Long Island sports clubs, recreation centers with indoor pools
Rod Robissa, of Kings Park, swims one of the 70 laps he completed for his one-mile swim on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
From New Hyde Park to Montauk, indoor pools are open to the public all winter long. Some require a membership, but others are available with just a day pass. As an added bonus, check out the whirlpools, saunas, water exercises, steam rooms and spa treatments many indoor pool facilities offer.
And if you can’t swim, the cool-weather months are the best time to learn. Many pools offer swim lessons all winter long, so you’ll be ready for the ocean beaches come summer. With day passes costing as little as $6, you might as well dive in.
NASSAU
Nassau County residents take part in recreational swimming at the Nassau County Aquatic Center in East Meadow. Credit: Newsday / Steve Pfost
NASSAU COUNTY AQUATIC CENTER
Eisenhower County Park, East Meadow, 516-572-0501, nwsdy.li/ncaquatic. Fitness center with a focus on aquatic exercise and swimming. Lap lanes; diving boards for dive team only. Weights and other exercise equipment available. Check website for hours and schedule. Fee Resident adult with leisure pass $8, $22 without a leisure pass; resident child (age 4-17) with leisure pass $6, $14 without; free 3 and younger; resident seniors, those with disabilities and select volunteers $5. Check website for memberships.
Farmingdale School District Aquatic Center at Weldon E. Howitt Middle School is open to residents, students and staff of the Farmingdale School District. Credit: Danielle Silverman
FARMINGDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT AQUATIC CENTER
Weldon E. Howitt Middle School, 522 Conklin St., Farmingdale, farmingdaleschools.org/aquatic_center/home. Pool Hours: Community Pool: 6-8 a.m. Mon., Wed., Fri., 8:30-9:30 p.m. Tues and Fri. Competition Pool: 6-8 a.m. Mon., Wed., Fri., 8-9:30 p.m. Wed. and Thur. Two heated pools, community pool is 42 inches deep and the competition pool is 6-13.5 feet deep with no shallow section. Offers lap-swimming and open swim sessions. A motorized lift is available. Farmingdale School District’s Continuing Community Education program (fees apply) offers water aerobics, snorkeling, water volleyball, scuba diving, adult learn-to-swim, Mommy-Daddy-and-Me classes, and more. Farmingdaleschools.org/district/continuing_education for program information, including dates, times, fees, and registration. Fee: Free to residents and students living within the Farmingdale School District's boundaries and free to the staff of the Farmingdale School District. Proper student or staff ID, or proof of residency, is required.
FREEPORT RECREATION CENTER
130 E Merrick Rd., Freeport, 516-377-2314, nwsdy.li/freeportrec. Health Wing has an indoor pool as well as saunas, diving tank and a kiddie pool. Pool hours: 6:15 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Call for swimming sessions. Fee For day passes: Freeport resident with activity card $6. Nonresident with activity card $10. Freeport resident child/senior with activity card $4, $8 for nonresident child/senior with activity card. Without activity card $12 Mon.-Fri., $15 Sat.-Sun. Check website for membership fees.
GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL
450 East Main St., Farmingdale, 516-246-2702; 141 Centereach Mall, Centereach, 631-405-4111; goldfishswimschool.com. At only 4 feet deep from end to end, the school's heated pool is well suited for families with young swimmers. The facility features a snack bar, a pro shop and a comfortable separate viewing area for those who prefer to stay dry while the youngsters swim under lifeguard supervision. Non-gendered restrooms and 14 individual changing rooms relieve parents of a common conundrum: where to change a child of the opposite sex. Reusable swim diapers are permitted. Family Swim hours: Farmingdale: 7-8 p.m. Fri.; Centereach, once per month for members only: Jan. 20, Feb. 10, March 10, call for other dates: 6:45-7:45 p.m. Fri. Fee Farmingdale: $10 per family member with a $35 maximum per family. Centereach with membership only, $5 person with a $15 maximum per family.
Gino Lenoci, 65, left, and Kevin Jensen, 68, right, both of Hicksville, enjoying the swimming pool at the HIcksville Aquatic Center. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
HICKSVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AQUATIC CENTER
200 Division Ave., Hicksville, 516-733-2245, hicksvillepublicschools.org/programs/aquatic_center. Heated pool, open Sept. through June 23, 2023 to Hicksville residents only. Pool is closed during school holidays. Hours: Lap-swimming 7:30-9:30 p.m. Mon., Wed., Fri.; District residents ages 50 and older: lap-swimming 8-10 a.m. Mon., Wed., Fri. Anyone under the age of 15 needs to attend with a parent and is subject to a ‘swim test’ to determine level of ability. Lockers are available, bring your own lock. Locks must be removed after each swim. Fee Free to Hicksville residents.
CITY OF LONG BEACH SWIMMING POOL/FITNESS CENTER
700 Magnolia Blvd., Long Beach, 516-431-3890, longbeachny.gov. Public Pool hours: 2:30-4:15 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 6-7:30 p.m. Mon., Wed., Fri., 8:45-10:15 a.m. and noon-1:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 25-yard handicapped-accessible pool offers lap swimming and swimnastics. Fee Residents: $8 adults, $4 ages 15 and younger and seniors. Nonresidents: $12 adults, $6 ages 15 and younger and seniors. Memberships: Check website. Additional hours by appointment.
MICHAEL J. TULLY PARK AQUATIC ACTIVITY CENTER
1801 Evergreen Ave., New Hyde Park, 516-869-6311, nwsdy.li/tullypark. Pool hours: 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Due to swim lesson the pool opens at noon on Saturdays ONLY on these dates Jan. 21, 28, Feb. 4, 11, March 4, 11, April 1, 22, 29, May 6, 13 and 20. The aquatic activity center offers a huge slide and three separate zones: a water spray area, a zone with six lanes for lap swimming and zero entry for wading; swimming lessons and aqua fitness classes. Fee Town of North Hempstead residents $11, $8 ages 13-17, $7 ages 3-12, $6 ages 60 and older and select volunteers, free ages 2 and younger; $14 for guests with a resident. Memberships: Check website.
SUFFOLK
The Seawater Spa at the Gurney’s Resort in Montauk. Credit: Gurney’s Resorts
GURNEY’S MONTAUK RESORT & SEAWATER SPA
290 Old Montauk Hwy., Montauk, 631-668-2345, gurneysresorts.com/montauk. The special Indoor Seawater Pool at Gurney’s is filled with warmed water drawn directly from the ocean. Gurney’s Montauk offers a variety of fitness classes both in and out of the pool and therapeutic treatments and salon services to renew your body, mind, and soul. Fee Non-hotel guests who schedule a minimum 60 minute spa service have access to the pool 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on day of service only. Access to the spa facilities is only available to those with spa treatment or hotel guests.
MASTIC POOL/BROOKHAVEN AQUATIC CENTER
300 Mastic Beach Rd., Mastic Beach, 631-451-5321, nwsdy.li/bkhavenaquatic. Indoor 25-meter heated pool offers swimmers four lap lanes. Open swim areas. Locker rooms, handicap lift available. Programs include Parent & Child Aquatics, learn-to-swim programs, lessons, water aerobics, birthday parties and special events (additional fees apply). Check website for hours and schedule. Reservations required, call the aquatic center for additional information. Fee Town of Brookhaven residents $10, $7 ages 2-15, $6 seniors 60 and older, handicapped, veterans, $8 college students; nonresidents $17, $14 ages 2-15, $14 seniors 60 and older, handicapped, veterans, $15 college students.
SCHOOL OF FISH SWIM AND SCUBA
572 Rte. 25A, Rocky Point, schooloffishswimandscuba.com, 631-744-7707. Offers deep water fitness classes 9:30-10:30 a.m. Mon., Wed., Fri. Fee Water fitness class $20, $90 for 5 sessions ($85 for seniors), $145 for 10 sessions ($140 for seniors), $225 for 20 sessions ($220 for seniors.) Also offers arthritis/active senior water fitness class, 11 a.m.-noon Mon. and Fri. Scuba diving and swimming lessons are available.
Instructor Bonnie Wong leads a water aerobics class at Michael J. Grant Campus Health Club on the Brentwood campus of Suffolk Community College. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE BRENTWOOD CAMPUS
Health, Sports and Education Center, 1001 Crooked Hill Rd., Brentwood, 631-851-6900, nwsdy.li/sunysuffolk. The 25-meter heated pool has eight lanes and a shallow area. Hosts swim meets for high schools and other special swimming events. Offers water Aquarobic classes, swimming lesson. Liability release form required. Fee $10 day pass for LI residents. Annual memberships available.
SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE EASTERN CAMPUS
Health and Wellness Club, 121 Speonk-Riverhead Rd., Riverhead, 631-548-3523, nwsdy.li/sunysuffolk. Pool Hours: 6-8 a.m., 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 5-9 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sat., 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sun. The 25-meter heated pool has eight lanes and a shallow area. Rentals available to host swim meets for high schools and other special swimming events. Offers water Aquarobic classes. Liability release form required. Fee $10 day pass for LI residents. Annual memberships available.
INDOOR POOLS, MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED
HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY SWIM CENTER
1000 Fulton Ave., Uniondale, Room 163, 516-463-5081, nwsdy.li/hofstraswim. Hours: 6 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri., noon-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Sept.-May. The Olympic-size pool, in the south wing of the Physical Education Building, has four diving boards. Fee $250 for a three-month pass for non-Hofstra students/faculty. Discounts for Hofstra retirees, alumni and senior citizens. No day passes.
This indoor pool is among the amenities available to guests staying at The Inn at East Wind Long Island. Credit: East Wind Long Island
THE INN AT EAST WIND
5720 Rte. 25A, Wading River, 631-929-3500. Indoor pool available for adults only (18 and older) with membership, available 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon-Fri. only. Fee $100 a month.
LA FITNESS
Access to pool with a monthly gym membership only, lafitness.com. All 17 locations on Long Island have indoor pools, with lap lanes, aqua fitness classes, lockers, showers, whirlpool, spa and saunas. Most pools are handicapped-accessible. Locations in Farmingdale, Levittown, New Hyde Park, Garden City, Garden City Park, Bay Shore, Commack, Lawrence, Lindenhurst, Smithtown, Lake Grove, Centereach, Patchogue, Port Jefferson Station, Farmingville, North Babylon and Huntington Station. Fee Average monthly memberships run $40-$50.
LIFE TIME
350 Robbins Lane, Syosset, 516-822-1777; 750 Zeckendorf Blvd., Garden City, 516-580-7100, lifetime.life. Hours: 4 a.m.-midnight Mon.-Fri., 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Fee Memberships starts at $239 a month. Fitness center with three-lane heated indoor lap pool and heated indoor leisure pool with 7 lap lanes. Aqua fitness classes included in membership; swim lessons for additional fee. Nonmember daily passes cost $50 for adults and $20 for kids ages 12 and younger.
MID ISLAND Y JCC
45 Manetto Hill Rd., Plainview, 516-822-3535 ext. 306, miyjcc.org. A heated, 25-meter pool with handicapped accessibility as well as whirlpool, steam room and sauna. Programs include aqua fitness, lap lane swimming, lessons, swim teams, programs for individuals with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and special needs. Access to pool is included in membership which includes many other amenities.
SID JACOBSON JCC
300 Forest Dr., East Hills, 516-484-1545, sjjcc.org/programs/aquatics-fitness-sports/aquatics/#overview. A six-lane, indoor 25-yard, 3.5 to 4.5-foot lap pool lanes; a heated kiddie pool standing 6-18 inches and hot tub; offers lessons, aqua fitness classes, swim teams and more. Family swim by reservations only.
SUFFOLK Y JCC
74 Hauppauge Rd., Commack, 631-462-9800, syjcc.org/fitness-aquatics. A six lane, indoor 25-meter heated pool and hot tub; offers lessons, aqua fitness classes, swim teams and more.
YMCA OF LONG ISLAND
The nonprofit community-based service organization has locations in Glen Cove, Huntington, Bay Shore, Holtsville, Patchogue and East Hampton — all with an indoor pool, ymcali.org. The pools are all handicapped-accessible, plus they offer adult swim lanes, family swim, water fitness classes, and group or private swim lessons.
