NYC Public Pools to Cool Off In This Summer
Wow it is hot! Like stay inside or situate the family near sprinklers or a pool kind of hot. Taking a dip in the pool is arguably the most popular way to cool down under the summer sun.
Luckily, NYC public pools will be open for the season starting tomorrow, June 27!
You may already have your favorite but we’ve rounded up some of our favorite public pools in NYC so you know all of your options.
So pack up the sunscreen, goggles, and towels and get ready for pool time in the city!
Psst… Here are the Water Playgrounds and Sprinkler Parks in New York!
Manhattan
Abe Lincoln Pool – East Harlem
The outdoor mini pool at Abe Lincoln Pool in East Harlem is a good spot in the neighborhood to cool off on a hot day. When not swimming, kids can play on the playground, in the spray showers or on the basketball courts.
Where: E 135th St. and 5th Ave.
Asser Levy Pool – Kips Bay
With an intermediate pool and a wading pool, there’s something for everyone at Asser Levy Pool. The wading pool is perfect for families with young kids who just want to beat the heat, and the intermediate pool, at four feet deep, is a good choice for more intermediate swimmers.
Where: E. 23rd St. and Asser Levy Place
Dry Dock Pool — East Village
For a more local spot to let off steam during the summer months, head on down to Dry Dock Pool in East Village. Here, children can work up a sweat on the playground and basketball court then cool off in one of the two clean, kid-friendly pools.
Both pools, one at three feet deep and the other at one and a half foot deep, offer lifeguard supervision, which makes Dry Dock Pool an ideal place for families with beginner swimmers.
Where: E. 10th St. between Aves. C and D
Frederick Douglass Pool – Upper West Side
Frederick Douglass Playground features a mini pool. It’s also the only public pool on the Upper West Side, so it’s sure to be a popular pick! While it’s not an Olympic-sized swimming pool like you’d might find at other parks, it’s a good choice for families on the Upper West Side looking to cool off.
Where: Amsterdam Ave between 100th and 102nd St.
Hamilton Fish Park – East Village
This East Village pool is, to many residents, Manhattan’s best public pool! Like many of the parks with pools, this park has two pools of different sizes!
There is the wading pool for the younger ones, and an Olympic-size pool that both older kids and adults can enjoy. After your swim, you can stop at the nearby park and picnic area to continue enjoying the day.
Where: Pitt Street and E. Houston Street
Highbridge Pool – Washington Heights
With an Olympic pool and a wading pool, Highbridge Pool has been a neighborhood favorite long before it was featured in In the Heights. When you’re not swimming, you can play in the spray showers, on the playgrounds or on a skate park.
Where: Amsterdam Ave and W 173rd St.
Jackie Robinson Park – Harlem
Located in Harlem, this park has an Olympic-size pool that gets plenty of shade to better protect swimmers from the sun’s rays. And, there’s no need for a kiddie pool as this one only goes as deep as 3.5 feet.
But if anyone in your family is not interested in swimming, there is also a sprayground and playground right on the pool deck!
Where: 145th Street at Bradhurst Avenue
John Jay Pool — Upper East Park
Nestled in the back of an Upper East Side park, John Jay Pool is a staple for Uptown Manhattanites. This gorgeous 145-foot pool is perfect for swimming laps or for watching boats go by in the East River.
As one of the only outdoor pools in NYC with a diving area, John Jay Pool is a hit for children and adults alike. Be sure to arrive at least 30 minutes before it opens, as long lines form quickly, lounge chairs fill up fast, and there is a limited number of people allowed inside.
Where: East of York Avenue on 77th St.
Marcus Garvey Park – Harlem
The Marcus Garvey pool is right in the middle of the famous park and has a maximum depth of 4 feet. It is also surrounded by a large pool deck for guests to chill out on between dips.
Where: 124th Street at Fifth Avenue
Sheltering Arms Pool – West Harlem
The wading pool and intermediate pools at Sheltering Arms max out of depths of 1.5 feet and 3.5 feet respectively, making them good options for families and early swimmers. Take advantage of the comfortable chairs and umbrellas on the pool deck.
Where: W. 129th St. and Amsterdam Ave.
Thomas Jefferson Pool – East Harlem
Located within Thomas Jefferson Park, Thomas Jefferson Pool is just one of many things to do on a summer day. It’s also located right by barbecuing areas, so your family can have a full day of fun at the pool!
Where: E. 112th St and First Ave.
Vesuvio Pool – South Village
Vesuivo Playground is one of the few greenspaces in the South Village, complete with a three-foot mini pool, sandboxes, spray showers and more.
Where: Thompson St. between Spring & Prince St.
Wagner Pool – East Harlem
Just having opened in the summer of 2019, this is a medium-size pool in East Harlem, and it’s surrounded by cool, colorful walls and beach chairs. There is also a wading pool on-site so kids of all ages and skill levels can enjoy themselves.
Where: E. 124th Street between First and Second Avenue
Queens
Astoria Park – Astoria
Astoria Park’s pool is the largest in the city and is a whopping 330 feet in length. The wading area for little kids is actually not a separate pool, but a section that is roped off so that the little ones can be in the same pool as everyone else while remaining safe!
Where: 19th Street and 23rd Drive
Fisher Pool – East Elmhurst
Enjoy the water while you admire the adorable penguin mural at this pool in East Elmhurst!
Where: 99th Street at 32nd Avenue
Fort Totten Pool – Fort Totten
Splash in Fort Totten Park’s three pools while enjoying views of the scenic and historic park that surrounds them.
Where: 338 Story Ave
Liberty Pool – Jamaica
Located in the Detective Keith L. Williams Park, this pool is somewhat small in comparison to the rest on this list, but also has a nice, relaxing wading pool. This pool is also one of the city’s “cool pools,” so it gets plenty of shade provided by the umbrellas surrounding it.
Where: 173rd Street at 106th Avenue
Where: 211th St and 46th Ave
Brooklyn
Sunset Park – Sunset Park
The park is home to an Olympic-size pool from which you can enjoy views of lower Manhattan, the Statue of Liberty, and the harbor!
Where: 7th Avenue between 41st and 44th Street
Betsy Head Park – Brownsville
This Brownsville-based pool is located in the park, which has gone through various renovations, including a new playground overhaul. The pool is Olympic-size and has a maximum depth of 4 feet.
Where: Boyland Street between Livonia and Dumont Avenue
Kosciuszko Pool – Bed-Stuy
Head over to Bed-Stuy for a dip in this Olympic-size pool that is also accompanied by a wading pool and often praised for its cleanliness!
Where: Marcy Avenue between DeKalb Avenue and Kosciuszko Street
McCarren Park Pool – Border of Williamsburg and Greenpoint
Head to this very popular and beloved Olympic-sized pool at McCarren Park for plenty of room to splash and swim. If the kids are tired of the pool head to the turtle park next door and cool off at the sprinklers.
Where: Lorimer St & Driggs Ave
Bronx
The Floating Pool — Barretto Point Park
“The Floating Pool Lady” in Barretto Point Park is a must-have on your summer bucket list. This seven-lane pool sits atop a moveable barge in the East River, offering a waterfront view that will delight even the youngest of swimmers.
Children can splash in the sprinklers or dry off with a picnic on the lawn area surrounding the pool.
Where: Tiffany Street & Viele Avenue
Crotona Pool – Crotona
In Crotona, this park houses both an Olympic-size pool and an awesome sprayground right on the deck for the kids to enjoy if they’re not quite ready for the big pool!
Where: E. 173rd Street and Fulton Avenue
Mullaly Park – Morrisania
Mullaly Park in Morrisania, South Bronx has a medium-size pool and a wading pool. And, spend the day enjoying the park which boasts a playground and sprinklers to play in, greenery and a skate park!
Where: E. 164th Street between Jerome and River Avenue
Haffen Park – Baychester
The park, based in Baychester, has a medium-size pool and a wading pool in a separate area.
Where: Burke Avenue at Ely Avenue
Staten Island
Lyons Pool – Westerleigh
This large pool is located in Westerleigh near the Staten Island Railway, buses and Staten Island Ferry terminal, making it accessible for commuters from other boroughs.
Where: Pier 6 and Victory Boulevard
Tottenville Pool – Tottenville
Tottenville has both an intermediate-size main pool and a wading pool. When you’re done splashing, visit the nearby playground while you dry off. This is another one of the few pools that have “cool pool treatment,” so it’s perfect for those who are not the biggest fans of the blazing sun!
