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.

This is a great place for babies to get acclimated to the water. The photo is quite deceptive of an…read moreactual swimming pool though. It's more of a pool tub, and the pool size is only for babies, I wouldn't recommend children over 3.5-4 years of age. You can't do laps, as it's really meant to introduce babies to the water. So we practice kicking, putting their heads under weather, and holding your breath. Plenty of space for parking!

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

This place is wonderful. Friendly staff and lovely spotlessly clean pool. My only complaint is…read morethat the locker area is FREEZING! Hard to come out of the wonderful pool and get a serious chill in the locker room. One of the staff members agreed with me but said the boss liked it that way,

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.

Top Notch Facilities, of course, especially including the Pickleball Courts. Professional &…read morePersonable Staff. Manager / Administrator Gaby Tabora is Exceptional.

Absolutely love this gym. I love how there are a variety of so many exercise classes from body…read morecircuit to pilates to cycling that is included in the membership. They have two indoor pools with a sauna and hot tub. There are two full sized outdoor pools, a kids pool, and a mini half pool. There's an outdoor pool, too. There's a pickle ball court with a bar right outside. Indoors running track. A personal training area and a small cafe area. Two racquetball courts. A separate pilates reformer that is additional to your membership. Normally price: $61/month Ochnser employee with 12 day visits every month: ~$20/month

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