Pool recommendations in the D.C. area based on activity
This summer, it’s going to feel better than ever to do a cannonball into a pool — and not just because of the relief it’ll provide from D.C.'s oppressive heat. We’ll especially appreciate being able to cool off with a swim after Washington’s public pools stayed closed in 2020 because of the pandemic.
If you’re ready to dive in, here are suggestions for which outdoor pool or water park to visit based on how you want to spend your day. Just be sure to double-check the venue’s policies, fees and hours before you head out, because they may be different from previous summers. (Reservations are recommended, for instance, in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.)
Pools and water parks are open daily unless otherwise noted.
You want to swim laps … go to Old Town, Bethesda or Harry Thomas Sr. pools
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The Olympic-size East Potomac Pool at Hains Point remains closed, but serious swimmers have other outdoor options. In Alexandria, the Old Town Pool offers multiple lap lanes on a first-come, first-served basis for residents and nonresidents in its 25-yard main pool. Over in Maryland, triathletes will appreciate that there are lanes in the Z-shaped, 50-meter-long main pool at Bethesda Outdoor Pool, and another six lanes in a separate dedicated lap pool. In D.C., try to snag one of the multiple lap lanes at the Harry Thomas Sr. Pool in Eckington.
Old Town: 1609 Cameron St., Alexandria. $3-$4 for residents; $6 for nonresidents.
Bethesda: 6300 Hillandale Rd., Bethesda. $5-$7 for residents; nonresidents must purchase a swim pass or be a guest of a resident who is using the pool and also pay $15.
Harry Thomas Sr.: 1743 Lincoln Rd., NE. Closed Tuesdays. Free for residents; $3-$7 for nonresidents.
You want to relax in a beach chair with a magazine … go to Banneker or Francis pools
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Swimming for exercise isn’t your thing — you’d rather go in for a dip and then retreat to a lounger with sunscreen and a trashy beach read. While Banneker Pool near Howard University and Francis Pool in the West End offer lap lanes, the pool decks themselves are a big draw and used to fill up with sunbathers in years past. Both pools include a shore-like ramp entry, if you’re one of those who like to slowly wade in, inch by inch.
Banneker Pool, 2500 Georgia Ave. NW. Closed Thursdays. Francis Pool, 2435 N St. NW. Closed Tuesdays. Free for residents; $3-$7 for nonresidents.
You’re looking for a bit of shade on a scorching day … go to Volta Park
If you don’t want to be completely surrounded by concrete, check out the small pool within Georgetown’s leafy Volta Park. Trees hug the fence line, making the pool feel like a little green oasis with lounge chairs.
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1555 34th St. NW. Closed Mondays. Free for residents; $3-$7 for nonresidents.
You don’t want to choose between a playground and a pool … go to Langdon Park
In the District, Langdon Park combines a pool and a spray park with climbing structures in one facility. The community center in Northeast completed its renovation in 2018, and now kids can frolic through spray pads and clamber on a slide after jumping out of the pool.
2860 Mills Ave. NE. Closed Thursdays. Free for residents; $3-$7 for nonresidents.
The kids want to spend the day on waterslides … go to Ocean Dunes Waterpark
Share this articleShareEven neighborhood pools have fun slides these days (as seen at D.C.'s Rosedale Pool in Northeast). But for the type of waterslides where you have to climb a tower of stairs, there’s Ocean Dunes Waterpark in Arlington’s Upton Hill Regional Park. Children who are 42 inches and taller can choose between swirling along a twisty open-air slide spanning 230 feet or rocketing into the pool via a closed slide. The fun continues with a play structure that dumps 500 gallons of water on screeching kids below. Ocean Dunes is one of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority’s five water parks, all of which are equipped with slides.
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6060 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. $7.50-$11 for residents and nonresidents.
You’re looking for the coolest baby pool … go to Glenn Dale Splash Park
Luckily for families, plenty of public pools around the area include sections for the tiniest swimmers. One particularly fun option is Glenn Dale Splash Park in Prince George’s County. Water splashes down from mushroom-shaped sprinklers, and tentative toddlers can get their feet wet in the shore-like entry to the pool. Plus, there are waterslides for little kids and big kids alike. (The county’s open air and flume slides are open at outdoor and indoor pools, but enclosed tube and drop slides are closed for now because of cleaning concerns.)
1901 Glenn Dale Blvd., Glenn Dale. Closed Mondays. $3-$4 for residents of Prince George’s or Montgomery counties; $5-$6 for nonresidents.
You want to pretend you’re at the beach … go to Great Waves Waterpark
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If an ocean vacation isn’t in the cards this summer, bob in the surf at Alexandria’s Great Waves Waterpark within 26-acre Cameron Run Regional Park. An oversize artificial wave pool is a big draw for families here, as are the waterpark’s five waterslides, a splash pad and a play structure.
4001 Eisenhower Ave., Alexandria. $9.50-$16.50 for residents; $10.25-$17 for nonresidents.
You want to go tubing on a lazy river … go to Martin Luther King Jr. Outdoor Pool
The outdoor pool at Martin Luther King Jr. Swim Center in Silver Spring is like a mini-water park. In addition to slides, there’s a lazy river where you can sit back in a tube and float along with the current. For other lazy river options, head to Reston’s Old West-themed Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole or the massive SplashDown Waterpark in Manassas.
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Martin Luther King Jr.: 1201 Jackson Rd., Silver Spring. $5-$7 for residents; nonresidents must purchase a swim pass or be a guest of a resident who is using the pool and also pay $15.
Water Mine: 1400 Lake Fairfax Dr., Reston. $13-$17 for residents and nonresidents.
SplashDown Waterpark: 7500 Ben Lomond Park Dr., Manassas. Open Wednesday through Sunday. $10-$16.25.
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