Kids & Family
NYC's Free Outdoor Pools Open For The Season This Weekend
The city's 53 outdoor pools open June 27 and stay open through Sept. 13, with free sunscreen, youth lunches and swim programs.
NEW YORK CITY — New Yorkers can officially cool off starting Saturday as the city's 53 free outdoor pools open for the 2026 summer season.
Outdoor pools will welcome swimmers beginning June 27 and remain open daily through Sept. 13, according to NYC Parks. Mini pools will close a week earlier, on Sept. 7.
Pools are open every day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and again from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a break in between.
Find out what's happening in New York Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
This year's opening also marks the 90th anniversary of the city's iconic Works Progress Administration-era pool system. Eleven Olympic-sized public pools, including Thomas Jefferson Pool in East Harlem, opened within weeks of one another in 1936 as part of a sweeping New Deal investment in public recreation.
Visitors only need a swimsuit, towel and a sturdy lock for the locker rooms.
Find out what's happening in New York Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
NYC Parks also provides free sunscreen at every outdoor pool and, in partnership with NYC Public Schools, offers free lunches at pool sites for anyone 18 and younger throughout the summer. The city is also offering free swim classes throughout the summer.
The city's outdoor pool season runs through Sunday, Sept. 13.
For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.
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