Closed for the season. Reopens Memorial Day weekend.
North Knoxville's members-only pool, since 1969
Lap lanes, diving boards, tube slides and a kiddie pool. New families join from a waitlist as spots open.
- Today
- Closed for the seasonAll hours
- Season
- Late May to early September
- Cost
- $375 a year per householdplus $250 once, when accepted
- Where
- 3535 Alice Bell RdDirections (opens in a new tab)
How joining works
The number of member families is capped, because dues fund the whole club.
Join the waitlist
Free. Tell us who's in your household. It takes about three minutes.
Wait for a spot
As soon as you join, we show you how many households are ahead of you. The club contacts you when a spot opens.
Pay and swim
Pay that season's annual dues plus the one-time $250 membership fee, and your family can swim.
At the pool
- Lap lanes
- A full-size pool for lap swimming
- Diving boards
- Over the deep end
- Tube slides
- For the bigger kids
- Kiddie pool
- Shallow and separate from the main pool
- Snack bar
- Drinks and treats all season
- Guests
- Signed in at the front desk for a per-guest fee
- Private parties
- From $10 plus $5 per guest during pool hours, or after hours from $350
Hours
Closed until next summer
Reopens Memorial Day weekend. Hours are posted in spring. The 2026 season ran May 25 – September 7.
Since 1969
Alice Bell opened as a member-only pool during North Knoxville's postwar growth. Most private pools in the city have since closed. This one is still run by its members and paid for entirely by their dues.
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The club is named for Alice Bell Shipe, daughter of Samuel Newton Bell, who built the original family home on Washington Pike in 1858. Alice donated the land for the neighborhood school in 1948 and became a beloved local figure. Charter families like the Rogers and Cockrums were among the first to join.
Common questions
How much does a membership at Alice Bell Aquatic Club cost?
Annual dues are $375 per household for the current season, and households joining for the first time also pay a one-time membership fee of $250, for a total of $625 due when a membership is accepted. Dues are paid once a year and fund the entire operation of the pool, since Alice Bell receives no outside funding.
Do you have to be a member to swim at Alice Bell?
Yes. Alice Bell is a membership-only club and is not open to the general public. It is privately operated and funded entirely by member dues, which is how it has stayed open while most other private pools in Knoxville have closed.
Is there a one-time fee to join Alice Bell Aquatic Club?
Yes. New households pay a one-time membership fee of $250 in addition to that season's annual dues. It is charged once, when a spot comes open and the membership is accepted, and is not repeated in later years.
Where is Alice Bell Aquatic Club located?
The pool is at 3535 Alice Bell Rd, Knoxville, TN 37917, in North Knoxville near Fountain City. It serves families across Knox County.
What facilities does the pool have?
The pool has diving boards, tube slides, a kiddie pool, and full-size lap swimming. There is also a snack bar serving poolside refreshments, drinks, and treats all season long.
Can members bring guests to the pool?
Yes. Members can bring guests, who are signed in at the front desk on arrival. A per-guest fee is collected at check-in, and there is a cap on how many guests a household can bring in a single visit.
Can you rent Alice Bell Aquatic Club for a private event?
Yes. Members can reserve the pool for birthdays, family reunions, and other private celebrations. During pool hours the fee is $10 to reserve plus $5 per non-member guest, up to 20 non-member guests; your own household members do not count toward that cap. After-hours rentals are available Wednesday and Sunday evenings only, at a flat rate by headcount, from $350 for 1–50 people to $1,150 for 151+ people.
How long has Alice Bell Aquatic Club been open?
The pool opened in 1969 as a member-only facility during the neighborhood’s postwar growth. It is named for Alice Bell Shipe, who donated the land for the neighborhood school in 1948, and it is one of the few private Knoxville pools still operating today.
Get your family on the list
Free to join. The club contacts you when a spot opens.