I'm planning my vacation to Phoenix some time in the next few months. I know, it's the hottest time of year there, but it's the best time for me and I want to really experience what it's like (heat and all). Are there many public pools or beaches in the area? When it's really hot out, what do people do if they want to be outside?
Thanks!

Ummmmm....beaches? In PHX???
Nyet, nada, nunc.
The nearest real beach is Peurto Penasco (Rocky Point) at the tip of the Gulf of California (next to the Baja peninsula).
As for water access, it's everywhere in PHX...pools abound.
I've lived through many a summer here and while the heat really doesn't bother me, most avoid going out from about 11 AM until 5-6 PM during summer because it's just too much work to try to stay cool. Unless you're in a pool in the shade. But the best part of desert summers is that the evenings are gorgeous. Hot but very dry. Exercising at night in the summer is a wonderful feeling....light breezes, little perspiration due to the aridity, etc.
In answer to your question, home pools and club pools and resort pools are centerpieces of activity during summer, but not usually at mid-day. Same for other outdoor activities.
So find a nice resort and see what you think.

Consider a day of swimming and sunning at Saguaro Lake in Mesa, about 45 minutes away from Scottsdale. Easy and beautiful drive, clean resevoir water. Boat rental. There are other nearby lakes as well, but this is my favorite. The restaurant is surprisingly good, by the way.

Saguaro lake is not in Mesa; it's in the County north of Mesa and east of Scottsdale.
In reality, if you are in Phoenix from mid July through the end of August, you cannot be outside during the day and be comfortable, unless you lay motionless in the shade with access to lots of water. The evenings at that time of year are NOT pleasant either;(much nicer evenings in Tucson) they are hot, muggy and very uncomfortable. The evenings feel good for a few minutes after you walk out of an ice cold movie theater.Evenings during May and June are different and are in fact very nice.
As far as Saguaro lake, water activity is fine, especially if you keep falling into the lake; but to sit on the rough sandy beach and "sun yourself" is a bit crazy when it is 110-115 degrees.
Unless you have access to a pool, there is nothing to do (or can do) outside during the day. Public pools are around; nice one at Cactus and Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale; 32nd Street and Cactus in Phoenix; one in Sunnyslope and elsewhere.

Thanks for the information!

I'm just curious - since it gets so hot during the summer months, what do the children do during the day when they're on their summer break?

The Phoenix kids sit home in the air conditioning, hang out in the air-conditioned mall, go to the air-conditioned movie theatre, or perhaps go to the pool for a while, then go to their air-conditioned homes or malls or movie theatres.

They tend not to go to the beach.

Funny you should ask about the Phoenix kids....I grew up out here and left after high school Lived all over the US and came back about 8 years ago...I just finished a study of pediatric injuries treated in emergency rooms and guess what == while other states are experiencing peak injury rates for bikes and other outdoor activities == we are at our LOWEST (July and August).

I personnaly don't think that all of July and August are misearble, just parts of it and since it stays light so long there is still plenty to do...and we have a couple of water parks that kids especially like too...

I always find the Phoenix summer heat questions a bit ironic;
what do you think people in the north do during November, December and January ALL day? They certainly don't hang around outdoors (unless skiing/sledding etc). And they all seem to have survived just fine...for centuries!
So people in Phoenix don't like going outside for long periods a few hours a day during summer. Big deal. It's not nearly as limiting as northern winter conditions.

I know it's not that big a deal that people don't go outside during the heat. In Chicago, they're stuck inside for months! (Mainly the younger ones). I was just curious if kids didn't mind the heat or if they stayed inside to get away from it.

I lived in Phoenix for four years. My daughter was in swim club so I did hang around a few pools in august. It was pure misery. When I lived there, pediatric emergency rooms were kept busy with plenty of pediatric trauma, an epidemic of drownings!! I hope that's improved.

I would have to agree with Mary about what the kids do all day. In Chicago during the winter, the kids are in school all day. If kids that are home from school for their summer breaks have to stay inside all day, that probably gets tough. Especially for the younger kids who can't go to the malls.
Too bad they can't switch the schedule around so kids are in an air-conditioned school during the summer heat. Oh well, just voicing my opinion. I've heard Phoenix is a wonderful place in spite of the heat!

Teri, You are right about the drownings in Phoenix. Unfortunately there is no season where they don't occur. The rates have improved over the past few years but a big problems is toddlers drowning in buckets of water sometimes only a few inches deep.

Also, to anyone else thinking about the kids sitting around all day during the summer, they don't have to..Phoenix Parks and Recreation has a great activity program held at schools around the city from 830 a.m. till 230 pm for eight weeks and it only costs around $25 for the entire summer. That program includes swim parties at the public pools and all kinds of great activities for elementary age kids. Middle and high school kids can volunteer..

If you are coming to Pboenix in the summer with kids there are all kinds of great places to take them in the middle of the day.

And I will take Phoenix in August over Chicago in December, January, and February any day!!!

I thought all Phoenix kids went to California beaches in the summer.

For all of you who live in the Phoenix area, I can't believe that NONE of you thought to mention Big Surf, an artificial wave pool (yes, with sand, although not technically a beach). It is also a water park with activities for all ages of children and adults.
Additionally, the indoor Kyrene wave pool at Kiwanis park in Tempe is a lot of fun for kids 7-14. Of course, they should know how to swim here. Sometimes they show movies at night while you float in the wave pool. I would include at least one of these in your visit. There are other water parks in town, as well.