A Dip into Capitol Hill's Pools

Originally uploaded to flickr by M.V. Jantzen

Whenever I need to know something, I tend to go to the MoTH. (A very close second is the staff at THIH, who are the best sources for all things food and drink.) When I set out to write about outdoor pools on the Hill, I thought the assignment would be easy. I’d talk about the few pools I know about on the Hill and then I’d check in with the MoTH to see what they’d recommend.

Twelve hours later and I have one response, which happens to be from a MoTH I am friends with outside of MoTH who said that her attempts at lounging poolside were thwarted when she learned that DC open air public pools are only open on weekends, at least until June 21. And she didn’t even mention what pools she went to!

For those not in the know, the MoTH is a wealth of information and resources. If you want to find a painter, you’ll have multiple recommendations in an hour if you post your request for information on MoTH. The same is true for baby gear or housewares, whether you are buying or selling. But pools, like Easter Egg Roll tickets, are something the MoTH seems unwilling to talk about. Why is that? Because sometimes we Hill residents — singles, couples sans kids and parents — simply don’t want to share our good thing. And the pools on the Hill are a good thing! So now I’m about to destroy it all but telling our readers about some of the best pools on the Hill.

Young, Single and Ready to Mingle? Cabanas and Cool are at the Capitol Skyline
We’ve all heard about the Capitol Skyline Pool, with it’s reasonable rates ($400 per family for the season), great location on South Capitol Street and fabulous weekend events that include everything from Spike grilling burgers to DJs spinning records. The pool is the perfect place to see and be seen on weekends. On weekdays, it’s also a popular place for families. A tour of the pool grounds had me convinced that I needed to join. But what if a pool membership isn’t an expense you are willing to take on? There are other options.

Public Pools: Sweet Escapes from the Sweltering Heat
If you aren’t interested in committing to a summer-long pool membership or you fear you just aren’t cool enough to hang at the Skyline (I’d have to say I’m the latter), there is an excellent public option near the Hill: the east Potomac Pool (972 Ohio Dr., SW). The pool, which is only open weekends, will open weekdays beginning June 21 and stays open all the way through October 17.

By the time summer rolls around, parents have already learned that trips to the park alone aren’t enough to satisfy, or tire out, our little friends, so we start to seek out alternatives that will exhaust our children and cool us off at the same time. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a friend who is a member at the Cheverly Swim and Racquet Club — one of the most exclusive pools inside the beltway — you still have plenty of options for aquatic fun on the Hill. There is the Watkins Pool (420 12th St SE) as well as the brand new Lincoln Capper Pool (500 L Street, SE). Both shallow pools are perfect for the under seven set.

While the pool at the Capitol Skyline Hotel is often crowded with young singles on weekends, the city’s public pools are often crowded with camp kids on the weekdays, so if you’d like to lounge poolside for free, but you don’t want to feel overwhelmed by the crowds, may I suggest you befriend a private pool member, or check out Google maps and start knocking on the doors of residents who have a pool in their backyard.

Do you have a favorite spot to cool off on the Hill? What about off Hill? Share it with us!