Dunbar Aquatic Center

My third grader daughter and her classmates at their DCPS elementary school go here weekly as part of their P.E. class. She loves it! The lockers are usually clean. The pool itself is big with several lanes. There's a little ramp for people to enter the pool. Usually, the water is just right. From my experience, staff are helpful. My daughter lost her winter coat there and they were great in getting it back to us. If you go, the entrance is in the back of Dunbar High School.

Large pool (8x25 yards) with fairly wide lanes. Free for DC residents. Locker rooms are basic but clean enough. There are kick boards, pull buoys, and fins available to borrow. Note that sometimes the door will be locked in the mornings but if you knock loudly, someone from the front desk will come and let you in.

Nice pool, but often closed without warning

I love this pool since it’s clean and there’s always a lane available when I come. However, operating hours are at times unpredictable. It’s unclear to me whether the pool has since reopened after it closed last summer for break. Even after calling, I received no answer. The employees are nice but don’t have the keys to access the facility in the morning and sometimes have to wait past scheduled opening times to wait for maintenance to let them in.

I agree with some of the comments below. Very good pool and clean changing rooms WHEN open. Info on the website unreliable, no one to pick up the phone or answer emails from the DPR inbox. Would definitely appreciate more clarity on summer/winter breaks