Skip to content
FunKidsActivities
Barbara Morse Wackford Community & Aquatic Complex — Indoor Water Parks in Sacramento

Barbara Morse Wackford Community & Aquatic Complex

4.3(169)4.3 out of 5 stars, 169 reviews Sacramento, CA

About Barbara Morse Wackford Community & Aquatic Complex

This complex is a popular summer destination offering an excellent swimming pool experience, particularly noted for its outstanding lap swimming facilities and a great high dive for older kids. It stands out with a very flexible policy that allows parents to bring outside food, drinks in ice chests, and personal items like lawn chairs, wagons, strollers, and life jackets, enhancing convenience and value. The facility also hosts unique, family-friendly events.

What parents should know

Summarized from real visitor reviews.

Best for: Families seeking a popular summer aquatic complex with the flexibility to bring their own food and gear (Review 2, 3).Families with older children or teens who will utilize a high dive or dedicated lap swimming lanes (Review 1, 4).Individuals focused on serious lap swimming in a well-maintained facility (Review 1).Families looking for unique, community-centric pool events (Review 5).**Older children/Teens:** Well-suited for those who enjoy high diving and lap swimming (Review 1, 4).

Why families love it

  • Outstanding lap swimming pools: spacious, meticulously maintained, excellent water quality, and comfortable temperature (Review 1).
  • Very clean, modern facility with well-equipped locker rooms and great ambiance (Review 1).
  • Allows outside food, ice chests, wagons, strollers, personal lawn chairs, and life jackets, offering significant flexibility for families (Review 3).
  • Features a great high dive, appealing to older children and teens (Review 4).
  • Staff is friendly and helpful, especially noted during special events (Review 1, 5).
  • Hosts unique and engaging family-oriented events, such as a 'pool pumpkin patch' (Review 5).

Insider tips

  • Always confirm specific 'open to the public' water play hours, as they may differ from general facility hours (Review 3).
  • Arrive early, especially for water play, to avoid long lines at entry and to secure one of the limited lounge/beach chairs (Review 3).
  • Bring your own lawn chairs, life jackets, wagons, strollers, and ice chests, as these items are permitted and can enhance your comfort and savings (Review 3).
  • If your younger children are sensitive to dark spaces, be aware the children's slide is enclosed (Review 4).
  • Be prepared for potentially cold water in the small pool, even on hot days (Review 4).
  • Check their schedule for unique community events like the 'pool pumpkin patch,' which can be a memorable family experience (Review 5).

Good to know before you go

  • Arriving before the actual public water play opening hours, as you may be turned away or have a long wait (Review 3).
  • If your younger children (e.g., 3-year-olds) dislike dark, enclosed slides or are sensitive to cold water in smaller pools (Review 4).
  • If you arrive late and are relying on securing a facility-provided lawn/beach chair, as they run out quickly (Review 3).
  • If you expect extensive 'good slides' specifically designed for younger children, as some reviewers prefer other complexes for this (Review 4).
  • The website lacks clear and easily accessible information regarding water play open hours and costs; specific times often require internal website searches (Review 3).
Crowds
Described as 'one of the most popular places' in summer, indicating high demand (Review 2).
Value
Specific pricing is not mentioned in the reviews, but the value is significantly enhanced by the policy allowing outside food, drinks (in ice chests), and personal items like lawn chairs and life jackets. This allows families to reduce costs on concessions and rentals, making it a more budget-friendly option compared to venues with strict outside food policies. Review 3 implies that finding cost information on the website may be difficult.
Food
Outside food and drinks (including ice chests) are explicitly allowed (Review 3).
Accessibility
No specific accessibility accommodations are mentioned in the reviews.
Safety
The facility is noted for its meticulously maintained pools and excellent water quality (Review 1).

What parents say

Tung Ho
5.05.0 out of 5 stars
"I recently discovered the Barbara Morse Wackford Community and Aquatic Complex, and I must say, I'm thoroughly impressed! The lap swimming pools here are truly outstanding. The facility is well-designed, modern, and offers a great ambiance for swimmers. The lap pools are spacious and meticulously maintained. The water quality is excellent, and the temperature is always comfortable. I appreciate the attention to detail in keeping the pools clean and clear. It's a pleasure to swim here and focus on my laps without any distractions. The complex goes above and beyond with its amenities. The locker"

a year ago

Michael W.
5.05.0 out of 5 stars
"Barbara Morse Wackford Community Aquatic Complex is one of the most popular places where parents can bring their kids to enjoy the hot summer. It has an excellent swimming pool and more. The complex has a ballroom and is next to a park with many parking spaces available. Solar panels cover some parking spaces."

11 months ago

Jenny Estrada
4.04.0 out of 5 stars
"You can bring out side food. They have a food to purchase inside. Bring you own lawn chairs and life jackets. You can bring in a wagon, ice chest, strollers. I didn’t find much info on the website. I don’t like to have to search within the websites search engine to find out the time and cost. I went there at around 9:15am thinking it was open according to open hours. When I got there I was told they open at 12pm for water play open to the public. When we did get it there was a line already formed once in, there was no lawn/beach chairs left."

a year ago

Reviews sourced from public Google data.