Frommer's NYC Free & Dirt Cheap by Ethan Wolff

Author:Ethan Wolff
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Published: 2012-11-01T04:00:00+00:00

Pooling Resources

It costs $150 a year to use the city’s indoor pools (see “Gym Neighbors,” above), but if you’re a frequent crawler, the price turns out to be pretty reasonable. In summer, you’ll find 54 outdoor pools across the city (with no admission fee). The indoor pools stay open year-round (unless they’re superseded by an on-site outdoor pool), but the outdoor ones are summer-only. Late June to Labor Day is the usual season, and you will find many, many kids taking advantage. General hours of operation are 11am to 3pm and 4 to 7pm; call individual pools for more information. Some pools set aside early morning and evening hours for lap swimming. In addition to city pools (www.nycgovparks.org), the state runs an Olympic-size natatorium in Manhattan. Local favorites include:

Asser Levy An indoor and outdoor pool make this a great year-round swimming destination.

E. 23rd St. and Asser Levy Place, near the FDR Dr. 212/447-2020. Subway: 6 to 23rd St.

Astoria Park Pool This is one of the largest (designed to hold some 2,000 swimmers) and most famous pools in the country. Built in 1936 through the WPA, it features stunning skyline and bridge views. This outdoor pool is only open in the summer.

Astoria Park, 19th St. at 23rd Dr., Astoria, Queens. 718/626-8620. Subway: N/Q to Astoria–Ditmars Blvd.

Floating Pool A decommissioned river barge in Morgan City, Louisiana, provided the raw material for this popular freebie. Some 50,000 swim fans visited during 2007’s inaugural year, when the pool was parked in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge. Barretto Point Park in the Bronx currently holds the facility, although a floating pool can always change its coordinates. Check online to confirm its current whereabouts.

www.floatingpool.org.

Hamilton Fish Despite its enormous size, this Lower East Side outdoor pool fills up quickly. Kids from the neighborhood splash while parents relax in the spacious adjoining plaza.

128 Pitt St., btw. E. Houston and Stanton sts. 212/387-7687. Subway: F to Second Ave.; J/M/Z to Essex St.

McCarren Park After a long stint as a music venue, this Depression-era pool has been restored to its liquid origins. The fix cost $50 million, but it brought thousands of smiles to Greenpoint and Williamsburg (as well as reports of misbehavior that required police attention). We’ll see if that’s under control by the pool’s second summer in operation.

Lorimer St. at Bedford Ave. 718/965-6580. Subway: G to Nassau Ave.; L to Bedford Ave.

Metropolitan Pool Williamsburg is kept buoyant through cold weather at the indoor Met Pool, which still gleams from a recent multimillion-dollar renovation.

261 Bedford Ave., at Metropolitan Ave. 718/599-5707. Subway: L to Bedford Ave.

Riverbank State Park This 28-acre park on the Hudson ably disguises its foundation, which is a wastewater treatment plant. The indoor pool is run by the state, which charges $2 per visit ($3 for morning lap swim sessions), or $30 for a 1-month lap swimming pass.

679 Riverside Dr., at 145th St. 212/694-3666. www.nysparks.state.ny.us. Pool general hours (adult swimming is limited; check in advance) Mon–Fri 6:30am–8:15pm; Sat–Sun 6:30am–6pm. Subway: 1 to 145th St.

Tony Dapolito Recreation

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