I love this place! This is where I learned how to swim in 3rd grade as part of their PUSD program. I'll always have fond memories of this place. Their facilities are top-tier, they have three different pools, two jacuzzis, and a small gym for those looking for a hybrid workout. It's in a beautiful location, situated in the middle of Lower Arroyo. It's very easy to find parking, the staff is always helpful and nice, and there's always something to do. Lap swim, family swim, diving and swim classes for adults and children, and so many other programs. This place is a gem in Pasadena and Southern California overall! read more

My son has been swimming at RBAC for two years now. He has had a great experience with the facilities from training to swim meets. My son has had several coaches so far, all the way from 13-14 bronze to Senior 2. Coach Jordan, Coach Katie, and Coach Alex have played a pivotal role in my son's development. I just started taking swim lessons from RBAC. My experience has been fantastic from the scheduling of lessons to the actual swim lessons. Riley Wilcox has done a great job of communicating with me all through the process of getting a weekly time slot. My swim lessons have been going very well. Thanks to Benjamin, Pedro, and Ethan! They have helped me build confidence in freestyle and reaching my goal (using freestyle to do lap swim for exercise). Ethan Nava is my weekly instructor. He has been instrumental in my development. As a great coach, he has guided me, been patient, and has helped build my confidence. Ethan knows how to coach adults. He explains first, then demonstrates, then gives me feedback on my swimming. I highly recommend taking swim lessons from RBAC as an adult or child and having your child join the Rose Bowl Swim team. read more

I have a monthly membership here and I enjoy coming and swimming here. They have two large pools, are open often and have lots of lanes. However, as lap swimmer, I really think there are a lot of things they can improve to create a better experience for lap swimmers to determine when lanes are open. They have pretty poor communication, despite online tools for determining when lanes are open. First they post a link to a google calendar for each pool and the schedule. The problem is the way the schedule is laid out is confusing. For example they will not bracket the schedule changes for the pool, by that I mean they will tell you when a change starts, but not always when it ends. Or they communicate for what his going on for the other lanes during certain times. 9am Diving - Lanes 14-20 9:30 Lap Swim - Lanes 6-9 There's 5 lanes completely unaccounted for. Or sometimes they will post times like this and the lanes listed conflict with on another for example it shows below that lane 9 ends at two different times. Laps are listed, twice instead of one. 8 - 9:30 am Lap Swim - Lanes 11-20 8 - 9am Lap Swim - Lanes 6-9 8:55am - 2:05pm Swim Lessons - Lanes 1-9 They list the lanes open, but they don't actually label the lanes at the pool, so I'm not sure why. It feels like this is an internal calendar not a consumer facing one. They should just make this simple. Show the start and end times of a changeover and list the available changes like 8AM-9AM - 13 lap lanes (list the lanes), 9 Swim lesson lanes (list the lanes) 9AM - 2PM - 3 lap lanes (list the lanes), 9 Swim lesson lanes (list the lanes) The way they layout the information is extremely confusing, complicated and you have to do a lot of math to figure out what's available, when it can be much clearer, simpler and easier to communicate. They should really lay this out visually like a Google calendar broken down in color coded blocks of time or in columns broken down by categories for Lessons, Lap Swim, Diving, Classes... That way you can just turn off what isn't relevant to you and see what's available quickly. Sometimes change overs don't occur at the listed time and you're stuck wondering if the calendar is wrong. Then they have a camera feed online so you can see the pool live. Great idea, but completely useless in practice. It's clear the camera is old, so the resolution is poor. It's also placed at the short end of the pool near the front. so you can't actually see any of the lap lanes in the distance with any clarity, so you have to zoom in to see if anyone is the lanes but you can't. The way the site is implemented is the feed auto switches between the two camera (the one for the other pool) before you can make anything out and if you can zoom it it's too hard to make anything out. So it serves no purpose. It's ridiculous. Upgrade the camera. Put them on both ends, or at least move it to the long end so you can see clearly if the lanes are full. And let the user control what they see. They also have this cone system they've implemented to let people know when a lane is open for swimming, lessons or something else at the time of the change over. But the problem is the key for what the cones mean, is at the front of the building. Why not just print what the cones mean directly not the cone itself. So you don't have to walk back and read it? The showers constantly have broken soap dispensers and shower heads. And even though they break the time, the keep replacing everything with the same shower heads and soap dispensers. I get that this can be a cost but they don't have that many showers and these days there are so many options I can not image it's that hard to find something both quality and budget friendly to avoid this problem. Finally their communication of closures can be a lot better. I buy a monthly pass, and swim often. There have been many times when the facility was closed with a weeks notice, sometimes for an entire week. If you're going to do that you need to let people know in advance so they don't waste money on membership they can't use a quarter of. Or the pool has been closed for 'contamination.' They do not specify what that means, even when asked. That is crazy. I get that some of these things might cost money. But some of them cost nothing at all. They are just simple changes that can be made tomorrow if there was more thoughtfulness and care put into the experience of the user. It feels like this place is trapped in time and put on auto pilot. Every single solution doesn't need to be the cheapest lowest effort solution all the time. You can create a better experience. read more

I left a 1-star review about the swimming pool lessons because of my experience, and the manager replied asking me to send them a letter to follow up. I did that, but after sending it, I never received any response or update. It feels disappointing when there is an initial reply but no real follow-through afterward. I was hoping for at least some acknowledgment or resolution, but unfortunately nothing came back. I'm sharing this so others are aware of the communication issues. read more

Growing up - I used to come to Rose Bowl Aquatics for Water Polo. Now that I'm much older and have moved out of state, I was looking for a place to drop in lap swim so Rose Bowl naturally came to mind. I came on a week day in the summer and it was fairly packed! There was swim practice going on as well as what looked like a kids camp and other water program, but there were lanes reserved for lap swim. There's an updated calendar on their website. On MWF, it's long course or 50m, then otherwise it's short course (25m). However, the adult drop in pass is incredibly expensive at $21! When I dropped in at other nicer, newer facilities -- e.g. Palm Desert Aquatic Center, it was only $12. Woof. On that alone, I probably won't be back here. At this rate, I could go to a drop-in class with a coach at some other exercise program. Parking is ample and free though so that's a plus. read more

Rose Bowl Aquatics Center - Lap swim long course on MWF - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Pasadena, California

First time here for recreational swim and I already love the place. There is a parking lot. Pretty easy to find parking. We were new to recreational swim here and the staff was so nice and explained how it works. Apparently there is usually a line before each session but we had just missed the rush. You pay once you enter and then walk out into the pool area. Surprised the pool was warm. There is a ramp for you to walk into the pool. Recreational swim max depth 4ft perfect with kids. It can get a little crowded with kids swimming in all directions but it was still enjoyable. read more

Rose Bowl Aquatics Center - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Pasadena, California

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They offer a variety of kids and adult classes, including swim lessons, diving lessons, camps, etc. They offer group and private swim lessons throughout the year. The facility is clean, and there are three separate pools. Plenty of parking available, it shares the lot with the park and kidspace. Since it's near the Rose Bowl, there are events that occur that may impact swim lessons. So, check the calendar incase these events impact traffic! read more

Extremely disappointing and upsetting experience. My 13-year-old son recently completed the previous swim level successfully and advanced to the next group. Because of health-related issues, he missed the first lesson of the new session. We informed the staff ahead of time that he has Type 1 diabetes and is still physically adapting to training intensity. When he attended the next class, he became physically exhausted during the swim exercise. Instead of supporting him or explaining the exercise again, the instructor started pressuring him, raising her voice, and repeatedly saying that he "should have attended the first class." This is a child, not a professional athlete. A swim instructor working with children should show patience, professionalism, and basic understanding -- especially after being informed about medical concerns. The situation at the front desk was equally upsetting. We politely asked either to transfer him to a more suitable group or issue a refund if no appropriate option was available. We had specifically registered online for a shorter session format because a full-hour class is currently too physically demanding for him. The website showed availability, but later we were told that group was not actually available. Instead of helping us find a reasonable solution, the staff acted dismissive and unprofessional. Since we are still learning English, we communicated partly through a translator, and the employees exchanged looks and smiles that made us feel uncomfortable and disrespected. What upset us most was not just the poor organization, but the complete lack of empathy and willingness to help. We paid for professional instruction and respectful treatment. Unfortunately, we received neither. read more

Such a wonderful location with the best instructors. Places like this make me so grateful to live in pasadena. If you are looking to learn how to swim or enroll your children in swim classes this is the best place to go! read more

I swam at the RBAC in high school as a club swimmer, and now, I love the RBAC just as much that I'm in my 50's. I enjoy lap swimming at least 3-4 times per week; their staff is friendly and professional, the facility is clean and organized. I enjoy their whirlpool to cool off after a good lap swim routine. I love seeing new generations of swimmers every year. I'm grateful to the RBAC for teaching young and old swimmers an important life-saving skill and a safe place to exercise. No one is too young or too old to learn how to swim at the RBAC. read more

I discovered the RBAC after retiring from UCLA where I had 3 pools to chose from. This is an excellent facility -- good maintenance and well-run. I love the Comp pool on long-course. I do hope we will hear more soon about how access for members will have to be adjusted to get ready for and host 2028 Olympics diving events. read more

Beautiful facility and great for kids swim classes. Lots of parking available and playground next door.

We had a consistently positive experience with RBAC for over a decade, until we were subjected to the conduct of Programming Director Cristina Alvarado. I have never encountered someone in a professional setting so dismissive, condescending, and unprofessional. She treated my daughter, who is high-functioning and has a developmental disability, with bias and disregard, and spoke to me, her parent, with thinly veiled contempt. In person and over the phone, her tone was cold and antagonistic, completely different from the supportive tone she uses in emails, where a paper trail exists. When I questioned the inconsistency, she even blamed me, saying I had been "offensive" on the phone, completely inappropriate and deflective behavior from someone in a position of authority. What's worse is that she conducted an "observation" of my daughter without acknowledging her progress or allowing any input from me, and stated she would submit a report behind closed doors to the Executive Director. This process lacked transparency, respect, and inclusion, everything that should define a community program, especially one serving individuals with disabilities. RBAC leadership and HR need to seriously evaluate how staff like Cristina represent the organization and treat families who rely on these programs. No parent should have to experience this kind of exclusion and disrespect while advocating for their child. It was a deeply upsetting and unacceptable experience. read more

I love Rose Bowl aquatics and l come here 4 times per week since June 2023. I do lap swimming at 5:30am and exercise in the pool. The showers are very clean and they also have 4 private showers for families. The prices are reasonable specially if you buy 6 months membership. read more

Rose Bowl Aquatics Center - The sky from the pool - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Pasadena, California

Excellent pool large good temp friendly crowd some snobbish life guards most friendly 17 foot deep dive platforms need to be refurbished 4 out of 5 read more

The pool is really nice, and the people who work here are fantastic. It's often crowded, which is my main reason for taking off one star. Also, there are a few territorial personalities amongst the clientele who think they own the place, which I know is out of management's control. The people who work here do their best at all times. read more

I rarely go anymore only because now have a pool! When Inerny? The locker rooms and showers were clean, the pool And aquatic aerobic class great! read more

The parent and me classes here are such a joke! First of all, there were WAY too many people in the class. Like 20 maybe and not enough space along the wall. The teacher spoke so softly no one could hear her so people were confused and looking around. They didn't teach anything. They told you to hold your baby and make their legs kick. No help or instruction, they didn't check on people or tell us HOW to do things. It was such a waste of money. They didn't help show us how to prepare the baby for dunking their head (at least waterworks will show you how and have you practice this). I went to the front desk immediately after class and ask for a refund for the remainder of classes but they refused. Really poor customer service. Everyone also seems pretty grumpy to work there. The next week I went and the instructors were different and the class was slightly more organized, but again didn't really learn anything. The week after that the instructor was different again and he said that he was the real instructor and had been on vacation for the past two weeks (I only signed up for four classes so this was half the time). The class was a little bit better organized, but it was still hard to hear him given how big the pool is, how many people there are and how far away he was. He also started about seven minutes late and was in a rush the whole time to finish, Then kicked us out of the pool immediately afterwards. For one of the drills he said "you have 2 minutes to practice this" We really missed out on some of this class considering it's only 25 minutes and he started seven minutes late. The icing on top: I was holding my baby walking towards the family restroom and a lifeguard with his bag who is maybe just starting his shift rushed ahead of us and went inside and I was right behind him. He saw me and I said oh is it single use only and he said yes and shut the door in my face. Why is an employee who is a single person using a family restroom? When I'm standing there as a customer with my crying baby clearly needing to use the family room. It was so unprofessional and unkind. There are so few places to change your baby. It's just not kid/baby friendly. I had to change her on a bench. I left in my wet suit because I had no where to safely put her down while I changed. Needless to say, I hate this place for many reasons from their poor instructors, lack of customer service to the many downright rude employees. No one at the front desk has been friendly either they've all been somewhat rude.. I really can't say anything positive about this place. read more

I would give 5 stars because we love the coaches and the team. BUT the front desk staff have the worst customer service skills. They talk to you with attitude, can't smile, you ask them a question they will answer you we don't deal with that you email them. There is NO EFFORT to even find out or even offer help. Know that the front staff are the first one we see, we greet, they represent the Rose Bowl. Better check the customer service description & what makes a good rep. If I have a choice I would NEVER ask them because you will leave the facility upset for the attitude they give you. I would rather talk to the facility lady who is always smiling and greeting you geniunely. read more

This is a nice facility compared with others nearby. It's usually clean and well maintained and there's ample parking most of the time, excepting football games, concerts, the flea market and other Rose Bowl events, when it's not easy or even possible to come and swim. Frequently, the Aquatics Center closes for an entire weekend for a special swim or dive event, making it not accessible to the public. If you are a lap swimmer, you will be treated like a federal employee. While swimming laps, the instructors move a platform into the middle of the lane to get ready for swim lessons. It's like going back to your work station after a break and you realize you no longer have access to your computer! I understand there's scheduled times for different activities, but many of the other lap swimmers I've talked with feel the same - that we are the lowest on the totem pole, presumably because we pay less for our passes and generate less income than swim lessons or fitness classes. Another problem is that after being rudely evicted, the lane wasn't even occupied by anyone 15 minutes later. I could've finished my workout without disruption. read more

We're new to the area and feeling grateful to I have access to this pool-zone. Nice location, that alone is inspiring. Love this place! Two huge pools. The req-swim pool is first come first serve. Told to get there 15 mins before scheduled times. We did, and we got in at a very active hour of the day. Decided to buy a month pass for lap lanes-jacuzzi. There are seating areas at the edges of both pools under shade, in bleacher rows. Two jacuzzis, not too hot for the heat of summer days. They also have a therapy pool for people who have a doctor's note. We had a lot of questions about how it all works, and everyone there is very helpful. They have a lot that they offer and it took a few days to figure it all out. Today we found out they have a gym too. It's all easy access, with a huge parking. So happy to have found it. Thank you all so much! read more

Rose Bowl Aquatics Center - Pool with diving board - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Love RBAC! ! Been coming here for a min and had many a great workout . Prior to covid ,the center had CrossFit which I participated in as well . The instruction offered here is second to none. My experiences with the staff have been amazing. RBAC has 2 Olympic size pools . The recreation pool is chlorinated , while the competition pool is treated with saline . Competition pool has a temp maintained at 81degrees while the recreation pool is around 86 degrees .Temperature makes a difference depending on the type of workout . Swimming times for both pools will vary so check the schedule . Personal lockers are also available . Make sure to bring your own padlock . Showers now have partitions due to covid . In addition they have wide variety of classes and activities for all ages as well as teams and Masters. Last but not least they have 2 spas and a warm water therapy pool . S/O 2 the front desk + everyone on deck ( swimmers , lifeguards , instructors and coaches ) read more

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Every time we come here, the staff is so rude. Unbelievably rude and not helpful at all. We are in the 2-3 year old mommy and me class. Literally no direction and taught by two young g girls who spend more time chit chatting with each other then teaching anything. A waste of money. This place sucks. read more

I love the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center - they have a program for everyone from infants to seniors 100 years old. They have a kind and welcoming staff and do so much to support the community in many ways including a financial support program that makes all the various recreational and competitive programs affordable for everyone. The pools are sparkling and the people you meet really lift you up. A great place to train for swimming, diving and water polo, water aerobics, lap swimming or just a relaxing dip in the pool. Don't miss out on the RBAC. read more

From a mother of two boys, I can tell you RBAC is the best place to take your kid for swim lessons. My son took lessons with Coach Gary and he is the best! My son loves him and because of his high energy, constant motivation and positive affirmations my son has gone from not wanting to do swim lessons to loving it and looking forward to it every day. Coach Gary is professional, funny and such a good teacher. We can't be happier with our experience of not just the coach but the overall center. P.S. All the front desk worker are also super friendly and professional. Shoot I may even start taking lessons read more

Rose Bowl Aquatics Center - Swim lesson with Coach Gary - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Pasadena, California

My family tried going here at 11:30am on a Sunday and we were turned away. You would think a public pool would be open to all members of the public, but apparently not... read more

I am a new member for the lap swimming, been coming for about one month. The facility is amazing and the fellow swimmers are all very nice and friendly. It's a very pleasant experience. Once in a while you get a lane to yourself, but most of the time you have to share the lane with one other swimmer, but that's not a big deal. I've heard of times when there are three swimmers per lane, but that's rare. The only complaint I have is that the rec pool is filthy. Not only is there dirt on the bottom, but there is lots of actual trash on the bottom and hairballs floating around. I don't know how often they clean/vacuum the pool, but they need to do it more often because everytime I get water in my mouth, I get queesy thinking about what I'm ingesting. I mentioned this to the front desk yesterday but the trash was a topic of conversation today among other swimmers, hence why I'm putting this up here today. I hope they can remedy this situation since it would make the experience much more enjoyable. read more

This place is great -- thanks for the great parts...but I am echoing another reviewer...they need to make rec swim more accessible to more people -- the part of the pool for rec swim can definitely accommodate more than 60 people esp because many are just getting cooled off and many are tots. I am a lap swim holder but this doesn't impact me but I feel bad for the people that stand in line in the hot summer (why not give them some shade?) and then get turned away after their poor kids have stood in line in the sun -- there must be a better way...or adults for that matter...there must be a better way. Maybe you could tell them where the other pools are nearby (there are many in the summer, including San Marino High School, Blair, and I think PHS, as well as Villa Park, etc). Also - either make a third session on the weekend and during the week, or open one more lane so you can accommodate more people. We, the lap swimmers, can share lanes...I think it is better to accommodate people for an hour then turn half of those hot folks who likely don't have air conditioning or their parents can't afford a 20 dollar lap swim. RBAC needs to serve the underserved who can't afford a very expensive lap swim pass... read more

Tried going to recreation swim and was told that it was "sold out". This is what they consider an at-capacity pool. What a complete shame to the community to limit the recreation swim time to this few people. read more

Rose Bowl Aquatics Center - Recreation swim area - Swimming Lessons/Schools Near Me - Pasadena, California

Great facility. Staff and support totally helpful and knowledgeable. Kids and grown ups learn water safety, social skills, and make lifetime friendships. Totally great for your health. read more

We've been bringing my son here for over a year and I had high hopes for this place but have been VERY disappointed. First, is their "priority" registration. They give a specific time to call and when you call exactly at that time, you get through and someone answers to tell you that the class is full! Every time! Which makes me think they may have preference enrollment. One of the worst things, is the school age level classes. I belive there is supposed to be 6 levels but my son has had to take several classes over so many times!! So many, I've honestly lost count... I believe one class he had to take 4 times and another two, 3 times each. My son is athletic and and understands instructions very well, so I feel as if they do this so you have to keep paying. Perhaps since we a trusting and believe their recommendations, they keep doing this to us. I would dread to think it was a racial thing as many people have mentioned it on here. I believe only one of the instructors told us he needed work so he got better and passed that level. Another instructor never talked to us nor ever gave my son any indication of needed improvent but yet we still had to leave him in the same level and of course pay again. Finally, not all but most of the front desk people are inefficient and rude. They sit there and gossip all the time while there's people wating to be let in. They then get mad and rudely ask you what you need and tell you not to push the entrance bar, yet they are chatting away and don't acknowledge people waiting. Perhaps management doesn't prepare them properly and the customer service employees are too immature because they argue with customers as well. read more

For laps swimmers, please stay away from this facility. They selling memberships at a very high rate but you will end up with the turnaround going home a lot or get kick out of lanes or pools because they prioritize special programs, events , private lessons during peak hrs and weekends. Also pool closures in the weekend happening almost every week when they have games and and concerts on the opposite sides . My family put up with this for 6 plus years just because we live a mile away. Thousands we paid for memberships and being treated like beggars almost. Pathetic read more

An excellent place to swim and meet new friends Wonderful for the entire family But, please do not close for a weekend because of a tournament Always leave a pl ace for us to swim laps Thank you! read more

The staff and lifeguards are great and very helpful. However, there was a used tampon at the bottom of the short course competitive pool on Sunday, November 10, 2024. I reported it. It made me nervous because of the heath concern. Posting this so facility is more vigilant. read more

We have been taking our kids to swim lessons at the Rosebowl for over 12 years now for one singular person: Gary. Gary had taught our 3 older kids to swim and now he's teaching our 4th! He is an incredible swim instructor, has a fun teaching style that they really relate to. He somehow gets the kids to do those very difficult things like putting their faces in the water, blow bubbles and learn to breathe, all of which can be super challenging, especially for young kids to do. I've watched Gary teach all our kids to swim and he gets them to not just feel comfortable in the water but to really enjoy it. Our youngest can't wait for her lesson day and does a count down every week because she says Gary is her "best friend." He is a gem of person and the main reason we always come back to the Rose Bowl. read more

Okay, I'm not one to ever review things but this place let me down so bad that I just had to. I bought the adult monthly swimming pass for me to use the lanes because swimming has always been my preferred mode of cardio and since I've gotten it at the beginning of April I've only been able to use it maybe 3 times (if that) and I've come several times (at different time periods within the week). I'm always either 1) kicked out of a lane within the first 10 minutes for a class, 2) I'm forced to share a lane with some creepy older dude to make the most out of my visit, or 3) it's too packed to even share a lane and I end up having to wait an hour or leave. If you want to go for a swim on the weekends then go as early as you can and if you're lucky you might be able to do a few laps. Watch out that there are no Rose bowl or swim team events because chances are you will not find parking. Then there is the aquatic store which is super overpriced and the one time I actually wanted to buy something from it--a simple bottle of sunscreen--they said they didn't have a single sunscreen in stock which is insane and absolutely ridiculous. Overall, save your money and try to find a different aquatic center to go to if you can. This place is just not worth the $76 they make you spend a month. If anyone has any recommendations for a new aquatic center near the northwest Pasadena area that doesn't have as much of the same problems as this one please let me know because I would hate to be stuck going to this one since it's the closest one I know of that's nearby. Thanks. read more

We love it and my son absolutely enjoys and looks forward to going to practice. Just wish he could practice Monday thru Friday. He loves and enjoys it that much. read more

If you absolutely must swim, and have exhausted all other options....find your way to the RBAC. What do you get for the high cost of membership? A filthy locker room that smells like piss and ass, dirty showers, and more pubic hair in the urinals than on my body. The pool is so over chlorinated it may actually change your DNA. The pools are crowded and there are many staffers, none of which are particularly helpful. If you must swim....save $50k, build a pool and forget you ever came here. read more

Coach Gary is the best! My 4 and 6 year old kids have been getting lessons with Coach Gary for years. They look forward to their lessons every week and have progressed so quickly. He is a magician the way he can win over even the most challenging kid (my son) and get them to love swimming and do it with confidence. I cannot believe how much patience he has! read more

I've been bringing my toddler here for swim lessons. Pros- beautiful location, nice park, kids museum, and playground nearby. Easy entry system and close parking. Cons- preschool age teachers are hit or miss and usually miss. We've had three. One great and two absolutely terrible. Most of the teachers don't acknowledge the kids at all and just sort of sing as quietly as possible bc they seem embarrassed. They don't explain anything about water safety and there doesn't seem to be much progression from class to class and generally just no teacher interest in teaching swimming. I'd give it a 1/10 in regards to friendliness. They're toddlers so it's not the end of the world. It's a pretty place to kill half an hour if you don't have a pool but have extremely low expectations of the teachers. read more