Walter Sondheim Fountain
Summers in the Baltimore area can be brutally hot and humid. There’s no better way to escape the heat and still enjoy the outdoors than enjoying the cool waters of a splash fountain, wading pool or swimming pool.
Here’s a list of the Baltimore splash pads, fountains, wading pools and swimming pools that are free or almost free. Most are part of the Baltimore City Recreation and Parks’ aquatics program. If you know of others, please let us know. We’ll add more as we discover them.
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Baltimore splash pads and fountains
Walter Sondheim Fountain — West Shore Park, 401 Light Street. This big splash pad is part of the “great lawn” of West Shore Park located between the Baltimore Visitor Center and Maryland Science Center. The fountain is on Monday – Friday from 10am to 10pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 10pm. Free.
North Harford Splash Pad — North Harford Park, 6800 Hamlet Drive. This splash pad has a three-ring sprayer, plus a whale’s tail spout. Open every day through Labor Day. The hours are Monday – Saturday from 12pm to 5pm and Sundays and holidays from 1pm to 4pm. Free.
Photo from Baltimore RecNParks
Solo Gibbs Splash Pad – Solo Gibbs Park, 1044 Leadenhall Street. Located in the historic Sharp-Leadenhall community, the park also features a playground, two tennis courts, two basketball courts, a baseball field and a recreation center. Open every day through Labor Day, the hours are Monday – Saturday from 12pm to 5pm and Sundays and holidays from 1pm to 4pm. Free.
Wading pools
These wading pools run by Baltimore City Recreation and Parks are open through Labor Day. Hours are Monday – Saturday from 12pm to 7pm and Sundays and holidays from 1pm to 6pm. $2 per 2-hour session and free for ages 3 and under.
Cherry Hill – 101 Reedbird Avenue
Clifton Park — 2013 Sinclair Lane
Patterson Park — 148 S. Linwood Avenue
Riverside Park — 1800 Covington Avenue
Roosevelt Park — 3500 Poole Street
William McAbee — 1323 N. Gilmore Street
Park Pools
There are 6 outdoor public pools in parks across the city. All are staffed with lifeguards and some offer water aerobics classes and swimming lessons. Open through Labor Day, hours are Monday – Saturday from 12pm to 7pm and Sundays and holidays from 1pm to 6pm. $2 per 2-hour session and free for ages 3 and under.
Patterson — 148 S. Linwood Avenue
Druid Hill — 800 Wyman Park Drive
Cherry Hill Splash — 101 Reedbird Avenue
Roosevelt — 3500 Poole Street
Clifton — 2013 Sinclair Lane
Riverside — 1800 Covington Avenue
Neighborhood Pools
Baltimore City Recreation and Parks also runs 12 smaller pools in neighborhoods across the city. Open through Labor Day, hours are Monday – Saturday from 12pm to 5pm and Sundays and holidays from 1pm to 4pm. $1 per 2-hour session.
Ambrose Kennedy — 1000 Ensor Street
C.C. Jackson — 4910 Park Heights Avenue
Central Rosemont — 2621 Winchester Street
City Springs — 1500 E. Baltimore Street
Coldstream — 1400 Fillmore Street
Farring Baybrook — 4501 Farring Court
Greater Model — 1055 W. Saratoga Street
Liberty — 3901 Maine Avenue
O’Donnell Heights — 1200 Gusryan Street
Towanda — 4100 Towanda Avenue
Walter P. Carter — 820 E. 43rd Street
William McAbee — 1323 N. Gilmore Street
Other articles you may like:
- Free Outdoor Movies around Baltimore 2018
- Free Summer Socials at West Shore Park
- 18 Free (or Cheap) Things to do with Kids in Baltimore
- Rhythms & Reels 2018: a full lineup of free movies and concerts
- $1 Kid Flicks This Summer at Regal Cinemas
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