Attendance at New York State Park pools increased by nearly 36 percent this summer, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday.

From July 3 through Labor Day, 542,661 people visited select State Park pools – a 143,639 increase from the same period in 2023.

"We encouraged kids and families to put down their phones, get some fresh air, and cool off at state park pools for free this summer, and I'm so glad to see that more New Yorkers took advantage of these incredible facilities than ever before," Gov. Hochul said. "Under NY SWIMS, we are continuing to make safe swimming more accessible to all residents who visit state parks."

Pool access was free this summer as part of Gov. Hochul's "Get Offline, Get Outside" initiative, which promotes physical and mental health by helping New York's kids and families put down their devices, take a break from social media, and enjoy recreation and outdoor social gatherings.

"Swimming is one of the biggest attractions at State Parks, and it's been wonderful to offer free pool access for New Yorkers this year, congratulate over 2000 Learn-to-Swim graduates on learning a lifesaving skill, and plant seeds for future swimming instruction transportation through Connect Kids grants. I strongly encourage all New Yorkers to continue following the "Get Offline, Get Outside" mantra as we transition into the fall — one of the most beautiful times of year in this glorious state," New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said.

According to Hochul, State Park attendance also increased by nearly 2.5% over the summer season. 

Nearly 28.7 million people visited state parks and historic sites during the summer, an increase of about 700,000 visits from 2023.