The Best Public Swimming Pools in Boston

The BCYF Mirabella Pool in Boston's North End neighborhood and is one of the city's most popular outdoor public pool for summer swimming. City of Boston resident rates for passes are $20 for adults, $10 for teens and $5 for youth ages 6-12. If you're visiting from out of town, rates are doubled. But keep in mind that they don't offer day passes, so you'll need to get a pass with a money order (only form of payment accepted, though they are working on an electronic payment method) even if you only plan to go for the day.

The BCYF Clougherty Pool, located in Charlestown, is another one of Boston's outdoor pools available to families. Much like the Mirabella Pool, they do not offer day passes and passes must be purchased with a money order. Rates are $15 for adults, $5 for teens and free for all children 12 and under. The pool is open from Monday to Sunday, 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. during summer months, subject to weather.

The Clubs at Charles River Park offer a summer program that's complete with Boston's largest outdoor swimming pool, as well as an outdoor wading pool for little ones. The only downfall here is that memberships are more costly than the public city pools, with adult passes at $490, students at $390 and kids at $190 (family packages are also available). This is a good option if you'll be in Boston for the summer.

Located in Brighton is the Artesani Playground, Wading Pool and Spray Deck. While a wading pool may not sound all that exciting for adults, it's deep enough for any age to cool off in, with plenty to do for the kids. Parking is available here and you'll see this pool filled with families come summer.

Another free option is the Latta Brothers Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool in Somerville, just north of the city. It's typically open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the summer. It's unfortunately not right off the MBTA trains, but there is parking.

Another outdoor pool in Somerville is the Dilboy Pool, operated by the Somerville Recreation Department. This one isn't free though, with individual passes being $40 and family passes $75.

The Francis J. McCrehan Memorial Swimming and Wading Pool is located in Cambridge and is maintained by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. They offer a reduced family swim rate of just $1.

The last pick on the list is a 20-minute drive from the city, but offers more of a pool day experience than the others. This is the Hotel Indigo Boston-Newton Riverside's BOKX Pool. Even if you're not staying at the hotel, you can purchase a day pass for $35. They also have luxury cabanas available for rent both day and night, as many people opt to stay into the evening to enjoy food and drinks by the fire pits.