The joys to be found in this park are numerous. Whether you have a hankerin' for a swim on a hot summer's day, or for some kickball on a crisp autumn evening, or even an outdoor chess game on the nearby tables, this location has them all and several more. This park offers an outstanding place to spend a sunny day. It isn't all just fun and games though, screaming children and oblivious quasi-adults abound. It's open to the public, so one has to take the good with the not so great. In totality however, Holstein Park is a great place to spend some time outdoors. read more

shhhh!! I dont want this pool to be ruined by all the near by hipsters and yuppies. I discovered it last summer and was here every single day. I love this pool and have been waiting for it to open all winter. Out of the 2 community pools i've been to in chicago, this one is the best one ( although california is pretty good too). read more

Hey friends I would like to know are they open on Sunday's or can you tell me what are the schedule...

Holstein is a decent and popular park mainly because of the pools. The pool locker rooms are rather old, but are in better shape than the ones at Pulaski, which need a complete overhaul. There was family swim today from 11:00 - 11:45 a.m., but as soon as 11:45 came, all of the kids were kicked out of the pool for adult swim (laps). During that time, there was nobody in the pool. Open swim started at 1:30 p.m. After swimming, we quickly walked over to the playground, which has a splash pad. Kids just run around it and spray each other with the water like at any other park. It was fine until this awful nanny arrived. She began yelling at the older kids and telling them that they couldn't play with the water because she didn't want them to spray the younger kids. At one point, she grabbed my son's arm. I find this kind of thing disturbing as the park is for everybody, not just children that are being watched by nannies. Also, nobody should ever put their hands on anybody else. She was even hovering over the water feature in the splash pad like a bully and telling all of the kids "how they should play." A lot of children just left. I don't think this type of behavior is acceptable and this experience has tainted my opinion of this park and the types of people it attracts. That said, I don't know if this was an isolated incident or not, but I really hope so because the rest of our experience was pretty fun and I'd like to visit again. read more

This is a great pool and seems devoid of all the usual CPD bullshit rules. I went here yesterday during the "great heatwave of 2012" and it was crowded. Luckily, due to my extensive experience with Chicago pools I got there on time so was able to snag a spot. The pool itself is pretty large but there are not chairs so bring a towel and be prepared to lay on the ground. The lifeguards were cool and there didn't seem to be any of the usual nonsense. I will say since it was a 100+ degree day, a line started to form to get into the pool so they made everyone leave and join the line again in order to rotate melting individuals. I left at that point but had been there for at least a couple of hours. I went back again today and it was much less crowded so no rotation. Again, they don't seem overly concerned with all the crap about being a "family" during family swim. As a single adult woman I was able to go in and lay down in the sun for a couple of blissful uninterrupted hours. Also no problem with bringing in my bag, water bottle or phone etc. Parking is easy on the surrounding streets. I think I have found my new summer hang out. read more

Holstein in one of only 2 parks in the city of Chicago open after Labor day. I was able to leave work early and raced over to the park for the end of the family swim from 1-245pm (I got there at 220pm). The pool closed for the day at 245pm. There were about 15 people in the entire pool area. The lifeguard (a very young woman) stopped me and told me that I could not enter because it was family swim. I explained to her that I just wanted to lie on a chaise for a few minutes to enjoy the gorgeous fall day and she told me that unless I had a child that I could not enter. For me this is so narrow minded and ridiculous. There are only a few nice days left in the year, 20 minutes left in the day for the pool to be open, there are only a few people in the pool and this is a community pool (I live in the community). I understand rules, but this, to me, is sooo near sighted that it is moronic. She also said that if something happened to me during family swim that they would be held liable. I couldn't help but laugh and tell her how simplistic her thinking is since this is not an actual law, but just a guideline that she is taking wayyy to literally. Sadly, I think in her mind, she believes that it is a law and she saved the city millions. read more

I just moved to the area in October, however, I'm looking forward to the summer and swimming at this park. It's very clean and maintained and there's always something going on here. read more

love the pool! yay! always clean and fun... and there is always an icecream cart outside the entrance after free swim. my only complaint is that there is no designated daytime "adult swim" that i am aware of. not to be a jerk, but sometimes i feel a little overwhelmed by rug rats while trying to relax and enjoy my free swim in the afternoons. there is a kiddy pool, i wish they could somehow be forced to use it for a couple hours every afternoon. read more

This is a fantastic park and the staff is very good. This (50yd) pool has great lap-swim hours and serves several hundred kids in both family swim and open swim slots every day. Note, CPD requires registration and a reasonable ($40 per quarter) fee for lap-swim only. The Kiddie pool has different hours than the large pool so check the CPD website (where the hrs are posted). Open swim often has over capacity crowds so the pool staff clears the pool and deck halfway through the slot and allows the second set of kids in. Because it is raining does not mean that the pool is closed, The pool closes with threat of lightning. The pool will also closed for chlorine shock and cleaning if a kid has puked or pooped in the pool. I have been swimming at this pool since 2002 and my wife since 2005 and wy have been bringing our child since she was born in 2010. It is worth noting that the current CPD policy (sometimes different at different pools) is that flotation devices are only allowed if they are coastguard approved (with close supervision) and everyone entering the pool deck must have a swim suit and take a full shower. (full disclosure, I met my wife at a CPD pool and for 2 yrs (before current staff) she was a guard here) read more

This pool is awesome! The head lifeguard does a great job running the place. He is extremely conscientious of the safety of all the patrons. The lifeguard staff is friendly, alert, and patient with all of the swimmers, whatever their needs. I highly recommend this pool/park. It is a great place to bring the family and friends to hang out on a hot summer day! read more

The pool is not for adults who just want to get some sun. They have lounge chairs but you are only allowed to place them in a small, mostly shaded area. And there are frequent 15 minute breaks & longer mid-day closures where they not only clear the actual pool but anyone laying outside of it has to leave. And I watched the "lifeguards" harass a mom who didn't want to take off her t-shirt because apparently you HAVE to wear a swimsuit. Bizarre. read more

This review is for the pool only. First off, there is no zero depth entry, as the website suggests. There is a separate small wading pool (cement floor) with standing water. For family swim, you are not allowed in the pool area without a swimsuit. Even though I was there with my husband and child who were swimming, I had to sit 5 feet from where I was previously, outside the fence. In addition to the 3 lifeguards actually watching, there were 4 more sitting around a table, goofing off, texting, swearing in front of kids, and talking about ordering dinner. Go to Hamlin. read more

Do not even know where to begin with the review of the pool. Perhaps with the rude, snotty Head Lifeguard and his lemming-like followers. Or the lack of posting of rules and hours. Or the rude person answering the phone after eight consecutive tries. On Friday my group was turned away because he demanded we have one eighteen year old in the water with three children. The fact that three of the 17 year old helpers are either swim team members or certified lifeguards in Michigan, where we do not turn away ten children who look different from the very few children swimming in the pool, did not matter. Other city pools do not have this rule. The only nice employee was the young lifeguard at the gate who let us in before Bozo the Head Lifeguard managed to rise from the table he was sitting at with a few other young, arrogant lifeguards to block the children from entering the pool area. If this is the best Chicago can do to serve the tax-paying citizens I can be glad I live in a community that doesn't discriminate against it's youngest residents. SHAME ON YOU. read more

I really do like the pool...large, clean for the most part, etc. However, what is up with their hours? I went on Friday, July 5th. I got there about 11:30 and noticed that there was no one in the pool, no one laying out in the sun, no lifeguards in the chair. The locker room was open, so I went in and walked out to the pool, where there were a bunch of young adults just sitting around. One of them calls out to me, "The pool is closed!" I asked her what time the pool opened, and she tells me 1:00 p.m. I told her that the Chicago Park District's website says that they open at 7 A.M. on Fridays. She shrugged and said, "Yeah, the website is wrong." Ok, for real? Off by 6 freaking HOURS? I have to take two buses to get to that pool, I didn't appreciate that their hours were so ridiculously off and that I had to kill time for another hour and a half because no one could be bothered to correct the schedule. Look, if budget cuts or whatever have to result in fewer hours the pool can stay open, I understand. But correct the stupid schedule on the website then. Sheesh. read more