Just in time for summer, six city pools are opening their gates for early-season fun this Memorial Day weekend.

Baltimore City Department of Recreation & Parks announced park pools will be open Saturday, Sunday and Monday for the unofficial start of summer. The swimming season officially kicks off June 17, when all of the nearly two dozen free pools in Baltimore will be open.

Most of the public pools will also have free lockers with reprogrammable locks to store your personal belongings. At Druid Hill and Patterson, you have to bring your own locks.

After you’ve created your Civic Rec account, which is required to use all Baltimore City pools, and reviewed the rules of the pool, here’s what you need to know before you head for a dive.

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Hours for park pools

The six pools opening Saturday and Sunday will be available to swimmers from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. You can even take a splash on Memorial Day from noon to 3 p.m. and 4-7 p.m.

The park pools will operate on this weekend-only schedule on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4-7 p.m., until the swimming season starts June 17.

Their last day of operations is Labor Day (Sept. 1), a city spokesperson said.

  • Cherry Hill Splash Park: 101 Reedbird Ave.
  • Clifton Park: 2013 Sinclair Lane
  • Druid Hill Aquatic Center: 800 Wyman Park Dr.
  • Patterson Park: 148 S. Linwood Ave.
  • Riverside Park: 1800 Covington Ave.
  • Roosevelt Park Pool: 3500 Poole St.

During the swimming season, most park pools will operate Monday to Thursday from noon-3 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. and Friday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4-8 p.m.

Park pools will close one day, either a Monday or Tuesday, each week for maintenance, the Department of Recreation & Parks said in a news release. Here’s when the pools will be closed.

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  • Monday closures: Druid Hill, Lake Clifton and Riverside
  • Tuesday closures: Cherry Hill, Patterson and Roosevelt

Hours for neighborhood pools

Neighborhood pools will be available for swimmers to enjoy on June 17. They will be open Monday to Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. and 3:30-6 p.m. They will close on Sunday. A department spokesperson said neighborhood pools will cap the season on Aug. 16.

  • ABC Park Splash Pad: 501 S. Catherine St.
  • Ambrose Kennedy Pool and Splash Pad: 1000 Ensor St.
  • C.C. Jackson: 4910 Park Heights Ave.
  • Farring Baybrook: 4501 Farring Court
  • Liberty: 3901 Maine Ave.
  • O’Donnell Heights: 1200 Gusryan St.
  • Murdock/Oliver: 1400 East Lanvale St.
  • William McAbee: 1321 N. Gilmore St.

“Neighborhood pools close earlier than park pools and also open later than park pools due to traditionally lower attendance during those times and staff availability, as most city pools lifeguards attend Baltimore City Schools or college,” the spokesperson said.

Hours for indoor pools

Indoor pools will be open from June 15 to Sept. 4.

  • Cahill: 4001 Clifton Ave.
  • Callowhill: 2821 Oakley Ave.
  • Middle Branch/Cherry Hill: 201 Reedbird Ave.

Chick Webb, located at 623 Eden St., is under construction. A Recreation & Parks Department spokesperson said the construction is advancing but there is no opening date set for the pool.

But these neighborhood pools are reopening this year.

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  • Coldstream Aquatic Center: 1400 Fillmore St.
  • Towanda Aquatic Center: 4100 Towanda Ave.
  • Walter P. Carter Pool: 820 E. 43rd St.

Walter P. Carter Pool will open June 17, while the other two will open “soon after,” a spokesperson said.

Last year, these three pools along with City Springs Pool and Greater Model Aquatic Center, were closed due to maintenance. They underwent upgrades as part of the Rec Rollout, a citywide initiative that began in 2022 to replace aging pool infrastructure and enhance public spaces and parks by 2026.