It was our first time here and we were really happy to find clean spaces, really friendly staff in the entrance and nice pool temperature. There was enough seating for the amount of people the pool can probably hold. In spite of it being a Saturday, the pool didn't feel crowded. They had enough lifeguards, each looking over one area of the pool. Also, there is a ramping for easy access if you can't use stairs to get into the pool. The kid pool was really nice as well. With the splash area! Only suggestion is take your own hand sanitizer or hand soap because there wasn't any in the bathroom. Other than that, everything was great! read more

Banneker Pool - Big pool - Swimming Pools Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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To see all parts of D.C., visit the Banneker Pool, one of the city's most popular outdoor pools. A large pool with lanes and sections for children, people from across the city visit between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It's free with a D.C. I.D. There are plenty of chairs for lounging and there are lifeguards on duty whenever they are open. For being popular and older, it's fairly clean. read more

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

Free access to the pool during the summer months with a DC ID. We prefer to go around lunch during week days when there are plenty of lanes open for lap swimming. Also plenty of shady and sun facing lawn chairs. read more

I was today years old when I learned the DC public pools are free for DC residents. I love my city!!

Made my first trip of the year to Banneker Pool. Always fun. Lots of hot gals, lots of attractive guys. I arrived at 1:30 and no beach chairs were available. Lots of people were at the pool and many were laying on their towels on the concrete. According to prior reviews, this is common. Pool temperature was perfect, not too cold but cold enough to be refreshing on a very hot day. The ladies checking IDs were friendly and fast. Banneker Pool is always great, though unfortunately they didn't have any music playing today. Perhaps it was because they were playing music at the tennis clinic next door. read more

Diving board has been removed no eta on replacement. Not enough seats. If you're non resident getting a day pass online is confusing

Great outdoor pool I remember I used to swim practice here back in the day! I love the track and field next to it. Sometimes you can catch me warm up QiGong and tai chi here. read more

Fantastic, huge pool. Diverse crowd, separate kid's pool area, adult-only side of the pool, two diving boards, two shaded areas. Clean locker rooms, clean pool area. Why not 5 stars? Not enough lounge chairs. And on Saturdays in July, you pretty much have to be there at exactly 12 noon standing in line to get one. I showed up at 12:15pm and they were all gone. Bring a thick beach towel to lie poolside. Wait any longer, and it'll get so crowded there may not even be any spots near the pool to lie your towel! Other helpful tips: 1. Bring your own lock if you plan to store anything in the lockers. 2. Bike racks are outside the pool, but that too fills up fast. 3. McDonald's, Subway, and Potbelly are just a block away if you want to grab food after a long day of swimming. read more

This is the place to be for summer aquatic relaxation. The pool is big, with a lot of pool chairs on the surrounding deck. There is a separate lap pool for those who want to work out without interference from frolicking kids. The pool has a 1 m diving board in the central deep section that the kids never tire of. Teenagers and adults hang out on the pool deck, napping, reading, talking, and flirting. There are lots of lifeguards keeping an eye on things and keeping the kids safe and in line. If you want to chill here, you can chill. If you want to play, you can play. If you want to exercise, you can do that too. read more

So far it's one of the most well maintained pools I've seen in the District. The locker rooms are small but clean. Check in was smooth even with a long line. Staff was courteous. There's a large kiddie pool and a very large main pool with diving board! Plenty of life vests were available. On the downside not enough shade or chairs. You may wind up sitting on the ground:( read more

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

What an eclectic mix of people. You have your Howard University students, your Georgia Avenue ruffians, your Columbia Heights hipsters, your caddy Caucasian gays, families a plenty and children from all walks of life. I absolutely love the diversity of this pool. No where else in DC can I (white gay dude) make friends with a 10 year old african-american kid named "DJ." Banneker is a great way to escape the Summer heat and enjoy your day off work. Summary: Banneker puts the "community" in "community pool." A caveat: definitely not a place to come swim laps, especially if it's hot out. You'll be dodging people left and right and leave unsatisfied. read more

Not a place to work out your body, but to show your hard worked body! Come here to sunbathe and jump off the dive board. There are no lanes so, it's not the ideal place to do laps. They check IDs and DC residency so make sure you bring your ID and a piece of mail, if you don't have a DC driver's license. Oh, and best of all. It's free! read more

I am pleasantly surprised with Banneker pool. I went today and it was great. Mind you it was a monday evening (around 6 pm when i got there) but it was super clean and there was a nice amount of people out. I appreciate the fact that it is open until 8pm so that I can still head there after work. There's a diverse crowd, but that just reflects the neighborhood as a whole. This is the most fun I've had for FREE in as long as I can remember! read more

Exercise, people watching, vitamin D. All of this, free (for DC residents)? Fabulous! read more

The best public pool in DC! It's a party here all summer long. The employees are so fun and nice, as are the community members who come here to swim. I'm sad the summer is over but I can't wait until next year when I get to return to Banneker. It's the place to be on a hot sunny summer day in DC. read more

I hesitate to review this pool, since part of the charm is that I have it all to myself! The locker rooms were recently renovated; they are clean and respectable. The pool has an area of laps (50m) and a couple of diving boards. There are usually enough chairs and lounges for everyone, but be prepared to sit on a towell on the deck if the pool is busy. Plus, the entire she-bang is free to DC residents - sweet! read more

What a great pool in the middle of the city! It cost $7 to come in but love the spacious area to lounge by the pool. It is family friendly and I particularly love the diversity of folks here. I live in Arlington but will surely be back again! read more

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How can you not love a free public pool, with a diving board, and an amazing cross section of DC residents? The people watching is fabulous, and you can generally bring in your own food and drink without issue (from what I've seen thus far). There are lots of children, so if you don't like them, I would not recommend coming here. They also close the pool about once an hour (not sure why), and I've heard stories of puke in the pool on several occasions, though thankfully have not witnessed it. read more

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

Banneker is an awesome pool to check out in the summer. They are pretty inconsistent with asking for ID. Sometimes they just let you in and just have you write down your name. So for non-DC residents, you might not even have to pay the $7 if you want to go. The pool and seating areas are large, but still it's often very crowded and there aren't places to lie down. Getting there in the late afternoon during the week or right at opening on the weekends is your best bet. Most importantly, having hotdogs and froyo available in case you work up an appetite makes it all come together. read more

Hot DC Days are made much better when there is a pool near by... The pool is huge, but only the shallow end was open, as they are currently understaffed. This was okay, but not great, as I wanted to swim some laps. (OTHER REVIEWERS SAID THIS WAS NOT A LAP POOL, but I had to check it out myself). I got through about 1000 yards, before the kids were everywhere, so it wasn't too bad. The lifeguards did inform me that they do have LAP SWIMMING 8am -10am. I am going to check that out in the morning. The bathrooms and locker rooms left something to be desired. I didn't bother to use either. There is a parking lot right behind the pool, so I just took in the necessities, and locked the rest in the car. There were plenty of lawn chairs, and deck space. :) read more

Oh we will miss sleeping away hangover poolside at Banneker. Despite the sleepy lifeguards and grumpy "manager", there is always a great time to be had here because of the community!!! The hipster dive-board club, inventive suits, and everyone in between thank you for providing a much-needed diversion from another shopping trip at Target or beer at Wonderland. See you next year! read more

This is a nice place to take your kids on a hot day. There are plenty of life guards. The kids pool is a pretty good size and they have the option of swimming in the larger pool as well. I read a review that said the life guards were mean. I have found them friendly and helpful on most of my visits. i even left my bathing suit and they held it for me. I was happy to see that they are watching out for the kids and concerned with safety. Yes do get there early if you want to get a pool chair. And yes this pool is more social than serious lap swimming. I came here as a child with my mom and I love the fact that I can now take my daughter. I do not use the lockers. I suggest bringing your own lock if you do - nothing on the pool - just common sense. read more

Yay for DC residents, not so Yay for non residents.. the fee went up to $7 from last year's $5. You have to get there and wait in line if you want a chair to sit on instead of concrete. The bathrooms are clean, there is plenty of space/sunshine for sun bathing. On saturdays they also do this "cute" thing called "adult swim" where they make the kiddies get out of the pool for like 15 minutes.. not sure what that does, but it's funny watching the kids itching to go back in. read more

I'm ashamed to say that I've lived in the neighborhood for 2 years, but only managed to make my way to Banneker Pool yesterday. What a wonderful gathering place right in my own backyard. The pool is huge (bigger than Olympic size), there are two diving boards, a little wading pool area, and a wonderful crowd. Ok, they could use a few more chairs, but after 30 minutes, my group of three was all lounging comfortably. Awesome. read more

Everything you read in the reviews about the people are correct as it relates to diversity. It almost has a club like atmosphere, music, food, and people. Maybe they should just serve alcohol, what could possibly go wrong?!!? The staff is nice and they seem to work well together, as this is a large pool. The deep water part of the pool is in the middle and the shallow parts are on the ends. This pool does have a diving board, and it adds to the people watching. You will see the middle age white guy try and do a dive after not being on a diving board for 20+ years and it will not end well, yes that was me, but I have seen it before. The locker rooms are clean with bring your own lock lockers. My daughter is 2 1/2 years old and she swims in both the kiddie pool and the big pool depending on her mood, and her mood changes like her mothers. Therefore, since I cannot stand up to either of them I too swim in both. Bring some cash for the food because I do not think they take credit cards, or at least they did not when I purchased food. There are a lot of lawn chairs, and the do get taken quickly especially if you are trying to get under the covered area. More people tanning than swimming. The lines are long when they first open on the weekends, and you are merely waiting for the chance at a chair. If you do not need a chair, go an hour after they open and you will miss the line. Bottom line: One of my favorite pools in DC and I go to over six of them throughout the year. read more

This pool is great! There is a lot of space and it is well guarded. They have nice chairs and there are lockers and showers.

This pool has it all - diving board, kiddie pool, lap swim, clean locker rooms, and a great mix of people. You have your book readers, active kids, tan enthusiasts, and happy families. Show proof of DC residence and it's completely free. If it's a nice day, bring your own chair. read more

Went for the first time today and it was great! Not too many kids in the main pool since there's a kid's section . They played music from the speakers so it felt almost Vegas club like... Almost. But it's a great diverse crowd and great people watching. There are also hot dogs, burgers, chips, and soft serve for sale. read more

Great pool, and a lot of fun to go to. However, it's clear that the place isn't being kept up as it should. The DC Govt (i.e., DC taxpayers) clearly spent some big $$ remodeling this pool (the whole center, in fact) a few years back, but the place is being allowed to decay. The locker room bathrooms are always a puddle of water, and while the pool itself is currently in good shape, one can see that better care needs to be taken of the facility (the concrete, the locker rooms in general, pool structure itself). Why aren't there more deck chairs? And the ones that are there, many are falling apart. As for the way the pool is run, it's a little lackadaisical. The staff does not enforce pre-pool showering rules, and in the dozen or so times I've been there, they close off a whole section, despite people using it. When asked, the lifeguard who appeared to be in charge stated that he was short of lifeguards. To their credit, however, I witnessed a lifeguard save a teenager from drowning a few weeks ago. Pretty impressive. read more

It is very clean place and in weekdays there are not many people. You can enjoy the time there with good music and nice environment. You should have your ID and pay just by card. Definitely will come back. read more

If your not from DC then you wouldn't understand...We love our city and everything it brings! Banneker Pool is and has always been one of the best outdoor pools! read more

I have been to many of the public pools in the area and find this one to be mediocre. While it is large and an easy fix on a hot day - all of the comments mentioned last year about deterioration and upkeep are still true, if not worse. Also, it is impossible to find a chair if you do not get there right when it opens and it is super noisy! Now, don't get me wrong, every pool has children playing and getting down with their friends, but compared to other pools, this one is particularly chaotic. So if you envision yourself lounging with your favorite novel in semi-quietude, forget it. FInally, the staff are really mean here. I don't know why, but they love yelling at EVERYONE and are really uptight about people even having their feet in the water during adult swim. read more

Wish we had discovered this city last summer. A great place to beat the heat when stuck in the city on a hot summer day. An eclectic mix of people and a feeling that all are welcomed. Visited today and the only downside was having to wait in line for entry. Apparently the pool was at capacity. Can't wait to return. read more

Pros: Clean, newly remodeled Cons:no kickboard or buoys for lap swimmers, few showers lots of kids Tip: bring your own lock for lockers read more

I love this pool!!! I can't believe I've lived so close for the past 2 years and I've never visited. There is such a great mix of people. I was able to lay out, read my book, and enjoy my friends. Everything was pretty clean. The only down side was that there's not a lot of chairs...but I brought my towel and was fine with laying out on the ground. I see this being one of my favorite summer hang-outs. read more

This pool is awesome. It's super clean; everything looks like it was recently renovated and it's not very crowded. This is the nicest public pool I've been to in DC. In response to the question about the cost--it's free for DC residents but I don't think they'll let you in otherwise (fee or no fee). I haven't updated my DC license yet, so I usually just bring a bill in my name or a copy of my lease and they'll accept that. But the other day this pool wouldn't let me in without something kind of proof of residency (I forgot the bill/lease at home that day). The one at 25th & N is way more relaxed though. If you say you forgot your ID, they'll just ask you to sign in anyway and not make a big deal about it. read more

Super impressed with this pool--especially the lap swim in the morning. Maybe six others. The pool was very clean and locker rooms were good too. Two thumbs up!! read more

Despite the Lord of the Flies style management (rules seem to change with the breeze and there is no shortage of attitude among the staff), this is a great pool. Once you have a seat and know what the rules du jour are, you are good to go. read more

I'm down with Banneker. If all you want is some cold water to swim in and some rays to soak up, you will be happy. There usually aren't enough chairs so make sure you bring a large towel to lay on. One time I found red mites crawling everywhere which was gross but that only happened once. The pool is relatively clean. I have never witnesses lap lanes, which would up this to one more star. If you want to swim for exercise, you have to swim laps across the short end (rather than the full length of the pool) -- it makes for lots of extra flip turns but it's not terrible. The diving board can be entertaining, as men often do funny dives off of it. One plus is that there seem to be lots of adult swims AND there's a kiddie pool for the really young ones. There is also a deep end (which is actually in the middle so not truly and END). Overall, I like this pool and I'm grateful that it is right down the street from me. However, if it was NOT down the street from me, I would not come a long distance to swim here. read more