Thorndon Pool
⚠ Temporarily Closed📍 Thorndon, Wellington
A 30-metre heated outdoor pool over 100 years old in the Wellington city centre. Water sits at 27°C. Original brass railings, imperial depth markers, mosaic tiles, a spa pool, and reliably hot showers. Open summer only.
Awesome outdoor pool, a real treat in welly! Love the brass railing and tiles, and all the measurements are in imperial, it’s like a step back in time! 3 feet at the shallow end and 8 ft 6 in at the deep end, it seems so deep! Nice little outdoor area with picnic tables and umbrellas. They even have some floating things for kids to lie on. One recreation lane, and four swimming lanes.
🏆 Family Action Verdict
Best for families who want something genuinely different from a modern aquatic centre. The historic character is the attraction — swimmers of all ages notice the brass fittings, the depth markers, and the warm water within minutes of arriving. Wellington locals treat it as a city secret.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →169 Google reviews
Jacqueline Hammond
4 years ago
“Awesome outdoor pool, a real treat in welly! Love the brass railing and tiles, and all the measurements are in imperial, it’s like a step back in time! 3 feet at the shallow end and 8 ft 6 in at the deep end, it seems so deep! Nice little outdoor area with picnic tables and umbrellas. They even have some floating things for kids to lie on. One recreation lane, and four swimming lanes.”
Susan Martin
4 months ago
“Such a great alternative tourist destination- where you can swim outdoors in a heated 30m pool. Over 100 yrs old. Temp is 27 positively warm. Hot showers and an electric point in the women’s changing room if you bring a hairdryer. So lively and a privilege to swim in such a well cared community lido!”
Darren Craig
5 years ago
“Amazing to have a city centre outdoor heated pool. A real hidden gem. Only open in summer. Something very different to do in Wellington. Very traditional pool but great.”
mlarsen
2 months ago
“Thorndon Pool is such a unique spot. It’s warm, outdoors, deep, and has awesome old-school tiles. The hot showers actually stay on (huge win), and there’s a spa too. The views of the surrounding buildings and hills make it a really cool place to swim. It can get a bit busy since it’s small, but you can usually get a lane, worst case you might share for 10 minutes, which is totally fine. Would be next-level with a sauna”
Reviews from Google
Overview
Thorndon Pool has been heating Wellington swimmers for over a century. The 30-metre outdoor pool sits at 27°C, surrounded by original brass railings, imperial measurement markers reading 3ft to 8ft 6in, and decorative tiles unchanged from another era. Hot showers reliably stay on in the changing rooms. A spa pool runs alongside. Picnic tables and umbrellas are set around the pool deck. Views of surrounding buildings and Wellington hills add to the atmosphere. Summer season only.
