This is a very beautiful pool. I wish it were available more often, but the building is, after…read moreall, a public school. It's worth adjusting one's schedule for at least one or two visits, especially during summer heat waves. The showers offered privacy, but -- during my visits during heat waves -- no hot water. The Cambridge YMCA on Mass Ave. also offers cold showers only. My issue is with another post here that the pool at Somerville YMCA on Highland Street is inferior. I've been swimming there since the 1980s. Compared to many local pools, it's Buckingham Palace. The building dates back to 1904, which is an automatic turn-off for many people, even though Somerville YMCA is kept clean & orderly and offers everything you need to stay fit and toned. I love the beautiful old tiles that line the pool room walls and the peaceful atmosphere for lap swimming without someone else's music blasting away -- as at the MIT pool, to "keep the lifeguards awake." If the windows were unsealed to admit natural light, it would be perfect. To swim a mile, you must do 44 laps. Some experienced swimmers find this confining, but it's just right for beginning/moderate swimmers. The showers are excellent; for a little extra money, there's the women's and men's health club rooms, which offer secure lockers, curtained private showers, towels, and a small gym with plenty of equipment. Ginny Smith offers kick boards, but not fins. You must carry in all your gear and take it with you when you leave. The separate shallow pool is a perfect place to do shallow-water aquatics or physical therapy workouts. Lifeguards friendly & helpful. Desk staff -- during my few visits -- seemed inexperienced and inadequately trained. Perhaps there's too much staff turnover: my guess. A must-visit pool.

I actually had a very pleasant swim during the senior lap swim session. The pool was a nice…read moretemperature and not too crowded. When I went to take a shower post swim, I discovered that many of the showers don't work. With the help of other patrons, I found one that was OK. Kind of a bummer that most don't work. On the way out, I met the director of the pool and mentioned the showers. She was the snippiest and rudest admin person I've come across in a long time. Full of herself and with a big time attitude ... "I'm not a plumber!" she told me. Oh my gosh - who hired her?! Not a person you would want representing such an important and promising facility.

Actual name to use when looking up hours: Veterans Memorial Pool…read more For the convenient location in Cambridge, I was surprised that the pool wasn't at all crowded when visiting on Sunday afternoons this summer! There aren't very shallow areas for the toddlers like there are at some of the other DCR pools, such as Connors Memorial Pool in Waltham, which probably helps to keep the crowds down. But the pool is very spacious and has enough space both for lap swimmers and kids playing. The spray deck just outside is great for the younger kids, too.

I had a previous review on here stating that the pool had no shade on the decks and the changing…read morerooms did not have privacy walls. It's a year later and they've done extensive updates to the pool location. 1. There's now an ADA regulation ramp with rails going into the pool for those in wheelchairs or who have trouble walking. 2. They added easier steps and hand rails for children and families to enter at the opposite end (long stairs that slope gently instead of ladder style.) 3. They have added permanent shade awnings around the pool, along with wooden benches underneath them (definitely still try to come early because those get snapped up quickly.) 4. The changing rooms are the same, but entering the locker rooms, there is now almost a rubberized "curtain" of small strips to walk through that creates privacy. Previously anyone walking by in the main corridor could see directly in. 5. The splash pad/fountain area has awnings and benches around it, and is ADA accessible. As of summer of 2023, the pool is open 7 days a week from 11:15AM-6:00PM. The changes have greatly improved the property, and it's a place where you can come and stay all day instead of roasting on hot concrete. They also have water fountains and outdoor showers along the pool deck for getting a quick drink and rinsing off.

I can't believe I have not written a review so far! My favorite gym by far! Amazing classes, a…read morelovely spa area, friendly and accommodative staff and inclusive/judgement free environment. I didn't know I needed to be in an all-women environment to feel comfortable and judgement-free, but here we are! The membership is worth every penny. The Cambridge location is conveniently within the porter square plaza so the er is plenty of parking. Just try it - you'll remember me!

I visited HealthWorks in Cambridge because I am interested in finding a gym while I'm in the area…read more I was able to schedule a tour pretty easily and the front desk was accommodating when I needed to switch my time. This is my review from attending the club during one visit. LOCATION The location is pretty accessible by train and there is parking at the Porter Square parking lot. CLEANLINESS When considering a gym, the cleanliness is of high priority to me. The facility was relatively clean and they had places to use wipes in different locations on the floor. EQUIPMENT The equipment is pretty updated. I went in the middle of the day and there was plenty of equipment available for use. PRICE The price is on par with other health clubs of similar status? I have paid more for gyms but this certainly isn't cheap even with my corporate discount. I could see how you can get a lot of value because they have different classes and is someone that takes many group classes, it's nice to see that they have a number of classes to choose from. I like that you can choose to forgo a contract because I'm not able to lock into a year-long contract at this time. I will say the locker room has a lot of different things that you would need to get ready such as blow dryer, flat iron, feminine hygiene products Q-tips. The showers are standard not very spacious and they have soap or body wash shampoo and conditioner. The lotion isn't the best quality. Despite slathering plenty on my skin, I was was dry soon after. My main gripe was that the bathroom or changing area definitely smell like corn chips. I haven't decided if I'd become a member yet but this is a pretty solid health club.

This is an awesome community pool for city folk to cool off at. It's a pretty long drive to the…read morebeach from this corner of Somerville, so it's great to have somewhere closer to pop in on a hot summer day. Entry is $2 for adults, or you can pay $40 for a season pass. The parking lot is small, but there's additional parking at Dilboy stadium a short walk away. No food or drink allowed (besides water of course) which is a bummer, but makes sense for health and cleanliness issues. A few other reviewers thought the pool was dirty, but I haven't found that to be true. The locker rooms/bathrooms are a little rough, but it's an old community pool, what do you expect? It's pretty packed with kids so this is not the place to come for peace and quiet. Regardless, this will be a regular haunt of mine this summer for sure!

I feel like this deserves 5 stars because of how great the accessibility is…read more 1. It costs $2pp - something everyone can afford. 2. There is TONS of parking, some of it a bit down the street, but all free. 3. Also - there is a wheel chair ramp. This place is awesome because its quite clean (the pool, perhaps not the bathrooms, but they suffice) and theres space for everyone. You have to bring your own chairs/towels to sit on as they don't have them, but they DO have children's life vests for kids that may not own one (and can't swim yet). Shout out to the pool for being massive. I love this place!

Clean 25 yd pool that wasn't too crowded. I went after work and didn't have to share with more…read morethan one person. Also, there's a very large diving well and separate kiddy pool so the lanes don't get full of aqua-joggers or families. Compared to some other local (non-university) pools, it's not quite as over-chlorinated or quite as warm, and definitely cleaner. Cheap entry by day, multiple-session card (I did the 10 entries for $40 which I think is budget-friendly) or gym membership - although I haven't checked out the gym yet. Only complaint is limited hours of lap availability and no AM lap swim during the winter session.

I am trying out several different masters swim programs in the Boston area and this is my second…read moreone I've tried. (See my other review for Quincy masters). So, I have to say, this one is just okay. You get a decent workout, but it's not HARD. And the reason why is not because of the workout itself, but it's because there are no SEND OFF times. Basically, the workout is, you do X amount of sets, but resting wise, you just do 10 or 20 second rests after each set. And so personally I'm not motivated to swim faster because I'm not trying to do anything on a specific time constraint. I find myself a little less focused to go faster without sendoffs. Also, the workout is pretty much the same each time- you start with a warmup, then 2 underwaters, and then the main set, and then an IM set, and the same kind of sprints where you try and do each 25 with zero breath or one, or whatever it is. It's not a bad workout, but I'm incredibly bored because I know it's the same each time. The main set changes each time, of course, but the sameness of structure makes it kinda boring. We get a decent amount of yardage in- anywhere between 2400-3200 per hour and 15 minute workout time. Practices are twice a week. As for the coach, Elyssa, she is a lovely woman. However, she doesn't quite have the enthusiasm I'm personally looking for. I want somebody to yell at me and give me critique. However, in her defense, she does have to coach 6 lanes of people so I understand it's not easy to give personal attention, so I don't blame her. But personality wise, I like a little more spunk in my coach. But everyone is there for different reasons so it's hard for a coach to be everything. The one thing that really bugs me is the staff that works there at the front desk- they are SO unfriendly, rude, impatient and clearly underpaid. They are CRANKY and they are the first people I see when I walk into that building so it makes me want to not be there. The pool is about a 10 minute walk to Harvard T stop (cut off across Harvard campus will save you ample time), so it's not terrible in terms of location. Oh, the pool itself really sucks. First of all, there are bulk heads that's separating the different sections of the pool so there's nothing to GRAB onto when you're doing two hand touches; it's completely awkward and irritating. Imagine finishing and doing two hand touches on a wall. Also, when you get into the pool, they have these blocks that are covered by orange covers that sorta get in the way and make it hard for you to get in- not to mention it is IMPOSSIBLE to get out because of the depth. You have to swim to the ladder to get out of the pool, because there is no way you can get out from the pool otherwise. It's kinda ridiculous. Cost wise, it's $105 for 20 sessions, so that's $5.25 per session, which is pretty cheap. I've looked into many other programs and this is probably the cheapest one. So pros: -Pretty good location if you're in Cambridge -Decent yardage of workout -Nice coach -Inexpensive Cons: -Sucky pool -Unfriendly front desk staff -No real send off times, just go at your own pace (which can be a pro if that's what you are looking for) - A bit dull (atmosphere, people, some of the workouts) If you are in Cambridge and are looking for twice a week workout for fitness, this is probably a good option for you.

i'm very upset. the medford tufts pool changed a rule making it more difficult for people to come…read morein. the staff on the inside were not clear on what to do, and i can't seem to understand why. tufts used to be a open friendly area for people to swim, and now it's just terrible. please fix this system because it is crappy.

I like this pool. It has 3 segments: shallow (6ft?),intermediate, and deep. The deep section is 12…read moreft. They always have 4 or 5 lifeguards around. There are no lockers only changing areas and there are 1 or 2 unusable shower stall because the drains need to be fixed. The pool area itself is large and there is a secondary therapy pool but I think it's used for kids swim classes I am not sure. Yes The non resident fee is a bit expensive but its for the summer months. There is a daily rate in of $8 nonresident or $4 resident per day if you rather not get the seasonal pass. It's worth it. The pool is closed when there are thunderstorms, and thy wait a half hour from the last thunder boom heard, because it's an outdoor pool. call ahead. The front desk staff is helpful and will give you a tour of the facilities if you request it. Make sure you go to the medfordrec website because their scheduled hours change week to week based on the swim classes and swim team that use the pool.

The pools have been beautifully renovated, and entrance now costs a dollar. There is an adult pool…read morethat's about 10ft deep in one end and 3.5' deep in the other, and a very nice toddler pool that is 1' at the shallowest and 3' at the deep end. The crowd is mostly parents with kids, and teenagers. Families bring rings, kickboards, and other water toys in. It's a very relaxed local vibe. You can come in with a stroller. No shade in the middle of the day, but there is reasonable shade in the later afternoon. Capacity is capped at 100. Adults need proof of Cambridge residency (license, water bill, etc.). Kids do not need an ID.

This is how citified and vulgar I am: Screw the beach. Screw Cape Cod. Give me a municipal outdoor…read morepool, staffed by indifferent teenagers in sun-bleached red swimsuits, surrounded by shadeless concrete, overly chlorinated, possibly contaminated with toddler pee, and overrun with screaming tweens plus that one kid who goes swimming in cut-off jeans. Charge me seventy-five cents to get in, and make me bring my own deck chair and snacks. I'll love you for it, because I'm easy, and not just because you're like a mile from my apartment. Today was 90-plus degrees and sunny. Some people retreated indoors, camping out in movie theaters or hiding in their homes to do sexual things with ice cubes. I disdain such shrinking violets, and prefer to embrace the swelter with a book, a big bottle of water, shades, tunes, and a swimming pool five steps away. Get wet, take a few laps, and be cool for half an hour of reading, easy. Rinse, repeat. Pause occasionally to take in the scene, and take note of potential cannonballers who'll splash water all over your reading material. There's shade against the locker rooms if you are fish-belly white (like me) and a little set of sprinklers over by the shallow end. Remember your sunscreen!

So good but needs details when it's open. It is an amazing place for all people and has no flaws…read morebut the time like honestly it sometimes says open while closed at least they make the water wormer then other pools that would make it freezing cold so thanks for that. If you were planning to go to a pool this would be the place. FIVE STARS

This is a great pool! Free, shade and picnic tables, grass for your towel or bring a chair. A…read morewading pool for the littles (a real one, not a splash pad) and a pool that goes no deeper than 4'6" for the bigs. The lifeguards are very nice and the pool is surprisingly uncrowded. The only negative is it's not open very long during the year - I assume because they hire students for lifeguards.

This gym continues to improve---they've just recently upgraded all their Life Fitness cardio…read moremachines (treadmills, ellipticals, & stationary bikes) to the latest "Club Series+ SE4" version which come with beautiful 24" touchscreen monitors. These monitors feature something like two dozen different "virtual terrain" selections where you can choose different places in the world where someone runs or bikes while wearing a GoPro camera, providing you with their POV experience of moving through scenic urban areas (Paris, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, etc) as well as stunning natural landscapes (tropical island jungles, desert trails, volcanic beaches, etc). This pretty much takes care of the #1 problem with cardio machines: soul-crushing BOREDOM from being stuck indoors huffing and puffing while going nowhere...in this case, a somewhat claustrophobic-feeling, fluorescent-lit basement gym. But with New England weather being what it is, especially those long dark winters when the sun sets at 4pm on icy/slushy sidewalks, what are you gonna do? Coupled with 5 separate free weight areas, a boxing gym with lots of free hanging bags including two Thai bags, and the highest-temperature sauna I've ever set foot in, this remains the best Y in the greater Boston area. Yeah it's in an old old non-pristine building (the Celtics used to practice in the upstairs basketball court during the 1960s, I've been told) that could use some massive sprucing up, but to be honest I'd rather they just invest in the actual fitness gear like they just did with these $11K treadmills! 4 and 1/2 stars (Deducting 1/2 star only because they continue to refuse to restore their pre-pandemic hours, when they closed at 10pm weeknights and 6pm on weekends.) Wish list of further upgrades: matched pairs of 20/24/28kg kettlebells, a Perform Better Glute-Bridge-Roller, and NON-eco showerheads so we don't waste so much TIME waiting for the soap to wash off.

Kind of conflicted on the 4 or 5 - for the price point this place is a 5. It's surprising how few…read moregood gyms that aren't a billion dollars or jam packed with sweaty students exist in the area. But by a general gym metric, this is more of a 4. The equipment isn't in the best shape, the basement is kind of dingy and sometimes the staff just doesn't have time to deal with you. But most of the time it's just a quality place. Decent classes, all the equipment you could need and it even has a sauna. Fair, the sauna is essentially a converted broom closet, but we're talking about a Y here, I'm just surprised it's not just actually a broom closet. I really found it impossible to find a place that had so much resources in one place, even at a higher price point. I'd imagine Cambridge would be chock full of uppity gym, but it isn't and the ones that are out there don't really hold a candle to what the Y has.

Amazing little playground designed for future little engineers to explore. There was all sorts of…read moreunique things like a water ramp, pulleys to lift up buckets of sand, and plenty of things to climb. Docking a star for limited shade and sand making it a bit slippery and dangerous for climbing up the surfaces around the slide. Worth a visit though!

Probably one of my favorite playgrounds I've encountered in Boston…read more Here's why: -fenced in, with only one exit - great for thwarting runners -water play area, including one feature that looks kind of like showers, which is very handy in dealing with the fall out from the... -extensive sand area, including with various simple machines (levers, pulleys) and some basic toys (shovels, buckets -- although I'd bring your own) -significant wheelchair-accessible areas, including swing and turn-table thingie -good amount of parent seating -fun playscape structures that are designed to look more natural (e.g., thing to climb on that looks like logs) Very good for young kids -- our 7-month old could enjoy the water and the swings (and the sand, although he needed supervision to keep from eating it). Our almost 3-yo could do most things, but I think even a kid in the low-elementary grades would have a good amount of fun here. We found 2-hour parking along the side of the Cambridge Common; most of the rest was resident only. When we visited in the summer, there was a porta-pottie nearby.