Highland Park Aquatic Center

Swimming Lessons

We offer swimming lessons for children, teens, and adults of all ages. Lessons at our outdoor pools are seasonal during the summer. We offer fall, winter, and spring lessons indoors at Great River Water Park. 

In the land of 10,000 lakes, cost should never be a barrier to water safety skills. That's why our summer youth swimming lessons are free. Please note: Youth lessons are open to Saint Paul residents only. 

Learn More About Swimming Lessons 

About Lap Swim

• No pre-registration is necessary.
• Fifty-meter, eight-lane lap pool (all lanes available except when noted in the hours below).
• Max of four people per lap lane, first come first serve.
• Fee is $9 or included with all-access aquatics memberships.

Lap Swim Hours

Open Swim Hours

• Youth under the age of 12: Must be accompanied by an adult.
• Youth ages 12 to 14: A parent or guardian must check-in with an aquatics supervisor if youth ages 12 to 14 intend to stay at the facility without a parent or guardian.
• Please note: Swimmers must exit the water 15 minutes before closing time. This allows for time to shower, change, and gather belongings before the facility closes. 

About Tot Time

Tot Time is a dedicated time for children age 6 and under and the adults that love them! Only the children's activity pool will be open for Tot Time swimming. Cost is $5 per child and $5 for the accompanying adult.

Tot Time Hours

About Water Aerobics

• No pre-registration is necessary.
• Open to all ages. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
• Class is most effective when a participant is able to stand with their head above water in the shallow end of the pool.
• Fee is $9 or included with all-access aquatics memberships.

Water Aerobics Hours

Note: Due to a special event, there will be no water aerobics on Thursday, June 26 at 10:30am and 11:15am.

Summer 2025: We'll begin taking group reservation requests on June 4 for Como Regional Park Pool and Highland Park Aquatic Center. Please review our group reservation guidelines before submitting a request.

To request a group reservation, call Como Regional Park Pool at 651-489-0378 or Highland Aquatic Facility at 651-695-3773. Ask to speak with an aquatic supervisor.

Group Reservation Guidelines

• Group reservations must meet facility capacity projections for the requested date.
• We accept reservations no more than one week in advance.
• Groups must pay in full when they arrive.
• No refunds.

Group Arrival and Departure

We've implemented group arrival and departure guidelines in response to record use of our aquatic facilities. We aim to balance equitable use of public infrastructure with group accommodations.

• Groups must arrive by noon for immediate entry into the facility.
  • We admit groups who arrive after the facility opens depending on capacity. This is subject to the determination of the facility supervisor.
  • We want to make our facilities available to the greatest number of guests. We are unable to hold spots (have other visitors wait outside) while waiting for your group to arrive.
• We ask that groups leave at 3 p.m., at the start of our afternoon safety break.
  • This allows us to resume full capacity for public admission.

Group Safety Expectations

• Groups must check-in with our aquatics team upon arrival for a water safety overview. This includes an introduction to the facility and our rules and regulations.
• Adults must supervise any child in or around water.
  • Supervisors should be completely focused on the children. They should never engage in other distracting activities, such as using their phone or reading.
• Groups visiting our aquatic facilities must meet the following child-to-staff ratios.
  • Please note: The required ratio of staff to older children should be met without including staff who are supervising infants or toddlers.
  • Whenever children under 5 years are in or around water, supervising staff should be within an arm’s length.

Admission Price and Memberships

Visit the Highland Park Aquatic Center for a daily fee, or buy an annual all-access membership. An annual membership gives you access to all our aquatics facilities and programming. This includes water aerobics and lap swim.

You do not need to live in Saint Paul to use our aquatics facilities or buy a membership.

Learn About Aquatics Memberships

Water Features

• Fifty-meter, eight-lane lap pool (ADA accessible with chair lift and ramp)
• Children's activity pool with age-appropriate features (ADA accessible, zero depth entry)
• Prehistoric whale bone splash pad
• Large two-story water slide
• One-meter diving boards
• Drop slides

Activity Equipment

• Equipment available for lap swim & water aerobics
• Life jackets available free of charge

Other Amenities

• Men's, women's, and family locker rooms
• Sun shelters (available on a first come, first served basis)
• Concessions