Swimming lessons should not be the activity you cut back on... Many coworkers, friends, and others…read morerecommended Jewell's but it was not in my budget at the time. Well, I finally decided to make it a priority. There are about 30 kids per session. Kids are grouped by their level of swimming; babies, beginners, advanced, etc. There are about 10 teachers. Everything is organized; no drama, nothing ghetto. Now I see why Mrs. Jewell is booked up year after year!

Many kids on the Westbank have learned to swim at Jewell's Pool- and for good reason. Jewell and…read moreher daughter Jessica run their small company out of a large pool in the backyard of a house on Alcide Drive- which is set up specifically to handle swim lessons. (so it's not like going to someone's house, really- it feels more like a country club pool or somesuch- lots of chairs for the parents, a shaded area to sit in, a restroom in case the kids suddenly remember they need to go just before or in the middle of a lesson) Classes are divided up into age and skill level- each group has one instructor teaching somewhere between 3-7 kids in small groups all around the pool. There are usually multiple sessions throughout the summer and each session is 8 classes. They do classes in the mornings and afternoons. If you miss one, they're really flexible about making it up at one of their other scheduled classes. My son- age 4- joined the absolute beginner little kids group, which Jessica teaches, and he absolutely loves his swimming class. They learn to do a basic dog paddle, hold their breath and blow bubbles underwater, pick up rings from the bottom of the pool at the shallow end, lie on their backs in the water, open their eyes underwater to wave at another kid they're paired with, jump off the side of the pool and swim to the instructor and even jump off the diving board to the instructor. (At least one other parent mentioned that some other swim schools don't insist on the child putting their entire head in the water or opening eyes underwater- I really like that they do insist on those things here.) The instructors really know what they're talking about, too- some of the little kids were crying or freaked out the first day and Jessica told everyone "give them 3 days and they'll be fine"- by the third day every single kid (including the one who was crawling under her mom's chair to hide on the first day) was doing great and the tears were all gone. Parents are allowed to stick around during the lesson- so you can take pictures of your little one swimming or jumping off the diving board. The place isn't too hard to find- it's just off Barataria on Alcide. There are two areas to park- one in a lot/field next to the pool entrance (where there is also a set of swings and slide/playset over in the corner that some of the kids, including mine, insist on going on before we leave after our lesson) and another parking area just after the turn-in on Alcide in a separate grassy area. Another small thing to note- because they handle all of the lessons and arrange the classes as well, it can be difficult to get in touch with them to enroll during the summer when classes have already begun. Just keep calling- 12 or 12:30 seems to be the best time to get an answer so you can schedule a lesson. All in all, I thoroughly recommend Jewell's Pool for anyone on the Westbank looking to enroll their child in swim classes.

The services are advertised as group/semi-private lessons with 1-3 students, which was not our…read moreexperience. All classes but one had 5 children with one instructor for a 30 minute session. The location at the swim club was nice, but not guaranteed. The alternate location was a private home and pool appeared cloudy and dirty. Of 8 classes, THEY cancelled 5 of them. When I went to schedule make-ups, there was no availability online and no communication about when more classes would become available. We only managed to secure one through the portal. When I communicated this to them, they stuck us into another large group, and assured me they would check their availability about the remaining two sessions and get back to me but two weeks later, had still not followed through. When I got tired of waiting, I requested a refund. The instructor denied these things though they are clearly demonstrable in the text thread and my screenshots. Then she lied about the type of classes we signed up for and refused to answer pointed questions about their billing practices. Bottom line: This business misrepresents the services they offer and there's no accountability when issues arise. The quality of instruction was poor due to heavy student/instructor ratio and limited time. Cancellations were frequent and their make-up process is abysmal. Their communication is lacking and their customer service is non-existent.

Instructors are great, but communication is lacking from management. I did not feel like I…read morereceived equivalent value to the money I spent.

Water aerobics was great! Instructors are high energy, music is wonderful. Can't wait to come back!read more

The water aerobics classes are so much fun! My accountability partner and I started attending the…read morecourses this past week, and we've had such a blast each and every day! Community members are supportive, inviting and fun of life, and the space is always welcoming and spotless. I highly recommend!

I highly recommend Love Swimming to help build your toddlers water confidence. The swimming…read moreinstructors are kid friendly and expect parent participation throughout the lesson. My daughter was all smiles while participating in the water activities. Though we had to put a pause on lessons, we will definitely reenroll her next summer.

Well Coach Will was really amazing with our Will. Great progress and very close attention and…read morededication. Lots of progress made - from a child that was very fearful of submerging at all in water to a kid that was jumping off the side of the pool. Two thumbs up!

My little boy loves Ian. We are so lucky to have found such a wonderful, patient and compassionate…read moreteacher. I highly recommend Reach to anyone looking for swim lessons for their child or children.

From the owner: Reach Swim Lessons offers students of all ages a comprehensive crash-course in swim safety and…read moretechnique. With the option of choosing your own pool to conduct the swim lessons, Reach is the most cost-effective and efficient choice for personal swim coaching.

Wasn't sure how to write a review on their website, but I just finished taking lessons at the YMCA…read moreDryades location & occasionally Lambeth House for makeup classes. I've always been afraid of the water because I never learned to swim. Missed out on a lot of experiences growing up because of this. Was inspired to finally take lessons & I couldn't be more thankful! I appreciate how you can choose your personal swimming goal & your instructors will accommodate your lesson to that goal. Shout out to Devin - you're amazing!! Recommending to any friend/family member/ stranger. It's never too late to learn. I'm 28 years old, 4 months pregnant, & I just swam 25 meters for the first time in my life! I'm proud of myself & confident in the water now.

From the owner: British Swim School offers swimming lessons for kids and adults of all ages, beginning as early as…read more3 months. Located inside of Lambeth House Pool, our swim school is open year-round, so you can learn to swim when you're ready and continue until you've mastered the skills. We use gentle teaching methods and a survival-first approach to help swimmers of all levels become safer and more confident in the water. Our safe, fun, and effective teaching methods have made us the preferred choice for parents and students for over 40 years. Our confidence-building curriculum and small group swimming classes provide a consistent format and structure with one-on-one attention for each swimmer. Private swimming lessons are subject to availability.

Ochsner in Harahan feels like a health club rather than just a gym. The equipment is great, the…read morestaff friendly and the pools are wonderful. Nice clean spot that I really love.

I've been a member of Ochsner Fitness Center for about 3-4 years, and my experience has definitely…read morehad its ups and downs. Unfortunately, over the last year or so, I've found myself noticing more downs than ups. When I first joined, the facility had more of a country-club feel. It felt clean, well-maintained, and like you were getting something a little above your average gym experience. Lately, that feeling has really faded. The facility often feels crowded, and in general, it feels like it could use a really thorough cleaning and some TLC. Even the outdoor lap pools have started to have a noticeable sweaty/chlorine-type smell, which is particularly unpleasant when you're there specifically to swim laps. The pool has always been one of the biggest reasons I've stayed a member, and there are still things I genuinely enjoy about it. However, the summer months can be frustrating because a significant number of lap lanes are used for summer camps and recreational swimming. That's understandable, but it can mean waiting for a lane, and not everyone is comfortable with or willing to share lanes. It can make what should be a fairly straightforward workout unnecessarily awkward. I've also never really felt particularly welcomed or comfortable in most of the group fitness classes. Yoga and several of the other classes just never felt like they were a great fit for me. The exception is the spin classes. Those have consistently been well done, welcoming, challenging without being unreasonable, and good at accommodating different fitness levels. Those are probably the classes I would specifically recommend. The overall atmosphere is also very family-focused, which is certainly not a bad thing, but it contributes to the facility feeling busy and crowded at times. Over time, I found that the atmosphere just wasn't what I was looking for in a gym. The food situation is mixed. I wasn't particularly impressed with most of the regular food offerings and thought many of the items were overpriced, although the smoothies were consistently good and reasonably priced. The poolside food available during the summer is actually one of the highlights -- good casual/snacky food that works well when you're spending time at the pool. Customer service has also been inconsistent and, at times, lacking. For a facility positioned as a higher-end fitness center, I expected a more consistently attentive level of service. Another disappointment has been the locker rooms. I understand there are logistical/plumbing reasons why the women's locker room renovations haven't happened while the men's locker rooms have been updated, and I can appreciate that there may be legitimate constraints. But as a female member, it's still disappointing to see one side receive significant updates while the other remains in need of attention. Ultimately, I don't regret being a member for several years. There were things I genuinely enjoyed, especially the pools, certain spin instructors/classes, smoothies, and the overall convenience of having so many amenities in one place. But I think the facility has lost some of the polish and atmosphere that initially made the membership feel worthwhile. After several years, I found myself feeling more frustrated than impressed, which ultimately led me to decide it was time to move on.

The variety in equipment is never a problem. They have multiple good machines and weights for every…read moremuscle group. The quality of both free weights and machines/cables is underappreciated. The atmosphere is just about what you'd expect for a quality old school style gym. The lighting is nice and dim, but not so dark that you can't tell what you're looking at. This place has everything even competitive lifters would look for. Definitely worth 35 a month. The owner also has a very friendly pitbull which can be seen roaming around the gym sometimes. The only downside is the hours they are open.

I visited Westbank as a new arrival to New Orleans and after doing research on the best gyms in the…read morearea. From the looks of the space I expected to feel at home but it was even better than I imagined. Friendly staff, easy to access location, and a setup that is a lifter's paradise