From Newport and Jamestown to Point Judith and all the way south to Westerly, Rhode Island is famous for its broad, sandy beaches. Still, summer doesn't last forever and, regardless of the temperature, sometimes nothing can beat doing a few laps in the pool or a bracing half-hour of aerobic water exercise. For those times, there are some good public pool choices in Rhode Island for residents and visitors alike.
The McDermott Aquatic Center in Warwick is one of several municipal public swimming pools in the state. Access to the facility is by day pass at a nominal fee or by seasonal pass. Residents of Warwick enjoy reduced rates but anyone may swim here. Unaccompanied children must pass a swim test before being allowed to use the facility.
The town operates a variety of programs at the facility including swim lessons, senior exercise programs, open swim sessions, adult workout sessions and lifeguard courses. In addition, the pool is available for group rentals on weekend nights and for birthday parties on weekend mornings between 11 a.m. and noon.
McDermott Aquatic Center
975 Sandy Lane
Warwick, RI 02889
401-738-2000
warwickri.gov
The Newport Athletic Club in Middletown makes its pool available to the public for a fee. Voted the best place to swim in winter by the readers of "Newport Life Magazine," the six-lane pool converts to an outdoor facility during the summer months when food and beverage service is available to swimmers during the afternoon.
Passes may be purchased for single sessions, and discounts are available for those wishing to purchase 10-visit or 20-visit punch cards. Children are required to exit the pool for 10 minutes each hour to allow them to rest and to provide breaks for the lifeguards.
Newport Athletic Club
66 Valley Road
Middletown, RI 02842
401-846-7723
newportathletic.com
The Budlong Pool in Cranston is one of the largest outdoor pools in the country, according to the City of Cranston's website, and is open to the public for a fee. Run by the City of Cranston, access is by day pass only for non-residents. Residents of Cranston may also purchase season, family and individual passes. The season for the Budlong pool is short--from late June to the third week in August. During the rest of the year, says the Cranston Branch YMCA, residents and non-residents may purchase daily passes to its pool during general swim times.
Budlong Pool
198 Aqueduct Road
Cranston, RI 02910
401-781-7477
cranstonri.com
