Summer in Woodland is not subtle. From June through September the Sacramento Valley routinely bakes past 100°F, and by mid-afternoon the playground is a griddle and everyone in the house is cranky. Water is the answer, and the good news is that Woodland has more of it than you'd expect for a town this size — two public aquatics centers, a recreation pool with a water slide, free swim days every week, and season passes that make an entire summer affordable. This is the local parent's guide to cooling off with kids in Woodland, CA.
Everything here is Woodland proper, in Yolo County. Pool hours and prices are seasonal and come from the City of Woodland's own listings; aquatics schedules change every summer, so confirm the current season's hours and open-swim times before you load the car.
Charles Brooks Community Swim Center — the main pool
155 N. West Street, Woodland, CA 95695
The Charles Brooks Community Swim Center is Woodland's primary aquatics facility and the default answer for a hot day with kids. Public swim is inexpensive — recent pricing was about $3 per person — and here's the detail worth circling on your calendar: Wednesdays are free. Public swim typically runs in the afternoon (around 1:00–5:00 p.m.) during the summer season.
Beyond open swim, the center runs swim lessons (kids roughly ages 5 to 18) and water exercise, so it doubles as the place to get your kid actually swim-ready over the summer, not just splashing.
Charles Brooks Community Swim Center, 155 N. West St, Woodland. Photo: Visit Woodland.
Two free swim days a week: Wednesdays at Charles Brooks, Thursdays at the Woodland Aquatics Center. Plan around them and a summer of swimming costs almost nothing.
Woodland Aquatics Center — the bigger competition pool
Woodland's second facility, the Woodland Aquatics Center, has a 10-lane competition pool and its own public-swim schedule — recent pricing around $5 per person, with Thursdays free. Between the two centers, you've got a free public-swim option two different days each week, which is the single best money-saving tip for a Woodland summer.
For families who'll swim all summer, the city offers a family season pass — if you're going more than a handful of times, it pays for itself fast. Check the City of Woodland's Public Swim page for current pass pricing.
Woodland Park Pool — the water slide
For the kids who want more than a lap pool, the Woodland Park Pool is a family-friendly complex with a recreation pool and a water slide (there's a 48-inch minimum height for the slide, so measure your kid before you promise it). Recreational hours have run afternoons (recently around Tuesday–Sunday, 1:00–4:00 p.m.) in season. The slide is the draw for elementary-age kids; the shallow rec pool works for the littler ones.
A quick note on "splash pads"
If you're searching specifically for a dedicated free-standing splash pad or spray park in Woodland, the reality is that the city's water play is centered on its pools (Charles Brooks, Woodland Aquatics, and the Woodland Park rec pool with its slide) rather than a stand-alone splash pad. For families with toddlers who just want to splash, the shallow recreation pool during afternoon rec swim is the closest equivalent — and the free swim days make it easy to try without committing money. For the wider Davis–Woodland area's splash-and-water options, see our water parks near Davis and Woodland guide and hot-day activities guide.
Beating the Woodland heat with kids: a strategy
Water is one tool; timing is the other. A hot-day playbook that actually works here:
- Morning (before 11 a.m.): outdoor play while it's bearable — a shaded park like Freeman.
- Midday (the brutal hours): go indoors — The Kids Clubhouse or the Mosaic Children's Museum, both air-conditioned.
- Afternoon (1–5 p.m.): public swim at Charles Brooks or the Aquatics Center — this is exactly when the pools are open and exactly when you need them.
- Free days: anchor the week around Wednesday (Charles Brooks) and Thursday (Aquatics Center) free swims.
Practical parent notes
- Confirm the season's schedule. Pool hours, free days, and open-swim times reset each summer and can change mid-season. A quick check of the City of Woodland aquatics page saves a wasted, sweaty trip.
- Free days get busy. Wednesdays and Thursdays are popular for obvious reasons — arrive near opening for elbow room.
- 48-inch rule for the slide. If the water slide is the whole reason you're going, measure your kid first to avoid tears at the ladder.
- Season pass math. If you'll go more than about six times, the family season pass usually beats paying per visit.
- Standard pool kit: swim diapers for the little ones, sunscreen, towels, water shoes, and a shade option — Valley sun is intense even poolside.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a splash pad in Woodland, CA? Woodland's water play is centered on its public pools rather than a stand-alone splash pad. The Charles Brooks Community Swim Center, the Woodland Aquatics Center, and the Woodland Park Pool (which has a water slide) are the main options; the shallow recreation pool is the closest thing to splash-pad play for toddlers.
How much does it cost to swim in Woodland, CA? Recent public-swim pricing was about $3 per person at the Charles Brooks Community Swim Center and $5 at the Woodland Aquatics Center. Charles Brooks offers free swim on Wednesdays and the Aquatics Center on Thursdays. A family season pass is available for frequent swimmers.
When are the free swim days in Woodland? Recent schedules have offered free public swim on Wednesdays at the Charles Brooks Community Swim Center and Thursdays at the Woodland Aquatics Center. Confirm the current season's free days on the City of Woodland Public Swim page.
Does Woodland have a pool with a water slide? Yes — the Woodland Park Pool is a family recreation pool with a water slide (48-inch minimum height for the slide), typically open afternoons during the summer season.
Sources
- City of Woodland — Aquatics — Charles Brooks Community Swim Center, lessons, and programs.
- City of Woodland — Public Swim — public swim pricing, free days, and season passes.
- Woodland Community Services (Parks & Rec) — free public swim schedule updates.
- Visit Woodland — Charles Brooks Community Swim Center — 50-meter aquatics complex listing.
Round out the hot-day plan: pair a swim with a shaded Woodland park or an indoor afternoon. Planning the whole day? See things to do in Woodland with kids.