I don't use the pool or anything but the resistance equipment. The gym has broken equipment. The leg extensions machine has been missing parts since I started here over a year ago. Equipment is on the low end side and not up kept well. It's expensive. Unless you plan to swim and play basketball, it's not worth the price. Unfortunately downtown Durham doesn't have many good options. We really need a solid body building gym in Durham. Oh and some of the staff are just rude. Not all of them, most are nice folks. Tony at the front desk is all class. There is an older women who works there that is really not nice. read more

I prefer Upcity, but Downtown will have to do, especially when you need a workout in the middle of Durham. The Downtown Durham Y is an excellent facility with some really friendly employees and some other employees that are less friendly. They had to call back to my home location to verify that I could go in - and it took quite a long time to get me in. There were some good things and some bad things about this gym. The worst is probably the parking lot - I had to wait for what seemed like ages just for a spot. But there are good things about this Y, and I appreciate it. read more

See all

I went today with a 7-day pass and intention of paying for a personal trainer to get me started. It took me an hour and three convo's with various parties to learn that I cannot access a trainer while holding a 7-day pass. First, I was handed the card of a trainer to call and schedule, no problem. Next person told me that trainer only did weight training (since I am over 70, they might have guessed even without asking that I did not want weight training). Then I listened for 30 minutes to a lady who insisted on telling me about yoga and pilates classes, which I explained I was not interested in. If only they had given me accurate facts at the outset, I could have spent that hour elsewhere. I finally gave up, left, and went elsewhere. read more

I've been going to their gym for a while now. I like it, it's calm, has good equipment, no problems with people there. At times they play music too. I've heard things about their sauna for men not working, I haven't tried it yet but I want to. Also my family goes swimming sometimes and they enjoy their time spent there. read more

I've been coming to this Y for a few months now! Though it is a little pricier than signing up for a Duke gym through work ($40+ vs $20 something), I decided to join the Y because they offer more group classes which is what I was most interested in (because I have no motivation to work out on my own). They have a variety of classes both before and after work hours. Though I haven't tried any of the morning classes (they're super early like 5:30am/6:00am), I've been to several classes in the evening and on weekends and find both the instructors and other Y members to be friendly and inviting. The parking is not very convenient as the Y parking lot is very small with some metered and free off-street parking around the block. The Y validates for the parking deck across the street (below Duke Clinical Research Institute) for up to 2 hours. The parking lot between the Y and the Central Park is open to Y members after 6pm and on weekends! read more

I still love it there. Great classes and vibe. Durham has made parking challenging but it's not the Y's fault. Dinging it a star because it still has carpet benches and floor in the locker room. New carpet, but it's still there and it's still gross. Friends, I have seen multiple children and adults sit on those carpeted benches completely naked. Avoid, run away. read more

The front desk staff are quite helpful and friendly. My only complaint is I don't feel that the mask policy is being enforced downstairs at the basketball courts. Despite a great big sign at the entrance, players continue to violate the policy. At any given time MANY players can be seen wearing NO masks :( The sign reads people may be asked to leave if they don't comply, but I don't see that being enforced. read more

I'm a big fan of their pool area. They have a full sized pool and a smaller, heated pool. The heated pool is divine! I also found the life guards helpful and chatty which made the experience fun. Yesterday, I visited the gym upstairs. Since I have and injury, I felt a bit overwhelmed and intimidated by the place. I hated the music playing everywhere. Bring ear plugs, I guess. There's a friendly clientele here. A gentleman helped me set up the leg extension machine and the attendant on duty was a godsend...wish i could remember her name. She helped me a lot and even downloaded the Y app to my iPhone. She also suggested the American Tobacco Y due to its small size, which sounds dandy to me at the moment. I only wish that the Y still used "Silver Sneakers" since the program used to pay for my membership thru health insurance, a real plus for senior. read more

I am vacationing in beautiful Durham, NC and was looking for a place to work out so I signed up for a 7-day pass at the Durham YMCA on Blackwell St in the American Tobacco Center. The building is ultra classy and modern looking and the surrounding grounds are excellent with a fountain and lots of cafes and other shops. The YMCA facility itself is small but has all the amenities I am interested in with a large selection of aerobic machines, a full assortment of both free weights and universal weight machines and kits of clean towels. The equipment is all very clean and functional and the locker rooms are both spacious and spotless. The employees I have encountered so far are also very polite and helpful. The ONLY DRAWBACK I have found (and it's a big one) is that they are closed on both Saturday and Sunday, which is a drag since I love working out on those days. Luckily there is another YMCA in Durham (on Morgan St.) that is only a few blocks away and open on Saturday. This facility is much larger and much more of a "traditional" Y as it is an older facility with all the funkiness and smells of an older building. read more

I LOVE THE DOWNTOWN DURHAM YMCA. Maybe it's because way back in the day, I jazz danced to the famous tune by the Village People. Or maybe it's just due to the overall community feel that you would expect from a local Y. When I moved to Durham, finding a gym was one of my top priorities. I tested out Millennium Gym on Hillsborough Road and hated it. Their cardio machines seem to be from the stone age and it was never ever busy no matter what time I went. Not a good sign. Enter the YMCA. Though it's a little farther from my apartment, it's completely worth it. They have a great, affordable breakdown of monthly rates that vary based on your age and number of people you want to be members (such as single vs. family membership). I''m a Young Adult member (for those under 28) and pay a monthly fee of about $30. All the major cardio and weight equipment is on the second floor along with a running track that circles above two basketball courts (14 laps = 1 mile). Their equipment and free weights are up to date, and I've never had a significant wait for a machine. Plus, there's free coffee that I can help myself to when I'm done working out. The best thing to me, though, is that true community feeling I get from this place. There are two women in their 70s that give me funny compliments on my work outfits in the locker room each morning (such as telling me I have "saucy" tights). Then there is Heather, an awesome spinning instructor who tells HYSTERICAL stories about her kids while kindly killing you to the sounds of Journey and Madonna. And then there are the the monthly Member Appreciation Days in which the staff thinks of unique ways to thank members. Everyone makes you feel like you're part of a huge family. If you can't tell, I'm a big fan and am definitely a member to stay. read more

The women's locker room - looks like something out of the 1960s... very dingy and I wouldn't walk around barefoot if you paid me! The sauna is never working and the front desk is always chatting with other people instead of assisting people with locker room keys and towels. read more

When I'm not pounding the pavement, I'm at the Downtown Durham Y, pounding the treadmill belt (or not working out at all, which is more likely). I'm an antisocial exerciser, so, when I go to the gym, I skip the locker room and go straight to the cardio equipment, stretching area, and some weight machines. I've considered classes, but always talk myself out of them. I also occasionally run the suspended track, but it's really small (something like 1/16 mile) and almost makes me dizzy. All this is to let you know the scope of my review, by the way. Moving on! The cardio equipment is nice. It's not state of the art, but it is nice, and machines are rarely out of order. Most of them face the same way--the TVs and the rest of the gym--but a few face the windows so that you can people-watch on Morgan St. Also, if you have a window spot, people walking by can look at your (my) lovely (miserable) face instead of my hot (jiggly) behind. The facility gets very crowded during rush hour (6:00-7:00ish am and pm, mostly), and the machines are very, very close together. Watch out for wild elliptical handlebars! It's also always really hot in there, and the fans don't do much. If you're into a basic workout, the DTD Y is great, and priced accordingly. read more

I recently moved to Durham. After looking into several gyms I decided that the Downtown YMCA and the YMCA Wellness Center - American Tobacco Historic District had the most classes that interested me. I was especially excited about the Water Fitness class at the Downtown Y. I hadn't realized you had to make a phone reservation to attend so I took a a number of classes w/o any problem. The instructor, Tonnie, made the class the most fun exercising I've ever had. I was thrilled and attended 3x a week. A couple of weeks later, after I had finished my free seven day trial, the class was informed that a strict reservation policy that had been in place but not enforced was being re-established. The cut-off is 20 participants. Dozens of mostly older people, myself included, are now not able to attend. In order to get a spot you must be on the Y app at exactly 10am 48 hours before the class starts in order to secure one of the 20 spots. Even if you had been attending for years, if you weren't able to make the reservation when the system opened up 48 hours ahead of time, the class is always fully booked and you will not be admitted. Many of us talked to the mgmt. about how much we wanted to participate. They gave various reasons why they couldn't accept more students. There are ways to mitigate each of mgmt's objections (1. Add another life guard; 2. Open up the adjacent smaller pool. It is never busy at 10:00am; 3. Add another session. However, our requests fell on deaf ears. IF you are thinking of paying to join the Y and you like classes, I suggest you go on line to try to register for any of the classes you might be interested in before you start paying your monthly fee. It might save you some disappointment and $$. By the way, I have found all the employees at the front desk to be exceptionally helpful and pleasant, contrary to a few other reviewers. read more

I do like the Downtown Durham YMCA however I gave it 3 stars for a few reasons. 1. Both of my kids took swim lessons (ages 8 and 9) at this location. However they still cannot swim in the swimming area with out one of their parents present? Even with lifeguards on duty? Do they not have confidence in their swim classes? Not to mention both of my kids are tall, and can stand in even the deepest sections of the children's pool. This makes it difficult for me and my wife to work out on the same day stretching a gym visit from one hour to closer to two. I will watch the kids while she works out, and then she will watch them while I work out. What is the point of having lifeguards then? 2. Equipment / free weights during peek hours. The staff needs to enforce more common courtesy rules during peek hours. Signs are up for 30 minute limitations but are not always followed. I went in the other day, and trying to get a bench in the free weight area is almost impossible during peek hours. This day there were benches available, however there were about five men who had pushed all the benches to the side and had about 10 different sets of weights out in the floor space and were using the whole area for more than an hour, it is ridiculous that the staff allows this. not only could i not use a bench, even though it was available because of the lack of space, but they were 'using' or rotating so many different weights at one time i couldn't get the weights i needed. At almost 100$ a month now for a family membership, I really am starting to wonder if I am getting my moneys worth here. If i can find a pool for my family to swim in, I will consider leaving. read more

It took me a long to find a gym in the area I truly felt comfortable in, which says a lot since I would already be considered a "gym junkie." I LOVE that they don't make you commit to some crazy contract (i.e. 3-year contact) and it's just a month-to-month commitment. My workouts are centered around heavy lifting (deadlifts, squats, bench, chin-ups, dips) and the gyms hav everything you need. American Tobacco Location -Laid back -Workers are very friendly & welcoming -Clean weight room and locker room -Open layout (doesn't feel cramped) -Professional crowd -Busy at lunch (more so than other gyms because of the location) and right after work Downtown Durham Location -Much larger than American Tobacco --they have basketball courts, an indoor track, and a lap pool. -Unlike the American Tobacco location, they have 2 power racks (AT has a squat rack, but you can't adjust safety bars). -If you prefer a more intensive lifting environment, I would go to this location. -Generally, it's more busy than the American Tobacco location. Overall, I really enjoy working out at this gym, but here are a few suggestions for improvement: -More bumper plates -Heavier kettlebells -Nicer locker rooms at Downtown location -Longer hours and Sunday hours at American Tobacco location -Power rack at American Tobacco location read more

I have been looking for a gym since I moved to Durham, and for the money the YMCA can not be beat. I have only used the Downtown Durham YMCA, as it is the closest to my house, but I will eventually try the others. While yes it can get busy, I have never had a problem finding a machine that I want to use. I also like that they included towel and locker service (surprisingly a lot of gyms don't do this). I have yet to use the pool but I do like that it is there and I will eventually use it. Also the biggest plus for me is that they have two rowing machines. As a former rower this automatically earns a 5 star rating as it seems that only the crossfit gyms have them in the area (and I am not about to do crossfit) read more

I've been going to the Y for over a year now. I'm already sold on the fact that you can use any of their four facilities in Durham (and you if you are traveling elsewhere, you can use the Y at the other place for a short span of time, but it's probably best if you check in with the other Y first). I've visited the Hope Valley and Lakewood Ys but I frequent the Downtown facility the most. Overall, it's a pretty good gym.The facility is usually always clean and they always have plenty of towels to use. There are plenty of cardio machines, which means that even during peak hours and days you may be able to get a machine to work on. That doesn't mean you'll get your first choice, but there's usually always something open. Access to weightlifting machines during these particular times is a little bit different but definitely understandable. They also offer exercise classes (spinning, zumba, yoga, etc.); I've never tried one out but they seem pretty fun. There is a pool, a dance studio, a track, and a basketball court -- all indoors. Another great thing is that you don't have to sign up for a contract; instead, you pay month-to-month. For a gym membership that's great, since -- let's be honest -- one might fall of the wheel at any point. I also enjoy the Y because it's the only gym -- that I've heard of anyway -- that is community-oriented and really emphasizes youth development and education. I support that. One of my few gripes is that when there are dance classes in the studio, access to floor mats is limited, so we all have to compete for 6 or so mats outside of the dance studio. Disclosure: I worked at the Y for like two months. I quit my job but I still kept going. It was really that month-to-month membership that hooked me in. read more

The downtown YMCA is a hit or miss. First off, membership is pricey when first approached, however when you consider your access to all Durham Y's, racquet ball courts, gyms and pools, it's not incredibly unreasonable if you take advantage of these benefits. For example, the downtown location is closest to my house so I workout there on the weekends while the Lakewood location is closet to work, so I'll hit it up during off times (note: some locations are much smaller then others...) When you walk in the he door you are greeted, checked in and given a towel and locker key if desired. The downtown pool is the only Durham YMCA indoor pool (Hope Valley has an outdoor pool). The hours are posted but are inconsistent even when posted which can be annoying if you're a regular lap swimmer. There's a large gym where they have pickup basketball games and the larger workout classes. They also have a track above the gym if you despise running on a treadmill (however I believe you have to run it 14x around to hit a mile). They have about fifteen or so treadmills (with mini built in fans, this is a plus for me! And also the NikeFit program and an iPhone 4/iPod jack), two ergs, several bikes, elliptical machines, etc. I've never gotten to they gym and had at least one treadmill unavailable to me. However the five yoga mats fill up quickly. Free weights and weight machines are also available and in high usage. I've attended a couple of the cardio classes which are a good way to get some cross training in on those days that you need a boost. Overall, this YMCA is very average and well used. You can get a good workout in but I always clean machines before and after. The locker rooms are very well used as well. Open showers with one drain in the middle-- I always hope an edge shower is available!-- sauna and stream room as well, I'd just encourage people to wear shoes and get in and out quick. They do have hair driers in the woman's locker room and a "bathing suit drier". If you're looking for luxury this might not be your place and from experience it's not a "make friends" gym either--although the staff are always welcoming but never talkative. read more

The Downtown Durham YMCA has been a popular gym in Durham of many years (probably because it is one of the FEW gyms in Durham that is easy on the pocket). I personally enjoy the atmosphere, and I do feel I get a good workout. The general floor has a good amount of resistance and cardio equipment, but during peak times you do tend to have a lot of regulars eating up the machines. The regulars themselves are friendly, and you will find a good workout partner if not good conversation. I judge my gyms by a clean locker room. Rarely has this locker been dirty, and the maintenance staff is "on it" when there is a problem. read more

They open at 5:30 am on the weekdays. That makes me very happy, because in today's fast paced world I need to find time to work off the stuff I ate in the cheese factory review i just finished. ;) They just remodeled the place not too long ago and it is certainly nicer! The child care facilities are wonderful also. read more

The Downtown Y is awesome! I'm there most mornings when they open at 5:25, wish they opened at 5. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The place is very clean, and well maintained. Many treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes, and the likes. Only a couple of grievances, there is a swim team or class that use many lanes of the pool from 6am until after 7 on Wednesday and Friday, making the pool too crowded for the amateur swimmer, and time limits are not well observed, for instance there is a guy on MWF that ties up 3 stations in the fitness center for an hour, while he meanders around the track, it would be nice to be able to share those stations. Cell phone usage, and folks that don't re rack their weights are annoyances that occur at every gym, so overall the Downtown Durham Y is well worth the money, I look forward to starting my day at the Y. read more

This Y is awesome and the staff is very friendly. My major qualm is the lack of parking space up front and that I am unable to find parking many days after work (I work at Shoeboxed a start-up company in downtown Durham). I was considering giving this Y three stars because of the lack of parking, but the inside of the Y is awesome and very spacious walking track and workout area, so I decided to keep it to 4 stars. I prefer the Cary Y to the Durham Y in terms of parking, but in regards to the walking track and cardio equipment I like both of the Y's equally. I recommend private showers in this Y though. It is very awkward and uncomfortable being stared at my other men when taking a shower if you know what I mean...!! The need to install privacy curtains and stalls. Finally the basketball courts are very spacious and you can play a nice game of hoops in the evening. read more

Just tried working out at this Y. Walked in at 802 waiting in line for 5 minutes. Was trying to pay to get in. They sent me to the registration desk where I guess they close at 8?? The women wasn't done closing out the desk proceeded to tell me I couldn't work out. The manager Marvin was behind him I asked him for help the women rudely tried telling me what are you trying to go over my head. Marvin was incompetent in the situation and clearly a poor boss. Very rude staff. Plenty of other Ys in the area suggest going to a different Y. I don't see either of these employees lasting. read more

I got a YMCA membership in Durham and have great experiences at the Lakewood location, but the Downtown location has been far from satisfactory. At the Lakewood Y they tend to get busy but it is so clean and their locker/steam rooms are pristine! They even say hi to me by name when they can and ask how I am. The Lakewood Y has an incredible sense of community and I LOVE that gym! If it was open until 10pm like the downtown Y I would solely go to that gym. However at the downtown Y, the staff seems to be so preoccupied with making sure non-members don't get in to work out for free that they are seriously lacking in new member registry services. I recommended that a friend of mine register for a membership, and yes we got there past 8 PM so we were too late for him to register but since we had driven all the way downtown we thought he could at least use the pool since he had not gotten to see that part of the gym yet. The woman at the desk wouldn't let him see the pool and basically told us she wasn't gonna help him see anything, so we left. She was far from helpful and made us feel like they weren't making the sign up process very exciting. Her manager called me later and told me that it was policy for my friend to have a visitor pass and she was basically following rules. But then why didn't he get a visitor's pass until we had to go to the Lakewood Y? Also another one of his excuses was that many "young adults" try to sneak in and work out for free, which I understand. But how can you be so preoccupied with people not following your rules that you let a potential new member slip through the cracks. The manager basically told us that since we were young adults they assumed we were trying to sneak in for free!? This explanation was just so unprofessional and all the excuses just made me feel like we were the ones to blame for just trying out a new gym for my friend? I think people that are looking to seriously sign up for the Durham Y should not be discriminated against just because they are young adults. I had never experienced this before at any other gym (I have also tried Gold's membership etc...). Before I signed up for my Gold's Gym membership they give me a 7-day pass! The YMCA gives you two free visitor passes when you are looking to try their gyms and considering they have four different gyms, I just think this is bogus. I personally need to see all of the amenities before I commit to a membership. ...As I have worked customer service for several different companies, this YMCA is LACKING! Their customers do not come first. Not to mention when I used their steam room there was a woman there COMPLETELY NAKED and was not even sitting on a towel which is just gross. Bacteria grows in the steam room very easily since it is a moist and warm area. I hope for their member's sake that they clean it every night! read more

There are a couple different locations within the Durham YMCA group but I've only used two-Downtown and American Tobacco. Both are rather different and depending on what you're going after and perhaps who you're wanting to workout with, one may better better than the other for you. Downtown Durham YMCA: This tends to be the hub of all the YMCAs in Durham. It's big and has more to offer you in terms of variety and classes, from those wanting to cycle to those looking for big group bootcamp-type classes. This YMCA also has a pool, saunas, basketball courts and equipment that's not present in the other YMCAs. Now, with the size comes a few pitfalls. Unless you come at an odd hour such as mid-afternoon, this YMCA is usually busy and has lots of traffic. Even though it's the central location and the main branch, the parking lot is small and parking in the surrounding areas can be tricky and limited. This YMCA accommodates those with kids so you sometimes have to put up with kids sitting alongside the main workout floor, or parents wanting to workout alongside their tweens, teens coming up from the gym to the main workout floor in groups, etc. Another downfall is the people that come to this YMCA can be, at times, pushed for time and impatient, prone to approaching you in the middle of working out on a piece of equipment or when you're in the middle of a set asking when you're going to be done. American Tobacco: For those looking for a smaller, slightly more intimate and less-crowded space, this YMCA location may be for you. I believe fewer come here because it's a bit tucked away and feels farther away from the Downtown YMCA that's just 5 minutes away. This location is small enough where the staff gets to know you a bit better than the staff at the other YMCA location. People that come to this location don't seem as rush or impatient as they do at the downtown YMCA. With a huge parking deck nearby, there's always available parking, even if there's a show at the DPAC or a game at the athletic park. One downfall tends to be fewer classes and not as much variety in classes and no weekend hours (though sometimes in the spring and summer they do open for a few hours on Saturdays). For those with kids, this YMCA probably isn't for you because they don't offer childcare like the Downtown YMCA. read more

Great gym room, spinning room, and indoor track. The kickboxing class I took was on half a basketball court and was NOT up to my standards (think running in place most of the time). It was the day before thanksgiving so maybe they had a sub teacher. I do expect more from the Y in terms of group fitness, but I'm happy to just work out on my own in the weight room. read more

I am a big fan of the Durham YMCA. When you join the Durham YMCAs you receive a membership to four locations. One location is open as a pool but the other three offer fitness classes as well as gym, and workout equipment. I find that there is always a class I can attend--it just might not be to my liking. Just like every other gym right after business hours it can be crowded but that is to be anticipated. I can usually get on the workout machine I want but occasionally I have to wait a few minutes. The fitness instructors are very friendly and certainly helpful. It doesn't hurt that the YMCA is such a great value either. read more

Great gym with all the amenities. Large gym floor space with plenty of cardio equipment, cycling and yoga room, indoor track, basketball court, swimming pool, steam room and sauna. This YMCA even has a daycare so you can drop off the kiddos and hit the weights like Arnold. Even though this location can get a bit full at times, it certainly offers the most. read more

I love the Y. I've been a member for a while. I like the downtown Y and the American Tobacco location too. I go to school in the AT campus so it's perfect for me. My fiancé loves the classes, especially Amy's (I'm pretty sure that's her name) spin classes. I'd give it a 5 star rating but there are a couple of things I don't love, such as the lack of kettle bells for me read more

Nice facility. It's always super busy, but that won't stop your grind.