How affordable is the new Pasco Aquatic Center? What I did on a $25 budget

For years, Tri-Cities has waited for a full-fledged aquatic center.

Even with approval from Pasco taxpayers, bringing the Pasco Aquatic Center to fruition took years of planning and construction.

Now the long-awaited attraction is finally open. How expensive is the experience?

I recently visited the Pasco Aquatic Center with a $25 budget as part of the Tri-City Herald’s On a Budget series, which explores affordable restaurants and fun activities around Tri-Cities.

Here’s how it went:

How much is entry to the Pasco Aquatic Center?

I don’t have a season or annual pass to the Pasco Aquatic Center, but day passes are within my budget.

The Tri-Cities center’s swimming pools are open for two sessions, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. A day pass gets you full access to one session.

If you don’t book a reservation in advance, you’ll want to get to the aquatic center early to secure your spot.

I got there just in time to purchase a day pass for the weekday session from 4 to 8 p.m.

All passes are cheaper for Pasco residents, but only by a few dollars.

Daily passes for Pasco residents cost $12 or $10 for youth and $9 for seniors. Children age 3 and younger get in for free, youth are ages 4 to 17 and seniors are ages 55 and older.

For non-residents, passes cost $15, or $13 for youth and $11 for seniors.

My entry fee was $15 with no tax charged, leaving me with $10 left to spend.

At the front desk, you can purchase additional items to take home, including:

• T-shirts: $11
• Hats: $17
• Towels: $20 to $28
• Mesh tote bags: $20
• 20-ounce tumblers: $18
• Sunglasses: $5

I wasn’t interested in any of these items, so I continued on. From the front desk, I passed the bathrooms and mother’s room, as well as the rentable party rooms.

As I walked in, I got a pop-up notification on my phone telling me free Wi-Fi was available to use.

That was helpful because my phone’s connection went spotty pretty quickly, given my location. I connected and noticed an immediate improvement.

Are lockers free at the Pasco Aquatic Center?

In the Pasco Aquatic Center’s locker room area, there are shower stalls with fully private bathrooms and changing rooms, as well as smaller stalls for changing only.

The locker room has lockers of various sizes. These do not come with locks, but you can leave it as an unlocked storage space, bring your own lock or rent one for $5.

While I was getting situated, I heard other families discuss their plans for storing their belongings. One group brought their own lock, while another planned to secure a good chair to keep their bags on.

The locker rooms are equipped with machines that extract water from swimwear, so you can ensure you’re not carrying wet clothing after taking a dip.

I chose to keep my bag with me because I didn’t have much on hand.

How much does swimming cost at Pasco Aquatic Center?

From the locker rooms, I walked out into the indoor swim area. Even though the session had just started, many families had set up spots.

Kids were playing in the pool, with older siblings attempting the ninja course.

Others eagerly hurried up the stairs — without running, as it’s forbidden for safety reasons — to get to the massive slides that curl outside the building and back in.

Lifeguards were stationed at different sections of the pool, monitoring swimmers and keeping things safe.

After scoping out the inside, I headed to the connected outdoor area.

Just like inside, numerous families had claimed areas with chairs and umbrella shades. A few had even rented the cabanas, which offer the most sufficient shade. They’re available for $100 for a full four-hour session.

Some kids were attempting the climbing wall, others were shooting hoops. Small kids were accompanied by parents in the water playground.

All of these additional features are included with the cost of admission. Paying for your day pass includes access to every water feature, with no added costs throughout the experience.

What are options for food at Pasco Aquatic Center?

I planned to spend my remaining budget on snacks, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted yet. I spent some time checking out the amenities and observing the family fun before deciding.

Outside food and drinks are allowed into the facility, as long as you don’t bring alcohol or glass containers.

Visitors are free to bring their own meals. There is even a microwave in the lobby if you need to warm up food first.

The aquatic center has space for food trucks, but none were on site during my visit.

However, there were still food options, including the concessions stand to the left of the outdoor area and a series of vending machines in the lobby.

The vending machines had standard offerings such as chips and candy, as well as a series of beverages and more filling options including sandwiches and salads.

I skipped the vending machines and went to the concessions stand.

What are prices for food, drinks at concessions stand?

A few options at the concessions stand were outside of my price range, as I only had $10 left to spend.

The pre-made chicken salad cost $15, and a cheeseburger was $12. The burger and chicken sandwich each cost $10.

Other affordable food options included a corn dog or small hot dog for $4, pizza or a pretzel with cheese for $6.50 and a large hot dog or nachos with cheese for $8. I also spotted elote in a cup for $7.

The snack menu also fell within my budget, with candy, chips and cookies for $3 and popcorn for $1. There were also frozen treats, including a 12-ounce shaved ice for $6 or a 16-ounce slushy for $7.

There was also an expansive drink menu.

Water and juice were $2, soda and Powerade were $3 and canned energy drinks were $4.

You can also get a made-to-order drink, including Italian soda for $6, frozen lemonade and iced coffee for $7 and an infused energy drink with fruit for $8.

The concession stand has a drink menu for coffee and energy drink options, with named concoctions as well as flavor options for customers who want to make their own mix.

Since it was a very hot day and I had spent quite a bit of time outside, I decided to get a nice cold drink to cool off. Kids seemed to be enjoying the slushy options, so I spent $7 on a 16-ounce slushy.

My drink didn’t melt too fast, and cooled me off well as I sat in the shade watching families circle in the lazy river.

How affordable is Pasco Aquatic Center?

At the end of my day, I had $3 left over from my $25 budget after visiting the Pasco Aquatic Center. I wasn’t hungry, but there were multiple snack options that I could have afforded.

Families looking to visit the aquatic center on a budget could easily spend a full session around the water without paying for anything beside the admission fee by bringing their own lock or bags, plus food and snacks.

Just be sure to bring sunscreen, too. Tri-Cities is supposed to stay very hot, and a shady spot is not guaranteed.

What should I go next in Tri-Cities?

Got any ideas on where I should visit next in Tri-Cities on a budget?

Send me recommendations at kvandeventer@tricityherald.com or by filling out the form below.