Cheap Thrills: After-School Swimming at Lake Anza

In the first few weeks of September, as summer begins to turn its back and the evenings close in faster, savor the last of the warm afternoon sun with an after-school swim at Lake Anza.

With the swim season officially drawing to a close, and lifeguard duty limited, the crowds are pleasantly sparse and the lake invitingly empty. Midweek means there’s no charge to enter — and a plethora of parking — making it the perfect time to visit and encouraging a long, relaxed stay. Spread out a blanket, unpack some fruit and bag of kettle korn, and watch as your kids frolic with their buddies in the lake’s shallow section. The cool, inky water shimmers and glitters beneath the slanting rays of afternoon sunshine and a quiet calm hovers low. Dragonflies hum and skitter, ducks float noiselessly by, and the sky stays a still, flat blue.

After a couple of busy hours, kids are tuckered and hungry. Pulling themselves from the lake waters, they flop down in the hot sand like seals, rolling around to warm up and basking until fully dry. A few snacks and some water holds them until dinner and, with so much energy expended, they’re fairly worn out, making the car ride home unusually peaceful.

So, pick a sunny afternoon and treat yourself to a day off of work. Pick the kids up from school, drive up to the sylvan sanctuary of Tilden Park, and join a few friends for an after-school dip in the placid waters of Lake Anza.