East Potomac Pool

It’s free, the pool itself is reasonably clean but not well maintained (lots of paint missing from bottom). Very few pool chairs, some are broken. Height of pool starts at 3 feet, so not great for small children. A good place for lap swimming, not so great for families – when we were there only one lane was open for free swim.

This is a nice hidden gem! It’s away from the public, which makes it even great! Keeps the hood out! Which I adore. This will be my regular cool down spot.

This pool is OK though it could use some sprucing up.
The best part is the pool itself: it’s huge (olympic size) and relatively clean. There are a limited number of chairs to sit around the pool. Unfortunately there isn’t any shade in the sitting areas.
The definite negative side is the changing rooms. They are about as old as can be, and in bad need of a power wash. Definitely a place where one should wear flip flops.
Beware that if you are visiting the pool with a child, they will make you leave the stroller outside of the changing areas. It’s better to leave the stroller in the car or not bring one at all.

This is a free pool for DC Residents and I am so happy it exist. The crowd is small and everyone gets to enjoy themselves. I had a great time with kids!

This is a great pool and, best of all, free for DC residents. There’s a few 50 m swimming lanes so you can work on your stroke and there’s also a general area to swim around. It can be hard to find a chair to lay out on during busy weekends but otherwise it’s a very nice place to just chill and read a book, listen to your iPod, talk to friends, or just nap/​do absolutely nothing. For now it seems to have eluded the crowds you find at other public pools in DC, a credit to its relatively isolated location.
One thing that could use an upgrade is the locker rooms. They are pretty antiquated.

Best kept secret in DC.
There’s parking, it’s free and you can take your own chairs. No neighborhoods close by so its not over run by kids. There are areas for sun and shade. If you stay long enough you can usually scout out a lounge chair as someone is leaving. There is a good mix of people there, some families, some couples, groups of friends and some people just there to do laps and leave.
I do wish the pool opened earlier and closed later but that’s really the only downside.

I love this pool! Even on the weekend it’s normally got 4 lanes for lap swimming open and some decently paced triathletes to swim with.
And when you’re ready to layout there is good deck space and not too crowded.
My only complaint is that there are alot of ‘floaters’ leaves, hair, etc. that could be taken out with a good pool vacuum!

Love, love love this pool. There are 5 lanes for lap swimming, (50 m), lots of space, and just a chill vibe here. As others have written, it’s off the beaten path, and not easily accessible by public transportation, so people have to really want to come here. Great scene, and the club house food next door is a great way to end a fantastic day at the pool. :)

One of DC’s best kept secrets. I hate that it’s not easily accessible by public transportation, but I love that the masses don’t swarm it like the other pools in DC. Since it’s Olympic sized you can always get space in a lane and you can almost always snag a deck chair afterwards to chill out in the sun. The lifeguards are even decent and won’t close the pool for «thunder» like many others I’ve been too.
One downside is the hours — only 12 – 6 on weekends. But it’s location and lack of crowds redeems it anyway.

This place is great! It’s a 50 metro outdoor pool which is great for both swimming laps and simply relaxing poolside. People there are really nice and it it doesn’t get too packs due to it’s location.

Do you ever think to yourself, «I’m going to rate this place low, because I don’t want people to know about it?» Well, that obviously violates the spirit of Unilocal,and I do not do that, but I have thought about it for some places I love, including the East Potomac Pool.
I’ve been to a few of DC’s outdoor public pools, and I like EPP the best. Large parking lot, which is shared with the golf course. Conveniently, you can zip into the golf club house and grab a drink, a beer or a snack, which I like doing from time to time.
The men’s locker room is typically gross, but it is a public pool locker room, so who cares. They could use a bit more light and a nice mirror.
You have to walk through sprayers to get from the locker room to the pool deck. This isn’t a bother to me but lately they’ve had the exit door from the pool deck to the locker room closed and locked so when you’re done, you have to walk through the sprayers again. This annoying because it means you’ll have an incredibly wet suit at the end of your visit.
The pool itself is large, and competition sized. Similar to the other DC pools, getting a chair later in the afternoon is difficult, but not as much as the Banneker, Georgetown or Dupont Circle pools.
Because the pool is large, typically kids are at one end and you can be around them if you’d like, or far away if you’d like. They also have 2 or 3 lanes for lap swimmers.
I wish I was at the EPP now!

East Potomac Park Pool, AKA Hains Point Pool, is well of the beaten track; very well off! You have to drive, cycle or take a cab here. In the heat of the summer, it is not a pleasant walk from the nearest Metro (Smithsonian or L’Enfant).
However, a fantastic 50 meter pool awaits you, with 4 lanes exclusively devoted to lap swimming. The pool is as busy as any other District pool in the summer but because of its shear size it handles the crowd far better than other pools, such as West End’s Francis Pool. The crowd is a friendly mix of people with a fair amount of triathletes and masters swimmers. I was not too intimidated by the Speedo Nazis and was able to do my mile swim without any problems. The only minus is the water. It is simply not as clear as the water at Francis or Wilson pools. Is this a healh or safety issue?
Facilities are pretty grim here. Gross would be an accurate description of the men’s locker room. The floor is never dry which presents a major challenge in changing into street clothes from swim trunks. This is the only complaint I have about this pool, but when you realize this is free and public, it is mildly acceptable.
Hains Point — East Potomac Park is a beautiful area, far from the District’s Madding Crowds. Somehow the pace is a little bit slower and relaxed here. It makes you feel as if you have left town. As Monique D. commented, «This is the happiest place in DC in [the] summer.» I agree! As others have also mentioned, the next door snack bar makes a very decent sandwich.

I’m officailly hooked, this is a great public pool and well kept secret! It will now be part of my weekly routing for summer. Huge pool lots of room to swim. Friendly atmosphere, did not me or by the looks of it anyone else feel self conscience at all if you are not perfect looking. Beautiful park as well.

i love this pool. I love Hains Point. I love… i am just full of love. The pool is, as everyone else has said… Olympic-​sized, super clean, never over-​chlorinated, usually not-too-crowded…and if you are a triathlete it’s a great place to do bricks!
Potomac Grill is kind of an interesting element to the mix: old school DC grillery where sandwiches take about 15 mins to come out but they’re made well and taste delicious. THis place is the happiest place in DC n summer, as far as I am concerned.
In addition to the pool, there is golf, lots of green grass for sitting and staring out at the Potomac. Fishing. Grilling.
thanks dc parks and recs… one thing the city gets very very right is its aquatic centers.

I am what you could call a DC Public Pool Expert. Each summer I spend much of my weekends at various sites and even met my boyfriend at Banneker. With that said, East Potomac Pool is currently my favorite. It’s a wonderful to spend a warm summer day. It’s the perfect place to ride your bike, mosey around Haine’s Point, and then cool off at the pool, which is spacious and never too crowded. True, the changing rooms are nothing fancy, but that’s not why you’re going to the pool, right? After a long day in the sun, you can stop next door at the golf course grill for some grub before heading home. Summer in the city done right!

Because East Potomac is no one’s direct backyard, people actually have to go out of their way to get there (i.e. bike, long walk, or drive). This is perfect, because it keeps the throngs of people down that sometimes take over other public pools. There is always a healthy mix of all ages here, as well as good cultural diversity. Whether you want lap lanes in the Olympic-​sized pool to monotonously melt away some pounds from your frame, or you want to play around with hand-​stand contests, this pool has got you covered. No flotation devices or balls of any kind are allowed.
While not abundant, there are some decent quality deck chairs that you can snag if you’re there on a quiet day. If sitting on the hot concrete and roasting isn’t your style, you can park yourself under a metal awning. The locker rooms don’t offer much, but really, what can you expect? They get the job done. Just be sure to hold your bags above your head as you exit the locker rooms to the pool — you are forced to walk through continuously-​running showers.
The best part is sitting by the Galludet coed corner — often plenty of eye candy but never noisy despite a lot of conversation going on. The other best part is that even though you’re not supposed to really bring in food and drink, it’s pretty easy to get away with this if you really want. The third best thing is saying you’re going to «The Bathhouse».
Closed Wednesdays, unless there is a heat wave.

This is my favorite D.C. public pool. It’s clean, it’s peaceful, and the pool is made for both lounging and the more serious swimmer. Changing rooms are changing rooms — so just bring some flip flops to wear in the showers and you’re good to go! I really do agree with another reviewer that location is key. I like to ride my bike down here (you can do a 2.5 ride around Haines Point in addition to biking there, so a good, short workout) and then swim laps. You really feel removed from the chaos of most DC pools and yes, the staff was actually really friendly!

I agree with Kurt that the changing rooms are filthy. But that isn’t why I come there.
This is an awesome pool if you’re a swimmer who swims laps to prepare for triathlons. The families who are out there splashing around seem to be having a great time as well.
It’s 50 meters and its outdoors. The water is clear and I don’t remember feeling chlorine in my eyes. I haven’t been there in the colder weather (and it has never felt cold) but the staff says it’s heated.
I think they have four lanes for lap swimming. At least one of the local triathlon clubs practices there.
Since the lanes are so long, you have to circle swim with at least six or seven swimmers in each lane. Every once in a while there are one or two people who are really slow and make the lane useless for others, but they often gather in one lane.
DC residents get in free if they show an ID. Others are supposed to go somewhere else and pay a fee. But they haven’t done that in a while and they say they will give notice before they do.
The people there are really friendly. I’d also double check when they shut down for the year. They told me they are staying open through September at least.

What a find for the serious swimmer: 50 meter pool where you can really hit your groove and feel like you’re in the ocean! I stumbled across it one day while riding my bike around Haines Point, which is another reason why it’s so good: location, location, location. It’s away from the heavy traffic and the hurly-​burly of the city and because it’s next to the golf course, you kind of feel like you’re at a country club. (The golf courses grill by the way does a nice BLT.)
On the downside, like all DC pools, the changing room floors do not slope or have drains, so there is often standing water on the floors and usually it’s filthy. The showers are cramped, too, and sometimes they don’t work and the drains clog. On the plus side, the staff like, all DC swimming pool staff, are friendly and professional. Another plus – Gallaudet coeds.
Only open from memorial day to labor day.