Hansen Dam Aquatic Center

"»Public Pool Sure, public pools are full of children and half-naked strangers, but if you put your faith in the power of chlorine and pick the right one, they’re great, cheap places to cool off. Case in point: the Hansen Dam Aquatic Center’s 1.5-acre “swimming lake.” It combines the comforts of a pool—chlorine, nonscuzzy concrete floors—with the charms of a lake—a white-sand beach for lounging and a massive size that can accommodate 3,000 swimmers, so it seldom feels overcrowded. There’s even a double water slide that really makes the $4 price of admission feel like a steal."