The nearest salt water to me is 1,440 kilometers away (and that's Hudson Bay) so I'm spending much more time near swimming pools. I prefer them over lakes for swimming as there's no weeds, zebra mussels, or sunfish biting my nipples.
Heh, my family has a place in Ontario just over the border in Ontario. I realized “oh all this water flows to Hudson’s Bay.
I got really used to swimming through weeds as a kid.
Most people likely don't live close enough to the sea or a beach to consider it when they want to just go for a swim. The nearest beach to me is manmade and an hour away. The ocean is 8 hours away. I live in the most populated part of my state btw.
Why do that when there is a community pool across the street from me, YMCA 15 minutes away, local gym with a pool 10 minutes away or walk to my local park and swim in the lake which is 5 minutes away.
Ocean and beach is just a lot when it isn't a simple drive away.
For one thing, our beach water on the west coast is always suuuuper cold.
I definitely prefer swimming in the ocean tho, and beaches are more popular here than pools I would guess.
The oceans just not an option for lots of people in many regions of the country, and even within California, it’s really only accessible to people living somewhat near the shore.
Like this state is massive. It’s quicker to drive to Mexico from LA than it is to any other US state
We do have public pools still though which are fairly popular, and swimming pools as well, tho having the latter is definitely a luxury that most don’t own
This depends highly on the location. Wealthier suburbs often have many houses with in-ground pools. Some suburbs have a community pool either for free or for a membership fee. Some people will also join a gym that has an indoor pool. People with more money and closer to the shore are more likely to go frequently. In Eastern Pennsylvania, I’d say the Jersey Shore, Delaware, and Maryland are the most common shore destinations. Jersey drivers always are complaining about Pennsylvanians.
Indeed. There is a real physical response though when you hit that 55 degree water when it’s like 80-90 on the beach.
I say that as someone that’s dunked in the ocean every month of the year in Maine.
Largely depends on where you're from.
I grew up on Cape Cod. My backyard was literally a beach. I prefer beaches.
People who grew up nowhere near a beach probably prefer pools.
And of course there are always exceptions. My wife also grew up in Massachusetts but she hates beaches largely because she sunburns easy and doesn't like sand.
I know it’s a meme but I fucking hate sand. Sitting on a beach all day is something my siblings and friends like, but I’m with my dad on this one. No thanks.
It depends on the location. If someone is hours from the nearest beach, which is possible even in states that border the ocean, the nearby pool might have more appeal. It also depends on how crowded or well kept the nearby ones are. There are also several people who don't like the beach.
I wouldn't say that it's less popular overall. A beach vacation is very popular, and certain beaches can get crowded.
Even if the ocean is an accessible option, conditions are often not conducive to swimming. Others have mentioned that the water off the West Coast is surprisingly cold. I'm at the Jersey Shore right now where the water is also almost too cold to swim right now (not sure what's happening this year, it usually is nicer by this time). And when it does warm up later in the summer, that often means jellyfish swarms arrive.
For me, its about a 5 minute walk to the closest pool and a 15 min drive my preferred fresh water lake beach. I haven't been to an ocean beach since my honeymoon in late 2000's. It is too far away.
Also, due to the Great Lakes, Michigan has more coastline than several East Coast states and thus has many fresh water beaches. Six other US states have Great Lakes coast line that have no ocean coastline as well.
How close are you to the ocean OP?
I lived in a beach city as a kid and we also had a swimming pool nearby. We were at the pool more often because it was closer, that was the only reason. The beach required us to get in the car and pack up all this stuff, drive about 20 then find parking. You might even have to pay for parking. Pool was a 5 minute drive down the street and we were residents so it was "free" (there was probably a local town fee of some sort I wouldn't have known about as a child). We could also walk to it. We were at the beach all the time also, but it just was more convenient to use the pool.
I think these are two different things, I don't believe you can just say "all americans want x or y". Whatever is easier, and however they feel that day, people will do.
Here in Michigan we sort of have it all.
We've got the shorelines of 4 Great Lakes that have hundreds of miles of sandy beaches. Then we've got thousands of inland lakes, many of them with their own beaches or sandbars. Finally there are tons of pools to go around, from ones in a backyard to neighborhood pools to private clubs.
We get about 3 months annually to enjoy the water, we take advantage of it.
Totally. I love to go to Lake Michigan or another Great Lake, but that's usually about one week of the year. We go to inland lakes about 5-10 times a summer. We're not huge on pools, most of them charge admission which can get pricy for our large family.
Michigan is a great time during the summer time, and has the best weed to smoke in the country, imo of course, but the winters make me second guess moving there lol
I suspect the thing you're missing here is that when an American talks about a swimming pool, they're likely talking about one in their backyard. Outside of apartments and more urban areas where single family housing isn't as common, public pools are not all that popular. Having a pool in your backyard is quite common, though. Just pull up Phoenix on Google Maps and look at some of the subdivisions; there's a pool in 3/4 of the yards
For me personally, I couldn't even tell you where the nearest beach is. I know some people like to drive to San Diego on weekends to go to the beach, but that's a 6+ hour drive.
Why wouldn't anyone prefer a pool? The water is clear, it's warmer, it's cleaner, and it's (usually) not salty. Swimming in the ocean sucks. The water is cold, the salt makes you thirsty, and you have to avoid seaweed and jellyfish and sharp seashells. I love going to the beach, but it's usually to walk in the ocean breeze, lay in the sun, and let my kids build sandcastles and collect seashells.
Not everyone has access to a pool, but we can all agree that pools are better, right? This can't be just an American thing.
Having owned one in a northern climate - they are a money pit and lose their novelty with kids after a few years. Eventually they are just expensive maintenance items and it was less hassle, less $ to buy a summer pass to the local community center or head to a local lake.
Even here in FL, personally right now I would rather just head to the beach or to one of our amazing freshwater springs than deal with a pool. Or just go to one of the multiple water parks. Less hassle.
I get what you are saying, but I love waves. I love bobbing in the waves, I love body surfing, and I can sit for hours just watching the waves and hearing them crash. I was a competitive swimmer as a kid and I spent a lot of time in pools and enjoyed it, but the ocean is so much better (for me).
Where i live now the ocean is too cold for this, unfortunately. But when I lived on the east coast, absolutely loved swimming in the ocean.
It has been years since I swam in the ocean, because not a single person I know would actually get in the water with me. I had been to the beach plenty of times and my friends, girlfriends, and now my wife, would not go in water past their ankles. They just won't do it. I like swimming but the idea of someone who prefers the ocean is just alien to me - in my little corner of the world it seems like I am the biggest ocean advocate, and I'm the one saying it sucks in the first place.
I think swimming pools are generally just a more convenient option for most of us. Public pools are fairly common, and people in the suburbs often have private pools. I live in Columbus, which has a fair amount of urban sprawl, so even some of the more affordable apartment complexes have private pools and gyms.
Freshwater beaches are probably the second choice for most people who don’t live by the ocean, but I would say most people prefer to go to swimming pools over freshwater beaches. The beach quality isn’t necessarily the best, the water is typically pretty chilly, and you don’t always have the luxury of relative privacy that you would have with swimming pools.
I would say 9 times out of 10 people would be pretty keen to have a beach vacation by the ocean, but that’s a luxury for people who don’t live in a coastal state. Hell, even if you live somewhere like South Carolina, you could still be living a couple hours away from the beach. Even yet, I have friends from Florida who grew up with private pools, and some of these people live minutes away from the beach. I think it’s just culturally a little bit more of a luxury to go to the beach
Well, I'm about an hour and a half drive from the nearest beach (which by American standards is not far), but we go to a local pool far more often.
The beach can be crowded, and it's harder and less relaxing to swim in the ocean. Plus, sand kinda sucks. The ocean water in New Jersey is fairly cold at the beginning of summer but is warm by August.
We do go to the beach sometimes but it's more for the kid.
I have a pool in my backyard, multiple pools at the HOA, and most of my friends have pools at their houses . The beaches here are amazing but they are not convenient. An hour away by car and parking is horrendous. Last time we went it was so busy we spent close to two hours trying to find a parking spot. Usually beach days are reserved for when we host visitors or when we stay in a hotel near the beach.
I live in south Texas. We’re right next to the beach. It’s pretty popular. When driving by I never see anyone at a public pool. I’ve talked to customers at work when they said that they drive hours just to go to our beach. I’m a pool person but I rather save up to have one installed than go to a public pool.
About 40% of Americans live in a coastal county. There, I would imagine an even split. I would also imagine the majority the remaining 60% would be pool > beach people.
The nearest sea or ocean is about a six hour drive away, so going there would be minimum a day and a half if I wanted to do anything. The nearest beach is about half an hour north, but it’s Lake Erie and the E. coli is more active than usual last I checked, so swimming in it at the moment is less than recommended. Meanwhile, there is a swimming pool a few blocks away.
The ocean. I'm on the East Coast so our water is warm enough to swim in. But also, where I am the beaches are small and it's always possible to find one that's not crowded.
Honestly, the idea of huddling around a swimming pool for me doesn't compare to sitting on a rocky beach, listening to the waves, smelling the salty air, catching the sea breeze. Swimming in salt water makes me feel refreshed. Pools can get very warm in summer here, so doesn't cool me off so much as make me feel clammy.
This is highly dependent on where you're from. I grew up in LA and people tended to have private or neighborhood pools. While the beach was nearby, it was still an hour with traffic. Going to the beach, for me, was an important part of my summer life, but I hit the pool almost year round because of LA's weather.
I live in the mountains in VA now (and NY before that) and the culture is very different. Pools are sparse -- it's either a public pool managed by localities (and often, not well-maintained or REALLY crowded), a private pool sequester behind country club/private club acceptance and dues, or no pool at all. In my area of VA, your access to a pool is really a class distinction (and racial distinction). But we also have a few recreational lakes. I choose to not participate in the pool culture here and instead, go to the lake.
Pool culture, I think, is really strong in areas where the time to use the pool is really limited because of weather. So if you live in a state that has harsh winters and hot summers (or just really hot summers), then pool life is much more important.
Even outside of DC in Virginia and being on the coast, it's still 3-4 hours to Ocean City, MD or Virginia Beach. A beach trip is something you still get a hotel to and spend a few day. I have been a member of a swim club for years and it's 10- 20 minutes away. There also isn't sand and sticky salt water. It's not really culture but just ease.
In 2016, Maryland, Virginia, and DC had 12 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze in swimming events. It's great having Phelps and Ledeckey local along with some lesser names. This area is just known for competitive swimming.
I hate swimming in pools, i'd just as soon not swim than swim in a pool.
It's goes like this for me:
1. Ocean
2. River/waterfall/swimming hole
3. Lake
4. Swimming pool
Most people have to travel a long way to get to a sea or other big body of water. It's difficult, time consuming and expensive, especially if you have kids. It's a lot easier to go to the neighborhood pool, or to have a pool in your back yard. Plus, even as a strong swimmer, ocean swimming can be terrifying and dangerous. I was really intimidated by the waves when I went to California. It just didn't feel safe to go in, even though I could swim well. Personally, I prefer swimming in lakes (because you don't have to worry about things like undertows or riptides), but they're not always easily accessible.
Nothing worse than a bunch of dickheads setting up like 5 feet in front of you at the beach.
They're almost always from Quebec too lmao
Generally I prefer the pool to just cool down after work, and the beach if I want to relax for a full day.
I’ve never been a fan of public pools so I stay away from those like the plague. Private pools are a nice experience though and honestly not too expensive to rent nowadays. They’re nice if you don’t want to deal with the crowds of people at the beach or all the trash that comes in from the ocean.
The waves at the beach are fun though and laying in the hot sand feels good. So it just depends on what type of experience I want.
Pool culture overwhelmingly. If you fly over Los Angeles, you'll notice the number of pools. The water is usually too cold to swim in places like San Francisco or the Oregon coast. In places, the rip tide is too dangerous anyways.
I live in a state that borders the ocean. Pretty close relatively speaking. But it is still several hours away. Keep in mind the size of the US. We still go 2 or 3 times a year, but we go to pools more frequently.
Not to mention how expensive it is. Rooms (and houses) cost thousands per week. Day trips aren't really an option because of the distance. And we have a free pool membership at our HOA, so we just do that because of convenience.
Also, our beaches are not that great for swimming. Waves are pretty rough. Good for surfing though.
I live in a coastal area but the Gulf of Maine is cold. Our ocean current comes down from the Arctic and cycles around the gulf while the warm water flows east towards Europe and doesn’t really flow into our area.
So people like pools for real swimming. Also indoor pools because it is cold as heck 2/3 of the year.
Folks like the beach but there isn’t much actual swimming, more wading. It’s hilarious when I brought my kids down to Gulf Shores for the first time and my daughter gets in the water and exclaims “oh this water is actually warm!”
Ponds and lakes are more for actual swimming up here. They heat up more in summer.
I’m a midwesterner so lake swimming is what I prefer.
It absolutely varies by region. I can also confirm the northern pacific coast is cold as heck even in the middle of summer.
I dislike swimming in water that isn't clean. Pool water is clean. Beach water does not feel clean to me.
Also, the beach means you have sand everywhere - in your shoes, in your socks, in your clothing - and that's uncomfortable.
Give me a pool any day of the week. I'll visit the beach (I'm in Southern California near the coast) but I won't swim in the ocean any more.
An 'abundance of beaches and sea' is not the term most folks would use, and I think hits that point again of how hard it can be to understand how big the country is.
Like, lemme give an example.
Take Britain - no one is literally more than 70 miles from the coast. The beaches are not that far away.
The state of California, as an example of our state with the longest coast line - the farthest point you can be from the coast is 8 times that, about 560 miles.
(https://www.responsiblevacation.com/vacations/california/travel-guide/california-geography )
There IS a lot of coastline there (I think over 800 miles of it? But it can take a long time to get there, while a pool could be found usually 30 minutes away or less.
I live within an hour of the beach and I like an occasional beach day, but I hate traveling there, dealing with parking, and fighting the crowds. When I lived in a house with a pool it was amazing. I'd go out back and sit with a book all day, jump in every so often to cool off, then back to my book. Friends could hang out. We could get burgers and fire up the grill. It was just so much nicer than going somewhere else and having to haul all the supplies in and out.
I grew up just a couple miles from the Atlantic ocean and for many years I lived even closer to the Pacific ocean, just a few blocks. There was a great beach culture in both of those places.
And even still, a *lot* of people had swimming pools at their houses or went to pools frequently. There were even clubs near the beach that had swimming pools fed with salt water directly from the ocean.
I’m from a coastal state (Oregon) and lived about 90 minutes from the ocean. The average water temperature *in summer* is 58°F/14°C. A popular swimming spot at a river hovers between 50-60°F (10-15°C) during the hottest month of the year.
I could walk or ride my bike to several local pools.
Edit: spelling
I prefer pools despite living less than an hour from the beach. I don't like not being able to see the bottom and after big rain storms we have to check a website that tracks the amount of fecal matter in the water to avoid getting a flesh eating virus or brain eating amoeba.
There's a major swimming pool culture even within 30-45 minutes of the beach, not to mention farther than that. It feels like it's always been this way
I have mixed feelings on pools. Don't currently have one although when I lived in MN I did have one.
Living up there, swimming time is short and honestly, the novelty wears off with the kids after a few years and then it is just an expensive maintenance item added to your growing list, especially if you live on a farm. Over time, we stopped using it as much although we were definitely popular with friends who had kids - which wears on you after a while. That's a whole other rant for another thread.
Down here... They're everywhere and very common because, well, swimming season is much longer and some people heat their pools to swim year round but even I think they're nuts for that.
I prefer a freshwater spring or the beach to a pool, mostly because I detest smelling of chlorine and my skin is not happy in it. We may get a saltwater pool at some point but that is a ways off and honestly, for the expense, we could spend the money for trips to various places or on cruises instead of adding yet another maintenance item to our farm here. I think I like the idea of one, but not the reality and $ pit they can be. We'd likely do an above ground/temp style one if we ever did get one just because if we decided it was too much of a pain, it's easier to remove.
So beach days or one of the springs for me, for now anyway.
I’m in California not far from the ocean, only like 1.5 hours away but the beaches by me are cold and rough with a dangerous undertow and sneaker waves. I’d much prefer my backyard pool where I control the water temperature vs the peak of 63f (17c) water temperature on the warmest of days. It was different when I lived beach front in San Diego.
The pools like 2 minutes from me, the beach is about 45. Love going to the beach but the oceans cold and the pools more convenient. I love swimming with small waves tho at the beach.
I live 8 hours from the closest beach. It's easier to walk to the neighborhood pool, BUT I also am not a fan of the beach. The sand. The riptides. The crowds. I like the sound of it, and I like to look at it, but if I'm going in water I'd prefer a pool.
Well, I don't exactly have immediate access to any body of saltwater from Minnesota. The Atlantic Ocean is about 6000 miles (9656 Km) from me and the Pacific Ocean is about 4200 miles (6760 Km) from me.
That being said, I still prefer natural shorelines of lakes and rivers to swimming pools. We just have to worry about getting eaten alive by mosquitoes when we go to a lake in Minnesota.
In my area, it’s only down to personal preference as most have been to the beach and have a friend or family member with a private or neighborhood pool. The Gulf of Mexico is less a 2 hour drive West and the Atlantic is less than a 2 hour drive East. A question that may be a follow up to this in my area would be asking if they prefer Gulf or Atalantic beaches, though I think the tally is in favor of the Gulf beaches.
The main factors in ocean v.s pool are sand and wildlife. Sand tends to be uncomfortable in general, but it's hot to the point that I've seen plenty of people run across the sand in the classic “hot hot hot hot hot” way. Most walks along the beach where people don’t feel like going the 50ft to reach the ocean take place in the evening because of this.
Personally, I prefer pools because I hate sand, but if conditions are good enough for me to spend a bit of time just far enough that I can actually swim rather than stand, then it’s worth the trek across the hot sand.
most Americans have closer access to lakes and rivers than Oceanside beaches, and swimming pools can be both private home and public swimming pools, so I thinks more a matter of convenience and availability as opposed to a swimming pool preference. Once advantage of pools vs beaches is that in cities and towns with beaches, tourists become the primary revenue driver a lot of the time and it can make the experience less enjoyable for locals. Pools aren’t as “touristy” outside of hotel pools. but that’s a generalization anyway.
I live 15 minutes from the beach. I’ve been once. I fucking hate sand and the water is cold as fuck. I’d much rather bbq, have a drink, and poop on a clean toilet than suffer through a day at the beach.
The pool doesn't have sand that I've got to wash off, fail at no matter how thorough I am, and end up getting all over the rest of my stuff. I've been to several resorts without ever stepping foot onto the beach and I prefer it that way.
Pools all the way. I'm landlocked. The last time I was swimming in a lake, I was a teen. My friend and I were at her grandparents cabin, and nobody had told us the lake had this weird algae issue. We itched for a WEEK after that trip.
Also: fish, birds, and animals shit in lakes. No thanks.
I grew up near a lake the size of a sea (Lake Michigan) in a lot of ways I prefer a pool. Easier swimming, warmer water, less things in the water, more things to do. Beaches are nice too, but the swimming bit of them sucks more in freshwater.
Beaches are better for chilling, maybe a picnic, and land based activities. If I'm going water based, I'm going pool.
I think it's very popular. Swimming pools are private and controlled even a shared swimming pool like at a hotel or apartment complex. If your pool has a heater, you can take a swim whenever you want regardless of weather (temperature specifically). At the beach, you get sand all over you, dirty sea water, no privacy, wildlife dangers, unpredictable waves and more. While lots of people like that about the beach, I think just as many still enjoy a quiet swim at home. Not to mention, swimming is an excellent exercise as the water provides good resistance for strength training and keeps you indefinitely cool as a bonus. But again, it really all depends on what exactly you do at either a pool or beach.
It’s not a culture thing.
Swimming pools are everywhere, you don’t get eaten by sharks, you don’t get sand all up in your pink parts or in your car, there aren’t seagulls shitting in your beer or stealing your snacks, and in Florida the ocean is hot AF and hardly refreshing anyway.
The ocean is 600 miles away. Meanwhile, there are pools all over the place. Also, the salty ocean water doesn't feel great on my skin.
Great Lakes > ocean
> Maybe less crowded and more relaxing ?
This is probably the disconnect. The VAST majority of people in the US responding they prefer pools over ocean probably have their own pool in their backyard or their friends does. They aren't going to public pools with hundreds of other people. That certainly is going to be less crowded and more relaxing then a trip to the beach...
Also, waves suck unless you are surfing etc if trying to relax, and our oceans generally have lots of them
The nearest salt water to me is 1,440 kilometers away (and that's Hudson Bay) so I'm spending much more time near swimming pools. I prefer them over lakes for swimming as there's no weeds, zebra mussels, or sunfish biting my nipples.
If you go for inland lakes, you can get a crappie biting your ass instead.
The weeds and leeches are definitely the worst part about lake swimming
Heh, my family has a place in Ontario just over the border in Ontario. I realized “oh all this water flows to Hudson’s Bay. I got really used to swimming through weeds as a kid.
Most people likely don't live close enough to the sea or a beach to consider it when they want to just go for a swim. The nearest beach to me is manmade and an hour away. The ocean is 8 hours away. I live in the most populated part of my state btw. Why do that when there is a community pool across the street from me, YMCA 15 minutes away, local gym with a pool 10 minutes away or walk to my local park and swim in the lake which is 5 minutes away. Ocean and beach is just a lot when it isn't a simple drive away.
For one thing, our beach water on the west coast is always suuuuper cold. I definitely prefer swimming in the ocean tho, and beaches are more popular here than pools I would guess. The oceans just not an option for lots of people in many regions of the country, and even within California, it’s really only accessible to people living somewhat near the shore. Like this state is massive. It’s quicker to drive to Mexico from LA than it is to any other US state We do have public pools still though which are fairly popular, and swimming pools as well, tho having the latter is definitely a luxury that most don’t own
The beach is full of tourists but the pool is right here in my yard.
This depends highly on the location. Wealthier suburbs often have many houses with in-ground pools. Some suburbs have a community pool either for free or for a membership fee. Some people will also join a gym that has an indoor pool. People with more money and closer to the shore are more likely to go frequently. In Eastern Pennsylvania, I’d say the Jersey Shore, Delaware, and Maryland are the most common shore destinations. Jersey drivers always are complaining about Pennsylvanians.
The ocean is "very cold" in Maine. Even still, my order of preference is Pool, Ocean, river, lake, pond.
Lake, pond, pool, river, ocean for me. I keep the ocean at arms length but I will wade in it.
The ocean is far more inviting when it's over 70°
Indeed. There is a real physical response though when you hit that 55 degree water when it’s like 80-90 on the beach. I say that as someone that’s dunked in the ocean every month of the year in Maine.
Largely depends on where you're from. I grew up on Cape Cod. My backyard was literally a beach. I prefer beaches. People who grew up nowhere near a beach probably prefer pools. And of course there are always exceptions. My wife also grew up in Massachusetts but she hates beaches largely because she sunburns easy and doesn't like sand.
I know it’s a meme but I fucking hate sand. Sitting on a beach all day is something my siblings and friends like, but I’m with my dad on this one. No thanks.
It depends on the location. If someone is hours from the nearest beach, which is possible even in states that border the ocean, the nearby pool might have more appeal. It also depends on how crowded or well kept the nearby ones are. There are also several people who don't like the beach. I wouldn't say that it's less popular overall. A beach vacation is very popular, and certain beaches can get crowded.
To me, sitting on the sand, watching the waves, drinking beers while listening to tunes is one of life's greatest pleasures.
Even if the ocean is an accessible option, conditions are often not conducive to swimming. Others have mentioned that the water off the West Coast is surprisingly cold. I'm at the Jersey Shore right now where the water is also almost too cold to swim right now (not sure what's happening this year, it usually is nicer by this time). And when it does warm up later in the summer, that often means jellyfish swarms arrive.
For me, its about a 5 minute walk to the closest pool and a 15 min drive my preferred fresh water lake beach. I haven't been to an ocean beach since my honeymoon in late 2000's. It is too far away. Also, due to the Great Lakes, Michigan has more coastline than several East Coast states and thus has many fresh water beaches. Six other US states have Great Lakes coast line that have no ocean coastline as well. How close are you to the ocean OP?
I lived in a beach city as a kid and we also had a swimming pool nearby. We were at the pool more often because it was closer, that was the only reason. The beach required us to get in the car and pack up all this stuff, drive about 20 then find parking. You might even have to pay for parking. Pool was a 5 minute drive down the street and we were residents so it was "free" (there was probably a local town fee of some sort I wouldn't have known about as a child). We could also walk to it. We were at the beach all the time also, but it just was more convenient to use the pool. I think these are two different things, I don't believe you can just say "all americans want x or y". Whatever is easier, and however they feel that day, people will do.
Water is too cold on the west coast for me to swim, so pool it is.
Carl Spackler: This place gotta pool? Ty Webb: Pool and a pond... Pond be good for you.
Here in Michigan we sort of have it all. We've got the shorelines of 4 Great Lakes that have hundreds of miles of sandy beaches. Then we've got thousands of inland lakes, many of them with their own beaches or sandbars. Finally there are tons of pools to go around, from ones in a backyard to neighborhood pools to private clubs. We get about 3 months annually to enjoy the water, we take advantage of it.
Totally. I love to go to Lake Michigan or another Great Lake, but that's usually about one week of the year. We go to inland lakes about 5-10 times a summer. We're not huge on pools, most of them charge admission which can get pricy for our large family.
Lots of us live close enough to a Great Lake that it's our weekday evening spot. I'll usually take a dip in Huron after going to the barber shop.
I'm in Oakland County. None of the Great Lakes are quite that close and there's a lot of traffic. If I were closer, I'd drop in pretty often.
Michigan is a great time during the summer time, and has the best weed to smoke in the country, imo of course, but the winters make me second guess moving there lol
I suspect the thing you're missing here is that when an American talks about a swimming pool, they're likely talking about one in their backyard. Outside of apartments and more urban areas where single family housing isn't as common, public pools are not all that popular. Having a pool in your backyard is quite common, though. Just pull up Phoenix on Google Maps and look at some of the subdivisions; there's a pool in 3/4 of the yards For me personally, I couldn't even tell you where the nearest beach is. I know some people like to drive to San Diego on weekends to go to the beach, but that's a 6+ hour drive.
Why wouldn't anyone prefer a pool? The water is clear, it's warmer, it's cleaner, and it's (usually) not salty. Swimming in the ocean sucks. The water is cold, the salt makes you thirsty, and you have to avoid seaweed and jellyfish and sharp seashells. I love going to the beach, but it's usually to walk in the ocean breeze, lay in the sun, and let my kids build sandcastles and collect seashells. Not everyone has access to a pool, but we can all agree that pools are better, right? This can't be just an American thing.
Having owned one in a northern climate - they are a money pit and lose their novelty with kids after a few years. Eventually they are just expensive maintenance items and it was less hassle, less $ to buy a summer pass to the local community center or head to a local lake. Even here in FL, personally right now I would rather just head to the beach or to one of our amazing freshwater springs than deal with a pool. Or just go to one of the multiple water parks. Less hassle.
I get what you are saying, but I love waves. I love bobbing in the waves, I love body surfing, and I can sit for hours just watching the waves and hearing them crash. I was a competitive swimmer as a kid and I spent a lot of time in pools and enjoyed it, but the ocean is so much better (for me). Where i live now the ocean is too cold for this, unfortunately. But when I lived on the east coast, absolutely loved swimming in the ocean.
It has been years since I swam in the ocean, because not a single person I know would actually get in the water with me. I had been to the beach plenty of times and my friends, girlfriends, and now my wife, would not go in water past their ankles. They just won't do it. I like swimming but the idea of someone who prefers the ocean is just alien to me - in my little corner of the world it seems like I am the biggest ocean advocate, and I'm the one saying it sucks in the first place.
Fair enough. My whole family is ocean swimmers. I guess it's just what I grew up with.
I think swimming pools are generally just a more convenient option for most of us. Public pools are fairly common, and people in the suburbs often have private pools. I live in Columbus, which has a fair amount of urban sprawl, so even some of the more affordable apartment complexes have private pools and gyms. Freshwater beaches are probably the second choice for most people who don’t live by the ocean, but I would say most people prefer to go to swimming pools over freshwater beaches. The beach quality isn’t necessarily the best, the water is typically pretty chilly, and you don’t always have the luxury of relative privacy that you would have with swimming pools. I would say 9 times out of 10 people would be pretty keen to have a beach vacation by the ocean, but that’s a luxury for people who don’t live in a coastal state. Hell, even if you live somewhere like South Carolina, you could still be living a couple hours away from the beach. Even yet, I have friends from Florida who grew up with private pools, and some of these people live minutes away from the beach. I think it’s just culturally a little bit more of a luxury to go to the beach
Well, I'm about an hour and a half drive from the nearest beach (which by American standards is not far), but we go to a local pool far more often. The beach can be crowded, and it's harder and less relaxing to swim in the ocean. Plus, sand kinda sucks. The ocean water in New Jersey is fairly cold at the beginning of summer but is warm by August. We do go to the beach sometimes but it's more for the kid.
I enjoy both, but city pools are much closer.
I have a pool in my backyard, multiple pools at the HOA, and most of my friends have pools at their houses . The beaches here are amazing but they are not convenient. An hour away by car and parking is horrendous. Last time we went it was so busy we spent close to two hours trying to find a parking spot. Usually beach days are reserved for when we host visitors or when we stay in a hotel near the beach.
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I live in south Texas. We’re right next to the beach. It’s pretty popular. When driving by I never see anyone at a public pool. I’ve talked to customers at work when they said that they drive hours just to go to our beach. I’m a pool person but I rather save up to have one installed than go to a public pool.
Some people just don’t like the sand. It’s a really common complaint that I’ve heard
About 40% of Americans live in a coastal county. There, I would imagine an even split. I would also imagine the majority the remaining 60% would be pool > beach people.
The nearest sea or ocean is about a six hour drive away, so going there would be minimum a day and a half if I wanted to do anything. The nearest beach is about half an hour north, but it’s Lake Erie and the E. coli is more active than usual last I checked, so swimming in it at the moment is less than recommended. Meanwhile, there is a swimming pool a few blocks away.
The ocean. I'm on the East Coast so our water is warm enough to swim in. But also, where I am the beaches are small and it's always possible to find one that's not crowded. Honestly, the idea of huddling around a swimming pool for me doesn't compare to sitting on a rocky beach, listening to the waves, smelling the salty air, catching the sea breeze. Swimming in salt water makes me feel refreshed. Pools can get very warm in summer here, so doesn't cool me off so much as make me feel clammy.
This is highly dependent on where you're from. I grew up in LA and people tended to have private or neighborhood pools. While the beach was nearby, it was still an hour with traffic. Going to the beach, for me, was an important part of my summer life, but I hit the pool almost year round because of LA's weather. I live in the mountains in VA now (and NY before that) and the culture is very different. Pools are sparse -- it's either a public pool managed by localities (and often, not well-maintained or REALLY crowded), a private pool sequester behind country club/private club acceptance and dues, or no pool at all. In my area of VA, your access to a pool is really a class distinction (and racial distinction). But we also have a few recreational lakes. I choose to not participate in the pool culture here and instead, go to the lake. Pool culture, I think, is really strong in areas where the time to use the pool is really limited because of weather. So if you live in a state that has harsh winters and hot summers (or just really hot summers), then pool life is much more important.
Even outside of DC in Virginia and being on the coast, it's still 3-4 hours to Ocean City, MD or Virginia Beach. A beach trip is something you still get a hotel to and spend a few day. I have been a member of a swim club for years and it's 10- 20 minutes away. There also isn't sand and sticky salt water. It's not really culture but just ease. In 2016, Maryland, Virginia, and DC had 12 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze in swimming events. It's great having Phelps and Ledeckey local along with some lesser names. This area is just known for competitive swimming.
I hate swimming in pools, i'd just as soon not swim than swim in a pool. It's goes like this for me: 1. Ocean 2. River/waterfall/swimming hole 3. Lake 4. Swimming pool
Most people have to travel a long way to get to a sea or other big body of water. It's difficult, time consuming and expensive, especially if you have kids. It's a lot easier to go to the neighborhood pool, or to have a pool in your back yard. Plus, even as a strong swimmer, ocean swimming can be terrifying and dangerous. I was really intimidated by the waves when I went to California. It just didn't feel safe to go in, even though I could swim well. Personally, I prefer swimming in lakes (because you don't have to worry about things like undertows or riptides), but they're not always easily accessible.
Nothing worse than a bunch of dickheads setting up like 5 feet in front of you at the beach. They're almost always from Quebec too lmao Generally I prefer the pool to just cool down after work, and the beach if I want to relax for a full day.
Unless you live in an area close to the beach, swimming pools are the next best thing.
I’ve never been a fan of public pools so I stay away from those like the plague. Private pools are a nice experience though and honestly not too expensive to rent nowadays. They’re nice if you don’t want to deal with the crowds of people at the beach or all the trash that comes in from the ocean. The waves at the beach are fun though and laying in the hot sand feels good. So it just depends on what type of experience I want.
It’s just more convenient in general to take a dip in the swimming pool. As someone who lives near the ocean, I like both.
Pool culture overwhelmingly. If you fly over Los Angeles, you'll notice the number of pools. The water is usually too cold to swim in places like San Francisco or the Oregon coast. In places, the rip tide is too dangerous anyways.
I live in a state that borders the ocean. Pretty close relatively speaking. But it is still several hours away. Keep in mind the size of the US. We still go 2 or 3 times a year, but we go to pools more frequently. Not to mention how expensive it is. Rooms (and houses) cost thousands per week. Day trips aren't really an option because of the distance. And we have a free pool membership at our HOA, so we just do that because of convenience. Also, our beaches are not that great for swimming. Waves are pretty rough. Good for surfing though.
I live in a coastal area but the Gulf of Maine is cold. Our ocean current comes down from the Arctic and cycles around the gulf while the warm water flows east towards Europe and doesn’t really flow into our area. So people like pools for real swimming. Also indoor pools because it is cold as heck 2/3 of the year. Folks like the beach but there isn’t much actual swimming, more wading. It’s hilarious when I brought my kids down to Gulf Shores for the first time and my daughter gets in the water and exclaims “oh this water is actually warm!” Ponds and lakes are more for actual swimming up here. They heat up more in summer. I’m a midwesterner so lake swimming is what I prefer. It absolutely varies by region. I can also confirm the northern pacific coast is cold as heck even in the middle of summer.
I live in a coastal state where i would still have to drive for 2.5 hours to reach the beach. The closest pool is 15 min away
There are plenty of swimming pools in florida. It’s very common. The only barrier is being able to afford it.
I dislike swimming in water that isn't clean. Pool water is clean. Beach water does not feel clean to me. Also, the beach means you have sand everywhere - in your shoes, in your socks, in your clothing - and that's uncomfortable. Give me a pool any day of the week. I'll visit the beach (I'm in Southern California near the coast) but I won't swim in the ocean any more.
An 'abundance of beaches and sea' is not the term most folks would use, and I think hits that point again of how hard it can be to understand how big the country is. Like, lemme give an example. Take Britain - no one is literally more than 70 miles from the coast. The beaches are not that far away. The state of California, as an example of our state with the longest coast line - the farthest point you can be from the coast is 8 times that, about 560 miles. (https://www.responsiblevacation.com/vacations/california/travel-guide/california-geography ) There IS a lot of coastline there (I think over 800 miles of it? But it can take a long time to get there, while a pool could be found usually 30 minutes away or less.
This is what the ocean looks like near where I live. https://i.imgur.com/VuB5rEf.jpeg Ready for a cool swim in the ocean?
I live within an hour of the beach and I like an occasional beach day, but I hate traveling there, dealing with parking, and fighting the crowds. When I lived in a house with a pool it was amazing. I'd go out back and sit with a book all day, jump in every so often to cool off, then back to my book. Friends could hang out. We could get burgers and fire up the grill. It was just so much nicer than going somewhere else and having to haul all the supplies in and out.
Yeah the ocean is 1, 600km away. So we swim in pools, lakes, reservoirs.
I grew up just a couple miles from the Atlantic ocean and for many years I lived even closer to the Pacific ocean, just a few blocks. There was a great beach culture in both of those places. And even still, a *lot* of people had swimming pools at their houses or went to pools frequently. There were even clubs near the beach that had swimming pools fed with salt water directly from the ocean.
I’m from a coastal state (Oregon) and lived about 90 minutes from the ocean. The average water temperature *in summer* is 58°F/14°C. A popular swimming spot at a river hovers between 50-60°F (10-15°C) during the hottest month of the year. I could walk or ride my bike to several local pools. Edit: spelling
I prefer pools despite living less than an hour from the beach. I don't like not being able to see the bottom and after big rain storms we have to check a website that tracks the amount of fecal matter in the water to avoid getting a flesh eating virus or brain eating amoeba.
There's a major swimming pool culture even within 30-45 minutes of the beach, not to mention farther than that. It feels like it's always been this way
I have mixed feelings on pools. Don't currently have one although when I lived in MN I did have one. Living up there, swimming time is short and honestly, the novelty wears off with the kids after a few years and then it is just an expensive maintenance item added to your growing list, especially if you live on a farm. Over time, we stopped using it as much although we were definitely popular with friends who had kids - which wears on you after a while. That's a whole other rant for another thread. Down here... They're everywhere and very common because, well, swimming season is much longer and some people heat their pools to swim year round but even I think they're nuts for that. I prefer a freshwater spring or the beach to a pool, mostly because I detest smelling of chlorine and my skin is not happy in it. We may get a saltwater pool at some point but that is a ways off and honestly, for the expense, we could spend the money for trips to various places or on cruises instead of adding yet another maintenance item to our farm here. I think I like the idea of one, but not the reality and $ pit they can be. We'd likely do an above ground/temp style one if we ever did get one just because if we decided it was too much of a pain, it's easier to remove. So beach days or one of the springs for me, for now anyway.
I’m in California not far from the ocean, only like 1.5 hours away but the beaches by me are cold and rough with a dangerous undertow and sneaker waves. I’d much prefer my backyard pool where I control the water temperature vs the peak of 63f (17c) water temperature on the warmest of days. It was different when I lived beach front in San Diego.
The pools like 2 minutes from me, the beach is about 45. Love going to the beach but the oceans cold and the pools more convenient. I love swimming with small waves tho at the beach.
I live 8 hours from the closest beach. It's easier to walk to the neighborhood pool, BUT I also am not a fan of the beach. The sand. The riptides. The crowds. I like the sound of it, and I like to look at it, but if I'm going in water I'd prefer a pool.
I live in a state on the gulf coast, and it's still a 5+ hour drive to get to the closest beach.
Well, I don't exactly have immediate access to any body of saltwater from Minnesota. The Atlantic Ocean is about 6000 miles (9656 Km) from me and the Pacific Ocean is about 4200 miles (6760 Km) from me. That being said, I still prefer natural shorelines of lakes and rivers to swimming pools. We just have to worry about getting eaten alive by mosquitoes when we go to a lake in Minnesota.
In my area, it’s only down to personal preference as most have been to the beach and have a friend or family member with a private or neighborhood pool. The Gulf of Mexico is less a 2 hour drive West and the Atlantic is less than a 2 hour drive East. A question that may be a follow up to this in my area would be asking if they prefer Gulf or Atalantic beaches, though I think the tally is in favor of the Gulf beaches. The main factors in ocean v.s pool are sand and wildlife. Sand tends to be uncomfortable in general, but it's hot to the point that I've seen plenty of people run across the sand in the classic “hot hot hot hot hot” way. Most walks along the beach where people don’t feel like going the 50ft to reach the ocean take place in the evening because of this. Personally, I prefer pools because I hate sand, but if conditions are good enough for me to spend a bit of time just far enough that I can actually swim rather than stand, then it’s worth the trek across the hot sand.
most Americans have closer access to lakes and rivers than Oceanside beaches, and swimming pools can be both private home and public swimming pools, so I thinks more a matter of convenience and availability as opposed to a swimming pool preference. Once advantage of pools vs beaches is that in cities and towns with beaches, tourists become the primary revenue driver a lot of the time and it can make the experience less enjoyable for locals. Pools aren’t as “touristy” outside of hotel pools. but that’s a generalization anyway.
I live 15 minutes from the beach. I’ve been once. I fucking hate sand and the water is cold as fuck. I’d much rather bbq, have a drink, and poop on a clean toilet than suffer through a day at the beach.
The pool doesn't have sand that I've got to wash off, fail at no matter how thorough I am, and end up getting all over the rest of my stuff. I've been to several resorts without ever stepping foot onto the beach and I prefer it that way.
Pools all the way. I'm landlocked. The last time I was swimming in a lake, I was a teen. My friend and I were at her grandparents cabin, and nobody had told us the lake had this weird algae issue. We itched for a WEEK after that trip. Also: fish, birds, and animals shit in lakes. No thanks.
I grew up near a lake the size of a sea (Lake Michigan) in a lot of ways I prefer a pool. Easier swimming, warmer water, less things in the water, more things to do. Beaches are nice too, but the swimming bit of them sucks more in freshwater. Beaches are better for chilling, maybe a picnic, and land based activities. If I'm going water based, I'm going pool.
I think it's very popular. Swimming pools are private and controlled even a shared swimming pool like at a hotel or apartment complex. If your pool has a heater, you can take a swim whenever you want regardless of weather (temperature specifically). At the beach, you get sand all over you, dirty sea water, no privacy, wildlife dangers, unpredictable waves and more. While lots of people like that about the beach, I think just as many still enjoy a quiet swim at home. Not to mention, swimming is an excellent exercise as the water provides good resistance for strength training and keeps you indefinitely cool as a bonus. But again, it really all depends on what exactly you do at either a pool or beach.
It’s not a culture thing. Swimming pools are everywhere, you don’t get eaten by sharks, you don’t get sand all up in your pink parts or in your car, there aren’t seagulls shitting in your beer or stealing your snacks, and in Florida the ocean is hot AF and hardly refreshing anyway.
The ocean is 600 miles away. Meanwhile, there are pools all over the place. Also, the salty ocean water doesn't feel great on my skin. Great Lakes > ocean
For me, as a European who lives near the sea, I preferer the former over the latter. Maybe less crowded and more relaxing ? Idk
> Maybe less crowded and more relaxing ? This is probably the disconnect. The VAST majority of people in the US responding they prefer pools over ocean probably have their own pool in their backyard or their friends does. They aren't going to public pools with hundreds of other people. That certainly is going to be less crowded and more relaxing then a trip to the beach... Also, waves suck unless you are surfing etc if trying to relax, and our oceans generally have lots of them
Sounds about right. If I think crowded, I'm thinking beach will be crowded, pool will not.
And if you’re really doing it right, your swimming pool overlooks the ocean 😎 ☀️ 🌊