With a Heat Advisory running through 11 p.m. tonight and temperatures hitting 92°F, municipal pools across San Francisco, Berkeley, Palo Alto, and Mountain View are open — and at $6 or less, most of them are the cheapest cool-down in the region.

With an NWS Heat Advisory in effect through 11 p.m. tonight across the Bay Area and temperatures touching 92°F in the city, the most practical thing on your calendar right now is a lap lane and cold water.

San Francisco — $6 adults / $1 kids (or possibly free)

Five city pools are open for summer: Hamilton Pool (1900 Geary Blvd, June 9–Aug 15), Garfield Pool (1271 Treat St, June 7–Aug 13), Rossi Pool (Arguello & Anza, June 7–Aug 13), MLK Pool (5701 3rd St, with a separate toddler wading pool), and Sava Pool, which just came back online June 9 after a replastering closure. Drop-in is $6 adults, $1 for anyone 17 and under. SF Rec & Park has a standing policy of free pool access during declared heat emergencies — it had not been officially activated for today's event as of Thursday morning, but it's worth a quick call to 415-831-2700 before you go. Daily recreational swim windows aren't posted online, so call regardless. Best pick for families: Garfield, the only SF pool with indoor water slides.

Income-qualified? SF's scholarship program covers 100% of fees for children under 18 and seniors 65+ — apply at sfrecpark.org.

East Bay — Berkeley, $7–$8

Both Berkeley pools opened June 8. King Pool runs community swim 1–3 p.m. weekdays, 1:30–3:30 p.m. Saturday, 3:30–5:30 p.m. Sunday. West Campus Pool's community swim goes Mon–Thu 1–3 p.m., Fri 1–4 p.m., Sat 2:30–4:30 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.–noon. Admission is $7 resident / $8 non-resident, pre-pay required; find location and booking at berkeleyca.gov.

South Bay / Peninsula

Mountain View's Rengstorff Park Aquatics Center — the new facility that opened in March 2025 and already picked up an award for its design — runs rec swim Mon–Thu 2:30–5 p.m., Fri 5–7 p.m., Sat–Sun 1:30–6:30 p.m. Admission starts at $5 adults / $4 youth (resident rates). It's the newest and best-equipped pool in the South Bay; weekend afternoon sessions fill up, so arrive in the first 30 minutes.

Palo Alto's Rinconada Pool (777 Embarcadero Rd) keeps its 14-lane pool at a steady 81°F and is open Mon–Thu 6 a.m.–7 p.m., Fri–Sun 6 a.m.–5 p.m. Resident rates start at $6 adults / $4 youth / $15 family of four; non-resident rates are higher.

Skip San Jose for now — city rec swim doesn't start until June 15. Don't make the drive south until next week.

The actual move today: If you're in SF, call 415-831-2700 first and ask whether the heat emergency free entry is active — if it is, that changes your calculus. In the East Bay, King Pool's 1–3 p.m. window is the cleanest afternoon slot. For the South Bay on a weekday, Rengstorff's 2:30–5 p.m. session is the one to catch before it gets crowded on the weekend.