Top Pools in Los Angeles, CA

Public pools in Los Angeles are run by the city's Recreation and Parks department, with dozens spread across neighborhoods from the Valley to the coast. Most are outdoor pools open for the summer season, a few indoor and heated pools stay open year round, and nearly all are free or low-cost. A handful stand out.

Echo Park Deep Pool is one of the only deep, Olympic-sized public pools in the city, which makes it the top pick for lap swimming.

Griffith Park Pool in Los Feliz and Hansen Dam Aquatic Center in Lake View Terrace are best for families, with lifeguards, shallow areas, and, at Hansen Dam, water slides.

The Annenberg Community Beach House pool in Santa Monica is the most scenic, set at a historic beach house on the coast, though it requires a day pass in summer that sells out early.

For a heated pool open year round, the West Hollywood Pool at Plummer Park is your best bet.

Whichever you choose, weekday mornings are the calmest, and it is worth checking a pool's official page for current hours and fees, since these change with the season.