HIDDEN OASIS FOUND AT EDWARD T HALL AQUATIC CENTER
The Edward T Hall Aquatic Center is a undiscovered treasure for many families in the area. I’m going to share a little about this hidden oasis that offers a refreshing dip in the pool all year round! Just off the beaten path in Prince Frederick, Maryland is a 41,000 square foot aquatic center! This recreation center was built in 2010 and just freshly resurfaced in 2024 to provide aquatic programs for swimmers of all ages and abilities. When you hear indoor pool, I’m sure you are thinking what makes this place so special? Well, it not just your ordinary pool; I was beyond surprised the first time we went. I couldn’t believe how much this center had to offer. There is a competition lap pool, leisure pool, therapy pool, fitness room, conference/party rooms and locker rooms.
As a mom I was amazed with how clean, well maintained and family friendly Edward T Hall is. Right away I was excited to find there is a family style changing rooms in addition to locker rooms. The family changing rooms located in between the men’s and women’s locker rooms. Inside the family changing room is a handicap accessible shower, toilet and sink; as well as a baby changing station. If you need more privacy for you and your child or have multiple little ones that are in need of rinsing, drying, changing and need to keep in one place, then this area is perfect for your family! The next thing I noticed right away is that your kids can wear coast guard approved life vests or puddle jumpers in the pool. Just keep in mind they have to be removed in order to go down the slides for safety reasons. We brought our own water safety gear; however, the pool has life jacket style flotation’s that you can borrow.
What sets this pool apart for our me though is the awesome leisure (children’s) pool located at the back of the aquatic center. As you enter the leisure pool area you feel as though you are stepping into a tropical paradise. Feel the warmth of the heated pool, enjoy the view of palm trees and have fun splashing in the coolest pool in the tri-county area! Complete with three slides, fountains and buckets of water that pour over your head, you and your little’s are sure to have hours of fun.
Due to the awesomeness of the leisure pool and the fact that I was flying solo with three kids in tow; we didn’t get a lot of time to check out the other amenities. That being said, we did take time to admire the huge 50-meter pool. I could see older kids loving this section; especially the diving boards at the deep end and the basketball hoop in the shallow end. There is even a 3-meter high diving board where you’ll find swimmers of all ages practicing crazy flips and jumps. It’s great that there are bleachers that line the pool area. I’m sure this comes in handy to host swim meets. It’s a great spot to sit and watch if you aren’t swimming.
The center of the large pool is reserved for swimming laps. New this year you will find cones that help distinguish if the lap lane is open or occupied for swim lessons. Be sure to check the centers schedule as the lap pool maybe reserved for adult swim, swim lessons and swim club. You can also call ahead if you’re concerned about crowds and the staff will tell you when the quiet times are. I have noticed that weekdays during school hours the pool is less crowded if you have toddlers or homeschoolers and want to take advantage of the non-peek hours. The center offers award winning swim lessons that meet the American Red Cross. Be sure to stay on the look out for special events.
Another area that I admired but didn’t get to experiences was the therapy pool where you will find a hot tub; which was one of the largest hot tubs I’ve ever seen. I was impressed that physical therapists use the center of therapy pool for treatment of patients. The therapy pool and hot tub are for individuals ages 18 and up. There is a fully equipped gym with work out equipment. This would be a great place to have a birthday party! I always feel very safe at this center; there are lifeguards positioned at every pool with one at each station of the large pool to keep a close watch on swimmers. Do keep in mind that parents with children under the age of six must be in the pool with their little’s at all times and supervision of children is required for ages 12 and under.
AQUATIC CENTER INFORMATION
The Edward T. Hall Aquatic Center- 130 Auto Dr. Prince Frederick, MD 20678
Phone: 410-414-8350
Hour:
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