Do not be a fool and come unprepared for the rules of this pool for you’ll surely feel uncool at WEHO Rule Pool.
Well, at least that’s how it felt during our visit to the WEHO pool. Searching their website before our visit we noticed that, unlike Pacific Park Pool, there was no food or drink allowed…but I feel like that will probably be common for most public pools. Also, the site noted that “appropriate swimming attire is required. No thong bikini bottoms, cut-offs, or jeans.” What!?!? If I can’t wear my cut-off thong bikini bottoms in West Hollywood then where can I!?!?
With an arrival and departure temperature of 79 degrees, the most cerulean and cloudless sky you’ve ever seen (the picture does not do the sky justice)…
…we arrived promptly at 1:00 pm, knowing the pool would close promptly at 3:00 pm. I laid out my towel, got out my book and sat down. Then, from across the pool, the lifeguard yelled “Hey! No bags allowed”. What? I stood there for a second thinking he was just kidding, but he yelled again, and all of the ladies walked into the office to give the other lifeguard our bags. She looked at us like we were crazy, and said the guy outside didn’t know about the updated rules. OK. Back out I went with my bag.
The bag debacle aside, personal floatation devices are not allowed, and one of the lifeguards will yell at you if you are in possession of a swim noodle. No chicken children noodle soup at this pool! He will also yell at you for just about anything else including kicking too hard, parents who are not wearing bathing suits, or bringing in a scooter that your kid rode to the pool. I overheard one parent wonder if sunscreen was allowed!
Don’t let yourself get too dismayed, tho, as there are 2 other lifeguards on duty that have less and/or other rules. It’s pool roulette! Truly, though, the best rule of all speaks for itself:
Once you get past the power hungry lifeguard(s) the WEHO pool is a very nice but very small pool, tho like a very old drag queen, it was showing it age. It was not too loud or over crowded. There are shaded and sunny areas. No lounge chairs here, but there are benches if you are willing to share them with a pot bellied gentleman in a speedo sitting wide legged reading his newspaper, how could you resist!? We very much enjoyed the ramp into the pool which offered a slow saunter into the cool waters.
It was only open from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm, but starting next week they are adding an additional hour for summer swimming. They have validated parking, which is nice, except when they give you validation that is only valid between the ours of 6:00 pm – 11:00 pm……!
I was secretly hoping for a visit from the ice cream man or maybe they would have had a surprise snack bar with Popsicles! But, as the sign clearly states, I really shouldn’t hold my breath on that and who am I to break the rules?
The City of West Hollywood Pool is located on San Vicente Boulevard, just sound of Santa Monica Boulevard and across the street from the Pacific Design Center. All the info – and rules – you could want, are here:
www.weho.org