As of 5 PM today it is officially Memorial Day weekend. And
we all know what that means: the beginning of pool season. You
may think that living in the city means you have to miss out on
the great suburban joy that is community swimming pools, but
you would be wrong. Grab your sunglasses and your floaties and
follow the smell of chlorine to these hotel and neighborhood
pools.
For early risers,
Liaison Capitol Hill opens for an hour of
vinyasa yoga starting at 7:30 Saturday morning. Cool off with a
post-workout dip in the rooftop pool,
or fuel up for your day of lounging with brunch. Just don’t
forget to wait for 30 minutes after eating to go for a swim.
Reservations
are required, and admission is $50.
If rowdy ruckus is your game, then get thee to
Capitol Skyline Hotel for Adult Swim, a weekly
fun-fest held every Sunday in the summer. Deejays will be spinning
tunes and the grills will be
churning out burgers and dogs as you lounge poolside with a
drink in hand. RSVP and get there early (before 1) for free entrance;
cover is $20 after 1. The fun starts at noon and lasts until
6(ish).
Rooftop pool parties are no longer exclusive to DC, thanks to
Bethesda’s Doubletree. Guests and locals alike
can enjoy Tropical Thursday happy hour starting May 31 from 5 to 9:30,
and a dance party from noon
to 6 every Sunday. Sip frozen cocktails or bottled beer and
enjoy the 16th-story view. Oh, and did we mention the free food?
And free cover? True story.
Don’t forget that all
DC public pools open for weekend hours
starting Saturday. From noon to 6 on Saturdays and Sundays you can get
your sun on at any of the 18 locations
(see map
here),
but bring your ID,
as admission is free for all District residents.
If you’re just looking for a simple pool experience without the fanfare, check out the
Embassy Row Hotel. The pool will be open to the public for $15, but there are no planned parties occurring.
Or if you just want to enjoy a rooftop experience with a pool view, try the
Donovan House,
which will be available to lounging members of the public for free
after 7 PM. Unfortunately,
swimming is restricted to hotel guests only.
