Cool off at these local pools, lakes and water parks
Columbia’s “Famously Hot” temperatures make outside activities sweaty and sticky as Memorial Day Weekend ushers in summer.
Columbians know the best way to stay cool outside is to get wet in others ways than sweat.
From Lake Murray’s 47,500 acres of water, to public pools and water parks, there are ways to be outdoors as the temperatures soar without being thwarted by heat and humidity.
Here are some places you can escape.
Chill at the pool
Between the Columbia Parks and Recreation Department and Richland County Recreation Commission, there are six public swimming pools that offer a chlorinated haven.
Greenview Pool (6700 David St.) re-opens Saturday, May 28 after being closed last summer for renovations. The pool is a bit of a water park now, with two slides, a kiddie pool and a pool basketball game included with the six-lane pool. It’s open 1-5:45 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Saturday and 2-6 p.m. Sunday. Greenview is closed Monday. The pool is open 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. opening day.
Maxcy Gregg Pool (1655 Park Circle) also opens for the season Saturday, May 28. It shares Greenview’s hours, but is closed Friday and open Monday.
Cost for both pools is $3 for kids 12 and under, $4 for those 13 and older. Season passes are $80 and $120.
The Drew Wellness Center pool, 2101 Walker Solomon Way, is reopening at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 4. It has been closed since fall for renovation.
Richland County has four public pools that open Saturday, June 4: Eastover Park (1031 Main St., Eastover), Hopkins Park (150 Hopkins Road), Trenholm Park (3900 Covenant Road) and St. Andrews Park (920 Beatty Road). Pool hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and noon-6 p.m. Saturday. Cost is $2 for kids ages 3-12, $3 for those older.
www.columbiasc.net/parks-recreation
Go jump in the lake
This is the time of year that the idea is more of a friendly suggestion than an admonishment born from annoyance. A good place to jump, or wade, into Lake Murray is the beach park on the Lexington side of the dam. It’s open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and holidays.
Cost is $3 for cars and trucks, $2 for motorcycles and $5 for buses. Season passes are $45 per car.
www.sceg.com/about-us/lakes-and-recreation
Slip sliding away
The nearer your destination to Palmetto Falls on Ft. Jackson, the closer you get to fun at a water park.
Palmetto Falls offers a 10,000-square foot pool, two slides, a 600-square foot splashdown pool, a 2,500- square foot kiddie pool and a lazy river.
It costs $9.50 a person, and kids younger than sixth grade must be accompanied by an adult. It’s open to the public 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday after Memorial Day. It’s open to military only on the weekends, beginning Saturday, May 28: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 1-7 p.m. Sunday.
It’s recommended to buy tickets ahead of time online.
Since you have to drive onto the Army base, it is a bit tricky to get there. You must have an updated driver’s license, car registration and proof of insurance to get through the gate.
jackson.armymwr.com/us/jackson/programs/palmetto-falls-water-park
SPLISHING AND SPLASHING
Running through sprinklers has gotten much more sophisticated.
Several parks in Columbia have spray pools and splash pads that spout cool water throughout the summer.
Saluda Shoals Park has its splash pads open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. You have to pay the park’s $5 parking fee (more for passenger vans and buses), plus $3 admission to the splash pads, a “zero depth” interactive water playground.
Columbia Parks and Recreation has 12 spray parks. Log on to the city’s website for details.
This story was originally published May 27, 2016 at 10:27 AM.