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9 of the Best Pools in New York City

Your guide to making a splash in the Big Apple.

Although it certainly pulls a crowd as a winter wonderland, New York City can clock some challenging temperatures at the other end of the thermometer, too. When there’s no time for the Hamptons, respite can be found at one of the numerous chic hotel pools throughout the city. Sure, many of them are for the exclusive use of hotel guests, but would booking a room at one of these hot spots be so bad?

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

Views, glorious views. This sustainability-minded hotel enjoys prime position next to the famous and picturesque Brooklyn Bridge, and the rooftop pool puts the incredible views in the spotlight.

 

As well as the bridge, the plunge pool offers sweeping views of the Downtown skyline, with the Statue of Liberty kicking off the glorious panorama. The pool is for guests only, but Harriet’s Rooftop Bar, just next door and with the same vista, is open to the public. Reservations are recommended.

 

Address: 60 Furman Street, Brooklyn

The Dominick

SoHo is one of New York City’s most sought-after destinations, and there are worse ways to soak up that Downtown atmosphere than with a poolside cocktail at The Dominick.

 

The outdoor pool, which puts guests in the thick of the Manhattan skyline, is adjacent to Terrace on 7, the latest addition to The Dominick’s food and beverage offering, at least for now (watch this space). The indoor-outdoor restaurant and lounge is a stylish space serving fresh Japanese fare and fantastic cocktails.

 

Address: 246 Spring St, New York

The Dominick pool
Enjoy a poolside cocktail at The Dominick

The William Vale

Located in hipster-friendly Williamsburg, The William Vale boasts the longest outdoor pool in greater New York City. Better yet, the 465-square-metre poolside terrace, complete with plush cabanas, has slick resort written all over it and the menu, featuring light fare and summer-friendly cocktails, is brought to you by award-winning chef Andrew Carmellini. Day passes and memberships are available, but the best way to guarantee a day bed is to check into one of the hotel’s 183 rooms.

 

Address: 111 N 12th St, Brooklyn

The William Vale pool New York City
The William Vale boasts the longest outdoor pool in greater New York City

SoHo House

Sex and the City fans will know the name, and not even PR maven Samantha Jones could score a lounge or four at this exclusive rooftop pool. In reality, membership is just as prized.

 

To join, you need the endorsement of two current members and a willingness to part with a hefty annual fee, but there is a way around these hurdles for travellers. Check yourself in to one of the 44 fully equipped rooms and you will soon find the SoHo House pool isn’t the only feature worth diving into.

 

Address: 29-35 9th Ave, New York

Soho house pool
SoHo house is a destination all by itself

Baccarat Hotel

Off the roof and two levels below ground, the pool at the exquisite Baccarat Hotel provides a calm and restorative oasis in the beating heart of Midtown. Paris-based firm Gilles & Boissier is responsible for the opulent hotel design and the pool has been given the same luxurious treatment, with black-and-white marble floors and cabanas inspired by the French Riviera.

 

Address: 28 W 53rd St, New York

Baccarat Hotel NYC
Find Baccarat Hotel pool in the heart of midtown

Gansevoort Meatpacking NYC

Open year-round, the 15th-storey heated pool at Gansevoort Meatpacking is the perfect spot to take in one of New York City’s most glamorous neighbourhoods. Art Deco-style tiles and sleek outdoor furniture help create a sophisticated retreat, available only to guests of the 186-room hotel. Adjacent Gansevoort Rooftop, a stylish bar with indoor and outdoor spaces and views to boot, is open to the public.

 

Address: 18 9th Ave, New York

GansevoortPool
Take in the NYC skyline poolside at The Gansevoort

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The Williamsburg Hotel

More breathtaking views of Manhattan’s famous silhouette can be enjoyed from the rooftop at The Williamsburg Hotel. Sitting pretty on Williamsburg’s thriving Wythe Avenue, the hotel epitomises style and the 12-metre pool is no exception. It is located at the foot of the hotel’s famous Water Tower Bar, an Instagram hit, and also features a bar of its own and plenty of seating. Pool access is for guests only until midday, when the public is invited join in for a $25 entry fee, subject to availability.

 

Address: 96 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn

Williamsburg Hotel Pool
Perched above the city streets, the Williamsburg’s rooftop oasis boasts breathtaking views, an outdoor pool, bar & café.

The Peninsula New York

A landmark hotel on iconic Fifth Avenue, The Peninsula New York is a five-star stay with a pool to match. Floor-to-ceiling teak columns surround the serene 13.7-metre pool, located on the top (23rd) floor of the grand Midtown hotel. The pool is part of the hotel’s three-storey spa, giving you the perfect excuse to add a treatment to your day.

 

Address: 700 5th Ave, New York

Peninsula pool NYC
A landmark hotel (and pool) on Fifth avenue

Dream Downtown

Love to feel the sand between your toes? The Beach at Dream Downtown has you covered. Spanning 465 square metres, The Beach features a spectacular glass-bottomed pool with views to the hotel lobby, as well as a full-service bar, pool deck, private cabanas and chaise lounges.

 

A ‘beach’ has been created with sand imported from The Hamptons for that truly perfect underfoot feel. Day passes are available to the public, but weekends are the exclusive domain of hotel guests.

 

Address: 355 W 16th St, New York

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12 grand journeys throughout North America

    Continue
    Discover North America’s epic adventures — from Route 66 and Alaska cruises to Hawai‘i road trips, NYC culture, Mexico trails and more.

    1. Route 66, the Main Street of America

    Travelling with: Ricky French

    Sunset on Route 66 in the California Mojave Desert.
    Hit the open road and trace America’s legendary highway. (Image: Getty/Der_Thomasa)

    Dubbed the Main Street of America, Route 66 radiates serious main character energy, cemented into popular culture through everything from John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath to the Disney Pixar film Cars. Spanning nearly 4000 kilometres from Chicago to Los Angeles, the historic highway celebrates its centenary next year, a timely invitation to take the mother of all road trips along the Mother Road. Allow two to three weeks to tackle the full length, or bite off a smaller chunk at either end, cruising the dramatic deserts of California or the more pastoral landscapes of Illinois, lined with neon-lit diners, retro gas stations and quirky roadside attractions.

    2. Mexico’s Día de los Muertos

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    emblematic catrina of mexico with flowers and necklace with sempasuchil flowers
    Celebrate life and honour loved ones in vibrant style. (Image: Getty/Fabian Pacheco)

    You might know Oaxaca as the birthplace of mole and mezcal. But the state in southern Mexico is also where the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) began. Time your visit to coincide with the colourful holiday, on 1–2 November, which honours and celebrates loved ones who have passed away. Oaxaca is also Mexico’s Michelin-starred culinary capital, with 18 restaurants and a humble taco stand listed in the 2025 guide.

    3. Museum-hop in New York City

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    The Guggenheim Museum’s iconic spiralling exterior, a highlight of North America Epic Adventures.
    Step inside and marvel at bold, world-class art. (Image: Damiano Fiore)

    Your map app will look like it’s been scattered with confetti after you’ve dropped pins on all the museums you want to visit in New York City. Must-sees are the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art aka the Met, and the Museum of Modern Art. The American Museum of Natural History is also a draw. It’s also worth venturing into the boroughs to browse institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum, which has a huge permanent collection categorised by culture.

    4. The USA’s music scene

    Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

    The Seattle skyline at night, aglow with city lights on North America Epic Adventures.
    Soak up skyline views and dive into the city’s coffee culture. (Image: Abigail Boone)

    If you’re a muso, chances are you’ve wanted to make a pilgrimage to the United States, the epicentre of so many beloved genres. Whether you’re head-banging your way around the Grunge Circuit in Seattle, chasing the twang of the pedal steel through Tennessee or bouncing between blues bars in the Mississippi Delta, the USA’s rich music culture has something that’ll strike a chord.

    5. Road-tripping Hawai‘i

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    A woman surfing in Hawaii, gliding across turquoise waves on North America Epic Adventures.
    Catch the waves and ride Hawaii’s iconic swells. (Image: Ben Ono)

    Hawai‘i is one of the most diverse US states to road trip around. Of the six major islands to visit, the Island of Hawai‘i packs in everything from the snowy summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa to black-sand beaches and lava fields frozen in the act of flowing forward. Change down a few gears on the island of O‘ahu, too, where you can find your own patch of sand on Waimanalo Beach. Visit poi and pineapple plantations. And hang ten on beginner-friendly waves on the North Shore.

    6. Cruising Alaska

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    Explora Journeys ship cruising in Alaska.
    Sail past glaciers and spot whales in pristine waters.

    Seeing Alaska from the sea allows you to cover a lot of distance quickly. This immersive frontier now beckons more than ever before with Explora Journeys adding the American state to its global destination portfolio. Best of all are the pre-and post-journey immersions that connect the luxury of a cruise onboard Explora III with the rugged grandeur of the Alaskan interior. UnCruise Adventures also weaves in access to remote national parks, legendary wildlife corridors and authentic cultural experiences on its Alaskan itineraries.

    7. The Wixárika Route in Mexico

    Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

    People journeying through the Wixarika Route.
    Journey deep into sacred Huichol traditions and art.

    For generations, the Indigenous Wixárika People of Mexico have walked a sacred path known as Tatehuarí Huajuyé, or ‘The Path of Our Grandfather Fire’. The annual pilgrimage route spans 500 kilometres, taking in significant sites in Wixárika spirituality and cosmology. The route passes through the deserts, mountains and forests of northern Mexico before reaching Wirikuta, believed to be the place the sun first emerged. The route is a living cultural landscape of Indigenous culture pre-Columbian influence and, in July this year, was formally inscribed into UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

    8. Drive the Iceberg Coast in Canada

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    Iceberg off the east coast of Canada
    Chase icebergs along Expedition 51 on Canada’s east coast. (Image: Canadian Tourism Commission/ Chris Hendrickson)

    Download the icebergfinder.com map to better plan your road trip along Canada’s Iceberg Coast. The new highway, which has been nearly 25 years and CAD$1.1 billion in the making, threads through the country’s pleated coastlines around Quebec, Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick before looping in the French islands of St Pierre and Miquelon. As well as chasing icebergs along Expedition 51, travellers will have the opportunity to engage with cultures that have thrived in the pristine provinces for thousands of years.

    9. A foodie tour of Nova Scotia

    Travelling with: Katie Carlin

    Lunenberg Nova Scotia
    Try lobster rolls in Lunenburg on the east coast of Canada in Nova Scotia. (Image: Natalia Kvitovska/ Unsplash)

    World-famous for its lobster, Nova Scotia is a Canadian province best savoured through its culinary clout shaped by sea and terroir. Bite into lobster rolls at historic Lunenburg’s Salt Shaker Deli & Inn and sip maple rum at Ironworks Distillery. Winery-hop around Wolfville’s rising vineyards (don’t miss Lightfoot & Wolfville). Take a maple syrup tour at Sugar Moon Farm near Earltown. And pull up a seat at waterfront Bar Sofia in Halifax, where Nova Scotia oysters aguachile arrive bright with cucumber, lime and pickled onion.

    10. Soak up the sun in the Caribbean

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    Overwater bungalows off a beach in the Caribbean
    Experience the white-sand beaches and cerulean seas of the Caribbean on board a cruise.

    The Caribbean is on the radar for seasoned cruisers. And it’s easy to see why, with white-sand beaches, cerulean seas and swaying palms so picture-perfect they look AI-generated. Cruise with Windstar, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity on its inaugural Xcel season to the Caribbean to enjoy action-packed excursions such as snorkelling coral reefs and shopping for local trinkets. And those sea days? Spectacular.

    11. Red Chair Hikes of Canada

    Travelling with: Kassia Byrnes

    Red Adirondack chairs overlooking Lake Minnewanka in Canada
    Take a seat at Lake Minnewanka, one of more than 400 red Adirondack chairs scattered across Canada’s hiking routes. (Image: Getty Images/ Autumn Sky Photography)

    No one appreciates the great outdoors more than Canadians, emerging from snow-covered winters to tread glacial rivers and snowshoe through forests, or to hike mighty mountains and wildflower-strewn valleys come spring. Along popular hikes around the country, more than 400 red Adirondack chairs have been placed in peaceful, breathtaking locations. What started as a social media contest now sees hikers soaking in classic Canadian lake and mountain vistas, overlooking historic sites or gazing down on the mountainous path they just travelled.

    12. Ride the Rocky Mountaineer from Denver to Moab, USA

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    Sweeping views from the Rocky Mountaineer.
    The Rocky Mountaineer will continue as the Canyon Spirit in 2026, seen here carving through Ruby Canyon.

    Sighting wild animals is one of many incredible thrills along the two-day luxury Rockies to the Red Rocks route onboard the Rocky Mountaineer across America’s Southwest between mid-April and mid-October. In addition to the lone bear, we spot bighorn sheep, elk, beavers, pronghorn antelope, bald eagles and ospreys. Riding the rails onboard the luxury train, which was founded in Canada in 1990 and has been awarded the prestigious World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train several times, has never been about just getting from A to B. Ride the train from Denver to Moab and you will see the scenery change from snow-capped peaks to meadows, red-rock canyons and soaring cliffs that resemble ornate Gaudí-esque cathedrals. But it’s not until you get off the train that you can produce the ultimate Venn diagram, with nature and adventure in the intersecting spheres.