As a family new to the area, we were on a mission to find kid-friendly spots that could help my…read morelittle ones burn off their endless energy (because let's be honest, parents understand the struggle! ). This place is like a magical wonderland for kids! They have the largest art room I've ever seen--seriously, it's big enough to host a small art heist! And guess what? Everything in there is free to use with the cost of admission! I felt like I hit the jackpot! Plus, there's a rock climbing wall, which is a nice touch. Nothing says "family fun" like watching your kids scale a wall while you sip your coffee and contemplate your life choices! The place is decked out with fun artwork and quirky characters that make it feel like a playground straight out of a storybook. And they even have a treehouse! I half-expected to find a squirrel in a top hat serving snacks up there! Located in a shopping plaza, this spot is perfect for hitting up before or after errands. Who knew you could combine grocery shopping with a mini adventure? I highly recommend taking your kiddos here for a day filled with fun and laughter. It's a win-win for parents and kids alike--because a tired child is a happy child!

Always a fun interactive experience when you visit Kidzu. They have lots of places to explore and a…read moregreat craft room. Today we are a 3D dinosaur and cute puppets. They are expanding and will have a new location in a few years. This is always a fun afternoon.

Okay, everything about this place was incredible. I was truly blown away…read more First of all, it's super clean. We came here at a 3pm on a Monday afternoon and there was maybe one or two other guests playing there. It was a quiet start. Even with the uptick in guests later on, the employees were consistently cleaning up after the children and putting toys back to where they had originally been. It's $12 per kid with adult and $4 per additional adult guest. They don't currently offer membership options but they do have discounted Open Play package plans available: 4 play sessions for $44, 8 play sessions for $84, or 16 sessions for $156. They are designed for children aged 6 months up to 6 years. I absolutely loved the music they played which can best be described as low-fi and chill vibes all around. Just as an example, El Michels Affair- C.R.E.A.M. I can honestly say that this is the first time I've heard music sampling Wu-Tang at a kids play place but I ain't mad about it. There are classes on Mondays and Fridays for the "older kids" aged 3-6. The room looked super cool. They start off with a circle time style stories and songs then move off to the (baby) gated area with multiple sensory play experiences set up on tables. They've got a "calm room" complete with sensory sequined pillow and other touch opportunities, puzzles, books, glitter tubes, and noice cancelling headphones for kids feeling overwhelmed or needing to decompress. There is a variety of robots/toy cars/bugs on shelves on the left hand wall for kids to play with in the quiet (calm) room. The 2 bugs are the only ones that are not remote control operated and can be played with in the main play area. Ask an employee for help and they will unlock the cabinet and provide you with the remote control and instructions for how to operate these toys. They've got wi-fi, classes, so much fun stuff everywhere, and a food and drink area that offers kid snacks for purchase as well as complimentary coffee and tea for the adults! Amazing. Everything about the Wonder Lab is so thoughtfully designed. It is such a cozy and fun and welcoming place and you can really see and feel the effort put into the play space. All the spaces are utilized so well and with varying themes throughout (outer space, arctic felt wall, etc). I could go on and on. I love the Wonder Lab!!!

We came here for open play during the heat wave for our two year old to work out some energy. We…read morewere impressed with how clean the space was and how many toys and activities were available. The price is very reasonable and complementary coffee and tea is provided for the adults. We especially love the low stimulating environment and the fact that the space is for kids five and under so we aren't constantly having to watch out for other kids running into ours. We had so much fun and will definitely be back again!

Very interesting for all ages. Great use of the natural landscape for animal enclosures and…read morehabitats. My personal favorite was the butterfly house. Especially loved the pollinator garden outside the insect building. Climbing feature was well loved by the little in our group. The digging for artifacts and fossils was appreciated by the teen in our group. Red wolf exhibit was awesome once we spotted the mom dad and baby on video. Also appreciated the sensory room.

First time coming here, and I would give 5 stars if not for the exorbitant pricing. Adults costing…read moremore than kids at that, for a kids museum has always rubbed me wrong. But this place is quite expansive with several areas including wildlife, butterfly and insect garden, a train tour that takes 2 laps around (might as well get it for the $6 a ticket), and several outdoor play areas including a tree house and mist/water areas. Place was crowded, but there were still plenty of spaces available at 10:30 in the garage. If I lived closer, I might consider a membership to save costs, but I live too far currently to justify that. The cafe food was mid, and again too expensive. The pricing for me knocks a star off, but if you've never been and are prepared to spend a couple hundred bucks for the day on a family of 4, you'll probably enjoy!

My first time visiting this location for an event. It was a little confusing to locate at first…read morewhile in the car. Once we parked, it was easier to navigate towards the building based on the street signs. Side note: parking was $2.25 an hour - something to take into consideration. Upon entering the location, it was very well kept and clean. We had no problem navigating our way around and the staff we encountered were amazing. This looks to be a great place to host large events and if you are in need of a hotel room, being connected to the hotel is a great advantage.

I visited the convention center for a two day conference. They have parking in the garage across…read morethe street that is $2.25 an hour during the week and free on weekend if there is no special event. Special event parking is $7. The center was clean and the staff I did interact with were friendly. The bathrooms were clean and sanitary. The lobby smelled AMAZING! There was a bar as well. I believe it's connected to a Marriott hotel as well. No complaints from me :)

Our wonderful daughter gave my wife a birthday gift of having all of us do a Stained Glass class!…read more Since it was on May 4th it was Star Wars themed! May the Force be With You ! Each one of our group of 5 picked out ahead of time which Star Wars character we wanted to create. Your choices were a Light Saber, Darth Vader, Grogu (Baby Yoda), or Boba Fett. Then when we arrived at class the pieces for each character were beautifully pre-cut by Sarah and ready to assemble. The assembly process involved several steps including cleaning the glass first, then applying metal tape, then soldering, cleaning, etc. Lila was our wonderful and very patient instructor and she was awesome ! She provided safety gloves and explained everything to all of us first timers doing this and answered any and all questions. When needed she provided hands on assistance to make sure everyone's piece came out great ! There was no rushing, great music playing in the background, lots of fun and overall a really great time! We definitely plan on returning for future arts and crafts classes at this great place and people!

I enjoy wine & design on any night. Painting is very relaxing and calming. The painting evokes an…read moreeven happier mood. I enjoyed this paint night. The assistant, Amanda, was extremely helpful and often came around to compliment our progress on our painting. I have visited this location before. The only downside is one dryer station for two crowded classes. This is where the mark was missed in obtaining a 5 star rating.

My experience a this YMCA was for a special event - a USA Basketball clinic. They checked…read moreparticipants in out and had us go right into the gym. The clinic was great, and the kids had such a fun time. After the clinic they took everyone upstairs into a multipurpose room where they had snacks and gave each child a signed copy of the book Basketball. The author/illustrator, Kadir Nelson was even there to talk to the kids. Such a neat event!

I don't use the pool or anything but the resistance equipment. The gym has broken equipment. The…read moreleg 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.

This Y is great. Good variety of machines, very friendly and helpful staff, a great community of…read moremembers. The class offerings are good and the pool is a big plus. I am baffled by seeing some poor reviews on here. I can only say: if you can't tolerate anything less than Equinox and that's what you can afford, then good riddance.

0/10 recommend. Staff are v rude and lie constantly. Facility is falling apart. Members are barely…read moreallowed to use the pool due to scheduling.

Like many people in 2020, finding a place to work out safely has been very difficult. I had no idea…read morewhat to do as an extrovert who loves Group Fitness classes, because it helps me get a little bit more energy. That's where my summer Y membership came into place. I ended up utilizing the outdoor spin classes at this location frequently, and cannot say enough good things about Chuck, the fitness instructor. As far as I know, there are a few other outdoor classes, but the spin classes are my jam. I love Chuck's energy, the music, and the fact that I get a super hard ride in once a week. I believe he teaches three classes per week, but the Sunday class is my favorite. So grateful that the YMCA has provided us with a safe way to get our fitness on. Thank you!

By far my favorite YMCA in Durham. While the American Tobacco Campus lacks a swimming pool, steam…read moreroom and sauna, it makes up for it in the friendliness and attentiveness of the staff, cleanliness of the lockers and equipment and it's the least crowded Y I've been to in the area. I most often visit the gym between 9:30-12:00pm, and there is never more then a handful of clients during those hours at this Y. Mostly professionals that work at Tobacco Campus, people are quiet and stick to themselves. Also, note that this location is also only open on weekdays, conducive to professionals! I've never had a Y attendant be more attentive to me, one of the staff asked me if I was doing okay during my workout routine and offered helpful suggestions. Their quality of equipment is on par with the Lakewood facilities but is more updated with the NikeFit application on the treadmills and built in fans (you also have a beautiful waterfall view!). They also have a private bike room (not a glass room like the downtown Y) and a couple private workout classrooms for classes. My only qualms about this Y are that parking can be rough to find and there's a two hour limit on the street and in the deck. In addition, the water pressure in the woman's bathroom is like a deep-tissue massage. It's not bad, but startled me at first and I could see people having an issue with that. Since this location is only open during weekdays and not late, it's definitely more geared towards the local work crowd. Last, the lockers in the woman's room are much smaller then your typical YMCA lockers, so bring a small gym back or just try to shove it all in. I switch off my YMCA's since I work, live and socialize near three different locations, but I was very happy to discover this mostly hidden branch. Be sure to check it out if you're looking for a quiet atmosphere and a place where there will always be open equipment. Also, they've got coffee for you on your way out, how much better can it get?! Elite Note: If you feel like running outdoors, the ATT starts on the other side of the highway and goes for 22 miles!