NYC Public Pools to Cool Off This Summer – New York Family

NYC’s public pools open seasonally on June 27

Public pools in NYC to cool off this summer

Wow, it’s hot! For example, stay indoors or place the family near sprinklers or a rather hot pool. Taking a dip in the pool is perhaps the most popular way to cool off under the summer sun.

Luckily, NYC’s public pools will be open for the season starting tomorrow, June 27th!

You may already have your favorite, but we’ve rounded up some of our favorite public pools in NYC so you know all your options.

So grab the sunshadegoggles 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 mini outdoor pool at Abe Lincoln Pool in East Harlem is a great neighborhood spot to cool off on a hot day. When they’re not swimming, kids can play in the playground, spray showers, or basketball courts.

Where: E 135th St. and 5th Ave.

Asser Levy pool – Kipsbaai

With an intermediate pool and a paddling pool, there is something for everyone at Asser Levy Pool. The paddling pool is perfect for families with young children who just want to beat the heat, and the intermediate pool, at 4 feet deep, is a good choice for more intermediate swimmers.

Where: E. 23rd St. and Asser Levy Place

Dry dock pool – Oostdorp

For a more local spot to let off steam during the summer months, check out Dry Dock Pool in the East Village. Here, children can work up a sweat on the playground and basketball court and then cool off in one of the two clean, child-friendly swimming pools.

Both pools, one meter deep and the other more than fifty centimeters, are supervised by lifeguards. This makes Dry Dock Pool an ideal place for families with novice 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 definitely a popular choice! While it’s not an Olympic-sized pool like you’d find at other parks, it’s a good choice for Upper West Side families looking to cool off.

Where: Amsterdam Ave between 100th and 102nd St.

Hamilton Fish Park – Oostdorp

For many residents, this East Village pool is the best public pool in Manhattan! Like many parks with swimming pools, this park has two swimming pools of different sizes!

There is a paddling pool for the little ones, and an Olympic-sized swimming pool for older children and adults alike to enjoy. After your swim, 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 size swimming pool and a wading pool, Highbridge Pool was a local favorite long before it arrived in the area In the Heights. When you’re not swimming, you can play in the spray showers, on the playgrounds or at a skate park.

Where: Amsterdam Ave and W 173rd St.

Jackie Robinson Park – Haarlem

Located in Harlem, this park features an Olympic-sized 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 down to four feet.

But if anyone in your family isn’t interested in swimming, there is also a spray ground and playground right on the pool deck!

Where: 145th Street at Bradhurst Avenue

John Jay pool — Upper East Park

Nestled in the back of a park on the Upper East Side, John Jay Pool is a staple for Uptown Manhattanites. This beautiful 150-foot pool is perfect for swimming laps or watching boats go by in the East River.

As one of the few outdoor pools in New York with a diving area, John Jay Pool is a hit with kids and adults alike. Make sure you arrive at least 30 minutes before opening as long lines form quickly, the lounge chairs fill up quickly and a limited number of people are allowed inside.

Where: East of York Avenue at 77th St.

Marcus Garvey Park – Haarlem

The Marcus Garvey swimming pool is located in the middle of the famous park and has a maximum depth of 1.20 meters. It is also surrounded by a large pool terrace where guests can relax between dives.

Where: 124th Street at Fifth Avenue

Protective weapon pool – West Harlem

The paddling pool and intermediate pools at Sheltering Arms are up to 1.5 meters and 1.20 meters deep, making them good options for families and early swimmers. Take advantage of the comfortable chairs and umbrellas on the pool terrace.

Where: W. 129th St. and Amsterdam Ave.

Thomas Jefferson Pool – East Harlem

Thomas Jefferson Pool, located in Thomas Jefferson Park, is just one of the many things you can do on a summer day. It’s also close to the BBQ areas, so your family can have a whole day of fun by the pool!

Where: E. 112th St and First Ave.

Vesuvio swimming pool – Zuiddorp

Vesuivo Playground is one of the few green spaces in South Village, complete with a three-foot mini pool, sandboxes, spray showers and more.

Where: Thompson St. between Spring and Prince St.

Wagner Pool – East Harlem

This is a medium-sized pool in East Harlem that just opened in the summer of 2019 and is surrounded by cool, colorful walls and beach chairs. There is also a wading pool on site, so kids of all ages and abilities can have fun.

Where: E. 124th Street between First and Second Avenues

Queens

Astoria Park – Astoria

The swimming pool at Astoria Park is the largest in the city and is no less than 100 meters long. The wading area for the small children is not actually a separate pool, but an area that is cordoned off so that the little ones can be safe in the same pool as everyone else!

Where: 19th Street and 23rd Drive

Fisherman’s pool – East Elmhurst

Enjoy the water while admiring the adorable penguin mural at this East Elmhurst pool!

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 it.

Where: 338 Story Ave

Freedom pool – Jamaica

Located in Detective Keith L. Williams Park, this pool is a bit small compared to the rest on this list, but it also has a nice, relaxing wading pool. This pool is also one of the city’s ‘cool pools’, so there is plenty of shade thanks to the parasols surrounding it.

Where: 173rd Street and 106th Avenue

Where: 211th St and 46th Ave

Brooklyn

Sunset Park – Sunset Park

The park is home to an Olympic-sized swimming 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 pool is located within the park, which has undergone several renovations, including a new playground renovation. The swimming pool has an Olympic size and a maximum depth of 1.20 meters.

Where: Boyland Street between Livonia and Dumont Avenue

Kosciuszko Swimming Pool – Bed Stuy

Head to Bed-Stuy for a dip in this Olympic-sized pool. It also features a paddling pool and is often praised for its beauty!

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 in McCarren Park for plenty of space to splash and swim. When the kids get 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” at Barretto Point Park is a must-have on your summer bucket list. Located atop a movable barge in the East River, this seven-lane pool offers water views that will delight even the youngest swimmers.

Children can splash in the sprinklers or dry off during a picnic on the lawn around the pool.

Where: Tiffany Street and Viele Avenue

Crotona swimming pool – Crotona

In Crotona, this park is home to both an Olympic-sized pool and a great 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-sized swimming pool and a wading pool. And spend the day enjoying the park with a playground and sprinklers to play in, greenery and a skate park!

Where: E. 164th Street between Jerome and River Avenues

Haffenpark – Baychester

The park, located in Baychester, has a medium-sized swimming pool and a paddling pool in a separate area.

Where: Burkelaan and Elylaan

Staten Island

Lyon swimming pool – Westerleigh

This large pool is located in Westerleigh, close to the Staten Island Railway, buses and the Staten Island Ferry terminal, making it accessible to commuters from other parts of the city.

Where: Pier 6 and Victory Boulevard

Tottenville Pool – Tottenville

Tottenville has both a medium-sized main swimming pool and a paddling pool. Once you’re done splashing around, visit the nearby playground while you dry off. This is another one of the few pools with a ‘cool pool treatment’, so perfect for those who are not the biggest fans of the scorching sun!

Where: Hylan Boulevard and Joline Avenue

Additional reporting by Alexandra Feingold, Mia Salas and Sara Marine Frommell