Neighborhood Expert: Splash pads and pools to visit this summer around Vienna

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or Laura@GuidingYourMove.com.

If you’ve lived in Vienna for any length of time, you’ve heard about the long wait times for local pools.

Pro Tip: if you’re selling a home and you have a pool membership make sure you advertise that! It’s a huge selling feature as the buyer can buy your membership. There are 6 main pools in the area, which I’ll list below, but this list is for anyone who is looking for other options to find water — local pools, spraygrounds and splash pads.

My kids are past the splash pad age, so if I’ve missed anything new please share with the readers below!

Local Vienna Pools

• Vienna Woods Swim and Tennis
• Vienna Aquatic Club
• Dunn Loring Swim Club
• Cardinal Hill Health and Racquet
• Hunter Mill Swim and Racquet Club
• Mosby Woods Pool

Spraygrounds, Splash Pads and Waterparks

• The Boro Splash Pad: 15 jet splash pad at the Boro Park located on the Upper Promenade, open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. 
• The City of Fairfax Splash Pad (10415 North Street): Open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and don’t skip on the ice cream next door at Woody’s!
• Mosaic Water Fountains (on the green): Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Our Special Harbor (6601 Telegraph Road, Franconia): This Chesapeake Bay themed splash park has a water maze, dumping crab basket, spray fountains, misting flowers and interactive water tables. Aquatic shoes or sandals with a back strap are required for kids under 15. There’s also a carousel.
• The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole (400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Reston): Here you’ll find a pool, slides, a lazy river, an area for kids with a smaller slide, covered picnic areas and chairs for lounging. This is a great option for day trips to a pool if you’re not a member of any of the local pools. We bought a family pass our first summer in Vienna when we weren’t members of a pool yet, and it was a great way to pass the summer. We have also done birthday parties here — so much fun!
• Ocean Dunes Waterpark (6060 Wilson Blvd, Arlington): Explore multiple pools for different ages, large slides, a “sprayground” with a dumping bucket and many areas for lounging in the sun. It’s also adjacent to an 18-hole mini-golf course — another great way to pass a lazy day!
• Volcano Island Waterpark (20015 Volcano Drive, Sterling): This is another great option with a pool, “sprayground,” slides and a dumping bucket.
• Atlantis Waterpark (7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville): Keep the kids busy with waterslides, pools, a play island with smaller slides and a huge 500-gallon dumping bucket.
• Great Waves Waterpark (4001 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria): For the adventurous, this park includes speed slides, waterslides, a wave pool and a small kids’ zone for the younger crowd. There’s also a mini-golf course, batting cages, playground and cabanas.

Other Pool Options

• Reston Lifetime Fitness: They have an outdoor pool, but you also get access to the rest of the gym.
  Sport and Health Tysons: Indoor and outdoor pools, in addition to access to the full club.
  McLean and Fairfax Pools: Many have openings and no wait!
• McLean Hamlet
• McLean Swim and Tennis
• Chesterbrook Swim and Tennis
• Highlands Swim and Tennis Club
• Tuckahoe Swim and Tennis

I want to give a shout to an Instagram account you may want to follow if you have little kids — @Virginia.Adventure.Family. They do a great job of posting videos, photos and details about cool places to visit around Virginia.