5 cool New Orleans pools you can dive into now
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The Pool Club at Virgin Hotel. Photo: Courtesy Virgin Hotel
There are few summer traditions as delicious as that first leap into a swimming pool.
- And in New Orleans, where temperatures start hitting the mid-80s while other parts of the country still battle blizzards, pool access is one of the hottest commodities around.
Here are five drop-in New Orleans-area hotel pools where you can jump in and cool off without an overnight reservation.
Key:
🍹 Serves alcoholic beverages.
🍽️ Serves food.
🧖♀️ Towel included.
❌ Note: All pools require non-hotel guests to be 21 or older.
🧖♀️ 🍽️🍹 Hotel Chloe
Dip into the scene at this bustling boutique hotel in Uptown, where non-hotel guests can drop in to swim between 11am and 8pm.
Location: 4125 St. Charles Ave.
Cost: $30+.
Fine print: First come, first serve.
🍹🍽️ Virgin Hotel
The 13th-floor rooftop Pool Club offers one of the best views in the city, so even though non-hotel guests aren’t allowed to use the poolside chairs and sofas, you’ll still feel like a VIP.
Location: 550 Baronne St.
Cost: $30+.
Fine print: Drop-in rates are higher on the weekends.
🍹🍽️ Ace Hotel
Live it up above the CBD at the first New Orleans’ hotel pool to offer drop-in swimming. Things can get roasty-toasty on the pool deck, so try to snag a lounger under the greenery-draped pergola.
Location: 600 Carondelet St.
Cost: $30.
Fine print: Day passes are first come, first serve, but it gets busy, so book ahead.
🧖♀️ 🍽️🍹 NOPSI
One of several downtown hotels to offer drop-ins through ResortPass. The NOPSI separates itself because it offers both single reservations and cabanas, as well as a pool party every Sunday afternoon.
Location: 317 Baronne St.
Cost: $50+.
Fine print: Cabanas are limited to two guests.
🍹 The Drifter
Looking for a cool, quiet place to relax with an easy read? This probably isn’t it, unless you’re arriving early. By midday, expect the speakers to be turned up and buzzing poolside chatter.
Location: 3522 Tulane Ave.
Cost: $10+ per swim session or $299 for an annual pass.
Fine print: Must be 21 or older. Look for drink specials when it rains!
🆓 Bonus: NORDC pools
Don’t forget the NORDC pools. As public facilities, don’t expect any of the posh amenities noted above, and they close on Sundays and during the day for staff breaks. Do expect free access and occasional crowds.
These are open year round:
- Gert Town Indoor Pool, 3411 Broadway St.
- Joe W. Brown Indoor Pool, 5601 Read Blvd.
- Sanchez Indoor Pool, 1616 Fats Domino Ave.
- Treme Indoor Pool, 900 N. Villere St.
Want to get out of town instead? Check out our getaway guide with 5 day trips near New Orleans.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect updated pool hours and prices.