In New Ulm, the North Park Splash Pad located at 1801 N. State Street opened last week. It will remain open from 10 a.m. to to 8 pm through Labor Day. The splash pad is free, open to all ages, with no lifeguard on duty. The splash pad has several water features like water buckets, sprinklers, and fountains. There is also a shaded picnic area and several benches situated close by, making it perfect for a lunchtime playdate.

“We’re here from Wilmar for my son’s baseball tournament. The Splash Pad is really nice. I was glad it was open today. The weather is perfect,” said Solange Cooley, a park patron.

There are also New Ulm’s two wading pools at Lincoln Park and Washington Park. The wading pools will officially open June 4 and will remain open through Aug. 18. The wading pools hours are 12: 30 p.m. to 6 p.m. are free for ages 8 and under.

The Park and Rec Center’s Indoor Aquatic Center in New Ulm is open rain or shine, daily. Open swim hours starting June 6 are 1-6 pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday 11am to 3 pm and Saturday and Sundays. A day pass for youth/senior is $7 and adults are $9. Pass includes access to gym, walking track, and indoor playground.

Jaxon Cooley played at North Park’s Splash Pad while his family from enjoyed ball games at North Park.

New Ulm also features an outdoor sand-bottom swimming pool at Flandrau State Park. The swimming pond is open June 6 through August 17, 11 am to 7 pm Thursday through Sunday, with lifeguards. A Flandrau State Park vehicle day pass costs $7, or $35 for a year round permit.

In the surrounding areas there are three outdoor pools that feature lifeguards, the Sleepy Eye Family Aquatic center, Gaylord Aquatic Center, and North Mankato Swim Facility.

Sleepy Eye Family Aquatic Center is tentatively scheduled to open Monday, June 2. The Sleepy Eye pool has water aerobics from 7am to 8 am Monday through Friday as well as in the evening from 7 p.m to 8 p.m. Open swim is from 12 pm to 7 pm. A day pass is $7. A family pass $225, for those in the household only, or $150 for an individual pass. They have $60 punch cards that come with 10 punches.

Gaylord Aquatic Center will be open, Tuesday June 3 with hours from 12:30 pm to 8:00 pm Sunday to Monday. The aquatic center has two separate pools, which include a lap pool with diving pit, and a leisure pool with zero-depth entry area.

North Mankato Swim Facility is open June 6, with hours of 12 pm to 6 pm Sunday through Monday. Admission is $10 per person or there are $60 punch cards with 10 swim passes. For more information, please visit their website at www.swimnorthmankato.com