Neither: Lakes! Nothing beats swimming out to a floating dock and sunning.

Am not a swimmer, but I would prefer the pool. But it would have to be my private pool (i.e, no screaming kids and idiots doing cannon balls). x

In this order:
1. Beach
2. Lake
3. Pool

I like them all, but the beach rules.

^^Agreed

All are great but, c'mon... beach takes the cake

Beach for the win.

Beach!! Forget the pool.

BEACH! The sand, the water, nothing beats a beautiful beach. I worry more about stuff floating around in the water with a pool. Yuck.

Lake (such as Tahoe)
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Beach
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Pool

... beach sand gets into everything: sandwiches, fruit, bathing suits...
one vote for pools.

Beach, hands down! I'll swim in a pool if nothing else is around, but not a fan of that chlorine smell...

Beach, it's the sound.

Both! Head to the beach in the morning and then hop in the pool (after rinsing off). Read a book on the veranda until lunch, play a round of whist or nap, and then head back to the beach in the evening, finishing it off with a dip in the hot tub after dinner.

well, i suppose i prefer the beach. but i'd take just about anything at this point. sprinkler, spray bottle, horse trough...

Ding! Ding! Ding! Sealbeachy hits the nail on the head. The waves promote relaxation.

I'm a water person, descended from water people. Swam competitively growing up. Sailed on LI Sound, and off Marblehead. Swimming laps in a pool is a form of meditation for me. But, the waves! Oh, the waves!

Beach on the Great Lakes is by far the best. I'm not a fan of the salt, but you still get the fun waves to splash in and get thrown around by. But then I also grew up there.

Ocean beach is next, followed by lakes (as long as they have a beach area with some sand), followed by pools.

They both lose. The best place in the world in the Summer is drinking iced-teainside an adobe building or in a vine-covered patio in Santa Fe. Problems with beaches? Sand. Sea. Sun. Glare. Problems with pools? Sun. Concrete. Glare.

Definitely the beach! When I was growing up we went to the beach once a week or more in the summers. I need the noise of crashing waves and seagulls!

Pool
Unless I'm in the Caribbean, then both!

Beach....duh.

Beach.......or lake.

I guess pool, since I wouldn't swim in the ocean. It's cold, polluted, and there might be rip tides out there!

The beach also has lots of people which makes me feel uncomfortable too. BUT! There are ice cream shops there too.

But I like the lake idea. That combines both into one. Sandy AND swimmable. Can't go wrong with that.

My weekends....I go to the beach in the morning (live 5 minutes away from Wailea on Maui), I stand up paddle (I'm still learning so I use that term loosely), lie on the beach and just hang out in the blue green water up to my neck while looking at the beautiful view.

Then, when the wind picks up, I go home and swim 40 laps in the above ground pool.

But, there are a ton of people swimming in the ocean, just not me.

Pool, every time. No sand fleas, no jellyfish, no "fish water" smell to wash off after.

Play in the ocean then swim in the pool, it always feels so nice to get in the calm pool after getting tossed around in the pool I love it. I also like lakes, rivers, and large tubs just get me into the water.

Beach for sure! I recently got converted when I lived about a mile away for a few months and Oohh....what I was missing....

The beach. There's nothing better than the smell of salty air, the sound of waves hitting the shore and the sight of cute surfers helps too!

Which beach? Which pool? The pool at the Hearst Castle with a view of the beach....

Pool and for the same reasons csc76 said.

I don't really enjoy swimming in a warm public pool shared with drunks.. however...my own pool I love, but nothing beats the beach for summer lounging.

How about rocky beaches without sand--I prefer beaches in the PNW--cool, relaxing, good for walking and scrambling.

Both. But beach first.

Both. But beach first.

Just got back from Vacation @ Myrtle Beach SC. I'm in "Both" camp! Spend a few hours in the surf and then relax in the pool / hot tub. Nothing compares to getting beat down by mother nature in the ocean but when you can't take her no more...head for the swimming pool. I actually prefer the smell of chlorine when out for a swim. Growing up in the midwest...that's what I associate with summer. That and the smell of suntan lotion!

beach. although they are definitely not created equal.

to even consider dealing with chlorine these days the pools would need to be a gansevoort rooftop/ south beach cabana vibe to make up for it.

hmm...swimming in a pool is like swimming in a GIANT BATHTUB..the water flowing through other people's 'privates is the same water flowing into your eyes and mouth. Yeah sure it may have chlorine or other cleaner...but would you let someone pour that water over their body parts and onto your face afterwards? Didnt think so

Pool. -

people have been dragged off by waves before. Def pool if im tryin to go swimming and come-back-alive after the dip.

Beach......

Beach.

Beach! I love the beaches here in the PNW but not for swimming. I really miss those summers at the Jersey Shore! Well ~1960 Shore. We have a river for swimming and sunning and boating and fishing. Not as safe as the shore, but not all the people in the pool either. Just the fish and other wildlife. Life is wild and dangerous whether you know it or not. Get used to it.

Beach... Sand. Waves. Perfection.