Not a lot of recent reviews on this place, but I kind of get that since if you weren't a student this wouldn't be the default place you'd pick as your regular gym haunt. I just happen to live nearby so this is the best resource available. They've got a good range of memberships available. I'm usually staying on the 3-month membership so there's repeated intervals of getting motivated again to make good use of the money I spend. There's three floors here. First floor is mostly the lobby, but also some locker rooms, squash courts, and the pool. Upstairs is the main gym area, including the rooms where classes take place, basketball court, rock wall, and indoor track. If you come over the course of an academic quarter, you'll notice the ebb and flow across time of day and know exactly when midterms and finals seasons are. Suddenly it's a lot easier to get a squat rack for some reason. Things are kept pretty clean for the amount of traffic that comes through, especially student traffic, and the students who frequent are pretty good at re-racking correctly and wiping down benches after use. Membership team here has always been helpful! For some reason, they have limited hours on when you can process membership payments and renewals, but usually it's not a huge issue to get it done. On the whole it's a decent gym for the price. Though I'm no expert, but it's more than enough for me! read more

Nice gym great physical therapy. Kept clean typically, the staff are very nice and they hold cool events like job fairs for the students.

I went to sign up for a summer community membership so I could use the pool. Only after I paid $150 for three months was I told that the pool was closed. They did not have any information about it re-opening. They told me I would have to use the pool at Penn, but did not have information on that either. I contacted Tyisha, who told me that to use the pool at Penn, I would have to sign up for a time, and could only sign up the day before. I usually just drop in when it works for me, as I have a muscle disease - the whole reason for using a pool. I have no interest in the rest of the facility. I asked for a refund but was denied, not only by Tyisha, but by James Rogers, the director of the facility. If the pool is unavailable, they should be upfront about it when people join. I asked about the pool hours literally right after I signed up. I'd used the pool before, and even had swimming lessons there. That was the whole point. This is such a bad way to treat people, and a horrible reflection on Drexel and how they think they should treat the community around them. read more

I've been coming to this gym since 2013. I've witnessed its renovations and changes over the past 6 years. It's quite a shame to see what the gym has become. It still has its glorious parts, but it also has its messy flaws. Some pros that I still love include the rock climbing wall, the studio classes seem great, the abundance of machines available. Unfortunately, there always seems to be a shortage of mats, operational treadmills, and misplaced weights. Ab mats are almost always taken, as some people also take the ab mats into the yoga classes instead of bringing their own mats. During the busy peak times of January (#NewYearsResolution), the treadmills are almost always all full. And there's about 5 non-operational ones to get your hopes up. I can't wait for the crowd to die down as it always does by the time march rolls around. Weights are always being misplaced. And don't even get me started on how hard it is to get a bench in the dumbbell areas. Lastly, membership services is a pain in the butt. I've waited 4 months to get my free month of membership for referring a friend. I have yet to hear from Tyisha, the member services person. The people who work at the counter are unpleasant and unhelpful with this matter. Very unprofessional of Tyisha. read more

See all

ehhh I don't know if this is better than Pottruck. Even though it claims to be bigger, it feels smaller. It has everything you need, but it is crowded until about 30 minutes before closing. The best time to beat the crowd is early in the morning, when all the undergrads are sleeping in. The workout equipment is like loops around the basketball courts. The huge plus to this place is that it has an indoor track on the third floor. read more

The Drexel rec center is an amazing place to hang out with friends and get some exercise done. There's a lot of equipment and activities to do there like basketball, swimming and even rock climbing. read more

Guys, you're killing me. I'm typing this out, all amped up on TWO scoops of pre-workout only to find out you're closed at 4pm today for "break hours" Sometimes you post updates on twitter about hours but the last one was on September 1st. Why do you guys do this, seriously? You shouldn't be running out of money, that's for damn sure. After my contracts up in January, I'm done with you guys. You're like the boyfriend who promises to get sober and start a real career but seems to always find the Friday night party.... read more

1) Drexel gym has machines for almost EVERY body part or muscle group that you want to train. 2) 3 different sections for free weights definitely alleviate the traffic and crowd most times of the day. Though the whole gym gets packed at peak hours. It would be awesome that 3) it would be awesome if we had sauna room. 4) SOME front desk agents are extremely UNFRIENDLY & NEGATIVE. One time they complained about how much they hated their jobs. Guess what? You are Not going anywhere with that kind of attitude if you cannot even do the easiest task here (swipe IDs). read more

Drexel Recreation Center - Have a great night! - Recreation Centers Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I'm not sure who the young man is that opens for you on Wednesday but he is hurting the relationship you have with your early morning customers. Not everyone has the luxury to wait to workout on his schedule for when he decides to make it in to work. This behavior is unacceptable and negatively impacting the people around you. This is the first Wednesday that I've experienced this however from speaking to a few other people this is not the only Wednesday that this has happened. If getting up early is not your thing that okay not everyone wants to get up that early, just don't put yourself in a position to disrupt other people's day because you don't feel like getting up. read more

Staff scolded me while working out on cardio equipment for wearing an exercise crop top that exposed a one-inch sliver of my midriff. They claimed it was to cut down on skin infection risk. Meanwhile I spotted men in the weights area wearing muscle tees that expose most of their torsos (and in some cases come in direct contact with benches/equipment.) Posted regulations only state "proper dress required" and regulations I found on the website stated "cutoff shirts with gaps larger than three inches are not permitted." I was not in violation of that rule so I'm unclear on why a staff member felt the need to shame me for my outfit. Locker rooms inexplicably have 8 or 9 bathroom stalls but only two showers. Almost all of the floor space is taken up by lockers, which are mostly occupied by Drexel Rec, so there's pretty much no space to change, and it gets crowded fast. Group exercise classes are inconsistent quality. read more

Best sports center that I've ever been. Has everything that you can imagine. As a Drexel student, the Drexel Recreation Center will be your best friend in providing any sports or workout you need. If you want to pick a game in basketball, done. If you have want to play squash, done. (There's like 7-8 courts: one near the gates and one downstairs). If you want to swim, done. However, just make sure to go there early, because it can get very busy from 5 PM to closing everyday. I come to the rec center often and always satisfied with the equipment, space, and the staff who constantly maintains the space. read more

The Recreation Center has been completely renovated. It's primarily for students who get a free membership with tuition. Employees and alumni can join for a reduced fee. There's lots of equipment and a rock wall. Facilities are nice. It's less crowded early in morning read more

If you are a full-time student at Drexel....you should take advantage of this gym while you can. This place has top-quality equipment on two floors, raquet ball, swimming pool, basketball court, and an indoor track. Yeah. Everything. I really enjoy taking the classes here as they are at weird times and I need that. However, be warned that your instructors are students so you aren't always going to get the best classes. Zumba is usually pretty good for people of all fitness levels. I don't suggest hip hop cardio if you have knee problems as it's super intense with that. This place is busiest between 3pm and 7pm, I pretty much avoid it like the plague at those times because there's a high volume of younger adults and it takes a lot longer to get machines/equipment you need (unless you are looking for an elliptical...in which case you'll be fine because there's a bajillion of them) PROTIP: Never forget about the second floor! The pool is awesome as well! They have a wonderfully spacious locker room with plenty of showers, benches, and lockers. The pool does get crowded quickly, I always had trouble after 11am. So far it has the best equipment I've seen in a gym with enough space to cram a lot of people (and have it feel like your own personal wonderland of buffness when it's a slow period) If you live up in this area or are a Drexel student/alumnus you should get in on their memberships. read more

I've been a community member (non-student) for about three yearsy. Compared to other gyms in the city, it's pretty affordable (rates starting around $500 for a year with no Drexel affiliation needed ) which includes access to the gym and equipment, group classes, squash, rock climbing and pool. I joined mainly for the group exercise, as I had never taken group classes before and wanted to supplement my running-only fitness regimen. I can say that these classes completely changed my fitness routine and helped me find a schedule that was sustainable for me. I take Body Pump (45 min. express class), Yoga, and my absolute favorite Core Conditioning, during lunch breaks, and while it is safe to say 80% of the class is students, there is a good showing of faculty and other post-college attendees. Most class instructors have been great besides a few random disappointments, with Johanna (Core condition, cardio 'n tone, kickboxing) being my favorite. Seriously, if you want to get your butt kicked, go try her ever-changing classes. Gym equipment is plentiful and in great quality, and it is one of the cleanest gyms I have worked out in. There is A LOT of areas and tucked away free weights spaces to hide in. As other yelpers mentioned, it does get packed after work (maybe 4pm - 7pm) so I tend to avoid that time, but the weekends are dead and the lunchtime classes are usually easy to get into. Downsides: 1. Schedule is made for the student calendar which means closing over holiday breaks. If they want to be attractive to non-student members, at least have reduced hours over the holiday breaks! 2. As some people said, their locker room is small with only 2 showers but 10 toilets. Lockers are an issue, but I bring my bag into the group exercise room so it isn't a problem, and other times i just carry it with me. 3. some of the front desk people are not the friendliest, but I am not here to chat with them anyways. Pros: 1. Huge amount of space and number of machines 2. easily accessible 3. affordable, especially if you are looking for a wide variety of group exercise classes. I love it and would definitely recommend if in University City! read more

I joined Drexel because I was looking for an affordable gym that offered group classes and had a pool. The facilities are nice and much larger than most gyms and the membership is priced competitively. However, those are the only positives I can say for the gym. The gym does not have enough lockers. They are always full and I end up having to carry my bag with me while I work out. They also have horribly irregular hours. They often cancel classes and close the gym without warning. Although I like the instructors and the group classes that are offered, it is very hard to get a spot in them. Finally the staff is mostly students who are unknowledgeable and unhelpful. I will not be renewing my membership and caution any community member or adult from joining. read more

Digging my new gym a short walk from my office, clean and spacious on multiple floors with unique offerings such as a climbing wall and world-class squash courts, all in the robust facilities of a major university rec center with aquatics, courts and fitness classes galore. Whatever your level of fitness, you will be motivated here. Various locker room arrangements. (To perfect this otherwise great gym: more plates in leg area; plate stands & more dumbbells in the dumbbells areas; a couple more stair steppers...and turn the tunes up a couple notches!) Pleasant staff and gated entry. read more

I'm a community member who recently joined this gym. I've been shopping around a couple of the city's most well-reviewed gyms i.e. The Sporting Club at the Bellevue, City Fitness etc. and to my complete surprise, Drexel is far and away the best gym of the lot. First of all, the location is great. It's literally across the street from the 33rd & Market trolley stop and one block away from the 34th & Market MFL stop. The facilities are pristine and there always seems to be student staff members circulating and taking care of the equipment. The weight rooms are well-stocked with free weights, olympic weightlifting appartus, and kettlebells. With over three weight areas, I always feel like there's plenty of space to escape from annoying gym men even when the gym is super busy! My partner loves to play squash, and they loan out rackets and shoes, so I have been able to join him for a few games. I think that's a great bonus that you could only find at a college gym! Long story short: this is a great facility available at a very reasonable price point. There are only two downsides as far as I can see. First, the gym is sorely lacking locker space. If you are willing to traipse around all three floors of the gym, you can usually find a locker or cubby to place your personal belongings, but it's no excuse for the countless malfunctioning lockers in the locker rooms. It's also clear that students are taking over day lockers for more than a day. Thus, gym staff should enforce the day locker rules more strictly. Second, they need to improve gym hours during school holidays. They are really trying to market this gym to the community too and we would still like to use the gym over Christmas break! Even reduced hours would be better than closing down for weeks at a time. Related to this, they need to update the online calendar more often. On more than one occasion, I've turned up to find the facility closed (due to Winter break closures) even though their online calendar and outgoing phone message did not indicate this. read more

Holy awesome! This is the nicest gym I've ever been! It has three floors of facilities to include a pool, squash courts, and my favorite part, a rock wall! From Olympic Weightlifting to rowing, cross fit to running, it's complete with brand new equipment that's right for everybody! There is enough equipment so you don't have to wait for others to finish. The facilities are clean and in pristine condition. It's the standard that every business should set themselves. read more

Loving this gym! Glad my tuition from 5+ years ago went to something this awesome! Glad to be able to join as an alum, and for a ridiculously cheap price ($300 for alum for the year). Awesome facility with a rock climbing wall, pool, two stories of cardio/weights, squash courts, nice locker rooms... totally in love. read more

I have one small, yet significant, complaint with the DRC - but first, the good. Actually, the GREAT: I was lucky enough to get Morkeith Brown as my personal trainer. This guy knows his stuff, and is all at once a professional athletes, a badass, and a great, fun guy. Holds you accountable,without guilt and pushes you to your own limit without judgment; he's terrific. The rest of the staff has been good too. The workout facilities are nice, spacious & feel new. Plenty of diverse, good equipment & I've yet to have a problem with crowding. Also, a great deal if you're affiliated (faculty, student, staff). My only complaint - and I would give it 1 star on its own - is the locker room & showers, They don't match the rest of the facility in quality & feeling refurbished, and there are only 2 shower stalls. This makes it feel like it's for students who will go back to dorms to shower & change and does not serve the rest of the community as well. An upgrade is in order here! read more

Worst service I've ever experienced. Staffs never response to your request. Send a complaint email to membership service and they have not replied. read more

I paid my membership last month and I still cannot enter the gym with my membership card. They always say it's systematic problem. The membership and front desk services are not professional and rude sometimes. read more

I've tried a number of gyms around the city and I've never been as happy as I am at Drexel Rec Center. The absolute most essential part of going to this gym is the ability to tap into the Drexel guest wifi network to watch Netflix shows all throughout my workout. It makes the time fly by! I love watching something suspenseful like Forensic Files and it really gets the blood flowing. I have been a member of Planet Fitness, Fit Gym, and Sweat and none of them had reliable wifi that could support Netflix. I also love that the place is huge and there are so many different machines to choose from. I love that I can play basketball or squash if I want. I love that the turn the AC on and that it doesn't smell like dirty butts or cat pee like some other gyms I've been to in the city. The only downside is that it is difficult to find free parking in the area. Other than that I really love this place! read more

Great staff & facility has all u need to accomplish any fitness goals free weights, up to date equipment, swimming pools, & more most importantly for me it's clean go at the right time of day & u can almost everything to your self. read more

I love this gym. When I used to go to Drexel, this was my second home.

This recreation center impresses me in at least three ways. First, the staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and willing to help with an array of requests. Second, the clean facility offers a variety of activities and fitness options t/o day and evening and provides showers with lockers. Third, the facility can tolerate the crowds which helps with machine and class availability. Great place to be. read more

Everything is good, except the group exercise managing is AWFUL! They do not even clean the floor, it is so dirty in group exercise rooms. Also the online registration of group exercise should be able to add to calendar, some classes have the wait list, some do not, confusing! read more