The Southern Saratoga YMCA has truly outdone itself with its recent renovations. From the moment…read moreyou walk in, the space feels brighter, more welcoming, and thoughtfully designed for members of all ages and abilities. The upgrades strike a perfect balance between modernizing the facility and maintaining the strong sense of community that makes the Y so special. The fitness areas are more spacious and better equipped, making workouts more enjoyable and accessible whether you're a beginner or a seasoned athlete. The improved layout helps everything flow seamlessly, and it's clear a lot of care went into making the space functional and inclusive. The courts and program areas feel refreshed and energizing, creating an even better environment for activities like pickleball, group fitness, and youth programs. What really stands out is how these renovations support the YMCA's mission. It's not just about aesthetics--it's about creating a place where people can connect, grow, and thrive. The Southern Saratoga YMCA continues to be a cornerstone of the community, and these updates only strengthen its impact. Truly a fantastic improvement that members can be proud of!

Overall decent facility but it literally has the brightest spotlight installed in the steam room…read more It is brighter than any steam room I have been in (well over 50 in several countries) making very uncomfortable and headache inducing. It ia about 10x brighter than the other branches. I feel like grabbing my sunglasses when I am in there. I am not the only one who feels that way. It seems everyone complains about it. Other than that I have no complaints. Staff seems very nice when I visit there.

Best preschool ever. All my kids went there. Recommend 110% amazing program. Wonderful teachers!read more

I would give zero stars if I was able to. We kept our daughter, an almost 2 year old, in this…read moreprogram for only a little over a month. We had ongoing issues with staff which we were regularly communicating with staff and the directors about. We decided to sign up for the video streaming service to see what was going on and pulled her that day. Staff were inattentive (one example being on their phones while my daughter was crying during nap time) and overly physical around the kids (one example being pushing cots while kids were on them and then when they fell off and were crying the adult didn't check in on the child). When I spoke with the director about what we saw she didn't deny any piece of it. One of her teachers was very nice but out often absent. The other teacher was cold and unsupportive (something the director even admitted) and should not be working with kids this young. Additionally there was only a small fenced in patch of grass by the road for my daughter's age range to play in and the playground was only for older kids to use. We only left our other day care, Wee Care in Albany, which was amazing, because we moved and needed a daycare closer to our new house. The drive in and out of Albany in rush hour daily would have been better than coming to Smart Early.

We've had our son, currently 18mo old, at Smart Early for over a year now, since he was 3 mo old…read more And while I would agree that yes, the owner is almost never there, the Director and General Manager are who actually run the operation and they're fantastic. We did have some issues in the very beginning with a particular teacher being very rude and grumpy but she was fired within a month (we weren't the only ones), which in all fairness we didn't actually raise the issue with the center until after the fact since were new parents and still unsure of ourselves (no longer the case). It's a great facility and by-and-large, the teachers there seem to genuinely care about the children. From time to time, issues do come up, which I'm okay with since it's how they get handled that's more important. In our case, they've always been very responsive and directly handled any issue we raised whether it was facility or staff related, usually within the same day. My son loves it there and I have complete trust that they take good care of the children. They only loose 1 star because of cost. Don't get me wrong, I do put a high value on the people and institutions entrusted with my child, but that being said, it is one of the most expensive daycare centers in the area (second to Bright Horizons which is way down in Albany).

My husband and I were given many referrals to Saratoga Academy from a variety of people including…read moreteachers from public schools. This is what ultimately helped us make our decision in sending our son here. What I love most about Saratoga Academy is the values and love of learning that my son gets in his preschool class. I also appreciate the effort put forth by the administration and teachers in hosting events which help create a sense of community. Our son loves his teacher and is truly happy there. (Even though everyday he asks me why he has to go to school.) :) Everyone at the school seems to work very well together with a common goal of building confidence and independence in each child. All of the teachers and administration seem to have this genuine love for kids and a passion to help them flourish and grow. Although this is only our first year at Saratoga Academy, we are thrilled with our decision.

From the owner: Saratoga Academy offers residents of Southern Saratoga County the opportunity to experience the…read moreCapital Region's premier primary learning program. This unique educational opportunity is designed to create our leaders of tomorrow, equipping them with higher level learning skills, self-discipline and a strong sense of moral purpose.

One of the best schools in NYS....do I need to say any further!!…read more The school was founded in 1950, serving close to 10,000 kids on a 250 acre campus running on a $177 million annual budget.