Great public pool with friendly staff. Entry is free for DC residents and $6 for visitors (they don't take cash though!). There is metered parking nearby, or you might be able to find a free spot a little further away. read more

I love this pool! My fiancé and I won't go anywhere else. If they had a drink/food area that would be amazing.

Love Francis Pool! Thanks to amazing Amina (manager summer 2025) the pool was very well run and clean. Had a wonderful time swimming there!

Really peaceful, large pool, shady swim deck in spots in the afternoon. Strict rule enforcement, but worth it for peace. 10/10

You get a star back for improving the locker room, bathroom, and entrance this 2024 season! Thanks for fixing the interior floors, putting in a new front desk, ensuring that the bathroom doors close, painting everything, and getting rid of the turnstiles to get onto the pool deck! Still needed: resurface the pool deck, get some more deck chairs, and vacuum the pool daily. read more

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Love this community pool! Conveniently located in the West End, with free access to community members so long as ID is shown. I believe if you aren't a community member, you can pay a small fee and gain entry. The crowd here is largely 20-30 year olds. Some younger kids as well, and there is a kiddie area that is shallower to accommodate the -Pros: -Clean: water always seems fresh, clean and clear! -Lifeguards: Extremely friendly, not overbearing, attentive -Location: convenient, and great views of the west end neighborhood -Price: free entry or very low cost Cons: Crowding : can get a bit crowded at peak summer hours, though this is to be expected! People are generally courteous Fun fact: once a year, I believe, this pool hosts a "bring your dog to the pool day" --a really fun day for dog owners who largely frequent the nearby dog park ! read more

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This is a nice public pool in the West End neighborhood. There are three pools: A very shallow kiddie pool, a lap pool, and a deeper pool that goes down to 12 feet. Oddly, they do not allow diving even in the deep end, which is definitely deep enough for safe diving. They have a lot of staff. The lifeguards are friendly, aware, and attentive. We were last there late on a Wednesday afternoon, and it was moderately crowded. There are chairs for sunbathing, and many overhanging trees if you prefer shade. I like this place. read more

Francis DC Public Pool - Kids in a pool - Swimming Pools Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Such an awesome community pool and vibe. Tons of people, friendly staff, everyone having fun. 10/10.

I moved to DC in September 2015 after living in a condo in Arlington Virginia. The one thing that I knew I would miss the most, was my own pool. My friends and their children were kind of upset that I was leaving. I do miss having a pool in my condo but I don't miss paying the condo fees for sure. When I would go to the pool in my building in Arlington, I would stay there at least four hours a day. I would sometimes just stay in the pool and bring my book or invite friends over with their children. Where I live now, in Adams Morgan, my condo does not have a pool or gym or party room. And this is OK because the likw condo fees are awesome. So, coming into DC, I knew I had to find a pool. It just so happens I was in my Bikram Yoga Arlington class, and a fellow classmate had recommended this pool. She gave me the lowdown on the DC pools that she had frequented and said this was a good one not too crowded and wasn't a party pool. So, I decided to come here on a weekday, when I was off. Once you find parking on the street, which is by the way only two hours, you can make your way to the front and walk inside but you'll just be asked for your ID for verification that you are a resident. So, there's no fee to come in which is awesome and I asked how much it would be for guests coming into town visiting me, and the woman said that it was free. The inside is fairly clean, and the women's locker room has bathrooms and showers. Oh, plus lockers. They have two water fountains inside as well. There are three pools here. The first pool is a kiddie one. The second pool is deeper and has a couple of lines for folks wanting to do laps . The last pool which I have not gone to is probably much cheaper than the other two and is full of adults. I pretty much stay in the kiddie pool, for a couple of reasons. I can literally lay down with my hands behind my head with half my body in the water which is awesome. I did this because I saw another person do it and said hey that's a great idea especially when the days are scorching outside and you don't want to get out of the pool. I highly recommend this pool, the only thing is just be conscious of the parking meters. The only way around the 2 hour meters is to park on the side closest to the pool, as this parking is for the school that is not in session at the moment. So you could literally park there all day. read more

Francis DC Public Pool - Swimming Pools Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Love this pool but really annoyed that it was under construction all last summer. Wish they could have timed that better, hoping it will be open this summer. The pool is large and clean, overall usually have a great experience here. read more

I've started coming here every Sunday with my Shaw/U street friends. It's a great place to spend a lazy Summer Sunday. I've got this new routine down: I ride my bike to the city, through Rock Creek Park, and work up a huge sweat. Then I meet up with my friends, and we either bike or drive over from U. Then cool off and in the pool and ahh, relax. I like that there are 3 pools, one really deep one, a middle size pool, and a kiddie/shallow pool. It's a good crowd. A mix of families, straight people, and gays. We tend to hangout near the deep end with out kind. There is always some good eye candy. I love just relaxing in the sun, jumping in the pool, then getting back in the sun. I wouldn't want to spend my Sundays any other way. Oh, one thing I don't like about this pool is the little foot path that runs between the pool and Rock Creek Park. There is a non stop parade of lurkers walking there, stopping and staring at everyone at the pool. Yesterday, I noticed this one guy just standing there for 10 or 15 minutes, staring at the pool. He kept looking towards the kiddie pool too, which disturbed me and my friends. I finally went over there and confronted him. I asked "Hey are you looking for someone, I notice you are just standing there staring at the pool." In a creepy voice he said "No, just enjoying the day..." Nothing else I could do, really. Come on, if you are gonna stare at people, at least come onto the pool deck! read more

Francis DC Public Pool - Right by the park... - Swimming Pools Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Had a great leisurely afternoon over at this pool. I played hookie from work one day with a friend and we were able to get chairs and even score a spot under the umbrella for me because I hate the blazing sun. The locker room was in decent shape and as clean as can be expected a public pool. We went around 130p and it was not crowded. However around 4p the crowds started to come in, but it still was not bad. It was $7 for me to get in as a non-DC Resident and the only accept credit cards, no cash! read more

Francis DC Public Pool - My infamous one foot pic - Swimming Pools Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place would rate five stars with no children. Or worse, children in the adult area. Normally as soon as I see kids in a pool, I refrain from going in the water. Kids turn a pool into a bacteriological petri dish. Otherwise it is a great locale. The outside area is always clean, and the shower area, given the intense use it gets, is relatively passable. read more

This is one of the only public pools in DC that is metro accessible, and it is only a fifteen minute walk at the end of my work day to get here. This pool is really nice, and the lifeguards are friendly. On week days the pool isn't too crowded, but I wouldn't dare come over here on a weekend. I have heard it gets crazy crowded. There is a once an hour safety check and adult swim on the week days. They do check for your ID here. read more

Closed on Tuesdays FYI!!! I didn't see this posted anywhere else so thought it may be of some use to people wanting to cool off during these zillion degree days. read more

When I went, it was free for DC residents and non-residents. I hear if you live in the district and can prove it, it is always free. A 12ft deep pool is not something you find very often. The crowd was a mix of older, middle-aged, single, straight, gay, family, speedo wearing, covered up people. If you can't get a lawn chair, chances are you can snag one as people come and go. Good times. Good, free, times. read more

Wow, I had no idea how amazing the DC Public Pools were until yesterday when Lauren, Cher and I took our maiden voyage to the Francis Pool after our respective exams. What a wonderful way to celebrate. Although this is the first pool I have been to (I plan on going to the others and reviewing those too) it seems like a pretty sweet setup. It is conveniently located between Dupont and Foggy B. It is a GIANT pool with a separate deep end, which everyone knows is the best part. They have a baby pool way at the other end so the babies are pretty far away and you get some peace. They have awesome lawn chairs which weren't too hard to come by at 3 pm on a Friday. Overall an amazing experience. I also think that you can drink beer there, we did anyways and nobody said anything. As long as it's not in a glass bottle. AND it's free w/ a DC ID! Yay for public services! read more

We brought our daughter here on a hot, muggy day. Access to the pool was fairly easy from the Dupont Circle apartment we were subleasing. As a nonresident, the cost to get in is $7. But luckily, the machine that collects payment was down so the employee told us we could get in for free. My two-year-old loved the shallow end, where she could splash around and kick water towards me. The kiddie area is also where adults like to just sit and lay out as well. They seemed to be annoyed by the fact that they're surrounded by toddlers, but what do you expect when it's the "kids area?" Please be forewarned that the pool can get pretty dirty with floating debris (hair, leaves, etc.). The lifeguard on duty was short-tempered and seemed to have some type of power trip sitting up high on his chair (or high horse) screaming at people not to run, take pictures, jump, etc. He must not have any voice left the next morning. Flotation devices of any kind are not allowed, even for small babies. Also, those "floaties" that wrap around the arms of babies/toddlers are not allowed as well, on the basis that parents will have a false sense of security and neglect their kid. This was the staff's explanation, not mine. Please remember, that every 45 minutes (1:45, 2:45, 3:45, etc.) there is a "kids break" where all kids need to be out of the water. This break lasts 15 minutes. This is a good time for the kids to use the restroom or eat a snack. The lifeguards do call you out if your kid wanders towards the pool. read more

Francis public pool is situated at the corner of N and 25th street in the West End. It's a pretty quiet area and is not too far from Dupont or GW. The facilities at this pool are well maintained, with decent locker rooms, a good selection of chairs and lounges, and an overall nice appearance. The pool itself has two lanes for swimming laps, a wading area for younger kids, and an open area of the pool for general swimming. The water is not overly chlorinated and appears clean. There are two lifeguards on duty at a time and they are pretty vigilant, especially when it comes to kids running or roughhousing. Overall, this is a great public pool and a good place to spend the afternoon catching some sun and relaxing. read more

Pros: - Clean, well-maintained facilities including the pool itself (the water is actually clear) - Doesn't get too crowded and there is a diverse mix of people, including a ton of gays (haaaay) - Some pretty fine looking people (eye-candy) - Trader Joe's is two blocks away. I always go down and get a late lunch there after soaking in some sun at the pool (ex: sushi) Cons: - It's fairly difficult to get a chair, so make sure to get their early - They have recently cracked down on making sure you are a DC resident to get in for free. Unless you have a DC driver's license, you have to bring specific tax forms to prove you pay DC taxes. Tax forms to the pool? A bit odd to me... read more

Alright, this pool is just fantastic! For a public pool, to keep it this well maintained! Has to get a 5. There are actually 3 pools, of different sizes, lengths and depths. So it fits perfectly to each and every one depending on how good of a swimmer you are. The lifeguards there are very friendly too. The pool is surrounded with lawn chairs, where you can just sit and soak in the sun. Perfect place for a good outdoor swim. Verdict: Must visit! read more

I am a huge fan of the dc public pools and frequented this one across the 2013 summer. The Francis pool seems to stay pretty clean and provides three separate swimming areas- one (graduated depth) shallow area, one mid-depth with several lap lanes, and a nice deep end. Was disappointed to go back one of the first days of the 2014 season to find that almost all of the chairs have not been replaced / fixed since last summer. The pieces that should prop up the back support are mostly broken, so unless you get there early to find the few that work properly, you will be stuck lying flat or may be on your towel on the ground. Which brings me to my second point: this pool is frequently overcrowded. Again, a nice pool for a dc public. Two stars off for the points mentioned above. read more

I like this pool. I have been there on a Friday, from 2pm to 5pm. We got lounge chairs for our group and we did not have problem to find shade (there are many trees surrounding one side of the pool). We went to this pool on the hottest day of the year, apparently. The water was warm, but at least you got the cooling feeling of being submerged in liquid, and when you got out, the breeze felt nice. The pool is divided into three areas, deep end, middle area for laps, and kiddies end. By the deep end, there is shade, so you can be in the water for a long time. We noticed that the under 25s tend to gather by the deep end, on the sunny side. It was quite crowded there. We sat by the kiddies end, under a big tree, there were other people (families but also adults on their own) around us but not too close, so it was nice. We brought drinks and picnic food in a little cooler bag. Nobody said anything to us. They do check ID, even if you are not a DC resident they ask you to show it. We left our stuff by the chairs when we went swimming and we did not have any issue of anything disappearing but for peace of mind, I recommend using the lockers (bring your lock) or bringing as little as possible to the pool. The toilets are a little smelly and wet - basically, like every public pool I have been to around the world - so just wear your flip flops to the loo. They also have showers. There is a creek or some sort of canal running near the pool (behind the trees) and in a hot day, it can smell a bit like stagnant water. They open M-F from 1pm to 8pm and S-S from 12pm to 6pm. read more

Cute pool. My toddler loves the shallow pool. They have lots of broken chairs though, besides that it's great read more

This is a great pool. It accommodates a lot of people, and almost every type of swimmer. There are actually three separate pools: a smaller one for children, a lap pool, and a big, 12'8'' feet deep pool. They don't mind people jumping in, but diving boards would be nice. There are lawn chairs on a first come, first serve basis. Not a lot of shade. Food and drink is not tolerated (with the exception of water). The biggest bummer when we went was that an "impending" thunderstorm temporarily closed the pool. That meant not only getting everyone out of the water, but they actually made us leave the pool area: Basically, a big, hot, unhappy crowd of people funneling through the doors. From what we could tell, the threat amounted to a pretty small, gray cloud that never rained, much less provided lightening or thunder. They check for DC residency--you can bring a utility bill or a lease, but any other type of mail is not accepted. Perhaps the best way to go is get a DC one card. I don't know, I don't have one. I'm looking into it because it's definitely worth coming back. read more

I just accidentally checked in here even though it's Oct, so I thought I should leave a review. This is a great pool, and I've been many times. Better when it's not jam-packed. The pool is clean, the deep end is deep, there are are a few lanes reserved for people who swim laps, and there's a kiddie section with shallow water. The kiddie section is ramped, maybe for wheel chair access? also the big pool has gadgets that allow for wheel chairs I think. There are also bathrooms and water fountains. There is an outdoor shower for rinsing off. You know those moments where everything is perfect? Last month I got in the deep end and it was just perfect. The contrast in temperatures between the outside air and the pool water was ...embryonic. Just perfect. When I got out I had a huge stupid grin on my face. Like being a kid again! read more

They obviously don't keep their opening hours! They were supposed to open for over 2 hrs ago but no one here. :( very annoying! Update your website!!!! read more

This is a great public resource, with very good hours. If you hang around for a bit, even on a crowded day, you can usually snag a chaise lounge--otherwise, lounging on a towel (or, my personal recommendation, a towel on top of an inflatable sleeping pad) works fine. Good location near Dupont, but not so close that it's totally overrun. Lots of good people-watching opportunities, too. read more

July 16. Mid summer and the pool is packed. But the largest part of the pool is closed for cleaning. Ridiculous. Clean the pool before it opens at noon! Poorly managed as usual. read more

This is a pretty nice pool, considering it's free. It gets crowded on summer weekends, but on weekdays the deep end might be completely open (for swimming, anyway -- laying out is another story as the lounges may all be taken an hour after opening). Even on weekdays the shallow end can be crowded with kids, as there's some sort of daycare program somewhere in the city that gets a bus or two and brings kids by the busload. My boys are good swimmers so we hang out and chill in the calm of the deep end. A few things to know: - Every few hours on busy days they blow the whistle and everyone has to get out of the pool for about 20 minutes while they add chlorine. This is probably a good thing. - If there's even a hint of a thunderstorm nearby, they'll shut down the pool entirely. You don't just get out of the pool; you have to leave. - Sometimes they'll close down the deep end if they're short-staffed (under-funded?). - The staff is often short-tempered and rude, with little explanation given for why they just blew their whistle at you and told you to stop what you're doing. This is about 50/50... I've met and talked to some really nice lifeguards, too. - This is right next to Rock Creek Park and a trail that runs down to the creek where vagrants hang out. You can get creepy folks observing from the fence. I'd suggest women not lay out along the wood-side fence unless they want to be oogled. - It's a city, of course, with a broad mix of people, and the deep end is more "adult". You might see couples of all sorts showing (discrete and legal) public affection and occasionally rubbing oil on each other, and European women (or women with European sensibilities about nudity) openly changing their tops. Prudes (or parents who aren't ready to talk to their kids about that sort of thing) should stay near the shallow end. read more

To be honest, I didn't actually go IN the pools on any of my visits to this pool. I just have a thing against going in very crowded pools. But I did enjoy soaking up the sun on the lounge chairs of which there were many. I just presented my GW id and that was enough to get me in. I would say if you don't have a DC driver's license or an ID from a school in DC, bring a piece of mail, etc. They definitely do check! read more

one of my favorite places to go in the summer in dc, and part of my old weekend routine when I lived in dc. now that I'm back for visit, in august, of course I came back. as far as outdoor public pools, it's fairly clean and well-maintained. can get a little crowded for lap swimming, but if you pick the time of day carefully you can fit in a good half hour swim during a lunch break. good place for young adults, kids, and even families (there's a kiddie pool too). read more

This pool was great!!! I was visiting DC with my 9-year-old son and wanted a place to cool off. This was the perfect spot. Plenty of chairs available and we had the pool practically to ourselves. This pool was divided into three sections: the kiddie pool (about 2'6"); the lanes (about 4-6') and the deep end (?? we didn't go that far). The pool was clean (except for the occasional bug). It was overall a great experience. read more

I came here after work on a weeknight. The pool is okay -- there are three pools overall. One for kids, one for laps and general hanging, and then another for hanging out. I think this place might be fun on the weekends, but not totally sure. It was fairly crowded for a Monday afternoon. The space for laps was not that great, and the pool was dirty. Facilities were in good condition -- better than Haines Point and Banneker. Overall, an okay place for swimming laps, especially if convenient to the office, but not the best. read more

The pools are great but the locker rooms are very dirty. They need a scrub once in a while at least. Shower floors, toilets and walls are filthy. But the pools and rest of the facilities are great! read more

This is the public pool that was mentioned in the Tom Cruise movie "Minority Report". Thought that was interesting. read more

First experience with a DC public pool. Was packed on a Saturday (we were lucky to find a patch of cement to lay our towels on) but after a few hours, got a chair. Beware, the lifeguards seemed to blow the whistle every 2 minutes, but seemed more concerned with preventing people laying out from eating (I saw several sandwiches confiscated) rather than keeping their eyes on the swimmers. read more

Wow, DC gets crazy hot in the summer! I'm still bummed that our apartment building doesn't have a pool, but the fact that there are so many great public pools makes me feel much better! There are three pools here which is great because you can have a leisurely swim, a little dunk, or you can even manage to swim laps. We went on a Saturday afternoon and while there were a lot of people it still felt spacious enough and we really enjoyed our swim. We weren't lucky enough to snag any lounge chairs, but we were fine lying on our towels in the shade. This is such a great place to spend a hot day and I can't wait to go back! read more

A reliable go-to public pool in the heart of NW DC perfect for a hot summer day, keep in mind this is a public pool so do not expect anything resort style, however, I would go as far as saying that this might just be the best public pool in the city. Hours are really good, there is a decent amount of deck space to at least find a place to set your towel in the event that all chairs are taken. Pool is Olympic size but is divided into three sections which works well for the purpose of this pool; zero entry shallow area, 4 foot area, and deep end. There are typically at least two life guards on duty who do a great job at keeping pool safe and patroling any rowdy kids who do not follow rules. Overall a great find, especially for those of us who live in nearby neighborhoods, and probably the best part is that its free for DC residents! Just make sure you have some type of ID, voters registration card, or other document that prooves that you are a DC resident, they will ask for it at the entrance! read more

This pool was PERFECT (in a community pool kinda way). Plenty of chairs, plenty of pool, not too crowded. read more