Yes unfortunately waitlists can be very long. There are public pools but they can be a bit crowded and usually don’t have swim teams. In the summer, there is a big swim team culture in this area that can be very fun if your kids are interested. And generally it is just very hot here in the summer so kids want to go to the pool with their friends which is why your friend is recommending you get on a list quick. If you are military you can look into ft Meyer. I think you can even if you aren’t military a they have a swim team.
There ARE pools with shorter waitlists. Forest hollow swim club in Annandale has a few spots left this year, has no initiation fee and costs about 6-800$ a summer depending on how many family members you have. That’s a bit of a hike from where you mentioned but Alexandria is tough for pools. There just aren’t enough in the area for the amount of people. So most get on a lot of lists. And for immediate Forest hollow or agreed Burke or kings park west neighborhoods have tons of pools so you get right in. So if that’s important to you. I’m sure there are others those are just what I know |
OP are you already set on a house/neighborhood?
Waitlists and pool vibes vary. Generally the further out, the cheaper the neighborhood, and the shorter the waitlist. We are well outside the beltway and our waitlist is maybe a year, with some pools around us having no waitlist at all. Ours is not fancy but we have a pretty good swim team and nice wholesome programming. Nice place to cool off after work too. |
Riverside Gardens has no wait list and no boundaries ![]() |
When you go to the “Join” portion of their website the only option is a form to join their waitlist for $100. |
Agree with this - also Springfield and Annandale outside the Beltway. |
It can be kind of like shopping for a car. See which one can make the best deal for you and your family. |