Last verified: April 2026. Pool count, hours, rules, and lap swim locations confirmed against NYC Parks. Individual pool closures for construction can happen, check nycgovparks.org before visiting.
New York City has 79 free outdoor public swimming pools, up from 54 when this page was first written, spread across all five boroughs and open every summer at no charge. No membership. No fee. No catch. The season runs from late June through the Sunday after Labor Day, and pools are open daily from 11am to 7pm (with a cleaning break from 3 to 4pm). Private rooftop pools in the city charge $40 to $300 a day. The public pools charge nothing. This page covers what you need to know before showing up, highlights the standout pools in each borough, and explains the adult lap swim program that returned in 2025 after a COVID hiatus.
📋 What You Need to Know
🗓️
Season, Hours, and Rules
All 79 NYC Parks Outdoor Pools
Free
Late June – Labor Day
Hours
11am – 3pm and 4pm – 7pm daily. Closed 3–4pm for cleaning.
The season typically opens the last Friday of June and runs through the Sunday after Labor Day. All pools follow the same hours and rules. On hot days lines form early, arriving at opening (11am) or right at 4pm after the cleaning break gives you the best chance of getting in without a long wait. The city may distribute timed-entry bracelets on extremely busy days to manage crowds.
Bathing suit requiredShorts are not allowed. Your suit must have a lining. Staff check before letting you onto the pool deck.
Bring a combination lockRequired to use the lockers. Luggage locks are not accepted. Everything except your towel goes in the locker.
Shower before the pool deckMandatory. Staff stand outside the locker room and send you back if you are not visibly wet.
White shirts and hats onlyPlain white shirts and white hats are allowed on deck. No colored shirts. This is a change from prior years.
No electronics on deckLeave your phone in the locker. No food, glass bottles, or newspapers on the pool deck either.
Free sunscreen providedNYC Parks provides free sunscreen at all public pools. New as of recent seasons.
⭐ Standout Pools by Borough
🌳
Gottesman Pool. Central Park
Mid-park between 106th and 108th Streets, Manhattan
Free
New 2025
Largest in NYC
What Makes It Special
285 × 120 ft, the largest public pool in NYC. Brand new in 2025, part of the $160M Davis Center project.
The most significant new public pool in the city in decades. Gottesman Pool opened in June 2025 as the centerpiece of the Davis Center in Central Park, replacing the old Lasker Pool near Harlem Meer. The organically shaped oval pool measures 285 by 120 feet, larger than Olympic size, and was designed to blend into the park's natural landscape. The surrounding area reconnects the Harlem Meer with the North Woods. Locker rooms, restrooms, and picnic areas are all on-site. Expect it to be the most talked-about public pool in the city for years to come.
Size
285 × 120 ft (larger than Olympic)
Location
Central Park, near Harlem Meer
Phone
(212) 310-6650
🏛️
Hamilton Fish Pool
Pitt Street and Houston Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan
Free
Olympic Size
Adult Lap Swim
What Makes It Special
Olympic-size main pool plus a separate wading pool. One of Manhattan's adult lap swim locations.
One of the biggest and most beloved pools in Manhattan: an Olympic-size lap pool in the Lower East Side, paired with a wading pool for younger swimmers. No lounge furniture, so bring towels to sit on. Hamilton Fish is one of five citywide pools designated for the adult lap swim program, open Monday/Wednesday/Friday from 7am to 8:30am during the summer season. The recreation center next door offers year-round indoor swimming with a membership.
Dimensions
165 × 98 ft (Olympic)
Location
Pitt St & Houston St, LES
Phone
(212) 387-7687
🌉
Highbridge Pool
Amsterdam Avenue and 173rd Street, Washington Heights, Manhattan
Free
Olympic Size
What Makes It Special
Two Olympic-size pools at the same location, right next to the Harlem River. Historic 1936 WPA bathhouse.
One of the original 1936 Robert Moses public pools, Highbridge sits along the Harlem River in Washington Heights with two full Olympic-size pools at the same facility. The WPA-era bathhouse is a landmark. It has been featured in the film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's In the Heights. Outdoor co-ed lockers and showers available. A classic New York summer experience, and noticeably less crowded than the downtown Manhattan pools.
Location
Amsterdam Ave & 173rd St
Borough
Washington Heights, Manhattan
🏙️
McCarren Park Pool
Lorimer Street inside McCarren Park, Williamsburg/Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Free
37,950 sq ft
What Makes It Special
37,950 square feet of pool. 8 dedicated lap lanes. One of the most popular pools in the city.
The crown jewel of Brooklyn's public pools. McCarren Park Pool is a massive outdoor pool with 8 dedicated lap lanes, rare for a public facility, situated on the Williamsburg/Greenpoint border. It was famously used as a concert venue before being renovated and reopened as a pool in 2012. Expect lines on hot weekends, but the size means it rarely feels as crowded as it looks from the outside. Close to the L and G trains.
Size
37,950 sq ft / 8 lap lanes
Location
Lorimer St, Williamsburg/Greenpoint
Transit
L to Graham Ave or G to Nassau
⚓
Red Hook Pool
Bay Street and Henry Street, Red Hook, Brooklyn
Free
Olympic Size
What Makes It Special
Full Olympic-size pool in one of Brooklyn's most underrated neighborhoods. Less crowded than other borough pools.
Red Hook Pool is another 1936 WPA originals, Red Hook is a full Olympic-size outdoor pool with a large recreation area in a Brooklyn neighborhood that doesn't get nearly enough summer foot traffic. If you're willing to make the trip to Red Hook (and combine it with a stop at nearby Fairway or the waterfront), this is one of the least crowded large pools in the city. A good pick when the Williamsburg and Park Slope-adjacent pools are packed.
Location
Bay St & Henry St, Red Hook
Borough
Brooklyn
🌊
Astoria Park Pool
19th Street and 23rd Drive, Astoria, Queens
Free
Olympic Trials History
Adult Lap Swim
What Makes It Special
Hosted US Olympic swim trials in 1936, 1952, and 1964. One of the largest pools in the city, under the Hell Gate Bridge.
Astoria Park Pool is legitimately one of the most impressive public pools in the country. The main pool is a massive 330 × 165 ft main pool framed by the Hell Gate and RFK Triborough Bridges, with the East River just beyond. Designed by the WPA in 1935–1936, it served as the Olympic Trials venue three times. The pool area is a designated NYC landmark. It's also one of the five adult lap swim locations (Mon/Wed/Fri 7–8:30am, July through August). Views here are genuinely spectacular.
Main Pool
330 × 165 ft
Location
Astoria, Queens, riverfront
Phone
(718) 626-8620
🚢
The Floating Pool Lady
Barretto Point Park, Tiffany Street & Viele Avenue, Hunts Point, The Bronx
Free
Only One in the US
What Makes It Special
The only floating pool in the United States. A retrofitted barge with a 7-lane pool docked on the East River in the Bronx.
There is nothing else like this in the country. The Floating Pool Lady is a 260-foot cargo barge that was retrofitted with a half-Olympic-size, 7-lane pool, locker rooms with showers, bathrooms, and a spray station for kids. You walk across a gangplank to board it. It has been permanently docked at Barretto Point Park in Hunts Point since 2008, managed by NYC Parks and completely free. The views of the East River and the city skyline from the pool deck are unlike anything at a standard facility. Commissioned by the Neptune Foundation, inspired by the 15 floating bathhouses that once lined the Hudson and East Rivers in the 1800s.
Pool
Half-Olympic, 7 lanes
Location
Hunts Point, The Bronx
Access
6 train to Hunts Point Ave
Worth the trip: Hunts Point is not the most convenient destination from most of the city, but the Floating Pool is a genuine NYC experience. Plan to make a day of it.
🏝️
Lyons Pool Recreation Center
Staten Island
Free
Adult Lap Swim
What Makes It Special
Staten Island's adult lap swim location. Indoor and outdoor pools at the same facility.
Lyons Pool is Staten Island's designated adult lap swim location, one of only five pools citywide where adults can swim laps without interruption during the morning hours from July through August. The recreation center also has an indoor pool for year-round swimming with a membership. For Staten Island residents. It is the most feature-rich public swimming facility in the borough.
Borough
Staten Island
Lap Swim
Mon/Wed/Fri 7–8:30am (summer)
🏊 Adult Lap Swim. Returned in 2025
⏰
Free Adult Lap Swim. One Pool Per Borough
Five locations citywide, July through August
Free
Lap Swim
Back in 2025
Hours
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 7:00am to 8:30am. Registration is free and done poolside.
Adult lap swim returned in summer 2025 after a five-year hiatus that started with COVID and was extended by lifeguard shortages. The program runs Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from 7am to 8:30am at one designated pool per borough. No reservation needed in advance, register poolside during early-bird hours. You get lanes to yourself without the general swim crowd. Senior Splash runs at the same locations and times for older adults.
| Borough | Pool | Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Manhattan | Hamilton Fish Pool. Pitt St & Houston St | Mon / Wed / Fri, 7–8:30am |
| Brooklyn | Kosciuszko Pool. Marcy Ave & DeKalb Ave | Mon / Wed / Fri, 7–8:30am |
| Queens | Astoria Park Pool: 19th St & 23rd Dr | Mon / Wed / Fri, 7–8:30am |
| The Bronx | Van Cortlandt Park Pool: 242nd St & Broadway | Mon / Wed / Fri, 7–8:30am |
| Staten Island | Lyons Pool Recreation Center | Mon / Wed / Fri, 7–8:30am |
Heads up: Lap swim dates ran July 7 to August 29 in 2025. Expect similar dates for 2026. Check the NYC Parks website for the official 2026 schedule once the season is announced.
Free Programs at NYC Pools
Learn to Swim
Free swimming classes for toddlers, children, and adults at pools across the city each summer. Registration required, opens each spring at nycgovparks.org.
Senior Splash
Dedicated morning swim sessions for older adults at the same five lap swim locations, Mon/Wed/Fri 7–8:30am, July through August.
Free Summer Meals
Free meals for children are available at most pool locations as part of NYC's Free Summer Meals Program. No paperwork required.
Year-Round Indoor Pools
NYC Parks runs 12 indoor pools at recreation centers, open year-round. Annual membership is $150 for adults, $25 for seniors, and free for anyone under 25.
🎒 What to Bring
The short list, in order of importance:
Combination lockWithout one, they won't let you in. Luggage locks are not accepted. A basic combo padlock from any hardware store works.
Lined bathing suitNo shorts. The suit must have a lining. They check. Plain white shirt if you want to cover up on deck.
SunscreenFree sunscreen is provided but bringing your own means not waiting. Reapply after getting out of the pool.
TowelLockers handle everything else. On the pool deck, your towel is your chair, most pools have limited or no lounge seating.
Water bottleA sealed water bottle is allowed on deck. Everything else, food, glass, electronics, stays in the locker.
Arrive at 11am or 4pmLines are longest mid-afternoon on hot days. Opening time and right after the 3–4pm cleaning break are your two best windows.