Came to Highland rec center for the aquatic area for my daughter's birthday. We signed up for the afternoon swim that was two hours long. Now there is a lot of amenities here at the aquatic center but the two big slides in the corner are little rocky. We decided to go down the waterslides when we first got there and noticed that both have flaws. There are wasp nests underneath the slides so you do see tons of wasp flying around. The swirl slide we took moves really slow so you have to push yourself at some point to keep moving forward down the slide. People were coming down quickly after you would get off the slides they got kind of close to landing in the water by us. The straight down slide you catch air midway, especially for a little kids you kinda stopped, touching the slide at one point. Now for the smaller kid area it was perfect for my five year old. They had little slides over there and even a medium kid slide as soon as you walk up nice splash pad a lot more slow pace and relaxing. they do have lifejackets there if needed for children. They also have a café where they serve Domino's Pizza and other snacks and drink options which we did get some Gatorade's and a whole Domino's Pizza, and for the price it wasn't bad. read more

Highland Recreation Complex - Recreation Centers Near Me - Largo, Florida

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Super cool area. Went here with my daughter for a karate tournament and the place was awesome. Only thing that was terrible is the vending machines. They kept getting stuck and it robbed me of like $3 lol. read more

t the unbeatable rate of $2 per child during the morning toddler time, and $6 per child for the rest of the day, itty bitty play offers a clean, bright, padded, and gated space that is ideal for spending a couple of hours. Remember to bring socks for the climbers. read more

When visiting our friends recently they took us to this complex and our kids had a blast playing. It can get a little crowded (especially because it ended up storming outside and the pool parties came in) but what surprised me the most is the lack of employees ensuring that big kids are not trampling the littles in the toddler area. I think that needs to be addressed better. I would definitely love to come back and try out the water area with my kids. All in all it's a great spot to escape the heat of Florida and have fun. read more

Jennifer at the front desk really needs to be taught something about customer service. I attended a birthday party in one of the outdoor shelters and I parked my car near the front entrance. After the party was over, I walked back the same way expecting to cut through the building to get back to my car and Jennifer yelled through the glass door that they were closed. I explained that I was leaving a birthday party and just needed to walk the 10 steps through the building to get to my car on the other side and she forced me and my 10 month old son to walk around the entire building. Turns out, they weren't closed and the front door was open and there were guests inside since there was another birthday party going on. Instead of letting me cut through, she made me walk a mile around the whole building with my infant son because she doesn't know how anything about customer service. The city of largo should really think twice about putting someone like her as the face of their organization. read more

We needed to have some fun in the sun and we've been making it a tradition to take our kids to a water park every 4th of July. I was so glad I came across this place through a search and highly recommend it regardless of how old you are. It's perfect for kids and very, very clean. The place has limited hours and it's updated on the website. We stayed for almost 3 hours when we were there and it's worth it. It was only 36 bucks for the the four of us and I found that to be an awesome price for what it had for us to enjoy. There were pools, water slides, and play structures available for use and the entire place was open in compliance with the CDC guidelines. There were plenty of shaded areas, tables, snack bar, bath houses, and lockers. It wasn't crowded when we went and everyone was spaced out following the social distancing rules. Thank you so much for a much needed fun water park experience while we were in the area! read more

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It was great, our family had a blast! Water fun for the entire family with plenty of shade . Price was great. Employee was super sweet and very nice. They also have reasonable price snacks. read more

Highland Recreation Complex - Last day in Florida - Recreation Centers Near Me - Largo, Florida

Great come back for the facility manager. It is getting better. The communication is getting better for the sport team. They have more ideal to communicate to each weekly sport team. At least the badminton. Now with have the text message if the gym is use or rental for other entities. Our sport team players get notice in time. Especially the last minutes notice help not to drive a long distance to play. Assignment for responsibility of the front desk also alert. Once the notice was given for the problem area, the items were taking care. read more

Highland Recreation Complex - Back to school expo. - Recreation Centers Near Me - Largo, Florida

They only care about the money. I took my son for his birthday to the pool area and we were only there for 10 minutes and then they say they see lighting and shut it down. They only offered 50% off if we come back. It's bull. What a waste of money. They don't give a crap about their customers. Wouldn't even let the money toward the pool go toward playing in their indoor kids gym instead. Just rude. It's always all about the money. Would not recommend this place. They could have easily given us a likelihood of closing down to save us the money but nope! Of course not. read more

Great amenities, so many activities for kids and adults. The pool/splash pad is VERY crowded on the weekends. But otherwise great facility!

The pool is fun it is a bit more expensive to go to the gym or the pool because it is 8$ considering the ymca down the road being 5$ the workers are nice but it's a little bit dirty the gym to play basketball is always unavailable during the summer due to summer camps which is also pretty annoying but overall it's ok read more

This place is amazing for birthday parties. I rented out one of the outdoor shelters by the playground for 3 hours and it was only $60! Plus they're one of the only parks in the area that allow bounce houses! Great deal at a beautiful park. read more

I have only ever been to the aquatic center, but that alone was enough for me to give this Recreation Center a 5-star review. It was very clean, the staff was "out of their way" friendly, and there was a lot to do. My daughter is 2-years-old and stayed occupied the entire 3 hours stay. They have 3 huge water slides for adults, 2 decent size slides for younger kids, a big pool with a deep end, a good size splash pad, a big playground style slide/climbing area for toddlers and younger kids, a slide for babies, one of those buckets that dumps water on your head, etc. I know I'm leaving stuff out. They provide life jacked and arm floats free of charge, and there are a lot to choose from. They vary in size. Even with the big crowd they had the day we went, we still felt that it was incredibly enjoyable, and the people were all so great to us. The water was nice and cool considering it was in August and that's when Florida pools generally get uncomfortably warm. Everything about this place was amazing and I highly recommend going. We like it so much that we are booking it privately for our daughters 3rd birthday. read more

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Terrible communication. I brought a bus load to swim and the hours (pool is only open 11:30-1:30)or rules(no outside food or drink allowed) were communicated when arrangements for a group to play. The staff was rude and not helpful. Wouldn't even let us pay and get ready before 11:30 so they could just go in when it opened. It took a half hour to get paid n checked in. Needless to say, this is not a place to take large groups. More of a community park. A sham. read more

I love this place. Great walking track and strength training machines. I go almost every day. I've been a member (reasonable rates) since June of 2023. Staff is friendly and willing to help if needed. A positive 5 stars from me!! read more

Great place to take the kid. Great indoor play structure, my kid had a lot of fun at a birthday party.

The indoor kids play center is dark/crowded/dirty if you go high enough on the bigger kid side you can see a line of dust on the wall and also a/c fan system. It reminds me of a dirty McDonald's. read more

My grandchildren love for me to take them here to swim. The slides are fun for them and the grounds are easy to navigate and find loungers. They could use a few more shade covers. It would also be nice if the times could be 2.5 hours of swim or 3, 2 seems pretty short because it's very busy. read more

Great facility for both adults and kids but their Waterpark is a huge ripoff. For instance if I bring my kid to the indoor/outdoor playground in the morning and then they want to go to the waterpark at 11am, they only have about 45 mins. Then when they reopen the Waterpark at 12:30pm, you have to pay AGAIN!!! Huge ripoff!! Phuck them for that! Just charge one damn fee for the whole day. read more

Great place to have birthday parties been here for the last few years. There are life guards posted all over and different slide areas for different age groups. read more

Highland Recreation Complex - Recreation Centers Near Me - Largo, Florida

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So... I never knew places like this existed. I feel like all the cool stuff is in Largo or St. Pete but I hate the drive and ... well if you know me I hate the drive etc. LOL This review is about the amazing water park out back and the party we went to! We came for our niece's birthday party and what an awesome site it was to pull up to this place. It's pretty much a kids adventure island! Hands down! If I could afford to take my family out here every weekend or day I would! $6 for kids $9 for adults... my family is too big I will just keep having my pool parties. There are 2 big kid slides (yes that's for us adults) that make you feel like you're at the water park for real! The play pool area for the kids is SO much fun! My little guy was freaked out at first but finally warmed up to the whole idea of siting in water longer than he should be sititng in it. This is a POOL Party Factory! You come in at a certain time. You are banded and then given an area to have the party at for your group. It is 2 hours long and Boom at exactly the 2 hour mark ALL the water stops like the park is closing and then they hurdle you out like cattle. Then you see the next party coming in to celebrate! ... *hi 5* to them coz they figured out how to be a money making machine! read more

What fun! We visited the water park today, but could see that the workout facilities and indoor play area were very nice. First of all, if you are not a Largo resident with a yearly membership card, the cost is $8 per adult or child for a 2 hour swim session. Check for session times beforehand, but we were there for the 1:30 - 3:30 block. With the $24 membership, it's $5 per person. This facility is new and clean. They have very nice private changing rooms with showers. There's a little snack bar, plenty of shaded seating, a wonderful kiddie area, little slides, and two fantastic big slides. Our whole family had a great time...although we would have loved to stay longer than the allotted two hours. Largo has wonderful Parks and Rec facilities, and this aquatic center doesn't disappoint. read more

Took both teenagers and toddler to swim for a few hours. They all had a great time. It was $5 each with our membership. Very well worth it. They closed at 2 today, most likely because of the holiday. read more

I've been here for several birthday parties and it never disappoints. They have two incredible slides for the bigger kids (and grownups) that are super thrilling. They have cubby spaces for you to leave your belongings, lifeguards on duty, showers and a cute trail. read more

Great little community water park for kids. I'm not sure it's for the older kids though.

I would say this place for kids is phenomenal! The air conditioned play area called "Play world" is maintained and sanitized regularly and it is gated with an employee guarding the entrance/exit gate at all times. There is an area for kids up to five (and this is enforced to keep the little ones safe). Then the 5 and up area is a series of slides, platforms, tunnels and suspension walk ways. Parents can use your own judgement to let your kids under the age of 5 use this side. My 2 1/2 year old went through ok but only with the help of my 8 year old. Now let me talk about the out side pool area. It's like a mini water park here! Water Slides large for big kids and small ones for the little ones. Deep pool and shallow pool, sprayers, water "falls" and all kind of other things to do. There is a shaded table area for putting your things and having lunch. From young to old this place is really great for the whole family. Highly recommend. So happy to see our tax dollars have gone to good use with this place! read more

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We have been going to Highlands for many years! We have had family functions there! And this year we had a nice school function there also! The funny thing is I used to go there before it was this pool when it was the original pool 50 years ago LOL! The staff is very very friendly! Very reasonable price to go swimming I like their schedules! I like it that you just can't drop your kids off for the whole day off so formation Mark get what I mean! Thank you for having such a wonderful facility for everybody to enjoy! I like everything about Highlands the this is all Recreation facilities! The park! The kids have a nice playground! Thank you for being there.. read more

Whenever I'm back home for breaks or holidays, I am constantly on the search for a gym to use while I'm in Tampa Bay that doesn't need a long-term commitment or contract. The city of Largo's recreation centers do a great job of filling that void. For residents of the city of Largo (they asked me to prove residency by showing them a bank statement and my license, both stated that I use Largo as my primary address), and gave me a Parks & Rec card. From there, it's $10/year to have access to the facilities. Then I pay $2/visit to use the fitness center. They readily accept paying with spare change so it's a great way to get rid of all that loose change we all have lying around!! For the gym itself, it's very new and very clean. I like the water bottle refill station and the cubbies you can leave your fitness stuff in while you work out. The area is also under video surveillance. The gym is small but pretty complete, with a squat rack, bench, smith machine, full set of free weights, matrix stack, and a pretty good selection of some premium machines and cardio equipment. The patrons of the fitness center are all very respectful and everyone I've seen there has good etiquette in terms of re-racking weights. Cleaning wipes are readily available for cleaning a bench or machine after you're done with it. I would wish for a bit more redundancy in the equipment, but for the quality of the equipment, relatively low volume of people compared to a commercial gym, and price point, it's a solid choice. read more

From the terrific class selection to the facilities this rec center has it all! The pools are fantastic for kids and families and they offer a variety of swimming classes. The indoor track is great for an afternoon run outside of the heat & humidity, especially in the summer. Want to get some of the kids energy out but don't want to sweat, try the indoor climbing center with separate areas for toddlers & big kids. Indoor & outdoor basketball, badminton, a full gym, game room and a snack bar for the pool. Did I mention the baseball/softball fields galore, walking trail, outside playground, ponds... this rec center really has it all. Try a belly dance class, zumba, yoga, hip-hop dance, cheerleading, boot camp, the list goes on! With reasonable rates to join and low prices on classes and activities it is truly a one stop for everything. read more

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Part of the reason I moved to this area was because of this place. Recent new construction with state of the art weight room, indoor walking/running track, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, tennis court, outdoor playground for kids and WATER PARK for people of all ages. This place has it all. I come for the weight room personally and the outdoor walking/running track. Of all the gyms in the county this one by far has the best equipment. From stationary bikes, ellipticals, treadmills to a great rowing machine. The free weights and barbells are numerous. Machines are clean, people are not creepy. Each machine, bike, etc has a tv. Giant fans keep the air moving. There's room for all the exercising one wants to do. The best part is that If you live in the city limits, you pay 10 annually and 2 each time you want to work out, or you can get a paid in advance monthly or annual plan which are also reasonable. They have fitness classes for a small fee and some classes like kettle bell training, for example, is free. Great place for kids and adults! read more

Highland Recreation Complex - Recreation Centers Near Me - Largo, Florida

Really clean, plenty of lifeguards, and something to do for all ages groups. My one and three year olds loved it.

I am not happy with this place. My child picked up hand foot and mouth virus from this place. The employees were not watching and keeping their camp kids in order which ruined our time there. 30.00 to have my children play there was a waste of money when over 40 kids came rough playing in the playground. Dirty place in slide areas. Also, how can a city rec area close at 3:30 on Saturdays? I thought Largo would like to encourage kids to have a safe place to play vs. playing in the streets which statistics show increases crime. They stay open until 9:00 on weekdays when kids should be in bed at a descent time yet close 3:30 on weekends? It makes no sense at all. I am looking forward to seeing what other cities offer because Largo doesn't seem to have common sense with this. read more

I give this place a 3 star only because I feel like this place could improve very easily with simple changes. First and foremost, being better organized at the front where you pay to speed up the lines would help tremendously. Then not allowing food or beverage in the water park area when the concession is not even open is pretty ridiculous. There should be a plastic bottle only policy and also be able to bring in a snack if they can't provide a place to purchase one. Life guards look miserable. I mean this may be a summer job and your a high school kid but have a smile on your face sometimes! I will be back of course for my daughters sake. Look forward to some positive changes, place has a lot of potential. read more

This is the best recreation facility in Pinellas County! Largo has definitely shown an investment in recreational activities with Highland recreation center, Southwest recreation center, Largo Central Park and the Largo Library. There is so much to do! I would love to thank the Pickleball players for welcoming me on the court to learn the game. My kids love the Playplace, the pool and all the events that are organized for our recreational purposes. While they play, I enjoy FREE wi-fi to get work done. Also, a hidden gem is the fitness center, track and classes. As a resident, for $99 a year, I get a state-of-the-art workout area at two facilities. I love Largo recreation and THANK YOU to the recreation staff and city for giving us this gift! The best part about Largo recreation are the people- kind, loving and friendly! read more

Had been meaning to make it down this way for a while as I've heard many great things so we finally came down on a cloudy, overcast day. The indoor play area is awesome with different setups for various ages and a big indoor basketball court. We also made our way outside to check out the playground which was equally as nice and well shaded. We'll be back! read more

Had our sons birthday party here and the rec center didn't have anything ready. You would think as the most expensive birthday venue in pinellas they would at least have someone in charge know what was going on? We had to set up tables and everything without no help. Attendant only passed out wrist bands. For the money...not worth it. read more

The water park is awesome! My grandsons and I had a blast with the variety of slides for all ages. Great shaded areas to stay cool, and the bathrooms were very clean! Will definitely be back. read more

We stopped by to check out the facilities. They are great! The building is large. Hubby and I can do our own activities.

This is a very beautiful, remodeled facility. Offering various activities for your enjoyment: pool, tennis courts, basketball, and workout equipment. Along with various activities for the kids. There is a niche here for anyone. On this visit, I chose to walk the trail around the lake to take in the lake, fountain, and the myriad of wildlife. Activity was robust this morning. As I passed the tennis courts and outdoor workout equipment several groups were taking advantage of the pleasant morning. The trail I used started at the parking lot next to Highland Avenue; the paved trail passed merry-go-round, swings, and a softball field winding its way to the lake. Once I arrived at the lake, short walk about 2 to 3 minutes at casual stride, I saw the fountain, visible from the road, was impressive and much larger from the view on the trail. As I turned on to the trail that wrapped around the fountain I saw plenty of birds: White Ibis (I like to call them space chickens); Roseate Spoonbills; Wood Stork; and Muscovy Ducks. All of which were bustling about looking for a meal; even mooching off the walkers from time to time. As I proceeded around the lake, I saw a Great Cormorant taking a swim (looked similar to the pictures of the Loch Ness Monster) and passed a beautiful Little Blue Heron. Although I did not get to use the rest of the facilities and limited my time to the walking trail, I found the place to be the breath of fresh air that one needs. I am sure the other components of the facility are as satisfying as my walk. I am definitely going back to investigate and explore further. read more

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I love this place ! My three year old is obsessed and always asks to go to "the big yellow slide playground" Totally one of the coolest places for kids with so much to do! Only downfall is they need to brush up on their knowledge on rights for breastfeeding moms. read more