“Everybody get in the pool!” That’s what my favorite shirt says. My husband gave it to me for my birthday pool party a couple years ago. I’m mentioning it here because that’s the atmosphere at the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables, Florida. 

During our 2023 trip to “The City Beautiful,” we experienced first-hand the energetic joy of this 820,000 gallon aquifer-fed public pool. People of all ages and races swam in the clear green basin, splashed in the waterfall, leaped off a rock outcropping, explored the natural grotto, lounged on the island where gondolas once docked, picnicked at the café tables, and sunbathed on the sand and grass… an idyllic scene that has happened innumerable times in the past 101 years.

The Venetian Pool was completed as the Venetian Casino in 1924, two years before and only a half-mile from the enormous and equally historic pool at the Biltmore Miami-Coral Gables. George Merrick built both as part of his vision for Coral Gables to exemplify ideal hometown living, yet the pools differ significantly in their creation and appearance. To create a Mediterranean Revival-style community, Merrick and his team used a local resource–coral rock–for trim and embellishments of the Biltmore and Coral Gables homes, resulting in a large coral quarry. He then hired architect Phinneas Paist and artist Denman Fink to create the Venetian Pool out of that quarry. What clever men to make something beautiful, useful, and lasting out of a giant construction hole! 

Like its grand neighbor, The Biltmore, the Venetian Pool has hosted many swimming competitions, shows, and soirees befitting its size, particularly in the early years, and the two pools hosted some of the same performers. Esther Williams, Annette Kellerman, Johnny Weissmuller, little Jackie Ott, and many others wowed spectators with their spectacular swimming skills. Even the Miami Philharmonic performed regularly in the pool, because, once drained, the walls project sound beautifully! 

FIN FACT:
Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman (1886-1975) was a swimming trailblazer.  As a child, she overcame a disability that made her legs so weak that at age 6, she couldn’t stand without braces. To strengthen her legs, her parents enrolled her in swim lessons, where she excelled through hard work. Not only did her legs develop normal strength, but she began winning swim races, ultimately going pro in her favorite medium, the water.
However, Kellerman hated women’s swimsuits of the day, with their bulky wool pantaloons and skirts. Never one to sit idly in the bleachers, she advocated for women’s right to wear one-piece suits by developing and wearing one. Like a modern-day wetsuit, it covered her from shoulders to toes and later (gasp!) exposed her legs from the thigh down. Many were scandalized, but female swimmers loved it. 
Kellerman also pioneered the sport of synchronized swimming and starred in numerous films with aquatic themes. In fact, in 1916, she was the first major film actress to perform fully nude!
If Kellerman’s story or women’s sports history fascinates you, please check out Vicki Valosik‘s 2024 book Swimming Pretty: The Untold Story of Women in Water. You will not be disappointed in this engaging, entertaining, well-researched account of an often-overlooked topic.

Bain News Service, P. Miss Annette Kellerman. 3/13/19 date created or published later by Bain. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2014683563/ Accessed May 10, 2025.
Coral Gables News Bureau, P. Annette Kellerman dressed as mermaid at the Venetian Pool. 1925 date created or published later by Coral Gables News Bureau. {Photograph} Coral Gables Historical Resources Department, Coral Gables, Florida. Retrieved from Florida International University Libraries,, http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpService/dpPurlService/purl/FI12060906/00001 Accessed May 24, 2025.

What’s it like to swim at the Venetian in modern times? 

Arrive early to assure your entry! Day passes for various prices are available as long as occupancy allows. Fifteen minutes before opening, we were fifteenth in line at the entrance. Soon, we were joined by throngs of families and summer camp groups, and by early afternoon the pool had reached full capacity.

Also, it’s cold! Well, it’s colder than I expected.  

FIN FACT:
The Venetian’s 76F water, a refreshing respite from the hot Florida summer, flows from the Biscayne Bay aquifer. Very little chlorine is needed because, believe it or not, this pool is drained and refilled every 24 hours. The water then is filtered naturally and directed back into the spring.

After the initial shock of chilly water on a 98F day, I took a few minutes to warm-up, then swam lengths along the rope that divides the deep and shallow ends, a 48-meter distance at that point. Perfect. I was in heaven! Despite the hundreds of other swimmers, I had plenty of space. 

With my workout finished, my husband and I swam out to the waterfall and then hung out in the grotto. Water-filled natural caves with ambient light? Sign me up! Very cool.

When we emerged, I noticed dark clouds and heard a low rumble of distant thunder. I looked at the guards, expecting their loud whistle to clear the pool. Their gazes remained fixed on swimmers in their coverage areas, but they didn’t respond to the approaching weather even when the thunder rolled again, a little closer this time. In the spirit of caution, we exited the water and grabbed our towels, wondering if swimming in storms was a thing in Florida. 

I was wrong. A third thunderclap and the loudest siren I’ve ever heard sent everyone scrambling out of the pool and headed for shelter as guards cleared the area. It sounded like an air raid. An employee told me that the siren blares when lightning strikes three miles away. Simultaneously startled by the noise and relieved by the safety it provided, we joined the sopping mass of humanity on the covered patio, ate yummy snacks, and watched nature’s fireworks. 

After about 45 minutes, guards reopened the pool to a significantly smaller crowd, and Brendan and I spent another hour playing like children. 

To us, the Venetian felt like a fountain of youth, as if it turned back time. Its cool clear water invigorates the body and soul. Its size stimulates the freedom of childhood. And its entry, through a hall of old photographs, peels back those decades to the pool’s infancy. 

It is fitting that, in 1981, this historic treasure became the first swimming pool not connected with a hotel, residence, or gymnasium to earn a listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and now it is one of only 22 such listings that remain open for their intended use (swimming). Currently, the Venetian Pool is closed, but for great reasons: restoration and repair! As I write, construction crews and staff are improving the café area, beautifying the beach, and fixing the pool bottom, while maintaining the historic essence and aesthetic of the property. The highly anticipated re-opening will take place sometime this summer in celebration of Coral Gables’ centennial year!

I hope that other pools with historic and cultural significance can follow the Venetian’s preservation journey. Obviously, money is a challenge, but a listing on the National Register can offer some protection. I’m especially concerned about Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool in Tennessee. You can check out my previous entries about that endangered gem.

POOL STATS:
CLOSED FOR RESTORATION until an undisclosed date (hopefully December 2025)
Year of completion: 1924
Volume: 820,000 gallons
Dimensions:
48 m wide at lane rope between deep and shallow ends 
32 m wide from island to side parallel to Toledo Street 
26 m from island to side parallel to DeSoto Boulevard
Water: Aquifer-fed 
Temperature: 76F (24.4C)
Day pass: Yes. Call the number below or check website for current price.
Food: Cafe on property
Lockers: Available, but we just stashed our towels on a bench and had no trouble.

Location: 

Venetian Pool 
2701 De Soto Boulevard
Coral Gables, FL 33134
305-460-5306
https://www.coralgables.com/attractions/venetian-pool

References:

Valosik, V. (2024). Swimming pretty: The Untold story of women in water. Liveright Publishing Corporation. 
https://www.coralgables.com/attractions/venetian-pool
https://www.coralgables.com/department/community-recreation/venetian-pool-faqs
https://www.coralgables.com/department/community-recreation/venetian-pool-history
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/77843215
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/database-research.htm (Search term: pool)
http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpService/dpPurlService/purl/FI12060915/00001
https://www.100coralgables.com/
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=74708
https://www.visitflorida.com/travel-ideas/articles/coral-gables-history-venetian-pool-miami/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venetian_Pool
https://text-message.blogs.archives.gov/2024/07/11/cannonball-swimming-pools-in-the-national-register-of-historic-places/
https://www.loc.gov/resource/ggbain.03569/