On Friday, more than 60 outdoor public (and mostly free!) pools will reopen across the five boroughs to offer a refreshing escape to New Yorkers who do not have a second house in the Hamptons, are stuck in the city because of work, or cannot afford a weekend excursion—these locations are just a few subway stops away. A second heat wave is expected for this weekend, so it is better be ready to dive into summer with the right preparations.
“New York City’s pools are incredible places for New Yorkers to come together, learn to swim, and beat the heat. During days of extreme heat, like this week—the need for public pools is greater than ever,” Mayor Eric Adams said at the first opening of the Gottesman Pool at the Davis Center—the newest addition to the city.
It is part of the mega-structure on the banks of the Harlem Meer in the Northeast corner of Central Park, which has been renovated in less than four years. In wintertime, the pool transforms into an ice rink or can be covered with turf for playing sports.
Pools are open from 11 AM to 7 PM daily, with mandatory cleaning breaks between 3 PM and 4 PM. In order to enter, you must follow some strict rules: wear a real swimsuit (no gym shorts); bring a sturdy padlock (luggage locks are not accepted); and any food, drinks, glass, newspapers, or electronic devices are prohibited. Only white T-shirts and hats are allowed on the deck to protect yourself from the sun. Pool staffers will provide free sunscreen.
For families, it is recommended to leave floaties at home, but stay in the shallow end and swim diapers are mandatory for babies — good call, considering NYC Department of Parks and Recreation was forced to close its pools 203 times due to some defecation incidents, according to Gothamist.
The following are some great public pools worth checking out.
At Astoria Park, the Olympic-sized pool, a massive WPA-era landmark, is valuable not only for its size, but also for the view between the RFK Bridge and the Hell Gate Bridge on the East River. A downside—it can get very crowded. For the same reasons, the John Jay Pool (in the Upper East Side, in front of Roosevelt Island) and the Sunset Park Pool (which is Olympic-sized as well, with a view of the Manhattan skyline) are also worth visiting.
Among the historic ones, there are the Hamilton Fish Pool, the Olympic-sized pool in Lower East Side (serving as a practice spot for the U.S. Olympic team in 1952), the Highbridge Pool in Washington Heights, built in a reservoir, and the Crotona Pool, one of the largest in the Bronx, which opened for the first time in 1936. The Lyons Pool is the oldest and largest outdoor pool in Staten Island, offering a crowd-free environment.
The Floating Pool in the Bronx is one-of-a-kind. It is a seven-lane pool that literally floats on a barge in the East River, offering a unique waterfront view.
