Richmond Plunge

Clean, friendly people, helpful staff, $ 5 for local residents and warm SALT WATER!!! The best pool in the bay for restorative exercise. Note: I have never been during family swim time so the presence of yelling small people, though in a separate pool, may impact the quiet meditative experience of the early morning or evening water walking. It’s worth rolling out at O’dark thirty or staying for the last hour in the evening.

Love this place. Good temperature especially for recreational swim. $ 5/​adult and I think $ 7 for non-​resident. Children are $ 3. But don’t quote me on those prices. Nonetheless, this place is one of Richmond’s finest.

This was the place to swim all the time as I was growing up in El Cerrito with my Brother all the time. Have had lots of good times here in my younger years. I’m 62 years old now and making plans to swim there soon. I remember as you came in the front door you payed and they had one machine for food to eat and that was a APPLE machine and they were the coldest apples I have ever had. We use to go upstairs to rest a while and look down at the pool. At that time the ceiling of the arch was rounded and looked very pretty. After we swam all day while our Dad and Mom were over at there printing shop a couple of street over we would wait for them at the park next door to the Plunge. Had such good memory’s there and cant wait to take my grand-​kids to swim and get there own memory’s for them selfs. Any one remember these things also?

I love The Plunge. It’s a grand old building — beautifully renovated. The water is warm, the dressing room and showers (at least the women’s) are clean with plenty of room and it sports an outstanding mural at the far end of the pool covering the entire back wall. It gets pretty crowded sometimes but that’s just ’cause it’s just such a fine place to do your laps or exercise. There’s kick boards and weights for anyone to use. It’s just the best place!

Great for families UNLESS you like to have fun.
Took my 8-​year-​old daughter (competent swimmer) there today. A sign at the front says kids 8 years and younger must be in «arms reach» of an adult at all times. That sounds extreme. The inside is pretty and the water was a decent temperature, but I was troubled by one of the caution signs which read: «NO BREATH HOLDING». Seriously. Don’t hold your breathe in the pool. Meaning don’t go under the water, I guess. We got into the recreational area of the pool and I didn’t see many adults and kids adhering to the breath-​holding rule, so we ignored it as well. The water was pretty shallow — my daughter could stand on tip-​toes with her head above water in the deepest part. We start playing around, and at one point she gets on my back so I can pull her around. The lifeguard tells me that ain’t cool either. Really? I’m not even going to ask about snorkels or diving toys. After about 30 minutes of finding out all the things we COULDN“T do at this facility we gave up and left. Locker rooms were nice, by the way.
Next time we’ll take our business to East Oakland Sport Center or somewhere else with less draconian rules. Every pool has their own weird rules about what you can and can’t do, but this felt extreme.

Beautiful facility … However there are several issues that detract from this gem. Have gone several times when the website states they’re open, but for some reason or another the pool is closed when we’ve gotten there. No family changing room which seems like a huge omission. And if the pool is crowded on a hot day, there’s a waiting list to get in, no limit once you’re in to allow waiting families a chance to swim. Richmond’s got an awesome community resource here, but the service is just terrible and that takes away from this diamond in the rough.

looking for a place to prep/​rehab back surgery
this spot is clean, warm and Karen at the front desk answered all my annoying questions
water weights, kickboards, water-​walking belts available

This pool has been restored and updated with loving attention to its history. Among the many small joys of a visit there are hand-​painted signs, beautiful tile, and a stunning mural. The locker room is clean and well-​maintained, and the pool itself is appropriately heated and salt-​treated so you don’t feel like you’re being gassed.
We visited on a very cold day and the interior of the building was a bit nippy, but considering its cavernous size, that’s sort of inevitable.
I would encourage anyone interested in the Bay Area’s architectural heritage to visit the Plunge. When you think that this building was going to be torn down, I think you’ll be very grateful to the architect, civic leaders, and donors who saved for all of us.
Kudos!

This is not a review of the pool itself because I haven’t gotten in to use the pool yet. This is a review of the management. I took my two kids, ages 5 yrs and 14 months, to the pool on one of the hottest days of the year. I checked the website ahead of time to make sure it was open for Rec swim, and also attempted to call several times and got a generic «leave a message» message. We showed up with an hour of Rec swim left and there was a hand written sign on the door saying they were closed for Rec swim today. One woman who also showed up with her daughter had checked the pool that same morning and there was no notice about the pool being closed. When someone asked why the pool was closed, their answer was that they were doing staff training. Really? Then update your website and your voicemail!

Huge indoor pool in an historic building. Great evening lap swimming, though the extended summer hours are soon to end in September. Locker rooms are clean enough and the facility is all around no pressure and no fuss. In the late evenings most lanes only had 1 swimmer. The shallow end had small lessons, walkers and some rec use. Fantastic community resource.
The hours are strange, check the website. Plenty of street parking in the evening. Free coat check. The showers were warm enough and there was a suit dryer (spins dry).

My boyfriend is trying to teach me how to swim and after researching diff options, we chose this place to … Test the waters. Heh heh.
No boards on the shallow end… Which I find strange if a little kid is trying to learn how to swim but okay…
$ 5 to get in
We usually go on Sundays. The first time it wasn’t crowded but the last time I went there was a big group of kids but luckily by that «lesson» I was in the pool with the lanes.
Lots of friendly people and teaching tools for my bf to utilize in his lessons :)
Tip: bring a lock bc the lockers are broken!

Unilocal 100 CHALLENGE 2014 ³⁄₁₀₀
I LOVE this place! I used to come for water walking while I was on maternity leave last year. The pool is most always a comfortable temperature. The fellow patrons are always kind and mostly cheery :) The dressing room has big, wide benches and lots of room to keep your things organized. The showers are warm and oh so nice after a swim! I love the little bathing suit dryer that they have as well! The Plunge has so many classes available too. I always leave the plunge feeling refreshed!
My one year old son and I just finished our first session of baby swim class here too and we liked it so much that we signed up for the entire summer course! The baby class consits of tiny tots clinging to their parents whilst the parent walks around in the water and attempts at getting the little one to relax and play. The instructor brings out a crate of pool toys and my son immediately grabbed a ping pong ball and wouldn’t relinquish it! The classes are definitely helping my little one become used to the water, and it’s a great experience!

The benches in the changing room are big enough to balance a baby and change a diaper if you bring something to put down first. This is a huge step up from El Cerrito pool where it was terrible hard to manage baby, changing clothes and swim diaper activities! There is no baby pool but the shallow end is great for us.
Rates are also affordable for a public pool. Was a little chilly for us on cooler days.

I have been swimming here after work for the past two years. The pool is clean and the water is well heated. The building itself is an amazing old structure with tons of natural light. The restoration has gone very well and finally tax money well spent.
The only negative i have is the lanes are very limited between 4−6pm. i know this is peak hour for everyone but it would be nice if the swim lessons would give up one or two lanes. I have always been able to swim but usually I have to share a lane. Not the end of the world but sometimes you will have to share with a water moose or someone with 6 foot arms.
The lifeguards are very nice and seem to want everyone to enjoy their time. I do wish Richmond Plunge the best and hope they continue to offer lap swimming.

Nice pool, very clean. It is 83 degrees, they told me, which seemed cold on a chilly fall day.
Salt water, and attentive lifeguards.
There are heaters inside the space but it’s drafty. I do like the vintage architecture throughout which has been lovingly refurbished.
We went to rec swim which did attract some young rowdies, but nothing too bad.
Now if only downtown Point Richmond had a place to get a cup of hot chocolate afterward, this place would rock!

I went here the first month they opened and came back last year. I love it before they divided the whole pool into sections just because it felt like you were swimming in an indoor ocean. But, now — it’s more functional. I like how they have it set up for different swim levels and even have an area for kids. So thankful to have a nice, clean indoor pool close to work and in the sweet little town of Point Richmond.

The plunge is pretty cool. It’s one of the quietest, cleanest pools I think I’ve encountered in the East Bay. Because it’s indoors there is quite a bit less sediment at the bottom. Since it’s all been restored in the last few years, it’s really nice and clean and basically wonderful.
The locker rooms are a little too open, with not more than 15 lockers and a lot of open, empty space and not too many benches to put your belongings, but since it’s not very crowded, that’s fine. They have a swim suit spinner, which is cool, but no hairdryer or wall mounted hand dryer that you can use to dry your hair (yes, i use a hand dryer to dry my hair, my poor, poor damaged hair :/​)
I tend to come here around 5:30, and hardly ever share a lane with anyone. The kids swim team wraps up at that time, and more lanes open up for the adult team. Not sure how their masters’ team is, but they do have a Richmond Adult masters team.
They grew on me, but the kids that work here are not very friendly. I mean, dang, are you all the most miserable, unfriendly bunch of hard-​asses or what?! You’re getting paid to be here, right? Jesus! They really need some smiles sprinkled in the mix over there. All of the signage at the pool is all about ‘the customer’ and so forth, so while it’s a public pool, it does feel kinda un-​community like and very strict. So, while beautiful and there being lots of nice people who do chat, the vibe of this indoor pool is not my favorite.

Indoor pool, open year round. Situated in a lovely historical building. Rarely crowded, well, except on hot weekends (avoid this at all costs, unless you want to swim with the masses and deal with the pandemonium). Salt water, no chlorine! The pool is divided into two sections on weekends. I do laps – so indulgent to have an unhurried lane to myself – while my guys flutter about in the family rec side, which is slightly warmer. The locker rooms have been clean and have mesh bags for you to put your stuff. Only thing I’d knock them for is they don’t accept $ 20 bills even tho’ it’s cash only and sometimes the staff at the entrance is a bit slowish. Overall, though, a great place for a swim.

Best pool I’ve ever been too… guess you’ll have to be the judge on where that falls. Loved the fact that the water was warm, in fact, I came for a kayak class, and sort of wish I’d had more of an opportunity to be in the water than on the water it was that nice.
Shower area was nice and spacious and had a fancy water removing gadget for swimming attire. Showers do not have curtains… so if you don’t care about that disregard and if you do care, just an fyi.
Hmm…what else… I think the only negative of my experience was the fact that they had some windows at the very top by the ceiling open, so it got a little chilly, but that was a minor thing.
Also, big giant mural on the wall was a nice touch.

Swimming at Keller’s Beach is not that bad. The place gets a Richmond Bay tidal flush out twice a day every day, despite the nearby Refinery. I swan there many summers and still remain healthy. But in the winter, inclement weather forced me to go indoors and that is where and why the Plunge in Pt. Richmond is such a great place.
I looked forward to making the trip past San Quintin Prison and over the Richmond Bay Bridge just for the chance to do some nice laps at this very historical Municipal Natatorium.
The Plunge website says: «For all of these 70 years the „Plunge“ has been a distinctive asset to the City of Richmond where youth, elders, those with infirmities and illness, have come to swim, exercise, maintain mobility, recuperate and just enjoy family activities. It has been utilized by residents of Contra Costa, Alameda, Solano and Marin Counties.» (I would also add San Francisco county.) The Plunge has been open to all ages, races, economic status, physical abilities and life status-​it is the great equalizer that allows all to enjoy water amenities.
In the cold wintertime of the Bay Area, the opportunity to do some indoor swimming at the Pt. Richmond Plunge is a real treat. When my daughter was a toddler, she also enjoyed water babies and splashing around at this great pool. The freight trains that roll constantly by along the tracks right next to the Plunge are very cool too.
I only deduct 1 Unilocal Star as the hours of operation are a little strange. However, this is probably because of the cutbacks in city staffing due to the economy. Pt. Richmond is a charming, wonderful little city and the Plunge is something that all of Richmond should be very proud of.