Diving into the Lamorinda Pool Scene

Lamorinda has many local clubs that offer swimming pools, social events, food and/or barbecue facilities and other amenities. With the exception of the local country clubs and the athletic club, most neighborhood swim or swim/tennis clubs are open from May until October, whereas the aforementioned are open year round. The hours vary by club, but most are open into the evening, especially on weekend nights. ​

Swim Clubs

Swim clubs offer a pool and provide lifeguards during designated hours. Usually, lifeguards designate a rest period once an hour. There are usually lanes for lap swimmers and even specific times for lap swimmers workout. Some pools have a Masters Swim program for adults. Most pools have a diving board in their deep end and a designated shallow area.  Some pools have a ‘kiddie pool’ or water feature, such as a mushroom fountain or a waterslide.

Most swim clubs have picnic tables and barbecue facilities and you can bring your own food to grill and enjoy outside. Many families love this option as a way to get out of the house and meet up with other families. Most pools even have shower facilities on the pool deck...that means families with young children can tire out their children, feed them, take a quick shower and put them in PJs all at one place!

Poolside cafes can be found at Oakwood Athletic Club, MCC and OCC and other clubs serve food at swim meets and other events.  Some have a snack shack to purchase food, but that varies by club. Many clubs have a grass area, ping pong tables or a play structure as an added activity and some have a small basketball hoop/court.

The swim and tennis clubs offer all of this and also have tennis courts, so there are many tennis team and lesson opportunities for children and adults. If you think tennis is an activity for you or any other family member, this is the way to go. There is a tennis pro at each of these clubs. There are lessons, clinics, teams and social events within the tennis programs. All of these activities have a fee associated with them. Some clubs allow children to participate in their tennis programs without membership, but there is a higher fee for non-members. Of course, the courts are also available for use at your leisure by signing up for court space or walking on. Some clubs have lights, while others shut down the courts at dark.

Moraga Country Club and Orinda Country Club have swim, golf and tennis and different levels of membership to include Social, Swim and Tennis and Full/Golf Memberships. These clubs require a membership fee and monthly dues.  Sponsorship is usually required for membership also. They are open year round and offer many activities for adults and children. They have restaurants on site and vast pool decks to enjoy food inside or out. These clubs also run many programs for youth and adults as well as host special events throughout the year.

All clubs have their own line up of social events, ranging from evening parties for adults only to Easter Egg Hunts and themed nights for families with a DJ. These events provide fun and socialising for all members of a family.  Some social events are free and others have a per person or family fee. In addition to planned social events, clubs are also a great place to host your own event such as children’s birthday parties, team celebrations or larger bar-b-ques for friends and family. There is usually a fee for this and at most clubs it is required that a lifeguard is hired through the club based on how many in your party.

Membership

To gain information on membership, each club has a website and a membership director to contact. Some clubs have room for immediate membership and others have a waitlist. Waitlists are a necessity because all clubs have a maximum number of families that can be accepted into membership according to the club bylaws. At some clubs, there is a fee to be added to the waitlist. Club membership prices vary by club, and there is typically an initiation fee and an annual fee. Some initiation fees are refunded to you when you go to sell your membership, others are not. It’s important to know that there is also sometimes a wait to sell a membership, and all fees are still the responsibility of the member until the membership has been transferred.

Most clubs have guest policies and a nominal fee for bringing friends to join you. Many even allow you to invite friends to social events. Each club has its own method of designating a guest fee and accounting for payment of such. Many clubs also let members invite guests to social events. If you are considering a club, this is a fun way to check it out!

One consideration when choosing a club is if you have swim team aged children that might want to swim now or in the future. Most Swim and/or Swim and Tennis Clubs have a swim team, but not all.   There are many small neighborhood clubs that are private and are nestled in between houses on a quiet street. However, Lamorinda clubs that do have a swim team fall into the category of Swim Club, Swim and Tennis Club, Country Club or Athletic Club.

Clubs With Swim Teams

If you have children ages five to eighteen and swim team is something you foresee in your future, the following is a breakdown of the clubs that have swim teams in Lamorinda, indicated by city with a L, M or O:
Swim Clubs-Springbrook (L), Las Trampas (L), Sunvalley (L), Moraga Ranch (M), Campolindo Cabana (M), Orinda Park (O)
Swim and Tennis Clubs- Rancho Colorados (L), Moraga Valley Pool (M), Meadow (O), Sleepy Hollow (O)
Country Clubs- Orinda Country Club (O), Moraga Country Club (M)
Athletic Club- Oakwood (L)

With regards to joining a club with a swim team, there are often closures of the pool for swim team events such as swim meets and other social events. The open swim times are also often affected by swim team practice times, so this is something to research. Another important thing to consider is that if you would like to have your child swim on a team, you must be a member of the club, so plan accordingly given the average length of time on a waitlist to join a club, which can range from months to years.

Many people new to the area make lifelong friends at their club because there are so many opportunities to hang out with families and adults. The size and vibe of each club is different and its best to visit a club, which can be arranged by the Membership Director and/or by going to the club as a guest of a member. Whether just contemplating a move to Lamorinda or thinking about joining a club after living here awhile, you will not regret this wonderful way to meet new people and engage in a wide range of activities and social events.