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Must-Have Features for Your In-Ground Minnesota Pool

Choosing to get an in-ground pool built is the first step to a summer-ready backyard - but it doesn’t end there. There are a wealth of customizations to select from once you get started. It can be hard to know what’s important. There are certain must-have features for your in-ground Minnesota pool. From practical essentials to extra-fun additions, we’ll cover the top features that make your backyard pool even better.

Essential Pool Features in Minnesota

Safety Fence and Alarm

Number one on the list of must-have pool features is a safety fence. Since winter accounts for a whopping half of the year, a safety fence is crucial both during pool season and in the off-season. Safety fences ensure that kids can’t enter the pool without an adult present and keep animals out when the snow comes around.

For homes with young kids or vulnerable adults, adding a pool alarm to your fence is a vital way to ensure safety. You can choose from a few options - gate alarms, motion sensors, or buoy alarms. 

Pool Cover

Another Minnesota must-have for your in-ground pool is a cover. A cover offers several benefits. It offers additional safety and protection. It also helps lock in temperatures overnight. Many of our clients opt for a retractable pool cover - it’s both unobtrusive and effective.

Pool Heater

With our Minnesota climate, a pool heater is one of the best investments for your in-ground pool. A heater is important for those spring, fall, and sometimes even summer days where the temperatures dip. A pool heater can reasonably extend your pool season by a month or two. 

Pool Lights

Both fun and practical, pool lights offer greater visibility both inside and outside your swimming pool. Adding swimming pool enhances the safety of your pool and also creates a beautiful glow that improves the overall ambience of your backyard. With energy-efficient LED lights and colorful options available, you’ll have virtually unlimited customization options.

Extra-Fun Additions for Minnesota Pools

While these features aren’t necessarily crucial to your pool experience, they add a lot of excitement when you host events or have the neighbors over. These are our favorite fun pool additions. 

Swim-Up Pool Bar

Number one on our fun list appeals to the adults and their age-appropriate friends just as much as kids. With a swim-up pool bar, you can serve lemonade and other icy drinks on a hot day or add an extra splash of something tasty for anyone over the age of 21. This pool feature is a luxury, but it’s a must-have if you are frequently hosting guests. That way, everything you need is right next to you, and you never have to leave the pool if you don’t want to.

Outdoor Shower

An outdoor shower can easily be one of the best decisions you make for your swimming pool. This handy tool provides a practical way for people to rinse off after a hot day before hitting the pool, and people can rinse their feet if they get dirty. With an outdoor shower close to your pool, you won’t have to work nearly as hard to keep up with cleaning and pool maintenance. 

Water and Fire Features

Another must-have for your Minnesota pool is fire and water features. While they aren’t crucial to your swimming experience per se, they are a wonderful addition to complete the ambience of your backyard.

Lining up your pool with fire bowls can add a stunning focal point, and the smoke can also double as a way to keep mosquitoes away during Minnesota summers. If fire bowls aren’t your style, adding a fire pit or glass fire table to your poolside space is a great way to include both swimmers and non-swimmers in daily events.

Adding water features like relaxing fountains or water that cascades back into the pool can create a beautiful background noise while making the pool fun for your family and guests. With built-in water fountain pumps, you can line the back side of the pool with water arches or surround your diving board with an extra splash. Another gorgeous option is adding an infinity pool feature so you can highlight your view. Otherwise, if fun is your forte, a water slide is a perfectly acceptable (and much appreciated) option for your kids.

Pool House

A pool house is extremely practical for storing all your extra pool stuff. With the gazillion floaties you naturally accrue, the collection of pool chemicals, and your outdoor patio set that needs to be stored in the winter, a pool house is a fantastic option for your space. Plus, you can easily create an outdoor living room with a retractable door and keep enjoying your space in Minnesota winters, too.

Spas and Hot Tubs

Now, onto the most relaxing must-have features for your in-ground Minnesota pool: spas and hot tubs. Perfect for summer nights, frigid fall and spring days, and cold Minnesota winters, a hot tub is the best way to extend your backyard experience past the swimming pool season. With half the year being cooler, building a hot tub or spa into your space is the best way to enjoy your backyard year-round. Plus, you can easily add a sauna to your pool house to make the space just as versatile.

In-Ground Pool Building Services in Minnesota

Between more practical essentials and fun additions, these must-have features for your in-ground Minnesota pool will have you using your backyard all year round. If you have huge hopes and dreams for your space, working with a knowledgeable building and design team is crucial.

Our Outdoor Innovations Landscaping team is based in Minnesota and specializes in luxury backyard landscaping, hardscaping, in-ground swimming pool builds, and so much more. Whatever backyard project you have in mind, we can make it happen. Curious to see our work?


Outdoor Innovations Landscaping creates elevated backyards for homeowners in Minnesota. From in-ground pools to luxurious grilling stations to outdoor living rooms, we do it all. Explore our past projects and get a quote online to make your dream backyard a reality.

It’s time you take your outdoor space to the next level.