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Best Swim Classes In South Florida

Florida is a peninsula meaning that we're surrounded by water on three sides. Couple that with thousands of South Floridians that own a pool and you're talking about one big safety issue. That's why it's your responsibility to teach your family how to swim and fortunately, South Florida has a wealth of opportunities that can teach how to swim, snorkel and eventually scuba. Once you're schooled in swimming, you can fully enjoy the beaches and finally know one of the top reasons why tourists visit South Florida.
Mr. Moe's Restaurant & Bar
(credit: mrmoes.com)
Miami Dade College Aquatics Center
11011 S.W. 104th St.
Miami, FL 33176
(305) 237-2142
www.mdc.edu

Miami Dade College offers a variety of classes for the newbie swimmer or the intermediate swimmer for all ages. It offers parent and child classes for children six months to three years old and beginner, intermediate and advanced classes for children and teens. While your children are getting their swim on, parents can learn how to swim, practice becoming better swimmers or continue their swimming education in the beginner, intermediate and advanced swim classes. If you're really interested in ruling the pool and owning the ocean, then you should also sign up to get your lifeguard or scuba diving certification. Classes cost $88 and $130 for six-hour and 12-hour classes, respectively.

Mr. Moe's Restaurant & Bar
(credit: mrmoes.com)
Learn-To-Swim
City of Miami Parks and Recreation
Various locations throughout Miami-Dade
(305) 575-5265
www.miami.gov

The City of Miami offers the Learn-To-Swim program at a variety of Miami parks. The course is taught by Red Cross-certified instructors and features classes for children and adults of all skill levels. Each level passed graduates the swimmer to the next level, increasing their skills in the water. Classes are offered from March through November and cost $45 for Miami-Dade residents and $65 for non-Miami-Dade residents. Private lessons are also available for $160. See the website for a location near you.

Mr. Moe's Restaurant & Bar
(credit: mrmoes.com)
Infant Swimming Resource
1306 Stanford Drive
Coral Gables, FL 33133
(305) 409-0082
www.miamiisr.com

The Infant Swimming Resource program teaches children six months and up how to save themselves from drowning by showing them how to kick and float on their back so that they can cry and alert their parents that they have fallen into the pool. Andrea Clarke is one of the instructors and she holds morning and afternoon classes at the University of Miami outdoor pool. Classes are 10 minutes a day for five days a week over a four- to six-week period and cost $100 per week. You can also visit the website to find an ISR-certified instructor near you.

Related: Best Public Pools For Kids

Mr. Moe's Restaurant & Bar
(credit: mrmoes.com)
Just Swim 
12239 S.W. 53rd St., Suite 400
Cooper City, FL 33330
(954) 423-0711
www.justswim.us

Competitive swimmer Jeff Gershe started Just Swim in 1998 and since then, he's been teaching children how to swim and even train to become competitive swimmers themselves. The classes range from nine- to 10-week sessions that include 30-minute classes held six days a week. You can choose which classes you will attend and at the end of the sessions, your child will have a professional underwater photo taken as a souvenir. There are three locations to serve you throughout Broward County and tuition costs around $165. Family classes are also available.

Mr. Moe's Restaurant & Bar
(credit: mrmoes.com)
Venetian Pool
City of Coral Gables
2701 De Soto Blvd.
Coral Gables, FL 33134
(305) 460-5306
www.coralgables.com

Learning how to swim can be a chore for adults, but when you learn how to swim at one of the most beautiful pools in South Florida, the task doesn't seem so daunting. At the 820,000-gallon, spring-water-filled Venetian Pool, adults 18 and up can learn how to swim or just improve their technique with the help of Red Cross-certified instructors. Classes are small with one instructor for every two students and are held on Saturdays over a five-week session. The classes are relatively inexpensive with Coral Gables residents paying $48 per session and non-residents paying $55 per session. It's a small price to pay to learn the invaluable skill of swimming and have the opportunity to gaze upon two waterfalls while you're doing it.

Related: Best South Florida Beaches For Kids

Niema Hulin was born in Newark, NJ but raised in Lexington, South Carolina for the bulk of her formative years. In 2002, she moved to Miami after graduating from the University of Florida. Since then, Niema has worked in film, television and commercials as a Production Assistant and Production Coordinator. Some of her films have included Bad Boys II and I Am Number IV. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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