I have a triathlete friend who will be spending time around Newark, NJ soon. His hotel pool is very small. Does anyone have any more practical suggestions for a visitor?
Thanks
if he has a car, head out to Berkeley Heights (~25 minutes) and train with the Berkeley Masters (www.berkeleyaquatic.org/.../masters.htm). Their indoor pool is kind of crummy, but THE PEOPLE are AWESOME and I think they have access to a long course pool in the summer.
If he's got a YMCA membership and car, the pool at the Summit YMCA is solid (www.nostrawmen.com/.../Summit-Area-YMCA-Seals-Swim-Team-Pool.jpg).
I've swum at the indoor pool in Cranford (Centennial Pool) about 15 minutes from EWR and it was fine (better than Berkeley, not as nice as Summit), but I believe that city's outdoor pool (Orange Avenue Pool) is long course.
In Newark itself, I know there are pools at NJIT and St. Benedict's Prep. I don't know about access to NJIT's facilities. It looks like they do have a masters team that practices at St. Benedict's. My high school team was in the same prep classification so we'd go there every other year.
www.usms.org/.../mapsearch.php
If you widen the field from Newark a bit you'll get quite a few more choices.
Thanks guys - no, he doesn't have a YMCA membership or car - he's coming in from the UK..I haven't swum at either of these places, but have him call both Ironbound and JFK Aquatic Centers once he gets there (www.ci.newark.nj.us/.../hours_of_public_service.php) and see if they have hours that are conducive to his location.
... and I used to swim at the werblin center at rutgers so I am a bit spoiled.Very spoiled. Werblin is wonderful.
If you find a pool like that up north, please share!
Sorry for the hijack, but I'm also looking for good pools with decent rates/parking/late hours (until 9 at minimum) around the newark area. I just moved up to bloomfield and I used to swim at the werblin center at rutgers so I am a bit spoiled.
I am from Central NJ, so don't know Newark well, but if he takes the PATH train or NJ Transit train into NYC, there are lots of public pools available. Including this beautiful one that just opened!
www.nycgovparks.org/.../M063