The best public pools in L.A. to beat the summer heat

Nestled in the Arroyo Seco, this open-air pool lets SGV dwellers cool off without trekking westward. Serious swimmers need not worry about splashing children, and vice versa: The venue houses separate competition and recreation pools. Family swim hours are held in the shallow end on afternoons and evenings, so you’ll have to show up during regular business hours for a jump off the high dive or a quiet session in the warm therapy pool (though that requires a letter from a certified health provider). Make a day of it with a stop at the on-site cafe, Beansprouts, where you’ll find sandwiches, wraps and salads—we won’t hold you to that whole “wait 30 minutes before swimming” edict.

Mon–Fri 5:30am–9pm; Sat 5:30am–5pm; Sun 8am–5pm. Adults $2, 17 and under $1.

What started as an opulent beachfront estate is now a modern, community beach club open to the public. The five-acre beach house features a main house with a rec room for board games, table tennis, classes and events. Outside, you’ll find a swimming pool and a splash pad, as well as beach volleyball and tennis courts, soccer fields and paddle board rentals. You can also take a sunset swim (18+ only) on select Fridays during the summer (6–9pm)—s’mores and pool floaties included.

June 15–Sept 1, and weekends through September: Mon–Thu noon–6pm, Fri–Sun 10am–6pm. Adults $10, kids 17 and under $4, seniors 60+ $5, free under age 1.

You’ll find exercise addicts and triathlon trainees at this Westside lap pool (best known as “the Plunge”) most of the time. But during afternoon recreation periods, expect to encounter residents looking for a way to cool off without having to cross the 405. Shade seekers may come up short, but those in search of a bit of sun and a splash in the pool will likely find this the perfect spot to lounge around without having to brave beach traffic.

Registration recommended. Recreational swim: Daily in summer noon–3pm (rest of the year Sat, Sun noon–3pm). Adults $4; under 18 and 50+ $3.

Sure, the beach is just a freeway away, but it’s hard to argue with a zero-entry (a sloping, beachy shore rather than steps) pool in the middle of the Valley. This prodigious pool—there’s space for 2,800 swimmers, so your personal space should remain intact—packs plenty of facilities, dual water slides and its own sandy beach. Over at the nine-acre recreational lake, you’ll find people fishing and boating (including paddle boats available to rent).

June 7–Sept 1: Daily 11am–6pm. Adults $4; under 18, 50+ and persons with disabilities $1.

We can’t all be Olympians, but you can certainly channel one with a swim in this leftover pool from the 1932 Summer Olympics. Lap swimmers step aside during recreation hours every afternoon except Sunday, which gives you plenty of time to take a dip in this Expo Park oasis. For kid-toting swimmers, make sure to stop at the fountain-dotted wading pool across from the twin lap pools.

June 8–Aug 31: Mon–Fri 1–4pm; Sat, Sun 1–4:30pm. Adults $4; under 18, 50+ and persons with disabilities $1.

This Sawtelle-area pool is more aquatic playground than swimming hole, but that’s what makes an afternoon at this unique city park worthwhile. The wading pool barely goes deeper than 4 feet; little ones will likely stick to the jungle of fun fountains on the zero-entry incline. And did we mention there’s a water slide, too?

June 14–Sept 1: Mon–Fri 1–3pm, 4–7pm (after Aug 11: 3–7pm); Sat, Sun 1–5pm. Adults $4; under 18, 50+ and persons with disabilities $1.

This city-run recreation center was reinvigorated with the 2015 reopening of the Hollywood Pool. Set against a midcentury-inspired locker room, the pool boasts multiple diving boards and a spiral water slide. You’ll find a trio of semi-shaded benches around the pool’s perimeter for those who don’t feel like getting wet.

June 1–Sept 6: Mon–Fri 3–7:30pm; Sat, Sun 1:30–5pm. Adults $4; under 18, 50+ and persons with disabilities $1.

The extended recreational swim hours at this Burbank pool are much appreciated, but it’s hard to resist spending most of your time here in the bonkers activity pool. For an extra $3, you can splash about on the side-by-side water slides (both open and closed flumes) and the aquatic playground, which is literally a full playground plunked into the middle of the pool, with water bursting out at every seam. It’s a worthwhile destination whether you’re tagging along with your child or channeling your own inner kid.

May 27–Aug 18: Daily 11:45am–3pm. Adults $11, ages 3-17 $6, under 3 free (Burbank resident adults $5, 55+ $4, ages 3–17 $3); $3 fee for activity pool

While the beach is barely a mile away from this Santa Monica public pool, that mile can feel like an eternity in the soul-crushing ocean-bound gridlock; thankfully this clean, cheerful, brightly tiled and lightly chlorinated pair of open-air pools offers a viable alternative. During much of the year, recreational swimming is limited to the smaller splash pool, but on weekends and during the summer it expands to the fitness pool as well. The recreational pool is shallow-only, so wannabe divers will have to wait for open hours at the fitness pool to dive off the boards.

June 14–Aug 24: Mon–Thu 10am–2:45pm; Fri 10am–2:45pm, 5–6:45pm; Sat, Sun 1:30–4:45pm. Adults $9, children $4, seniors 60+ and students $4.50; Santa Monica residents half-price.

While this county park’s pond and surrounding green space are worth a visit, its standout feature is its skating and swimming complex. Walk through the recreation building, and you’ll find a 25-by-25-meter pool. Both summertime recreational swimming and the kid-friendly splash pad are open daily and—a rarity among public pools—are free to enjoy.

May 1–Sept 30: Daily 11am–7pm. Free.

Glassell Park’s public pool is your typical city pool: affordable and well-kept, if not a bit spartan. If you can name a neighborhood, there’s probably a public pool to match. We picked out some of L.A.’s standouts, but there are tons of others scattered across the city. It’s hard to beat the convenience of a nearby neighborhood pool, but don’t always expect to find the most luxurious amenities and upkeep. At the very least, stick to outdoor pools over indoor ones for more sunshine—just don’t forget your SPF—and less of that stifling cloud of chlorine.

June 16–Aug 9: Mon–Fri noon–8pm; Sat, Sun 1–5pm. Adults $4; under 18, 50+ and persons with disabilities $1