What do I need to leave the pool without getting dried and dressed again?

Switch to a two piece swimsuit and whip off the bottoms when getting in the car. You could even have a pair of undies to replace them with if you are bothered about driving home knickerless.

I do like a changing village setup when going with DC.

At swimming lesson times it is total carnage (up to 6 classes of up to 12 in the pool at the same time, changing every 30min), so takes up the full changing capacity. With boys aged 5 - 8, it is awkward otherwise - they don't want to go in the ladies, but it is not ideal sending them on their own. Safety aside, they will take all day and drop their clothes in a puddle.

I hate it during public swimming sessions though. Worst is the men who turn their back then root around in their shorts with soap in the showers. And the smell of piss in the changing cubicles.

No need ro buy anything extra… dry yourself well, clothes, shoes, coat back on and drive home. I used to do this and workout really well. Used a towelling bath robe to dry faster btw.

Why can’t there be a few family cubicles which are separate from the main ‘village’? Then opposite sexed children wouldn’t need to be in those cha gong rooms. I’ve seen them at other pools.

Am I the only woman who feels much more comfortable in a changing village with cubicles than an open plan women's changing room?!

@Namechangeforthis88 I’m not a swimmer but those dryrobe-but-in-tracksuit-format are genius

A sensible design for a public pool is:

1. One large open-plan men's changing room with showers and loos that you go through to get to the pool.
2. One large open-plan women's changing room with showers and loos that you go through to get to the pool.
3. A camera-monitored corridor from reception to the pool that is the staff/non-swimming parent/instructor route to the pool. The corridor is angled such that the reception staff can see down it. Off this corridor are:

• Two family-sized, wheelchair-accessible changing rooms with a curtained shower in the corner.
• A wheelchair-accessible toilet, ideally a Changing Places toilet.

Changing villages are a huge risk to everyone bar adult men. They are especially a risk to women and girls visiting the pool alone.

From someone who regularly drives home from teaching water sport sessions without getting properly changed.

1. Keep your car seat dry. Your suit will hold enough water to make it damp and your seats will get musty.
2. Footwear that you can drive well in.
3. Sythetic is far better than natural material. (Rash vest for me, basic oversized gym t shirt probably ideal for you).

In your position I’d go crocs / flip flops / sandals, oversized sports t shirt, men’s board shorts (elastic waist, easy to get on in sweaty changing rooms), and then a waterproof backed picnic blanket on the car seat.

Some kind of big coat / blanket kept in boot of car in case or road closures.

They do have the advantages of avoiding children having to venture into opposite sexed facilities on their own.

Everyone on MN thinks about little girls dignity, nobody seems to give a shit about little boys just 8 year old expected to navigate the men's on their own.

Where i am the changing village have a half roof on the cubicles to stop people standing on the bench and looking over the top.

In that case I’d go for this towelling dress.

https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-zip-towelling-dress-navy/p4203218

I swim in a lake so theres no shower there. My routine is..
Put on a long microfiber swim poncho after getting out, then take togs off immediately. The poncho dries you. It's cold here so I put a regatta version of the dryrobe on top. Normal shoes and socks.
I wouldn't go into a shop like that but it does for the drive home.

Pull on some uggs. Apparently they are designed to be worn without socks.

Not after the gym (because I go to a posh one where I can shower without men!) but after sea swimming I opt for microfiber towel poncho, then Dryrobe and crocs. Add some baggy joggers and socks if it's cold.

It says in the OP that she’ll drive home!

With the kids the family changing village is actually much easier. They have family sized rooms so the dad can help or you don't have to send your 8 year old boy in alone. We never shower there though. In the summer the kids used a towelling poncho and crocs (I've just bought some adult ones for camping from OHS) and in the winter they quicky taken off their costume and into a onesie. They shower at home.
For an adult in the winter I'd go for a towelling poncho under a dry robe. I can't stand the feeling of the inner material when wet!

I sometimes come home from the pool with wet hair and use one of those hair wrap towels / turban towel things. So much better than just using a normal towel. They are shaped and have a button on the front, plus your wet hair doesn't freeze on the car park.

This is why I won’t use the council owned leisure centre. I hate showering and getting changed next to men.

I’ve got this onesie on the grounds that it doesn’t look as much like a onesie as some. I don’t put anything on underneath.

I’ve also got a towelling tracksuit which is super warm. It’s an either or situation though and I’m just naked apart from the onesie or the tracksuit. Obviously I go straight home.

https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-borg-zip-neck-onesie/p114028027

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-borg-zip-neck-onesie/microchip/p114028027?size=S&s_ppc=2dx_mixed_fashion_BAU&tmad=c&tmcampid=2&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20158968379&gbraid=0AAAAAD2el1xdFwp93yVuhyZLRqLhFqx4Z&gclid=Cj0KCQiAg63LBhDtARIsAJygHZ6rXR2lefKlp3iESP9DWdlwzymhWXpjLJ-X0Nuj2SO9_VS3aYC3EAQaAksAEALw_wcB

Not at my gym (because it sounds like your first one and has individual shower cubicles and changing ones too) but I swim at a lake and throw my dry robe on afterwards, wriggle off my wet cossie,
flip flops on and dash to the car to drive home for a hot shower. Couldn’t be simpler.

A fleece onesie with a big jacket or dry robe over the top?

I get you, I have bannatyne membership and the changing rooms are lush, include good hairdryers and GHD straighteners. The local leisure centre is rank, they're dirty, overcrowded, communal showers and no decent area to dry hair etc.