The best indoor swimming pools for NYC families

Asphalt Green is a vibrant hub for sports-minded New Yorkers that offers a variety of amenities for those looking to keep active. Little ones as young as four months old are invited to test out the pool and familiarize themselves with swimming basics, such as speed and endurance. Classes are available for all ages and skill levels. Little fishes can opt for one-on-one instruction, while new moms and dads can get in on the action during parent and infant swim offerings. Only members have access to the pool, which is open for both recreational swimming and lap pool swimming. Check out the schedule before making a visit.

Held in a number of Brooklyn locations, Camp Olympia welcomes visitors to splash and have fun in the water—even when temperatures are too cold for a dip. The indoor facility holds family swim sessions for $7 per person—Saturdays at 2pm at International High School and Sundays at 4pm at John Jay and Erasmus Hall—for all those who want to race and play Marco Polo. Note that this is a non-instructional offering offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Lap swim is available only on Sundays at 12:30pm and 1:15 pm at International High School at Prospect Heights for $10 per person.

In addition to basketball courts and gyms, members of the Community Center at Stuyvesant High School are able to take advantage of the half-Olympic sized pool that offers free swimming lessons for visitors of all ages and skill levels. Family Swim takes place on Fridays from 7–9:45pm and weekends from 1–5pm. The pool schedule also offers lap swim and open swim at various times. If you're interested, you can even rent out a lane to practice your strokes. 

You will have to splurge on a membership pass to use the Flushing Meadows Corona Park Pool, but it’s well worth it (plus, you'll receive access to every NYC recreation center and pool). Located at the site of the 1964 World’s Fair, the aquatic center’s Olympic-sized pool offers wall-to-wall windows with views of the park as well as skylights, so natural lighting is a plus. Open swim sessions are held in shallow 3.5-foot waters, the perfect opportunity for safe splashing. 

After reopening in 2013, the Gertrude Ederle Recreation Center became a go-to destination for families on the Upper West Side, especially thanks to its pool. Although it's relatively small in size compared to other indoor pools its NYC, its list of offerings (for members) is extensive, from general swim sessions to learn to swim classes. There's even a swim team for those who take the sport extra seriously. Although its kayak class is not currently on the 2019 schedule, the rec center garnered attention after visitors were paddling in the pool! 

This Hamilton Heights pool, which is run by the state, offers visitors a chance to enjoy recreation and family swim times, youth classes and teen classes. Those who enter the park—which is also home to spray grounds, playgrounds, an athletic facility and an ice rink in the winter, among other amenities—are required to pay a small fee. Reusable multi-visit passes range from $15–$90. If you're looking for ways to beat the summer heat, try a 30-day splash pass ($30). Note that there must be one adult present for every three children who are 10 and under. 

There are plenty of things to do at this massive sports center on Roosevelt Island, but a visit to the pool is by far one of our favorites. With six lanes and depths of 3.5 to 8.5 feet deep, there's plenty of space for everyone. Family memberships (various prices) are available, but you can also opt for a drop-in fee of  if you're not ready to commit. Bring your own locks to this venue. 

When you get a membership to a city recreation center with a pool, you'll have access to all of the indoor pools throughout the five boroughs. Little fishies have the option to get involved with the youth swim team, and even younger children can take their first stroke at the Learn to Swim course at the Chelsea Pool. Check out the online calendar to see what's scheduled for the season. Note that the pool and family locker rooms are currently under construction. Temporary locker space is available, but limited. 

The Metropolitan Pool and Recreation Center, one of the oldest in Brooklyn, was built nearly a century ago in 1922 by the same architect who designed the Lincoln Memorial. As with most of the NYC indoor pools, you have to buy a citywide membership for access. The draw to this 75-foot-long pool is that there are separate swim classes for the female and male members of the recreation center, and there are also separate swimming lessons for kids who want to test the waters.