Get your hair wet and stay cool this summer with these public pools in the Boston area! From Cambridge to Watertown to Chelsea, these pools are all free or very low cost. Happy swimming!
Boston
Artesani Playground, Wading Pool, and Spray Deck*
1255 Soldiers Field Road, Brighton
The outdoor wading pool — great for the littlest swimmers! — is open through 9/2 each day from 10:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. There is also an outdoor spray deck/splash pad open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. There’s a large parking lot, restrooms and showers, lifeguards on duty, a picnic area, a playground, and walking trails along the Charles River. There is also an outdoor swimming pool lift for accessibility. There are days when the pool reaches capacity and patrons will need to wait in line to get in.
Melnea A. Cass Memorial Swimming Pool*
120 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Roxbury
617-445-0062
This outdoor pool is open seasonally — through 8/18 — and daily from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. There is also an outdoor spray deck/splash pad open seasonally through 9/15 and daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is on-street parking available, plus restrooms, a lifeguard on duty, a rec center, and swim lessons.
Olsen Swimming Pool & Spray Deck*
95 Turtle Pond Parkway, Hyde Park
617-361-1593
This outdoor pool is open seasonally — through 8/18 — and daily from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. There is also an outdoor splash pad/spray deck open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. This pool has a dedicated parking lot, restrooms, and swim lessons available. Beach wheelchairs are also available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Reilly Memorial Swimming Pool*
355 Chestnut Hill Avenue, Brighton (at Cleveland Circle)
617-277-7822
This outdoor pool is open seasonally — through 8/18 — and daily from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. There’s a parking lot as well as on-street parking along Beacon Street, plus restrooms, showers, lockers, and a lifeguard on duty. There is also an outdoor swimming pool lift for accessibility.
Ryan Wading Pool*
350 River Street, Mattapan
The outdoor wading pool is open seasonally — through 9/2 — and daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This pool is public transit friendly, but there’s also a parking lot for visitors. This site has restrooms, a playground, and a lifeguard on duty. There is also an outdoor swimming pool lift for accessibility.
Clougherty Pool
151 Bunker Hill Street, Charlestown
617-635-5174
This outdoor pool is currently closed for renovations, but it’s expected to open in July, halfway through a two-year renovation, with temporary facilities.
Draper Pool
5275 Washington Street, West Roxbury
617-635-5021
This indoor pool is under construction and is expected to reopen this fall.
Curtis Hall
20 South Street, Boston (Jamaica Plain)
617-635-5193
Curtis Hall is part of the Boston Center for Youth and Families, and this small indoor pool is accessible year round Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Three children under 12 per adult are allowed, and an adult must be in the pool with any children under 8. Check the schedule online for fitness, lap, and recreational swim times. In addition to the pool, Curtis Hall offers a community room, gym, computer lab, and fitness center. Parking here can be tricky — both lots and street parking often fill up.
Flaherty Pool
160 Florence Street, Roslindale
617-635-5181
The Flaherty Pool is part of the Boston Center for Youth and Families, and this indoor pool is accessible year round. In the summer the pool is open Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Flaherty is one of the biggest BCYF pools, is very clean, and has a few small diving boards. There are swimming lessons offered here, plus a local swim team — both use excellent swim instructors! There is a great toddler playground right outside the pool, along with a baseball field and basketball court. The parking lot can fill up during lessons or events, but there is street parking available.
Leahy-Holloran Community Center
1 Worrell Street, Dorchester
617-635-5150
The Leahy-Holloran Community Center is part of the Boston Center for Youth and Families and is accessible year round. The indoor pool is open Tuesday through Friday, 3:30-8:30pm, and Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Check the pool’s website and Facebook page for the most up-to-date programming available. In addition to the pool, the community center features a computer lab, fitness center, rock wall, and teen center.
Marshall Community Center
160 Florence Street, Dorchester
617-635-5148
The Marshall Community Center is part of the Boston Center for Youth and Families and is accessible year round. The indoor pool’s hours are Monday through Friday, 3-8 p.m. The community center also features a computer lab, gymnasium, and teen center.
Mason Pool
159 Norfolk Avenue, Roxbury
617-635-5241
The Mason Pool is part of the Boston Center for Youth and Families and is accessible year round. The indoor pool’s hours are Tuesday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is a registration link on the website to reserve swimming time at no cost.
Mirabella Pool
475 Commercial Street, North End
617-635-1275
The Mason Pool is part of the Boston Center for Youth and Families and is an outdoor pool! It is open from June until September, Tuesday through Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. Recreational swimming takes place weekdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Tuesday through Friday) for 90-minute sessions and Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. for 90-minute sessions. Pre-registration (free on the BCYF website!) is required for weekend swimming.
Paris Street Pool
113 Paris Street, East Boston
617-635-1410
The Mason Pool is part of the Boston Center for Youth and Families and is accessible year round. This indoor pool is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The no-cost registration for swim times is located on the pool’s website.
Boston Common Frog Pond
38 Beacon Street, Boston
617-635-2120
This wading pool right in the heart of the city is a true delight on a summer day. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily during the summer and is great for the littlest swimmers up to big kids who like to splash around and run through the spray of the fountain. The nearby Tadpole Playground and carousel ($4/ride) mean you could spend a whole afternoon on the Common! There are public restrooms and a cafe by the “pond.”
Cambridge
Francis J. McCrehan Memorial Swimming Pool*
359 Rindge Avenue, Cambridge
617-661-0670
This pool is open through 8/18 from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. The shallow end is 2 feet 6 inches and the deep end is 4 feet 6 inches. There is also a spray deck open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. This pool is transit friendly (near Alewife Station and bus lines), and there’s also a parking lot for visitors. This site has restrooms and showers, lifeguards on duty, and a playground and ball fields nearby.
Veterans Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool*
719 Memorial Drive, Cambridge
617-661-0564
The wading pool is open through August 18 from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. each day. This pool is transit friendly, but there’s also a parking lot for visitors. This site has restrooms and lifeguards on duty.
Magazine Beach Pool*
668 Memorial Drive, Cambridge
617-626-1250
This Olympic-sized swimming pool is open through August 18 from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. each day. There is a spray deck on site that is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. This pool hosts lap swimming from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. This pool is part of a 17-acre park just along the Charles River, complete with a Mass Audubon drop-in nature center open Monday through Friday from 3-7 p.m. and on weekends from 12-7 p.m. Parking at Magazine Beach is limited, but the area is public transit friendly.
Chelsea
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool*
184 Carter Street, Chelsea
617-884-3899
This pool is open through August 18 from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. (Though they often close earlier — between 5 and 5:30 p.m. due to staffing shortages.) There is a very shallow end with fun “mushroom” spray fountains. This pool is transit friendly, but there’s also a parking lot for visitors. There is a large locker room with restrooms, and lifeguards are on duty.
Everett
Allied Veterans Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool*
65 Elm Street, Everett
617-727-1828
The pool is open through August 18 from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. There is also a spray deck open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. This pool is transit friendly, but there’s also a parking lot for visitors. This site has restrooms and a lifeguard on duty. There can be long lines to get in when the pool reaches capacity!
Malden
Lt. Dennis C. Holland Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool*
108 Mountain Avenue, Malden
781-321-1864
This pool is open through August 18 from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. each day. There is a regular sized pool (4- to 6-foot deep areas) as well as a wading pool. The splash pad nearby is brand new! There is limited street parking, but it is transit friendly. This site has a playground, lockers, showers, restrooms, and lifeguards on duty.
Melrose
Lawrence W. Lloyd Memorial Swimming Pool*
49 Tremont Street, Melrose
781-662-1827
This pool is open through August 18 from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. The shallow end of the pool is 3 feet and the deep end is 4 feet 6 inches. This pool is transit friendly, but there’s also a parking lot for visitors. This site has lockers, showers, restrooms, and lifeguards on duty.
Somerville
Dilboy Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool
110 Alewife Brook Parkway, Somerville
617-625-6600 x2980
This pool is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The large pool ranges from 3 feet 5 inches to 5 feet, and there is also a baby pool for the little swimmers. There is a parking lot available on the stadium side of the complex. This site has athletic fields, showers, restrooms, and lifeguards on duty.
Latta Brothers Memorial Pool*
235 Broadway, Somerville
617-666-9236
This pool is open through August 18 from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. each day. There is also a spray deck open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. This pool is transit friendly, but there’s also a parking lot for visitors. This site has athletic fields, a playground, lockers, showers, restrooms, and lifeguards on duty.
Stoneham
Hall Memorial Wading Pool
4 North Border Road, Stoneham
781-481-9092
The pool complex is operated in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Stoneham. There is a splash pad open daily (except for Tuesdays) through September 1 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for members and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for all others. The pool is open Wednesday through Sunday until August 25 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with special members-only hours from 10-11 a.m. on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The pool is 4 feet at its most shallow and just under 6 feet at the deepest. There are pool noodles, kickboards, and life jackets available to borrow (first come, first served). There are ladders and stairs for entering into the pool, plus a pool chair lift. There are also picnic tables, a small playground, and a seasonal snack shack on site. There is no food or drink allowed on the pool deck; they are permitted in the splash pad area. A day pass is $3/day/person (under 2 are free), while memberships cost $45 for an individual and $110 for a family. Financial assistance is available.
Waltham
Connors Memorial Swimming Pool*
330 River Street, Waltham
781-642-8594
The pool is open through August 18 from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. each day. This location is transit friendly, but there’s also parking available in a lot on River Street past the basketball court. The pool is zero entry, and there are fun splasher features at the shallow end. There is a beach wheelchair available and a pool lift for accessibility. This site has basketball courts, shaded benches, lockers, showers, restrooms, and a lifeguard on duty.
Watertown
Clarence W. Dealtry Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool
138 Pleasant Street, Watertown
617-924-0132
This pool is right off the Charles River is open through August 18 from 11:15 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. The depth ranges from 3 feet to 5 feet, and there is a small spray deck nearby. There is limited parking available in a lot on the corner of Pleasant Street and Church Lane. This site has lockers, showers, restrooms, and lifeguards on duty.
*These pools are run by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), which offers free learn-to-swim programs for children ages 4-12 all over the state!
