I had a 2 year membership here back in 2005-2007. I have been a fan of YMCA since I was a kid. Growing up, YMCA in San Jose by Alameda was where I'd go with my mom for a swim or an exercise class. I like this location because of the vast amount of exercise machines. Unfortunately, I never took full advantage of the group classes, I should though. The studio is spacious. Parking can be a little tough during peak hours. Sometimes you have to park all the way by the garage. For the most part, there is an outdoor pool and the staff/members are friendly. I would request a larger stretch room/area. Beware if you don't like kids/teenagers. There are many kids during the summer time. If you come here during the afternoon, the sun shines right in your face but they have installed sun blocking blinds. read more

The female Asian coach for the Master's Swim class on Thursdays is obnoxious unprofessional and rude. I was utterly surprised and disappointed... read more

Love this YMCA. The facility beats any other bay area YMCA, especially the outdoor pool and the weights area. The staff is great and very personable here as well. Clif has always been super helpful to myself and my family. read more

I LOVE our YMCA! I have coming to this location for about a year and it's the best part of my day. The kid's club staff is incredible. I have been bringing my baby since he was 8 weeks old and am very impressed. They are hands on, know the kids individually and have a huge space with toys and activities. The staff is constantly reading books, doing crafts, singing songs and playing outside with the kids. I feel like my baby and I both get so much out of our time there. I love the gym space and community this Y has. Thank you El Camino YMCA! read more

Friendly front desk staff, variety of options for exercise for adults and children. It is very family friendly and always busy. It's nice to see members of different ages utilize the facility in different ways. My kids enjoy the sports program here. read more

Great place to work out. Good cardio equipment. If you want to swim laps it is great. But, if you ever hoped to swim as a family, forget it. Horrible open swim hours (very few to none on most days). Wonderful child watch for younger children. But, once your child is in kindergarten the kids get moved to a much smaller room with no windows. Very disappointing. read more

We haven't had a great experience with El Camino YMCA. 1. They claim to be caring for families in the community and helping those in need. Our young family can't afford their 100+ monthly fee. A few years ago we applied for financial assistance and based on our 60K income for 3-member family and one adult going to school full time at that time, we didn't qualify for any help. We were told that our income would need to be less than 50k-something to get about 10% discount. Not sure who qualifies or benefits from that in the Mt View area. 2. We wanted to like their kids swim lessons. However, I was asked to get out of pool every single time I went into water with my 3-year old daughter to help her not be afraid. Then one time they put a group of 4 or 5 little kids with one instructor into deep pool. As the teacher was doing something with one of the kids, I noticed my daughter was struggling under the water. I had to jump in with my clothes on to get her out. The lifeguard was watching adults doing water aerobics on the other side of the pool. 3. We were YMCA members for years on the East coast and we loved it! read more

Parking is a hassle, you may encounter a receptionist who's borderline rude. The facility is busy at all times but kept fairly clean. There's a good variety of yoga, workout and dance classes for kids, adults and seniors. If you're happy to shell out $75/month plus $99 joining fee, join the crowd to fight for almost non-available parking spots, mediocre front desk service, machines wait-list and some great and a few very bad group exercise classes. On an unfortunate day, I took a yoga class with an exceptionally lousy yoga instructor. Scheduled at 12:30pm, her class size was alarmingly small - which should have rung a bell. During the class she kept snapping at me (the newcomer). I got so stressed out that I left mid class. In the realm of yoga, this insulting, power-tripped old lady with queen B syndrome should not be teaching. Like the Grinch, Betty Strain ruined Yoga (for me). Yea, she's also teaching 1 beginner's class at 'Yoga is Youthfulness' - watch out! Namaste. read more

Moved to the area in Nov. We thought we'd see what this gym was like. Very nice facilities. A bit expensive for our budget, especially for a YMCA. In December, we filled out the financial assistance paperwork for my husband, and two kids. The nice girl up front told us to give them 2 weeks. After three weeks, I called and left a message asking the status of application. No return call. I January I went to the YMCA and left another message and emailed a week or so later. No return email or phone call. Seriously, if we don't qualify, let us know. If you offer financial assistance, address it, acknowledge when someone turns in an application. Horrible. We went to Palo Alto Elks and it's been wonderful. Love the community feel. read more

The customer service here sucks, either they only cater to white folks or they are just plain stupid and rude. I came here the other day to sign up for membership and stood in line and should have been the next person to be helped but a lady and her son came waltzing in and were helped before me, were they white? YES! I proceeded to ask the vonlunteer lady if I needed to sign in because the customer service jerks completely disregarded the fact that I was in line and the clerk behind the desk then starts helping the four white boys who were in line in back of me! RUDE!!!!! read more

I used to work at the hospital across the street and always wondered about this gym. I looked up classes and saw they have so many activities to offer. One thing lacking about Bay Area studios often is the option of having child care. I discovered that all YMCAs have childcare; but this is my preferred location. The studio is clean, has plenty of activities such as classes and even swim, the workers are very helpful, they offer clean towels, and they even have a family changing and shower area. One of the most helpful places is the kids club. As a parent, I love the idea that I can drop my daughter for up to two hours and they have plenty of fun things for her to do while I work out. My daughter hates being away from me and often cries; but the staff is very kind and encouraging with her. I lift weights with my husband while my daughter plays close by in the kids area. Afterwards we take her to the park to play. The set up is ideal and since there are so many options, my whole family can be healthy and exercise. They even offer a night called Parents Night Out so parents can go on a date. This is definitely a gym to promote wellbeing and quality family time. Just love it! read more

Took a three day trial here - great facilities, friendly staff & lots of equipment. The sauna was nice in the locker room and the showers were hot. If I were staying in the area would definitely become a member. Only 80$ a month for such great facilities. read more

Took some group exercise classes - cardio kickboxing, karate, u-jam, aerobics. Instructors are great. I had difficulty finding parking in the evening around 5:30 pm. read more

I go to the gym to lower my stress level. This Y has more than once done exactly the opposite. Let me share with you my latest incident of YMCA induced stress acceleration: My wife is not big into exercise, but she is having health issues and is willing to give it a try. So, before I spend 'more' money on another membership, I decided to take her in as a guest. I get there, and I'm told that she needs a "guest pass", fine. I am then told that she needs ID to be let in to the facility. I have my Y-card, and ID, and explain that I will vouche for her being my wife (not sure that this matter because you can bring any adult in as a guest). I'm told that my word is not good enough and shee needs insurance. When asked no rational explanationis given, other that this is their policy, as mandated by the insurance company. No reason of rational behind this. I don't live next door to this place, so needless to say my chance to get my wife hooked on exercise has gone to Hell, and I can only hope that it returns. This is just one incident. This is an organization that is not int the least customer satisfaction oriented. If you like the DMV you will like the El Camino YMCA. The nice thing is that they will not be upset with this review, because the staff there doesn't give a fig 'what' their customers think. As a matter of fact, I don't think that they look at most of the people that cater their facility as customers. read more

Put our sons through the Summer Camp options here and while they get 1 Star for the variety, the rest of the experience really was dreadful. The staff at the front desk is generally unattentive, lacking basic knowledge and would clearly rather be somewhere else. The online registration systems area nightmare and are always "in the process of being upgraded". Minus even more points for overwatering their grass and the street every day at 4pm. read more

Our four year old and two year old were exhausting us until we found the Y in Mountain View. My wife and I can go to the gym and let the children play at the Kids Club. Our daughter is excited about her ballet classes. Our son gets to interact with other children. The gym equipment is serviceable and clean. The locker rooms are well maintained. read more

Not a fan of the place. Though, it had very nice amenities. The outdoor pool, sauna, and weight room are all nice and clean. For me I won't come back because the people there were very rude. Workers and members of the gym both. read more

During trial period, we decided it's not for us. This review is for the pool and staff. Staff were non-friendly and non-helpful. We considered joining for the pool/swimming mostly. But the lifeguards are so militant!! Understandably, there has to be rules for safety. But perhaps, they should be clearly stated and uniform among all lifeguards! It seemed as though every single lifeguard enforces their own rule. They all showed attitude when telling us all that we couldn't do. At the front desk, we were told 2 lanes are available. Then, lifeguard says none and then one became available for lap swim all of the sudden when we were persistent. Then, we were kicked out of the lane so we just left. One lifeguard was wearing laced boots, by the way. Is that proper attire for someone who should be ready to save a life?? Perhaps, the first rule should be proper attire for lifeguards. Lifeguards are just for show maybe. And by the way, we had to stay with all our kids at all times. So what are they there for besides to annoy people? It would minimize confusion if the receptionists at the front desk are aware of the rules/schedules so they can inform people, especially newbies to YMCA, at check-in. ALL YMCA Staff should really sync up on all their rules and schedules!! The entire facility seems to be well maintained otherwise. The kids club seems ok. read more

I stopped in one afternoon to get information about joining. After the horrible customer service I received, I definitely will not be joining this YMCA! I walk in & there are two women at the front desk chitchatting. I asked for a little information on their facilities, children programs & the pricing. After a long pause (no exaggeration) I had to ask if one of them could help me. They looked at each other, whispered something & then one said, "I suppose I could do it." She walked me across the lobby, gave me 2 brochures & then went back to the other desk. That was it!! Ridiculous. I understand what it means to be tired & not want to help people, especially when you're having a rough day, but this was ridiculous. I am absolutely not going to join. read more

Better than 24 hour fitness since it's not all congested and gross, and they have much nicer equipment. They also recently changed the hours which make it so much more convenient for the busy folk that get off work later, etc. read more

Terrible Service! I joined the gym because it's close to my house and they have daycare and a nice facility, but the women at the front desk were so rude and unfriendly. I joined anyways, but still found the people to be relatively unfriendly...and the gym is so overcrowded, and parking is horrendous! It has taken me up to 20 minutes to find parking and a couple of times I even gave up on parking. Then, I got to wait for a cardio machine. Having 2 small children, it's just not worth the time commitment. I decided to put my membership on hold for 4 months and was told they would contact me when it was going to be reinstated so I could remember to cancel. Well, they never called and I noticed a charge on my credit card statement. When I called them, they said that's their policy, and I have to come into the gym in-person to cancel! What a pain! And, to top it all off, I need to give them 2 weeks notice to cancel, so I was out for 2 months ($216) because of their policies! They really didn't care at all that I hadn't used the gym and that I was told something else. I will never go to the gym...it's way too expensive and their policies are too restrictive (in addition to the obvious parking problems, unfriendly staff and overcrowdedness!). Oh yeah, and their bathrooms/locker rooms are nasty and quite dirty! read more

3.5 stars would be more accurate. Note: I use the cardio equipment, the weights at the end of that area, the Spin classes (or cycle classes), and the pool. I shower at home (many Ys have issues with legionairs disease in things like the swim suit spinner.. the Downtown Berkeley Y had this for a few years.. so check with the county to make sure there are no reports in your Y.. but after the Berkeley issue, I just avoid Y bathrooms generally, or use a single near the pool, just to rince off.. also bring flip flops.. there are too many floor issues with feet and disease.) Overall: very clean, efficient, organized gym. GYM The cardio equipment is great, and if broken doesn't stay that way for more than a few hours.. They don't have enough ATM eliptical type machines.. there's always a wait but hopefully they'll replace some of the many older eliptical machines with ATMs soon. The cardio room is full at all the typical times (6-9am or 5-7pm or 12-2pm) so I try to go just after or before but it doesn't always work. The rest of the time there are still many people there. Spins are pretty full.. some teachers better than others: Wed Noon is the superb, followed by Tues or Thurs noon and Sat and Sun mornings are very good classes. Teachers mostly speak clearly over sound system, and provide good variety of beat music and spin routines.. though there are one or two teachers who are incomprehensible and play terrible music, and don't understand how to work the class hard. I try to stick to the good teachers. Weights at end of cardio: they filled the open floor area, where we used to do free weights, with more pieces of equipment. So now there are all these free weights and medicine balls, but no where to get out of the way of floor equipment to use them, and you are prohibited from taking weights out of the area. UGG. Used to be very useful. Not so now. Pool: in summer, they take a lot of the time slots, and put in water aerobics for retired pepole or swim classes for kids.. like most of the day. The lap swimmers are left with one lane, and you can imagine what that means: if you swim fast as I do, you are bumping up against the guy who is paddling along, where I do a round trip in 40 seconds, and i'm trying to keep pace, and he and some others are doing round trips in oh, maybe 5 minutes. Very frustrating. You have to watch closely the times and even call.. because the schedule will say there are say: 2 lanes, but then one is reserved for private swim lessons. It's not a great place for lap swimmers except early morning. Overall I just avoid lap swimming here and buy the city pool card.. they are much more consistent. Only use the Y pool when the city pool is closed for 1 day at a shot for special cleaning. Lastly: PARKING Since the hospital opened, it's been an off and on again battle to get parking for the Y. Staff of the hospital aren't supposed to park in the Y parking. Sometimes the guard cracks down, and there's just enough parking for gym people. Then he goes away for a few days, and hospital staff are back, and then the Y people can't park.. and you find yourself with literally no where to park. They need to get consistent about enforcement of the 2 hour rule, but this past week I saw loads of hospital people in the lot again.. you can tell .. they wear suits, carry papers and have no gym bag. And they walk from car away from the gym toward hospital. Kind of gives them away.. Overall.. fairly organized gym and people.. managers get it and are cool. Staff is sometimes utterly clueless. Like when they lost the monthly credit card info.. for no reason.. just lost it.. so we went in, gave it to them again, they didn't process our charges three months, and then when they realized we owed them three months, caused us to miss a bunch of workouts, etc. until we could bring in the actual credit card.. which we only use for online billing or charges like this.. it doesn't get carried in a wallet. We went back in, and low and behold: the correct CC info was right there in the system.. only causing us to lose a week of working out.. but did they reimburse us the lost time making extra trips during work hours or for the lost week? Would have cost them $50 to make us whole on the loss of use of the gym.. but no, they could not restore the week we lost.. much less the 3 hours of work time hassling with them and retrieving the card they *had all along.* Other than the few incompetent staff, and the pool issues.. I do recommend this gym for the things I use it for now. read more

I've been training 3 times a week with Chris Cabebe for almost a year. My shoulder was hurting as well as my knees, and I needed to keep moving while not getting further hurt. Chris has helped me tone, get back in shape and has helped with my injuries by providing work outs that are challenging, interesting and balanced. He is reliable, always on time and very professional. It has been a very good health investment, and I recommend him highly. read more

Great staff, helpful, friendly - no make that, joyful. All the fitness equipment you could ask for. Great trainers and coaches who really know their biz. Outdoor pool open all year. Clean. Ample parking. They embrace diversity with a passion. The other members are cool too. Some are top notch athletes, others unstoppable, overcoming challenges everyday. The leadership always seeks feedback and improvement. read more

Paid over $350 for 7 swim lessons for my two grandchildren, ages 6 and 7. The first day, one of the instructors was extraordinarily rude, making fun of and belittling the kids and kept saying that they "did not belong in that class", asking them if they "wanted to drown" and other bullying comments. I called Chad, the night manager, the next day, and switched them to another class. The class itself did not live up to expectations. They were supposed to learn "fundamentals of floating," but never did. The instructor just pulled them around on some floatation device and they used a kickboard. Sign up with the City of Mountain View for less than half the price and save yourself the hassle. The only good thing about this place was Chad, the night manager. But even he couldn't save this place. read more

Coming to this gym is always a pleasant time. There are many classes and activities for all ages from open to close. Even when some classes may be close to full, instructors make sure everyone can participate and adjust the intensity of their classes. The staff is always open to assist you with any concerns and gym information on future activities Also, this gym went through a major renovation, which makes or even more appealing to come every weekend or more often whenever possible whether is your significant other or your family Keep up the good job and thanks! read more

I love this gym! From the smiling faces and the kind greetings each morning (Ryn Bettencourt is one of my favorites), to the amazing instructors. I love my high intensity workouts with Kim L. and Andrea G., you can always count on them to push u a bit harder, have a big smile, play great music and make your hour with them the best of the day! Hands down the best Pilates, Yoga and core workouts are with my favorite instructors Celine, and Doods, I highly recommend you check out these group fitness classes. I don't have children but all of my friends at the Y love the daycare options available and the kids seems to really love being dropped off while their Mom's workout. Can't say enough good things about the Mt. View YMCA! read more

Community Feeling Excellent instructors for Cardio Kick Boxing and Zumba. the childcare is excellent read more

I need specific things in a gym. I need a pool. This one is outdoors. It's as clean as an outdoor pool next to a park is going to get. While I wish it were indoors, they do keep it nice and warm. Also, the people who do laps in the morning are nice. The crowd of ladies for water aerobics are so sweet. I need yoga classes. I go to the one on Saturday at 11:30 AM. Suzy teaches it and she's great. It's billed as a beginner class, but she's great about offering modifications for more of a challenge. I'll occasionally go to the 6:45 AM Wednesday morning class with Bill. He's very chill and just what you need at that hour. I need weights. I joined in part because of the weight room - it has nice equipment and a good variety. Lately, however, I've found myself at the Tuesday BodyPump class. Somehow I don't even realize I'm lifting for a hour - must be the music and super-energetic instructors. Lastly, I need massage therapy. If you are a member, it's cheaper than going to a spa for a massage. I go to Patricia on a regular basis because she specializes in post-injury massage. She's fantastic. Obviously, I'm happy because this Y has everything I need. The towel service is nice. The service from people behind the counter is lousy - they need to stop hiring high school students. The locker rooms are just OK. The parking is a bit tricky at peak hours, but I've always found a spot. Someone did walk off with my hat and sunglasses but that happens at every gym. Also, I'm so happy it's not a meat market like 24 Hour fitness. There is a mix of people and ages and something for everyone. read more

recently my boyfriend and i went to the YMCA. we were "gym-hunting" and thought the Y had a lot to offer, and was different from the generally cheesy/meat-market gym-scene. the young girl at the information desk was very helpful in providing us with membership information, classes offered (tons of them!), toured us around the facility, etc. she even gave us free passes to try it out. monday evening at around 7:30pm: we find parking towards the back of the lot. when we go in we find a lot of the cardio equipment is in use, but manage to find two elliptical machines next to each other. just as we are about to jump on, we hear someone say "excuse me, i'm signed up to use this machine." HUH? the man very nicely explains the cardio machine sign-up board on the wall. perplexed, we walk over to find other gym patrons very systematically signing up for 30-minute (max) timeslots to use the "numbered" gym equipment. now, i don't know about you, but after a long day at work, the last thing i want to do is THINK - "what do i want to use? what "number" is it? how long can i use it?" no thanks! we walked out. our search for a gym continues.... read more

We dropped out of the El Camino YMCA for three reasons: 1. They were outrageously expensive at $108 per month for a married couple. They're extracting this money because we're in a wealthy area and they're using this money to subsidize other YMCA's in poorer areas (East Palo Alto and Redwood City, both gross financial mistakes IMHO). 2. To raise that subsidy money, this YMCA is grossly over-subscribed and it's hard to get on cardio equipment at peak hours. 3. Too many teen-aged kids in the weight room. They waste time socializing on equipment when they should be working out and then freeing equipment for others. Let them socialize somewhere else. read more

Facilities seem to be great. However, my phone was stolen here. They tell you to bring your own lock for the lockers, and that is definitely essential. read more

I have been a member for 10 years now and the Y is like a second home to me. The outdoor swimming pool is a wonderful resource that I use through the year at least twice a week. The staff are very friendly, and helpful. I use the weights and machines thrice weekly on the average. The membership is very diverse in their ages, vocations and interests and I have made many friends. I also like the YMCA programs that look after the community read more

After reading the reviews I decided to write mine for a bit of balance. I joined this gym back in 2003. The people running the desks were not all that helpful and I never received a tour. I signed up to learn how to use the machines with a trainer and the trainer never showed for the appointment. He rescheduled and then canceled, and then never got back to me to reschedule. I signed up for 3 classes that were all canceled without any communication. I remember waiting almost a half hour for an instructer to arrive that never showed. The pool at that time was having problems so given that we couldn't use the gym via classes, pool or equipment we stopped membership. We then decided to give it another try in 2007. The staff again wasn't much help when we signed up. The person taking the photos wasn't telling us what we needed to do and was rude when we were trying to figure out what we needed to do to get our cards. We never received a tour at this time because the person who signed us up didn't have access to most of the building. It is nice that child care is free now, however when I arrived to drop off my kids the people working there assumed I knew the protocol and were rude to me when they found out I didn't know. I had know idea that they needed to swipe my children's cards until the lady snapped at me. None of the workers greeted my kids. My kids went to the child care center 3 times. Each time they were met with grumpy women who didn't bother to greet them. My daughter's coat was stolen from one of the cubbies. My kids didn't want to go to the child care center (even though they enjoy other drop in centers) and so ended our membership because without childcare I couldn't take the classes. Why would I leave me kids with people who didn't enjoy their jobs? Getting information on classes from workers is very difficult. Nobody knows anything. The place receives 3 stars because the equipment is nice, the facility is clean and the instructors I have met recently are fantastic. Not a good place to go if you have children that will be staying in the child care center. The Palo Alto Y is a lot better. Well run, with a staff that knows how to treat customers and has knowledge of the gym. Great classes and instructors. If you are close to both, I would go with The Palo Alto Y. No confusion, just a great family gym. read more

Really big basketball court and weight room! It's too crowded at times for my liking though. Heated outdoor pool is nice, but I wish it was indoors. read more

I have been a member at the Y for over 20 years and use it at least 3 times a week. I was looking for an active, structured, learning time fI could do with my 2 year old grandson who I get to spend one day a week with. After research and some trial and error, I found Gym Tots & Wigglers and we are both so happy. Teacher Terri is attentive, relaxed, playful and so welcoming. There is free play, circle time, songs, parachute, bubbles and stamps. She allows the children to adjust to the activities at their own speed. The area is huge, as it is in the gym. It is affordable, open to the community and, depending on the child's age, different times of the day. I strongly recommend trying this. We have a blast and have lunch in the park after. read more

This review focuses on the YMCA Summer Camps... We are HUGE fans of the YMCA Summer Camps. Last summer brought our first experience with them when our daughter attended Explorer Camp. She had so much fun that she couldn't wait to go back this year. And why wouldn't she feel this way? Run by a fun, attentive and caring staff of kids at heart, everyday is made an adventure of fun and laughs. Seriously, my daughter has no idea that she's also learning about leadership, teamwork and community from these kind folks. I'm confident it will come in hindsight but for now she's having too much fun! Personally, I appreciate the organization's efforts to accommodate working parents. There are no odd "camp hours" (usually 9-3) which are framed by before and after camp care hours which cost extra. Camp is camp from the time the doors open until the place closes. This simple idea keeps working parents like myself returning year after year because I know my daughter is enjoying a consistent quality camp experience. I'm even more thrilled by the array of camps the Y offers this year. My daughter, a little Mia Hamm on the field, will attend soccer camp as well as Voyager camp. But, the biggest convenience that was new to the camp catalog came in the After Lunch Bunch. My daughter is attending summer school for the first month of her summer break. When she did this last year it was impossible to find a camp for her to attend in the afternoon. I swear I think the folks at the Y were reading my mind! The After Lunch Bunch is made up of summer school attendees from all over the district. The Y picks them up on a bus and brings them to one site. In my daughter's case, she simply walks down the sidewalk to camp after class with several friends in tow. It's fantastic! They take the kids swimming, they walk to Jamba Juice and Baskin Robbins with them. Honestly if I could be a kid again, I'd ask my mom to send me here. Is there a grown up version of Y camp? Who knows--maybe next summer! read more

This facility offers free memberships to Military. Parking isn't that great. Clean pretty good size facility and the best thing about it is that they offer great classes all times of the day with great instructors. read more

This facility is great! Parking can be a bit of a challenge but nothing too bad. It's a big facility. Lot's of machines, basketball court, cardio rooms, clean pool, and friendly staff. I really like how clean this place is. Must go! read more

The new treadmills are great and it's a really big facility. Closing at 10 is really terrible though because it gets so crowded during peak hours. read more