Heat and humidity got you down? Cool off in one of the FREE outdoor pools and beaches in NYC, or one of the FREE sprays and showers sprinkled through NYC parks. Be sure to bring your own padlock for pool lockers, and your own towel.
FREE outdoor swimming pools
Our recommendations are for size, including a smaller size crowd, and ambiance including picture postcard views from the pool deck. Most pools are open 11am to 7pm, with a break for pool cleaning between 3pm and 4pm.
Best outdoor pools in Manhattan include Lasker Pool in northern Central Park for its size, and John Jay on the Upper East Side for its views.
Best outdoor pool in Queens is Astoria Park Pool in Astoria Park, for its size and for its view of the Manhattan skyline
Best outdoor pool in Brooklyn is McCarren Park Pool in Williamsburg for its size
Best outdoor pool in Bronx is Crotona Park, for its large size and for its outdoor spray showers
Best outdoor pool in Staten Island is Lyons Pool for its Olympic size and it’s proximity to the Staten Island Ferry
FREE spray showers in NYC parks
There are spray showers in all five boroughs. Search the NYC Parks website by borough or by zipcode. Central Park has the most sprays in any park, with one dozen.
The spray showers in parks and playgrounds operate only on days when the temperature is 80 degrees or higher, you’ll dry of quickly, with or without a towel.
If you aren’t near a park or playground spray shower, please do not open a fire hydrant without an approved spray cap. Anybody over the age of 18 can go to any FDNY firehouse and request one – FREE.
FREE NYC beaches by subway or ferry
Best NYC beaches you can get to by subway
Brooklyn – Coney Island – Take the B, F, N or Q to the last stop, Stillwell Ave, or the F or Q to West 8th St./NY Aquarium
Brooklyn – Brighton Beach – Take the B or Q to Brighton Beach
Queens – Rockaway – Take the A train to Far Rockaway or to Rockaway Park
What do you think about this? We welcome your comments.