Best swimming facilities in the U.S.?

Well top on my list would be the Avery Aquatic Center at Stanford - 1 50M x 25 M pool (Belardi) 1 50M x 25 Y pool (Baker) 1 Diving tank with 1 and 3 M boards; 1,3,5,7.5 and 10 Meter platforms (Maas_ 1 Competition pool about 40 meters with a bulkhead. it can hand 4000 swimmers on one day. --- I would also include Indy, Federal Way and Ft Lauderdale (ok FTL needs some work but it does have 2 50 Meter pools and a diving tank). michael

Also on my list is the University of Miami (Oxford, Ohio) pool. i do like their pool, but i think it could be a little brighter. and i've never actually swam a meet there, only played CWPA (water polo) nationals there back in 2002. i'm a big fan of two pools that have already been listed,-the Tracy Caulkins pool, and Ft. Lauderdale, mostly cause i've always had really good swims at those pools, both as an age grouper and as a master. one that no one has listed yet is the U of Md's pool. It's always at competition temps, it's got wicked deep gutters, the "shallow" end is somewhere around 9 ft deep... but i am biased, being that this is now my home pool :laugh2: (but it's good enough to have hosted a FINA World Cup meet, back in '99 or 2000...) i also like george mason's pool, but wish it were a bit brighter...

Mollie: I agree! I swam at U MD's pool in July. It was fabulous! The only way Mason is better is that we have hot tub. Mason is also better for long course than short course. It feels like a wave machine at practice. Leslie

I don't know about "best," but my favorite facilities are outdoors. Swimming outside is just a better experience. I can't argue with the Avery Center at Stanford as very good choice.

The Rec Center at Texas A&M is a superb facility, comparable to the Texas Swim Center except for the constant 9 ft. depth of the UT pool (vs the 7 to 9 ft at A&M). The UT pool has more seating.

LOL...that is certainly the only thing I like about them. Oh, how do your gators manage to let Auburn's defense score 27 points?. i'll admit, that game was TERRIBLE for us. but the refs had it out for us! i agree with the others that recognized the ft. lauderdale pool. it is a very nice facility, although it was always freezing when I swam in it!

Don't forget Arizona State University. There are 3 outdoors pools in the Mona Plummer Aquatic Complex - a 50 meter (all deep water) competition course with bulkhead. Plus the facility has an 8 lane 25 yard training course and a 6 lane 25 yard diving well. On the other side of campus there is the student recreation complex with a 70 meter, 8 lane pool. With two bulkheads, you can set up facility up a number of ways. As an added plus, it is warm and sunny there almost every day.

Seeing Mark's name reminded me of another new pool that is nice to swim in, the University of Lousville's new facility. Not great on seating but the pool itself is super.

Personally, I love swimming the Tracy Caulkins pool in Nashville. Deep water, great enviroment. posted by the wookie I've also heard this from some of my friends here in Jackson. I am looking forward to swimming in that pool for the first time sometime in February at a USA meet. As I have told some of my friends that swam at florida, their pool is the only good thing about that school. also posted by the wookie Amen to that! I like your thinking when it comes to the SEC wookie!! Newmastersswimmer

Amen to that! I like your thinking when it comes to the SEC wookie!! Newmastersswimmer I will cheer for about any SEC team when they are representing the conference, against non-conference teams(with the exception of the little gators and that over-weight elephant)