Annenberg Community Beach House has a great location and concept, but our experience was mixed. I…read morecame here with my daughter hoping for a relaxing afternoon of sun and pool time, and while it has potential, there were several limitations that made it less enjoyable than expected. Timing really matters here. It is best to come during off hours if you want any chance of getting a lounge chair to set your belongings down or take a break. When it is busy, seating is very limited and can get crowded quickly. The pool itself is not ideal for young children or anyone expecting a gradual entry. There is no graded or zero-depth entrance. Instead, you enter via a ladder directly into about four feet of water, with a rope separating this area from the deeper section. This setup may be fine for confident swimmers, but it felt less family-friendly than anticipated. Conversely, if you are looking to swim laps, this is not a lap pool. It is purely recreational. The changing and bathroom area is very open, and the showers offer no privacy. The shower water was also quite cold, which was not especially comfortable, particularly for kids. If you are expecting enclosed changing rooms or warm showers, this may be disappointing. Parking is public street parking only, paid at meters, which adds another layer of planning and cost. Overall, while the beach house is in a beautiful spot and can be enjoyable under the right circumstances, the lack of amenities, limited seating, and less-than-ideal pool and changing facilities make it hard to fully relax or recommend, especially for families with young children.

Cardboard Yacht Regatta at Annenberg Beach house pool What a…read moredelight. You make a cardboard boat and enter contest race at the pool annually

I've been to the Jonathan Beach Club twice now, once for each of Melissa K.'s babies. The first…read moretime was a full baby shower, the second a smaller, more casual sprinkle. Both celebrations were seated brunches, where we got to enjoy the beachfront view and hit the extravagant buffet. The setting is prime and beautiful, a club on the beach in Santa Monica. I can see why people might want to join, though I can only imagine how much it costs. There's valet for members and comped parking for guests in the adjacent public lot. The buffet is genuinely impressive. The centerpiece is the bountiful seafood bar, where you can load up on oysters, crab claws, and shrimp cocktail, as well as lemon wedges, horseradish, and cocktail sauce to go with them. I skip the pancakes and most other brunchy items, in part because I'm not a brunch person, but also so I can make multiple visits to the seafood station, getting a reasonable amount per trip to disguise my greed. There's also a carving station, where I've gotten some delicious herb-crusted salmon. They have beef, too, and a few feet away, you can order an omelet from a guy who is there just to make people omelets. I prefer the salads, which go better with unlimited crab claws. There were two on my last visit, a Caesar and I think a garden salad with cheese crumbles and bacon. Something tasty and not boring, in any case. I also picked up some minestrone with orzo and a mini eggs Benedict, both of which were okay, plus a bit of smoked salmon. The dessert section is its own little buffet, with too many offerings to be sampled by one adult with a limited sweet tooth. I went for the fresh cut fruit on my last visit, then saw the lovely strawberry buttermilk pie. I couldn't finish the rich custardy filling, but the juicy strawberry topping was delicious. I also took a bite of my friend's tiny chocolate crème brûlée. I'd love to come back to the Jonathan Beach Club, though that might require Mel to have another baby. Maybe she and her husband will play ball so I can have all-you-can-eat seafood at the beach.

JBC is a fanfare experience (restaurant). I feel biased since I had accommodations but at the same…read moretime the service was lackluster. Food was tasty but also tiny. Ceviche comes in a "bowl" meant for dipping. Almost as if everything was placed with tweezers. The food was quality, but for the price you can get better value elsewhere and taste just as good if not better. We enjoyed ceviche, sushi, shrimp tacos and steak. Again all good, but hard to justify.

The great feeling starts right at the door…read more Everyone at the front desk knows my name and greets me with a smile. Eder opens the door with a high five every single day, and Sydney is genuinely one of the nicest people you'll meet -- their warm welcome alone motivates me to come to the gym daily. Mike, the manager, has made this the best gym I've ever seen, even though it's not a top-tier location. The improvement since he started is drastic. All the cardio machines are brand new with huge screens, the stretching area has new mats, and equipment covers have been renewed. He also gets things done fast -- I asked him about battery banks, and two weeks later they were there. A few small suggestions that could make this the best gym ever: 1. Upholstery inspections should be monthly. Most pads were replaced, but a few cracked ones remain, and the cracks pinch your skin. (Also, the lower bike on the left ramps intensity to max on its own -- likely a warranty fix.) 2. Hair dryers are outdated. Other Equinox locations have Dysons -- would love to see them here. 3. Paper towel dispensers are manual. Sensor dispensers (like other Equinox clubs have) would be more hygienic. 4. The new cleaning team isn't quite at the previous level. Mopping starts 20 minutes before close while members are still finishing up, and for the first time ever, shower towels ran out. The previous team never had these issues. 5. The AC struggles on warmer days -- upper floors get pretty hot. None of this changes the bottom line: thanks to Mike, Eder, Sydney, and the front desk team, this club keeps getting better. Highly recommended!

The GENERAL MANAGER , name "Mike Smith" Very disrespectful,…read moreunethical, and unprofessional. Today I stopped by at this location to grB a shake and tKe a picture of the back examination machine, so I can search for a home version one. I am a former member , with 6 years of continuous membership, and due to my recent injury on a treadmill on BH location , I had to cancel my membership since 2 months ago, when I arrived today at SM , I explained to this general manager that all I need is to be accompanied by one of the available employees to the back extension machine, for me to take couple of pictures. This rude , non-gentleman manager told me about the policy of the club being exclusive to members only , and refused to help me. I walked out feeling disappointed, disrespected , and betrayed. I don't think people such this guy name "Mike Smith" can present equinox club properly, instead they would make the reputation of the company jeopardized . He definitely needs to address his behavior, and instead of only following the polices , practice some leadership manners, as well as kindness and compassion. I would never visit this club again because of this general manager's poor skills of management, and terrible customer service. I strongly believe he doesn't fit the culture of Equinox club at all.

LA Surf & Swim has been amazing! Our son, Sebastian, has been coming since he was 18 months old,…read moreand now at 3 years old, his confidence in the water is incredible. A special shoutout to Coach Brandon--our family's "Baby Whisperer!" His patience and ability to teach toddlers is truly impressive. Thanks to him, Sebastian is confidently jumping into the pool and swimming underwater across it. If you have a baby or toddler you want to teach to swim, ask for Coach Brandon. You won't regret it!

Can't say enough good things about LA surf and Swim! Both are boys learned to swim here and…read morereceived lessons for five years from their instructions. Each instructor was great with our boys and they really enjoyed their lessons. Also the team has great communication for any last minute changes.

I taught my son and daughter how to swim at the Venice High School Pool decades ago, so this review…read moreis based on a multitude of swim sessions. The locker room is what you'd expect in a facility open to the public, but the pool itself, water quality, staff attitude and lifeguards are all first class. The pool water temperature and chlorine levels are nearly always right where they should be. At times when I've forgotten my goggles, I have completed my workout without great eye discomfort. Currently, October 2022, the pool is not open as many hours as it was prior to the pandemic. On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, the pool is divided in half with four lanes for laps swimmers ; the balance of the pool is reserved for recreational swimmers. There is a diving board for those that pass the swim test. Be sure to check the schedule before heading to the pool as swim lessons can intrude on lap swimming lanes. Children's and adult swim lessons are offered for a modest price, and the classes tend to be small. Most all of the staff wear face masks at all times. As of now, masks are not required for entry. The entry fee has varied over the years, but it has always been very affordable. Right now, 2022, seniors get in for one dollar.

I write this review with trepidation because I do not want this pool to become crowded, but I've…read morebeen searching for a good local pool and hope that this review can help others who are doing the same. This pool is located on the campus of Venice High School, and is open to the public during various hours (see website for details). Also, it is the only indoor pool in that area that I know of beside the one at the Santa Monica 24 hour fitness. The locker rooms, like any public pool, leave much to be desired, and are built like concrete bunkers. The walls and floor are all concrete, thus cold pools of water cover the entire floor and it is freezing in there, especially when you're wet. However one thing I liked was that rather than having actual lockers, there is an attendent behind a cage window that you hand your items to kind of like a coat check. They also have these mesh bags that you can use which hang on these metal poles they set up so that you don't have to put your stuff onto the wet bench or floor. Once you put everything in the bag you simply hand it to the attendant for you to get later. This way you don't have to cram everything into a little locker or worry about bringing your own lock. There are also lifeguards on duty and they have kickboards and poolbuoys available for use. The structure itself is also very well ventilated so though it gets colder than a smaller building, there is less of that strong chlorine smell. All of the attendants and lifeguards on duty are friendly and helpful. The crowd is mixed, though I would say it skews toward the older side. All in all, this is a great place if you're looking for a no frills swim. While you do have to suck it up while you're undressing/dressing before and after swimming if you're going during the colder months (and wet floors and benches are annoying), the pool is spacious and well kept. I also love that it's less than 2 miles from my apt.

Pool is clean, lifeguards r good!! Very friendly and attentive. Never over crowded. Easy parkingread more

The swimming pool is very clean and well-maintained. The water was refreshing, and the pool area…read morewas neat and pleasant. You can tell that the staff takes great care of the facilities. I really enjoyed spending time here and would definitely visit again

I simply cant get enough of this great Space that you can truly enjoy with your family. The…read moreactivities, fit gym, yoga, kids camps, youth basketball, swimming, rocket ball, and other attributes are the reason for all the laughter and memories the YMCA continue to bring. They go out of their way to keep the place clean with lovely house keeping staff on duty. Any concerns that you may have, are quickly addressed and solved. You may often see posted sighs and news sent directly to your email to keep you inform. The staff are respectful and hold great customer service with a smile. I like being part of this positive leadership role they play in my life. The monthly fee is affordable and they offer scholarship for all those in need. join them!

I was looking for a new gym in the area and a friend of mine recommended the YMCA. She is a member…read moreand so she offered to bring me in to check it out with a guest pass. At first, I was really impressed with the facility. Lots of options, different floors, a pool and the front desk was very welcoming and accommodating. However, that swiftly changed when not 15 minutes into our workout, "Brian" decided to come over to us to let us know that there's no "outside" trainers allowed here. Well that was pretty presumptuous since it was just my friend and I working out with each other. She was spotting me. I was spotting her. We were on separate equipment and at one point she came over to suggest an adjustment to the way I was doing something. You know the way friends do? Before Brian even took the time to actually speak with us. He just assumed something and you know what happens when you assume? From that point forward, I felt really inhibited like I was suddenly doing something wrong when I was honestly there to decide if I wanted to become a member. I'm pretty sure the YMCA wouldn't want Brian as an ambassador for anything as thanks to him, I'm now seriously doubting if that's someplace I would ever want to be again.

Heather is incredible! Every single time I speak to her she is so kind and goes above and beyond to…read moreanswer questions I have. I was just speaking to her today, and she even remembered that I frequently use the pool just by speaking over the phone. Loving Trifit so much, everyone is great but just want to shoutout Heather because of the multiple times she's gone above and beyond and made me feel highly cared for as a member :)

This facility is small but has the bare minimum in terms of equipment, showers, sauna, pool. The…read morecycling room was a selling point to paying almost $200/month, yet half the bikes don't work. When you ask the employees, they say "I don't know, I don't really cycle". I'm not sure what that has to do with knowing how to use the equipment at the gym that you do in fact work at. The staff is the primary reason I decided to cancel my membership. They are simply bodies in a chair. They won't help, they don't say hello or greet you, they seem like they'd rather be anywhere else. They act like you're interrupting their personal conversation when you need to buy a water or ask literally anything. Cycling classes come and go without wiping the equipment. The cleaning standards here are 7/10. The best selling point here is the pool. It's nice to swim indoors, but there are only 3 lanes. Also, the cycling instructor, (Bernard I believe?) is the reason this gym gets a third star vs 1. Overall, the staff not knowing how equipment works, saying you're SOL when none of their bikes work, and being overall rude and unpleasant really kill the energy here more than I imagined. When I first signed up, I felt like it did not matter if the staff was rude- but here we are. I would rather pay less, knowing i'm going to get sub par service. If I'm going to pay almost $200, I would expect cleanliness and employees who know anything about the gym.