When the city heats up, these are the spots where kids can burn off energy in the water. The big Freibäder have long slides, diving boards, children's pools and lawns for a whole afternoon, and some have grills. The free paddling pools in neighborhood parks are for a quick splash on the way home. Here's what we checked, from Freibad Letzigraben to Josefwiese.
Freibad Letzigraben is a city outdoor pool designed by writer and architect Max Frisch in the late 1940s, set in park-like gardens beside Letzigrund stadium. Older kids swim the 50-meter pool, ride the wave pool and jump from a diving tower up to 10 meters. Younger ones get a current channel, water play, a small slide, a shaded paddling pool and a playground.
Freibad Allenmoos is a city-run family pool set in park-like lawns, designed by the architects Haefeli and Moser. There is a 50-meter swimming pool, a large non-swimmer pool with play equipment, 1- and 3-meter diving boards and a 72-meter slide.
Toddlers get two paddling pools under sunshades and a big playground with a sandpit. Beach volleyball courts, table tennis, garden chess and grill spots fill the rest.
Freibad Heuried is a city-run outdoor family pool near Triemli. It has a 50-meter pool, a separate non-swimmer pool, 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards, and a 132-meter water slide.
Toddlers get a paddling pool with water play under a sun sail and a wide wave slide. Between swims, kids can play table tennis, soccer or pickleball on the grounds.
A family pool run by the City of Zurich. There's a seven-lane 50-meter pool, a separate non-swimmer pool, 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards and a 75-meter water slide. Little ones get a paddling pool with a Schifflibach, a small boat stream.
Between swims there are barbecue spots, table tennis, beach volleyball, a basketball court, a Pestalozzi library book box, and a restaurant and kiosk with hot food all day.
A city-run outdoor pool near Frankental with a 50-meter pool, a non-swimmer pool, a learner pool and 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards. Small children get a paddling pool under a sun sail with a little slide and water play, plus a sandpit, bouncy cushion and playground.
Older kids find a beach volleyball court, table tennis and a lawn for games, and families can use the grill spot.
Dolder Wellenbad is an open-air pool at the top of the Dolderbahn, by the edge of the woods. Next to the 50-meter pool are a paddling pool, a separate shaded children's pool, a slide tower and a play area. The wave pool runs again from 2027.
Around the water there is room for table tennis, volleyball and football, and the Dolder Minigolf course sits next door.
Josefwiese is a 1920s people's park beside the Viadukt arches in Zürich-West, laid out for play and sport rather than strolling. Kids get climbing frames and a paddling pool with water play.
The big lawn is for picnics, football and sunbathing, plus pétanque, table tennis, a beach volleyball court and a barbecue spot. A kiosk sells salads, grilled food and drinks.
Locals call it the Bäcki: a 1.4-hectare neighborhood park near Langstrasse, framed by Stauffacherstrasse, Feldstrasse and Hohlstrasse. Kids head for the playground and the shallow wading pool, where splashing has been allowed since the 1939 redesign.
The Quartierzentrum Aussersihl community center stands in the park, with the Restaurant Bäckeranlage inside. On summer days the lawns fill with young families from the surrounding streets.
Fritschiwiese began as a cemetery in the late 19th century and became a public park in 1921, laid out together with local residents. Today it has a large play lawn, playgrounds, benches and a hilly landscape first designed as an adventure playground.
The paddling pool draws crowds on hot days, and neighbors use the open grass for picnics, games and small workouts.
Blatterwiese, which locals call Chinawiese after the Chinese Garden next door, is a wide lawn on the shore of Lake Zurich. Its fenced playground has a large sand area, a climbing wall, swings and water fountains for hot days.
Around it, families picnic, use the public grills nearby, kick a ball or swim in the lake, and a kiosk sells ice cream and cold drinks.
When the city heats up, these are the spots where kids can burn off energy in the water. The big Freibäder have long slides, diving boards, children's pools and lawns for a whole afternoon, and some have grills. The free paddling pools in neighborhood parks are for a quick splash on the way home. Here's what we checked, from Freibad Letzigraben to Josefwiese.
Freibad Letzigraben is a city outdoor pool designed by writer and architect Max Frisch in the late 1940s, set in park-like gardens beside Letzigrund stadium. Older kids swim the 50-meter pool, ride the wave pool and jump from a diving tower up to 10 meters. Younger ones get a current channel, water play, a small slide, a shaded paddling pool and a playground.
Freibad Allenmoos is a city-run family pool set in park-like lawns, designed by the architects Haefeli and Moser. There is a 50-meter swimming pool, a large non-swimmer pool with play equipment, 1- and 3-meter diving boards and a 72-meter slide.
Toddlers get two paddling pools under sunshades and a big playground with a sandpit. Beach volleyball courts, table tennis, garden chess and grill spots fill the rest.
Freibad Heuried is a city-run outdoor family pool near Triemli. It has a 50-meter pool, a separate non-swimmer pool, 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards, and a 132-meter water slide.
Toddlers get a paddling pool with water play under a sun sail and a wide wave slide. Between swims, kids can play table tennis, soccer or pickleball on the grounds.
A family pool run by the City of Zurich. There's a seven-lane 50-meter pool, a separate non-swimmer pool, 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards and a 75-meter water slide. Little ones get a paddling pool with a Schifflibach, a small boat stream.
Between swims there are barbecue spots, table tennis, beach volleyball, a basketball court, a Pestalozzi library book box, and a restaurant and kiosk with hot food all day.
A city-run outdoor pool near Frankental with a 50-meter pool, a non-swimmer pool, a learner pool and 1-meter and 3-meter diving boards. Small children get a paddling pool under a sun sail with a little slide and water play, plus a sandpit, bouncy cushion and playground.
Older kids find a beach volleyball court, table tennis and a lawn for games, and families can use the grill spot.
Dolder Wellenbad is an open-air pool at the top of the Dolderbahn, by the edge of the woods. Next to the 50-meter pool are a paddling pool, a separate shaded children's pool, a slide tower and a play area. The wave pool runs again from 2027.
Around the water there is room for table tennis, volleyball and football, and the Dolder Minigolf course sits next door.
Josefwiese is a 1920s people's park beside the Viadukt arches in Zürich-West, laid out for play and sport rather than strolling. Kids get climbing frames and a paddling pool with water play.
The big lawn is for picnics, football and sunbathing, plus pétanque, table tennis, a beach volleyball court and a barbecue spot. A kiosk sells salads, grilled food and drinks.
Locals call it the Bäcki: a 1.4-hectare neighborhood park near Langstrasse, framed by Stauffacherstrasse, Feldstrasse and Hohlstrasse. Kids head for the playground and the shallow wading pool, where splashing has been allowed since the 1939 redesign.
The Quartierzentrum Aussersihl community center stands in the park, with the Restaurant Bäckeranlage inside. On summer days the lawns fill with young families from the surrounding streets.
Fritschiwiese began as a cemetery in the late 19th century and became a public park in 1921, laid out together with local residents. Today it has a large play lawn, playgrounds, benches and a hilly landscape first designed as an adventure playground.
The paddling pool draws crowds on hot days, and neighbors use the open grass for picnics, games and small workouts.
Blatterwiese, which locals call Chinawiese after the Chinese Garden next door, is a wide lawn on the shore of Lake Zurich. Its fenced playground has a large sand area, a climbing wall, swings and water fountains for hot days.
Around it, families picnic, use the public grills nearby, kick a ball or swim in the lake, and a kiosk sells ice cream and cold drinks.
