Where to Stay Cool in the Summer Heat

Summertime has arrived in Houston!  Whether you are looking forward to a family vacation, or if you are trying a stay-cation, there is no better time than sweet summertime.  What is less sweet about summer is the Houston heat.  The kids are out of school, and you are probably in need of an activity to keep everyone cool and busy. With temperatures soaring into the 90’s daily and private pools a rarity in the Heights, you are in good company if you are looking for a place to swim.

Fortunately, there are several options to keep you cool throughout the summer. Even better? All the city-operated public pools are free!

Stude Park

Located at 1031 Stude Street, off Studewood between I-10 and White Oak, this large park offers running and biking trails, a playground, athletic fields, and great views of downtown, in addition to a swimming pool. Forester Street is the best place to park to get to the pool easily.

Memorial Park

Although it is a little south of the Heights, Memorial Park is still easily accessible and has one of the nicer public pools nearby. The pool is also located next door to the Memorial Park Fitness Center, if you would like to squeeze in a workout before or after your swim, and offers easy access to the jogging trails. Members of the fitness center can use the pool before general opening hours to swim laps. The pool is located at 6402 Arnot St.

Love Park

Situated at Shepherd Drive and 12th Street, Love Park is centrally located and offers a nice playground and outdoor pool with two water slides. Given the park’s located adjacent to Love Elementary, you might think it would be crowded with kids at all hours, but it is actually pretty quiet most of the time.

Jaycee Park

While it does not actually have a pool, Jaycee Park gets an honorable mention because it has a splash pad perfect for entertaining smaller children on hot days. A multitude of water sprayers go off at various intervals for kids to splash and play in the water, and the surrounding area is paved with colorful leaves and butterflies. Benches surround the area for the parents to relax while their kids run wild. Jaycee Park is just west of the Heights proper, at 1300 Seamist.

Pool Rules

All city pools are open Tuesday-Sunday from 1:00-8:00 pm. No glass containers are allowed, and all children under 8 must have a parent or guardian in the pool with them at all times. The city of Houston does not allow floats or inflatables in the pool.

Stay cool, drink plenty of water, and have a fantastic summer!

For more information, please visit: http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/pools.html
Source: City of Houston