Best NJ Swimming Pools with Day Passes for Families and Kids
There are pool clubs throughout New Jersey that allow guests to spend the day swimming without membership or residency. Many of them feature spraygrounds, kiddie pools, water slides, and playgrounds, making a day at the pool one of our favorite summer activities for kids.
Read on for 11 NJ swimming pools that offer day passes and find plenty more seasonal fun in our Summer Fun Guide.
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Best Swimming Pools in Northern NJ
1. Palisades Park Swim Club – Palisades Park
Open weekends in June; daily beginning Wednesday, June 23; noon-7pm most days, noon-6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays
$15 per person for Bergen County residents; $20 for nonresidents
All New Jersey residents are welcome to purchase day passes at the Palisades Park Swim Club. An on-site snack bar is available weekends only, though ice cream trucks park outside on weekday afternoons. More food trucks show up on the weekend, and food can be brought in for a picnic under the pavilion. The diving board and showers are off-limits this year, and additional COVID protocols are in place.
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2. Walter E. Ulrich Pool – Rahway
Weekends from Memorial Day through Sunday, June 20; daily beginning June 21; weekends and holidays, 11am-6pm; weekdays, 11am-7pm
Union County residents, $4 for youth; $5 for adults; nonresidents, $8 for youth; $10 for adults
Located in the scenic Rahway River Park, this Union County pool offers residents and nonresidents the opportunity to swim, play, and lounge. The property includes an Olympic-size lap pool, a fenced-in baby pool, diving boards, a small playground, and a snack bar. It recently underwent a $3 million overhaul that installed mechanical upgrades, a zero-entry section in the wading pool, and new sprinkler features. Parents appreciate the new in-pool seating. A designated senior and disabled persons swim time takes place on Tuesdays from 10am-11:30am.
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Cool off in a stream-fed, chemical-free swimming pool in Ringwood. Photo courtesy of Highlands Natural Pool
3. Highlands Natural Pool – Ringwood
Open weekends in June and September; daily in July and August; noon-6pm
$15 per adult (age 18+); $10 per child (3-17 years old); ages 2 and under are FREE
This unique combo of a lake and pool may be worthy of a day trip! The Highlands Natural Pool is located next to Norvin Green State Forest and is filled with stream-fed freshwater and contains no chemicals. While you’re there, take advantage of the snack bar, games like volleyball, and everything Norvin Green State Forest has to offer. Note that there is a $20 fee to reserve a picnic table with a charcoal grill for non-members.
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Take a break from swimming to play at the sprayground at Westfield Memorial Pool. Photo by Laurie Rein
4. Westfield Memorial Pool – Westfield
Open weekday afternoons (4pm-8pm) and weekends (10am-7pm) through Wednesday, June 23; daily through Labor Day, noon-8pm on weekdays; 10am-7:30pm on weekends
$40 per person to enter; must be purchased online in advance
This awesome community pool is a swim club and sprayground in one, featuring a 50-meter pool, diving pool, water slides, and a fenced-in kiddie pool with a splashpad. No need to leave for lunch—the pool houses a full-menu snack bar and picnic area.
Best Swimming Pools in Central NJ
5. Crystal Springs Family Aquatic Center – East Brunswick
Open weekends only through Sunday, June 27; daily from Monday, June 28-Sunday, August 29 from noon-6pm; Labor Day weekend hours are noon-6pm
$25 per person; purchase online in advance beginning at 4pm the day before your planned visit
Spending the day at Crystal Springs is like going to an amusement park. Aside from the full-size and kiddie pools, the club includes an enclosed splash pad, a giant water slide, and even a lazy river.
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Fort Monmouth Recreation Pool is an inexpensive way to cool off with the family. Photo courtesy of the pool
6. Fort Monmouth Recreation Pool – Tinton Falls
Open daily through Monday, September 6; check the schedule for daily drop-in hours
Weekday rates $7/person or $20 for a family 4-pack; weekends, $10/person; $30 family 4-pack
Go for a swim at Fort Monmouth’s Olympic-size pool. Be sure to check the pool’s open-swim schedule, as it is used by camps at certain times. While visiting, check out Fort Monmouth’s other drop-in opportunities, such as pickleball and family gym time.
7. Five Star Swim School – Multiple Locations
Open year-round; schedule varies by location
$10 per person or purchase a 10-punch card for $89
Rain or shine, bring the family for a swim at Five Star's indoor, heated pool. Currently, the Galloway, Princeton, and Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, locations offer open swim hours, which vary by location.
8. Oakcrest Family Swim Club – Edison
Open weekends through Sunday, June 20; daily beginning Monday, June 21; weekdays, noon-8pm; weekends, 11am-8pm
$25 per person; $75 for a family (up to two adults, three kids)
The YMCA’s beautiful Oakcrest Club boasts a six-lane pool, a spiral tube slide, and a zero-entry kiddie pool with spray fountains. The club also features a playground and ball courts.
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Warrenbrook's kiddie pool is a welcoming spot for little ones. Photo by Mommy Poppins
9. Warrenbrook Pool – Warren
Open weekends from Memorial Day through June 13; Daily from Saturday, June 19 through Labor Day; weekdays, noon-8pm; weekends, 11am-8pm
Children ages 4-17, $8 weekdays, $10 weekends; adults, $12 weekdays, $14 weekends; children ages 3 and under are FREE. Admisison is cash-only
Somerset County’s Warrenbrook Pool welcomes residents and nonresidents to spend the day swimming and relaxing. Both a large pool and kiddie pool, as well as a snack bar, are part of the facility.
10. WaterWorks Family Aquatic Center – West Windsor
Open weekends from Memorial Day weekend through Sunday, June 20; daily from Monday, June 21-Monday, September 6, 11am-8pm
Weekdays, children (ages 2-8), $15; adults, $17; weekends, children, $17; adults, $19; children under 2 are FREE
With a 9,000-square-foot family pool, a lap pool, and a 1,700-square-foot wading pool, WaterWorks is the perfect spot to make a splash. Kids will love the sprayground, two-story slide, and play area. The center also features a recreation deck. In addition to observing standard COVID-19 protocols, the center has a BYOC (bring your own chair) and BYOF (bring your own food) policy this year.
Family-Friendly Swimming Pools in Southern NJ
11. Roberts Pool – Collingswood
Open daily beginning Friday, June 18, noon-4pm
Collingswood residents, $10 per day; nonresidents, $20. Children 3 and under are free. ID and proof of residency or dependency must be shown, call or check the website for more information.
The Roberts Pool complex features three swimming pools, including a wading pool, plus a nearby playground.
The post was originally published in 2016 and is updated annually.