet. Diving pool is 10 to 12 feet deep. They alternate from diving board only to free jump/swim randomly. They have a rinse off before and after station at the entrance/exit. Also the restrooms are located here. Seating they have a few tables around and a bunch of benches, and a lot of grass section. Bring some towels and beach chairs grab some shade on the wicked hot sunny days. Few rules they inforce NO RUNNING - really don't, the concrete around the pools is wicked slippery, just walking after getting out i slipped 2x so be careful in wet areas. Swim Shirts - must be tucked in diving pool, so it doesn't have a chance to choke you out like in a hockey fight and get pulled over your head. No floatys aloud. Life vest must be certified by U.S. Coast Guard types #1, #2 or #3. If you were a vest your not aloud in the diving pool, to deep and if you can't swim or swim well you need to stay in the middle pool. The icecream truck or a icecream cyclist stops by randomly for a cool treat. This is one of many city of Sacramento run pools. Check out times, rules and if you have any questions @ cityofsacramento.org/aquatics Or call 916-808-2306

    Signed up my boys for summer swimming lessons through the city. Both my boys (ages 5 & 9) have…read morenever taken lessons before.. So I was a tad nervous my older son would be in a class with younger kids. Sea Turtles Class was a perfect class for my 9yr old. He's comfortable in the water, but just needs to know the fundamentals in different strokes. Starfish Class suits beginner swimmers. My 5yr old has tiny fear of putting his face under water... But the instructor was able to get him to do it within the first 5 mins!!!!! Each class had about 4-6 kids each. The Starfish class only had 2-3 kids!! Which I loved!! Basically a personal lesson for $35 (x3 a week) I look forward to the 2 weeks of swimming lessons for my boys. As I listen to the instructors, they are very calm, and patient to the students. They are clear, and don't rush their explanations. Very impressed Doyle Pool!

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    Beautiful Doyle Pool
    Beautiful Doyle Pool
    Having fun!!
    Having fun!!
    My boys at their swimming lessons!

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    My boys at their swimming lessons!
    SafeSplash Swim School - Elk Grove

    SafeSplash Swim School - Elk Grove

    2.1
    (53 reviews)
    13.1 mi

    I wish our experience had been better, but unfortunately that was not the case…read more We decided to enroll our 17-month-old son in swim lessons because we have a pool at home. Although we have a safety gate, we wanted him to begin learning basic water survival skills at an early age. Our son has had eczema since birth. When he swims in our home pool, we immediately rinse him off and apply moisturizer afterward, which has always worked well for managing his skin condition. After speaking with a representative, we signed up for classes. We paid for three classes at $27 each, plus a $45 annual fee. At no point were we offered a trial class. Later, I learned that a free trial class may be available, and I wish that option had been presented to us before we committed. We also understood that the membership agreement required a 30-day notice for cancellation. Our first class was on May 14, 2026. As soon as we walked into the facility, the chlorine smell was extremely strong--strong enough to make us sneeze. We assumed this was normal since the pool is indoors and may require additional chemicals to maintain cleanliness. We were instructed to arrive 15 minutes early for a facility tour. We did so, but when we asked about the tour, the front desk employee seemed bothered by the request, which was disappointing for a first-time customer experience. The class itself was fine and focused primarily on helping our son become comfortable in the water. After class, we went to the family restroom to rinse him off, but the shower knob was broken, so we had to use the outdoor shower instead. Shortly afterward, his skin became extremely red, dry, and irritated. The dryness was so severe that his wrist began bleeding. We believe the pool conditions, including the chlorine and warm water, may have aggravated his eczema. Even though we showered him immediately after class and applied moisturizer right away, his skin continued to worsen. We ultimately had to take him to his pediatrician, who recommended additional ointments to help manage the flare-up. By the second week, his skin was still very inflamed. We contacted SafeSplash to discuss canceling our membership without the required 30-day notice and requested a refund for the two unused classes as well as the $45 annual fee. The company requested a doctor's note, which we promptly provided. To their credit, they agreed to waive the 30-day notice requirement and refund the two unused classes. However, they declined to refund the $45 annual fee. The representative who assisted us via text was polite, professional, and responsive throughout the process. I am sharing this experience so that other parents are aware of the available options before enrolling. I strongly recommend asking about a free trial class before signing any agreement. I also encourage the staff at SafeSplash Elk Grove to proactively offer trial classes to prospective families rather than immediately encouraging them to commit to a membership.

    Their floors and benches are wet and their changing rooms don't have door handles nor hooks to hang…read morebags when changing your kids. We've had multiple occasions with last minute cancelations, changing instructors, and changing area's in the pool. It's annoying. No supervisors to talk to, only the front desk who can't really answer questions or handle anything which is understandable because they're young. On 11/7/2025 @ 6:30pm Narely held my 5 year old autistic daughter too close to the water. She got some water in her mouth, started coughing, then threw up. Narely panicked and said she needed to get out 5 minutes into her 30 minute session. We understand she needed to clean it up, but she wasn't very clear the entire session was going to end. There was another instructor with another boy who cleaned it up but Narely made EVERYONE get out. My autistic daughter and most autistic kids don't do well with ending preferred activities suddenly. My daughter started having a meltdown in the pool and started hitting/kicking Narely and Narely couldn't really get my daughter out of the pool to us. This is dangerous not only for my daughter but for Narely as well. Their general manager Mikayla sent condescending emails back and forth about their accommodations. If you're going to take government funding for special needs children, you should use the money to train your management and staff on how to accommodate for them. It's unfortunate because my daughter loved swimming and autistic kids are more drawn to water so they need to learn water safety skills.

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    Goggles and swim caps
    Goggles and swim caps
    SafeSplash Swim School - Elk Grove
    SafeSplash Swim School - Elk Grove

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    California YMCA Youth & Government

    California YMCA Youth & Government

    5.0
    (2 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    Budget friendly
    Not-for-profit

    Thank you to Y&G for providing one of the best experiences of my life…read more All year, you train to emulate a fully functional state government for five days in Sacramento. Delegates use REAL Capital court rooms and board rooms. They dress and play the part of senators, congresspeople, governor, lt. governor, NIA, judges, education board, reporters, lobbyists, and so forth. They receive coaching from people who have careers in media and politics and speech as well. It's amazing. I'm glad I found Y&G at the point of my life that I did. I was coming out of a dark time and Y&G filled a void that the rest of everything going on in my life couldn't. I was a reporter my first year and a lobbyist my second. Some funny things I have done in my time with Y&G - invited a senator to a fancy luncheon as a lobbyist, use someone's argument against them in an article I wrote, scoffed at an abrasive interview by an unfavorable reporter given to my good friend as candidate for governor, gotten in intense arguments on the floor with my opposing PAC trying to persuade a senate committee. It's intense. This program is constantly evolving. They now have political parties delegates can subscribe to. Those at Y&G are doing a great job enhancing the experience of delegates. I am in no way rich. Y&G was an expensive experience - $900 (much more for delegates who pay for more expensive transportation to Camp Roberts and Sacramento). But the board gave me a hefty scholarship both years which allowed me to afford my way to Sacramento. In the amount of time I spent at Y&G I learned so many skills. Public speaking, networking, people skills, and how to research and construct a very persuasive dialogue. The people I met have a great effect on my life. If you have a teen entering high school, run to the nearest YMCA and sign them up for Y&G as soon as they are eligible. If you have a child in middle school, run to the nearest YMCA to sign them up for Model United Nations. MUN people go on to do Y&G and I wish I had discovered these great programs sooner.

    This is one of the best programs available to middle school and high school students. I went…read morethrough the program several years ago and it was a life changing experience. It was the catalyst that allowed me to convert the things I learned in school into real world actions that make a difference. The program was engaging, taught values, and encourages leadership not only in schools, but everyday life as well. Awesome program!

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    California YMCA Youth & Government
    California YMCA Youth & Government
    California YMCA Youth & Government

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    Little Whale Swim School

    Little Whale Swim School

    4.6
    (36 reviews)
    4.8 mi

    This is LONG Overdue review of Coach Bella!…read more Coach Bella taught our oldest to swim (from 2.5-5!) ... once you have Coach Bella, there is no going back. She make swim fun and challenging all at the same time. Her patience is second to none! We followed her around as our oldest leveled up. Now - we have a 3yo who is terrified of the water. She finally became unafraid and stated swimming on her own with Coach Allison's help! Coach Allison gave her some incredible ques to learn how to look down while swimming and how to "dive" in properly. Shout out to Coach Allison! When our 3yo transferred to her level 2 class.... She regressed.... Then Coach Bella came to the rescue! The way our girl swam in her first class with Bella, you would have never known that She was hysterical in the parking lot and refused to go in. No tears were shed and she had fun! Bella and Allison are incredible coaches!

    I am writing this to warn other parents about the lack of basic safety supervision at this facility…read moreand their inability to take accountability. My 4-year-old daughter is a capable swimmer who just transitioned from private lessons to a group class here. On her very first turn, the instructor directed her to swim to the steps and then completely turned her back to focus on another child before my daughter reached safety. She did not yet have a grasp on my child's level of ability, or her confidence in this new environment. My 4yo went underwater, panicked, and was left unassisted sinking in the water. Completely losing visual contact with a swimming 4 year old is a massive safety failure. She spent the rest of the lesson sobbing and frightened after that event, and now does not want to return to swim after months of joy and success doing it. When I brought this to management via email and phone call, they refused a refund of the annual registration fee and of the remainder of our lessons since the last lesson was less than 7 days away. Instead, they would only offer a class transfer, and even shockingly suggested we put her back with the exact same instructor to "push through" the fear- totaling $160 for our scary experience. I understand their policy dictates no refunds, but policy should not override accountability when a child's safety is compromised. We will not be returning. I strongly urge other parents to look elsewhere if you want a program that guarantees eyes on your young child while they are in the water.

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    Little Whale Swim School
    Little Whale Swim School
    Little Whale Swim School

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    Sac City Scuba

    Sac City Scuba

    5.0
    (113 reviews)
    9.3 mi

    Great experience. Joe, the owner/ level 4 dive master, is an awesome instructor. He gives you a…read morelot of detailed instruction and reviews diving theory to keep you safe. He is very patient, and when you are struggling with a technique, he will take the time to make sure you get it right. My wife and I were pretty nervous about going on our first scuba adventure, but Joe has given us the confidence we need to make sure we will be able to handle our selves in an open water dive.

    Did my open water dive checkouts in Monterey with Joe and had a great experience! I did my…read moreclassroom and pool portion with another company (SF Bay Area) but needed to get certified before an upcoming trip and found Sac City Scuba through his great reviews. Since I am not local and had completed part of my training already, he helped review everything with me and took the time to make sure I had everything in-place correctly and coordinate all the details (gear, training, ecourse, etc.) to finish off my recreational open water cert. He really went out of his way to make sure I was prepared for the weekend, and I really appreciated it! His teaching instructions were clear and he was very patient to make sure we did all of our checks properly and safely. I had a great experience and will definitely keep them on my radar for future trainings and diving trips. Thanks Joe & team!

    Photos
    Pool time!
    Pool time!
    Our group at lake tahoe
    Our group at lake tahoe
    First open water training dive at lake Folsom

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    First open water training dive at lake Folsom

    Dolphin Scuba Center - scuba - Updated July 2026

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