McMurtrey Aquatic Center

The pool is located right downtown. I got a reasonable hotel room within walking distance; it was a great experience.

At 5:30 AM there was a good-sized group of local swimmers in line. The pool was set up for 25-yard lengths and there were enough lanes for each of us to have our own.

The aquatic center is very well staffed, both in number of lifeguards/coordinators and quality of service.

I've never seen the pool set up for long course during public lap swimming sessions.

I visit Bakersfield frequently and I always look forward to swimming at McMurtrey Aquatic Center. The water is clear and an ideal temperature for lap swimming. The lanes are wide in both short and long course configurations. The posted lap swim schedule is accurate and consistent. The locker room has plenty of lockers and showers - one of the nicest facilities I've used. The staff is friendly and lifeguards do a great job. It's a refreshing oasis in the middle of the downtown area - don't miss it.

The locker facility is large with plenty of lockers (bring your own lock), showers, and sinks. The pool was fantastic – crystal clear water and a temperature a little cooler than most pools (about 77º F) which was very welcome in the hot Bakersfield sun. This is one of the better Southern California pools I have swum in. Pull buoys, kick boards, and even a few sets of fins were available for use. Lap swimming is usually short course during the week, long course on Saturdays.