The bouldering section is kinda small but they have a huge top-roping and lead-climbing section. That section also includes auto-belay in which they made you undergo a belay test with the gri-gri but you aren't allowed to teach yourself right beforehand. Off to the side, they have a 2nd floor for kid/toddler sized bouldering and 3rd floor for working out, campusing, and moon boards. The locker rooms were huge and clean. The parking lot is really small and you might have better luck street parking if it gets busy. read more

Expensive but enjoyable afternoon spent climbing, working out on exercise equipment, bouldering and snacking at Vertical World with friends. Good thing our friends - regulars - came prepared with gear for us to traverse the taller walls safely! Limited parking in small and cramped lot, so street parking is recommended and small cars are recommended. read more

Vertical World Seattle - Rock Climbing Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Love this gym! Great for kids and adults. The crew is very welcoming and the routes are super fun.

We had my son's 5th birthday party here and it was a FANTASTIC experience! The setup was really easy and made it stress free. The instructors were laid back, knowledgeable, and attentive. All the kids had a blast trying something new. It's also a very well taken care of gym. Definitely a hit! read more

I have climbed here a few times now and have done two classes now, so I think it's time for me to leave them a review. You need to pass their belay test in order to belay here and they have a rule of no teaching anyone yourself inside the gym. So my first visit I didn't belay, my friend belayed me and I still had a great time. My second visit I took their class: Women's Intro to Climb for $40. - It was a 2.5 hour class taught by Lindsay and she went over everything about belaying, roping in, and climbing. I thought the class would drag at first since it was so long, but the 2.5 hours flew by! Harness and shoes are included in the fee of this course. Lindsay was a great teacher! - After the class though, they do not allow you to belay, they want you to soak in all the info they taught you, then you can come back the next day to take their temporary belay test. - This class gives you a 2 week unlimited climbing pass though. If you don't have shoes or harness, you can rent them for $8 total ($3 for harness, $5 for shoes) So I went back last night. Went through the temp belay test, in which I can ask questions if I needed too, and passed. At the end of the 2 week trial, you take the pass or fail test so you can belay. As of right now in my 2 week trial, I can ask questions and still belay! I also took a yoga class there last night and really enjoyed it. The class wasn't too crowded, a great mix of men and women in the class, and for all levels. If you want a day pass it's $19. If you get a membership, it's like $69. They also offer a $78 month pass, or a punch card. Overall, I have had great experiences here and it's super close to my apartment! read more

Vertical World Seattle - 9:30 pm on a Friday is a good time to go! - Rock Climbing Near Me - Seattle, Washington

What a joke. I came here to top rope while visiting Seattle. Had to take the belay test and they insisted I used an ATC. I've never used an ATC cos I've been using a gri gri. But no, they insisted I used an ATC. And then ofc I did not pass the test cos why would I know how to use an ATC if I've been using a grigri my whole climbing life. The biggest kicker is that the entire gym was fitted with grigris and not an ATC insight. So why do they test with ATCs? I'm still confused to this very day. The staff said she did not know and it was just policy. 2 stars cos the staff was nice enough to give a refund of my day pass. Don't waste your time here and just go to stone gardens/edgeworks. Everyone was super nice there. read more

My Review is a bit different than most, but it speaks to the team at vertical world. I sent a couple on a fun treasure hunt date and used them as a stop. I worked with Bret and PJ. They were fantastic. I let them know what I needed and they made it happen and helped to create an incredible experience for the couple. Past that, the place is amazing! So many options for full sized walls, bouldering, and a great place for kids! (with a pirate ship) Definitely recommended! read more

Ok climbing spot. I came here often for a 3 month span when I first started climbing. I wanted to give climbing a try and it was easy because it was on class pass. That made it really affordable to go thankfully! Since I was a beginner and it was cheap I let a lot of things go but I outgrew the gym pretty quickly. The space is not that big, it's routinely crowded, and the bouldering section is 20% of an already small gym. There seems to be a team that practices there often and I often found myself not able to do entire sections of the gym because 10-15 people were dominating that section of a wall. Again this is a small gym so being blocked off to what little was there was really crummy. My experience went downhill when this annoyances kept adding up and they changed their class pass rules. They started restricting hours out of no where and I was getting unfairly charged. Once the cheapness factor was ruled out I quickly switched over to the much nicer stone gardens in bellevue. read more

We alternate between VW Seattle and Lynnwood locations to get a variety of routes. Great gym overall! Only downside for us is that my partner is colorblind and there are frequently route colors next to each other that aren't CB-friendly. read more

Vertical world is a rundown cracked industrial warehouse with ropes, walls, and chalk. This, my fellow Yelpers, is a proper climbing gym. Those newly built white and sterile climbing gyms all lack character. When you walk into vertical world, it either feels like home or you think it's a craphole. They have it all here. Challenging routes, boulders, weight area, and even a yoga studio! read more

Vertical World Seattle - Crawling on walls - Rock Climbing Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Hmm, how have I not reviewed this yet? Belay sessions are SO WORTH IT. As a first time climber, the idea I could go and try indoor climbing out without having to hassle with classes or try to weasel out friends who are experienced climbers was very appealing. After seeing it was a mere $45 (max 4 people), I booked a date. I paid in advance on the phone, and when the actual day rolled around, the staff tried to charge me again. That was harrowing for the 10 minutes it took for them to work it all out. I have also learned that I am not a fan of wearing other people's shoes. This experience made me realize I LOVE rock climbing, I should never work arms out the day before trying rock climbing for the first time, and that I need to buy a membership here. Staff is really friendly and knowledgeable about climbing. Very helpful in selecting routes and allowing you to work at your own pace. If you take their intro class, you can waive a similarly priced joining fee. read more

Such a great space! My girlfriends and I were here for a Vertical Girl event. The venue itself is in a weird location in the Ballard-Magnolia area, but when we walked in, it blew my mind--it might of been the combination of the event, the music and all of the girls that were there at the event. Regardless, I didn't know that there was a place like this in Seattle. There were walls and walls of climbing walls! If you're a beginner, there's a padded practice wall. They have cubbies for you to store your stuff. You can either wear your own tennis shoes or climbing shoes (that they offer). They have everything you need for a fun experience. This would be a really good spot for group outings and events. Great for bonding--something out of the usual. I think it'd also be a great place for a first date, if you're both active...or competitive. (I would think this, it's also great for kids.) I'm definitely going to keep this place in mind for future events. Me likey. read more

See all

Came here with a friend when I was gifted a free pass by a friend for Christmas. First, this place blew me away when I walked in. This is clearly the biggest rock gym I've ever been to. It was packed at 7:30pm when I got there but it didn't seem like people were waiting at all to climb. Checking in was pretty painless with a liability waiver that was streamlined with a computer interface. I had my own harness, biner, and ATC but needed shoes. Equipment check-out was quick and painless, AND they have lockers for your stuff which was really convenient. We got situated and tested out for belaying. Since I couldn't remember how to tie one of the easiest knots (it's been years since HRST master's course) I couldn't test out, but my buddy could, which of course meant that he could belay me, but I couldn't belay him. I'm glad they take the time to make sure people know what they're doing. Safety should be, and is, paramount here. Once we got started, everything ran smoothly. Every line had a Gregory devices, which made belaying easy and safe. We tried a few of the bouldering routes which proved challenging and entertaining. Once again, the capacity of this place is amazing and is probably its best asset. The staff was helpful, yet stern about safety, a definite plus. I think a day pass was $16 which isn't TOO bad if you spend awhile there. I know I definitely wouldn't come back if I knew I only had an hour. A little bit of a drive from the Eastside, but worth it. Check out was quick and easy, and the place is super clean. I'd come back here in a heartbeat, and I'd bring all my friends too. This place is awesome! read more

Vertical World Seattle - Giant rockwall - Rock Climbing Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Great indoor climbing gym for all ages. And they'll host a birthday party for your kid! If you're willing to take a few classes, you can get certified as a belayer, and then go when you want with your kid(s), paying just for rental shoes, harnesses and time. A good deal. Makes for a fun physical family outing. Small selection of climbing gear for sale. read more

Vertical World Seattle - Rock Climbing Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

Vertical world is a decent gym, but the staff is zero stars. They are unhelpful and unwelcoming. I've seen multiple people get rejected from belaying their partners due to arbitrary rules. It is common to have items stolen from the lockers and cubbies in the facility. Climbers will hang out on routes for 15-30 minutes without any thought to others that wish to climb. I've been going to VW for the past 10 years, off and on, and I can say things have gone down hill. The good news is Seattle has two great alternatives. I'd recommend Stone Gardens or Seattle Bouldering Project (SBP). read more

I'm definitely a fan. As the last review said, bouldering, top rope, lead climbing, a gym upstairs, they're starting fitness classes...this place has it all. I'd definitely, without a question, recommend this place. read more

We had a GREAT time here! We had a small group of 4 people and an experienced staff belayer, Brandon. Brandon has great energy and gave helpful direction. Our son was scared at one point when he made it to the high ledge and was scared to come down. However, it was because of Brandon's direction and patience that he was able to gather the courage to make it back down. Thanks for a great experience, excellent customer service, and a lot of smiles! read more

See all

Compared to SG Seattle, Vertical World is downright spacious, with tons of routes for top roping/lead, as well as a solid bouldering area. I like that all the top ropes are outfitted with grigris, which makes for an easy in/out. Time is of the essence when wait times are 2-3 people deep! My only complaints are that it's ALWAYS crowded and the ratings seem to be all over the place. read more

I hadn't climbed in a while and my test and verbiage were embarrassing. The staff was patient and accepted that I could still do what I needed to do after knocking off some rust. They have some fun climbs and the community is just so open hearted and welcoming. The routes can be a bit close, but people are understanding of that. I appreciated that you could turn in your keys in exchange for a locker to hold your stuff. There were a mix of bouldering, auto belays, lead climb, and top rope available. This has me hooked on a home climbing gym :) read more

Make the first right after Fisherman's Terminal, go down a block, make a left, then pull into the gravel parking lot(look for the inordinate amount of subarus) in front of the non-descript warehouse.... The sign is small, but the workout isn't. The Intro to Climbing Class was awesome: For $50 you get a 2 week membership and all the necessary skills required to climb. Knot-Tying, Avoiding Death, & Belaying (Helping your partner avoid death). I have never felt weaker, and I have never felt stronger. That's the joy of climbing....imagine little moments of victory every time you go to the gym..... I'm already hooked like a newborn crack baby :) Belay?, Belay On, Climbing?,..... CLIMB ON! read more

So the husband is big into rock climbing these days. He has a group of friends that climb together and half of them live on the east side and the other half live in Seattle so they decided to trade off on going to Redmond and here. Redmond rocked (ha!), my 3 year old really wants to hang out with her dad and climb a little bit and the Redmond folk totally encouraged this and being the reasonable people they are told us we wouldn't need to pay for a 3 year old that would hardly be climbing (I think in the 3+ hours we were there she climbed for a total of MAYBE 20 minutes if that and she mostly just watched). However, these idiots will charge us full price for her and I to even enter the building. Um, no. Fuck you guys. I'll drive to Redmond. read more

I've been climbing for about 2 years and moved here from Michigan looking for a new gym. It's best to compare Vertical World in that way to the other two Seattle gyms: Seattle Bouldering Project and Stone Gardens. In this way, Vertical World is the best gym around, offering the most to it's climbers, with it's only failing being bouldering, which both SBP and Stone Gardens do better. First, Vertical World (VW) has the only high-quality lead wall. Stone Gardens (SG) is just too short and the setting isn't comparable to the quality at VW. There's also more routes than SG and reminder, SBP is solely bouldering. Their top-rope setting is arguably the best as well. They use connected Gri Gri's, which I'm not a big fan of (would rather use my own belay device), but the do seem to be fairly maintained. Last week I climbed an 11d, which seemed fairly accurate, though a little easier than I was used to. It had an aesthetically pleasing dyno* in the middle that challenged you mentally, but was set just right. Vertical World also claims ownership of the title of America's first climbing gym. Culturally that's made it a place climbers flock to. We went to an event a couple weeks back where a guy was giving a lecture about his climb in Pakistan and the room was packed. Which reminds me of an important point: this place can get busy. But trust me, the people are going here because it's a good gym. There's training upstairs, they offer fitness classes and yoga, and really have a good community of climbers to meet. SBP is probably a more communal place since they don't tape any routes and it's bouldering where people have more opportunities to interact and work on a problem together. But matched with the fitness programs, VW wins on culture as well as climbing. Location is dependent on where you're coming from. Stone Gardens is right off Market and one street away from the Gilman Trail, so it's location is great for coming fom my work in Fremont. VW is actually the same distance but across the bridge. SBP is more downtown which can suck to drive to, but if you're in biking distance might be great. This would be VW's downfall if also considering parking can be difficult, but my review isn't based on this. It's based on the place worth going. In Michigan, there was literally one gym in the area and people would drive over an hour to get there. This is that kind of gym, so if you want to rock climb make it your place. *dyno = dynamic move read more

This place should be labeled BYOF (bring your own friends) because the climate here isn't very social at all. This isn't the place where you can go and chill out and look to get a couple of pointers from the other folks there. The past couple of times I've been there, people have walked under my belay while I was lowering (if I didn't stop I would have lowered my partner right on top of them!) and other climbing etiquette is absent here as well, such as waiting for the person who was on the wall first to finish up their route before attempting a route directly below it or in the path of it. I've had to actually stop my climb a couple of times to make way for someone charging up underneath me. The gym itself is all right but for a more friendly (not just all snob elite atmosphere) I'd look elsewhere. read more

I like this place well enough. My only gripe would be that they have a big picture on the women's locker room wall of a MAN climbing. Seriously? With all of the f'ing amazing female climbers locally and globally, and they can't even manage to celebrate them in their own loo?? Typical. read more

First climbing gym in the nation?? How awesome is this in Seattle. I boulder more than top rope, but I really do enjoy going here when I get the chance. It's tucked in Magnolia. I've been here a few times and their routes are pretty fun and challenging. Let me tell you though, this place can get packed! I like that they have plenty of auto belays so that you can still get a great work out even if you went by yourself. They have a pretty large bouldering area. Their routes are a bit more challenging and rated differently than SBP, where I usually go to. I don't think they change their routes as often either. Compared to Stone Gardens in Ballard, this gym feels a little more spacious. The staff here is super chill and nice too! Nothing to complain about. I always have a blast here :) read more

I've been climbing here for over four years. The staff has always been kind and helpful and very positive. Love the front desk and the instructors for the classes. The routes are interesting and long. Great children's area that my 3 year old loves. The only downside is the crowded evenings which can make it difficult to quickly get on routes. read more

Having recently relocated to Seattle, I've been floating between the big local gyms trying to find a new home. Moving from Atlanta I was pretty spoiled on Stone Summit (the largest indoor climbing gym in the US) so coming up here has been a bit of an adjustment. I'm somewhere between 2 and 3 stars on VW. VW has lots of routes - mostly top roping, but with a good number of lead routes as well. The bouldering area is small but respectable. Haven't checked out the fitness area yet, but the locker rooms are quite nice. The reason for the lowish rating is twofold here: first, the ratings are ALL OVER the place. There is absolutely zero consistency. I wouldn't mind that many of the routes are soft rated (I climbed a 5.10b on the autobelay like a ladder last night, and I am barely a 5.8/5.9 climber outside) so long as the ratings were consistent so I knew what to tackle and what to avoid. They seem to have a weird aversion to 5.9s in the gym - it's either a 5.7, a 5.8, or a 5.10 and up. Really odd. Secondly, every time I've been to VW it has been completely slammed. Like people 3-4 deep waiting for ropes. There are two top roping areas and the first is very narrow - good luck trying to move through the crowd on a busy night as it can be shoulder to shoulder. It usually thins out a bit later, but fighting the crowds means less efficient climbing workouts. Other little gripes include the fact that you have to use a gris-gris to belay (not a fan) and they don't seem to update their routes all that often - there were a few new ones between my visits, but many of the routes had been up for months. Anyway, I would have talked myself into a 2 star rating at this point, except for VW's one saving grace: they have 3 whole ropes of slab climbing. Three! And each rope has 3 or 4 routes on it! That's like 12 slab routes I could be tackling at any given time! My love of good slab is enough to drag the rating up to a solid 3 stars. read more

Some things to keep in mind: - Not so good for bouldering. The bouldering chamber is a room of maybe 400 or 500 square feet, total. - Plenty of lead and top-roping stuff, but there's no nifty auto-belay thing here, so if you come you better have friends. - Stone Gardens has got this place beat on both those counts (and it not far from here, either). However, this place is cheaper than Stone Gardens in terms of monthly membership and (I think) lessons. Day pass is the same price though. Another perk here is that you get access to the Redmond gym, which is good if you have climbing friends on the east side (I do) or live there. The Redmond location has a bigger bouldering area, FYI. read more

In Seattle, Vertical World is the gym you want if you're into toproping, and Stone Gardens is the one you want if you're into bouldering. I prefer roped climbing--not so much because of the rope, but just because I like longer climbs that end with me somewhere up high (preferably outside, but inside is useful too). I'm just not fascinated enough by my own biceps to stay interested in bouldering. There's a lot of variety at this gym--I daresay enough to keep everyone busy. As with every gym I've been to, you kind of figure out who your favorite route-setters are and learn to distrust some others. I haven't been lead certified yet, so I can't speak from personal experience, but just looking at the gear it also appears that Vertical World has a wide offering for lead practicing too. read more

Meh. I hate the grigri devices on the ropes - they're unwieldy and I never use one outside, so I'm not comfortable with it. True, there's more toproping here than at Stone Gardens, so it's a plus or minus depending on your preference. The staff are generally really friendly & sweet but they can be really snarky know-it-all with the belay check. A friend of mine was visiting from out of town and nearly started an argument with the girl who was belay-checking him, over some silly stylistic difference. whatevs. read more

I've been going to Vertical World for more than a decade (three locations!), and I adore this place. It is by far the best all-around climbing gym in the city - in the area. It has top-rope, bouldering and lead climbing, and unlike many gyms, it has space for all these and more. It also has a nice workout area, classroom, kid's area and daycare. The main wall is gigantic and awesome, but all the large walls are taller than anything around and well designed. The route setters are amazing. They can make a 5.9 that's interesting and great for a warmup, and a 5.12 that's both physically challenging and technically extreme (this is about as high as I go). Everything in between is well done as well, and that's really want sets VW apart - they make all their climbs the best they can. And this makes them unique - no matter what your skill level, you'll find great training routes, great challenges and great maintenance. You can also get fantastic advice, training and service from the staff - I've taken more than 10 classes at VW, hit up the climbing coach for his expertise, and had staff help with technique. My only reservation for this place is unfortunately the kids (NOT the climbing team, who are incredible). Just about every day there is a kid's camp or kid's class - which is phenomenal (I wish I had this when I was younger); however, the staff need to watch the kids better. I've nearly fallen into one, had one kick my hand off the wall, and witnessed some really dangerous goofing off (that also could have hurt other climbers). More often, you have kids wasting time, camping on routes and just being annoying (things a caregiver could/should deal with). There's plenty of space for kids, and it's great that they host them, they just need to watch them better. Lastly, some of the staff are a little standoffish and/or too cool (which is odd when you've been going somewhere longer than they've worked there), but for the most part, the staff is incredibly helpful. read more

Love this place. The people, the vibe, the amount of routes...the only detriment is that you can never tell when it's going to be so busy that you can't get on a route. My 1 wish is that they would EXPAND (yes, again) and take more space!!! Such a cool place and recommend it to everyone from out-of-town crag-whores to parents organizing bday parties. read more

We had our sons 6th birthday here today and it was AWESOME! They provided two staff for the 10 kids we had in our party, we got a party room to ourselves, all our gear included for bouldering and top rope. It was really great and the staff were awesome with the kids. I HIGHLY suggest! read more

Disrespectful staff and cocky atmosphere. Totally unwelcoming and felt spoken down to. Not a fun place to be as a newcomer.

I love coming here for an alternative way to workout. It does get a bit crowded, but there are lots of routes set-up so it's not really a problem. When I was leaving the last couple of times, I noticed some people were waiting for parking spots. So come earlier if you think it'll be a busy. This place has a great deal for beginners - a 2 hr class teaching you the basics, shoes and harness to borrow, and a free 2 week membership for $50. It was a fantastic deal! The only catch is that you'll have to rent equipment after that class, which is $8 each time for the shoes and harness. So if you had a good time during the class and think you'll go often, you might want to go to REI to get your own gear. I think it cost me around $120 to get a basic harness and shoes. It might have been during REI's sale periods. Since the intro deal, I got a 10 visit punch card for $135. It doesn't expire and its a little cheaper than the $15/time visit. read more

This is clearly a place for roped routes. Impressive array of climbs in every possible manner. VW contrasts quite sharply with Stone Gardens, where I normally go. The Gardens has a huge bouldering area, and I am not a boulderer. But it's the type of place that makes you WANT to boulder. VW is pretty much all roped. There is a tiny section for bouldering, too small to offer much variety. I liked the space overall. Though one major hassle is the use of grigris on most of the routes. It takes a little bit away from the whole experience having to deal with these devices. VW is the gym i'd go to if I always had a friend to meet with. Otherwise i'd have to choose the handful of auto-belay routes or the boulder area. They could benefit greatly from creating a little more balance in this regard. read more

Vertical World is the first climbing gym I've gone to. If they're all this good, I may have found my new hobby :) The building is huge and has many routes available. They offer classes, and my instructor Jeff was awesome. All the staff I've talked with are very approachable and open to explain even the basics to newbies. I have joined a few conditioning classes, and the instructors Kate and Don were both great. Really takes the fear out of joining a unique style of athletic center. Thanks Vertical World! See you tomorrow ~ read more

I probably would have given this 4-stars if it wasn't for the stench that slaps you in the face when you walk in. This place needs to find something that keeps it well-ventilated. The first thing you notice when you walk in is not the climbing walls, but the icky smell of sweat. Yuck. Besides, that, I took the Climb 101 class which I highly recommend for those who have not climbed before. They give you the basics as well as a 2-week membership card to any of their vertical world locations. Awesome. read more

Soon to be bigger, and better! Friendly staff, great routes, and a pleasant vibe. The oldie but goodie climbing gym in Seattle, and if you are in the north/west side of town, this is the gym you join. Get a punch card, or better yet, a monthly/yearly membership and let the savings begin. read more

Vertical World rocks (har har) because: This place is really big, I think 70 ropes at least. The locker room is actually a locker room and not a bathroom stall Lots of cubbies to put stuff Difficulty ratings are pretty much right on (climbers get to vote on rating) Nail clippers (some people might find it gross, but climbing is a dirty sport) Routes are matched clearly to the numbered ropes I bought a punch card about a year ago so I can go with my friends who are members. This place is so much bigger than Stone Gardens. It's also really busy most nights but I have always been able to find a free rope that's also has routes in my skill level. They also gave me a very extensive belay check my first time time there, which I seriously do appreciate a lot. It's not like at my last gym (in San Diego) where they didn't do belay checks and people got dropped all the time. We took a balancing clinic for $5 a few months back, it was not well structured and the guy leading the clinic didn't seem to have a plan and just said whatever came to mind. Nothing that someone who's been climbing for a year or more wouldn't already know. There's parking down the block, it's a pretty safe neighborhood as far as I can tell. If they had one south of downtown closer to where I live, I'd go all the time. read more