We have been coming here since 2023 and I learned how to swim here in the late 80s and 90s…read more Pros: * Outdoor pool is heated and El Sobrante is rarely above 85 degrees in the summer. * No snobby, cliquey vibes. People are here to learn to swim only, not swim team competition. * This place does swim lessons only. They don't have to share the pool with recreational swimmers or club members. * Deep end training and intro to diving. * Offer makeups. We had to use them when we had Covid. * As of 2026, rates have not risen since 2024. They continue to be among the more affordable group lessons. Small discount for siblings. Cons: * Not open year-round. Open only during weekdays in the summer. * Small, cramped parking lot and San Pablo Dam Road traffic makes it not particularly safe to park a few blocks away and walk. * Hard to get into time slots that fit your schedule, especially if you have more than one child. * Private lessons not offered.

My wife did all the internetz. When I watched the first session, I was skeptical. After a few…read moresessions, I started see the method to their madness. It's like a well-oiled machine. It goes smooth and by the numbers. Kids advance in skill and comfort in the water. Before lessons here, our daughter... searching for the words... dreaded water in her face. A single drop of water from the bathtub--clean bath water--prompted shrieks of pain, fear, anger, and betrayal. Now she's underwater so much during lessons that they occasionally sit her up on the side of the pool to ensure that she hears instruction. It's very goals oriented. And they aren't afraid to not pass a kid. My daughter didn't pass the level one test: float motionless, face down on the surface of the water for 10 seconds. She was disappointed, yet determined and asked me to help her practice before the next lesson. She re-tested and passed. Then she didn't pass the level 2 test: swim on her own halfway across the pool. I think she would have passed if she has spent more time listening and less time sitting on the bottom of the pool waving at the other students. The instructors are attentive and encouraging. They remember the kids names and make it fun for them. Clean bathroom. Outdoor changing booths. Chairs, bleachers, shade. Orderly and organized. Don't be late. Parking is limited. If you choose to give a thumbs-up or not, I hope you found my review helpful!

This place is honestly such a hidden gem. Located next to Costco in Richmond, I Flip Gymnastics is…read moresuch a huge space we had no idea about until a couple of parent friends mentioned it recently. They offer a variety of classes for multiple age groups, open gym hours, and more. I would do some research ahead of time matching your kiddos age ranges with the weekly schedule ~ our drop-in was around $20. I'm sure there are monthly rates and/or memberships, but we wanted to check it out first to see what the gym entailed. The staff is incredible nice, the families/kiddos who come are great, and I appreciate the open space format conducive to safe exploration and play. There does have to be a guardian present at all times, or at least for our time slot there does :) Equipment-wise, we were very impressed. This is most def a super-elevated Gymboree (or for us, the next step!). I'm not a gymnast so not sure the technical terms for the equipment, but from our fist time I noticed the open mat, climbing blocks, trampoline, foam pit, mini balance beams, rings, and more. For the kiddos, they get stamps at the end of the hour long sesh and fun music is played throughout. A trainer is present too. Overall, we will def come back again soon. There is safe parking adjacent to the building, and can't beat grabbing a few items/gas/snacks at Costco before or after class. Happy we have a space in the East Bay like this. Bravo!

Found out about the gym at our kids friends birthday party, it's been 5 months now our two kids…read morehave been attending open gym and camp, couldn't be more satisfied. Super easy communication and kids love Paloma and the staff. See you guys for summer camp!

I have a goal - to finish well at my first Spartan Race. I…read moream committing to strengthen my physical abilities for this race because my friend encouraged me to push myself beyond my mental blocks. As part of our training, she suggested our team visit a Ninja Warrior-style gym to practice. We had a blast doing the obstacles and learning techniques by watching others. On the other hand, my entire upper body ached 3 days after this "play date" which proves how challenging it is.

Such a great experience for adult outtings or kids birthdays. Very physical. Challengingread more

My son has become more confident ever since he is training with Bear swimming. Coach Malaga is…read moregreat with the kids and always has good encouraging words. They swim at contra costa college pool it is a safe environment and parents are welcome to participate.

Bear Swimming is a USA Swim Team,operating at Contra Costa College in San Pablo . Certified…read moreCoaching Staff and a fun Team environment are what keep Bear going strong for over 30 years ! Swimmers ages 4 to 18 years old welcome. Practice times are 5:30 to 7:00 pm Mondays,Wednesdays and Thursdays. We are a Year round Swim Team featuring Team activities,competition, and lots of instruction. Your kids will be professionally coached in a safe and intelligent manner.

Great place to swim. perfect temperature. People were very kind at the front desk…read more It's a basic locker room. It has a few showers that are on sensors, but the temperature is good once it warms up. They let you take everything up by the pool and supply a chair to put your items on

i am hoping to become a regular. I have not been swimming in a long time…read more and i have a present hip pain , and had trouble swimming so i did not spend long. the Water was warm reasonably , the air was cold,, i pulled myself out of the pool and next time i will look for steps or a ladder. The people were pleasant. there were lanes to swim in but it was April so ? not sure why it opens at 330pm but seems okay , i will try and swim now that i have been there once it was easy to d

A nice spot to bring lunch and let little ones get their wiggles out. It's quiet and clean, with…read morejust enough to keep kids engaged. -Play Area: Playground designed for young children. -Amenities: Benches, open lawn. -Shade & Scenery: Shaded by mature trees. -Accessibility: Level ground, stroller accessible. -Parking: Street parking available. -Good for: Families, nannies, caregivers, daycares

Cameron School Tot park is a hidden gem! It's perfect for little ones on the go because it is…read morefully enclosed. The playground includes a playhouse, crawling tubes, a mini slide, and teeter-todder toys. The play surface is soft and shaded. It's a wonderful place to meet your neighbors and let your little one burn off steam before dinnertime. Hours are limited on weekdays: M-F 3 to 6 pm, Weekends are open. P.S. Sadly, the park does not have any swings.

Welp, this location is itty bitty. No parking. And limited equipment, but it'll get the job done…read more The staff was super nice. The lady answered all of my questions, and she was willing to show me around but I politely declined. The free weights go up to 60lb dumbbells. There's a dual cable machine near the 3 weight benches. There's a TRX band, sand bags, and twos sets of the small dumbbells. I just needed an hour bench workout, and I got it. The location is just off the main strip. A little walk around the area was nice. I found parking one street over in the residential area. The roads are tight and parking can be hard to find, but this place did good by me.

The Albany branch is very good: friendly and helpful staff, all the cardio and weight equipment you…read morecould want, a great air filtration system, and many classes offered in the gym. The not so good is about poor customer service from the East Bay central office. They're not accessible, transparent, responsive or professional. I submitted an inquiry about certain deliberate, repeated and disruptive member behaviors, including a question about what help other members could expect from desk staff. The central office agreed it was disruptive, said they'd do XYZ, and then....no action, and silence for over half a year, unresponsive to a few follow-up inquiries. Then recently the Y central office emailed me that, in their experience, my experience didn't exist, never mind their earlier acknowledgement, and that it was up to me to suck it up and somehow deal with it. I am so disappointed with the East Bay YMCA member "services" crew, and with the complete lack of effective communication and recourse channels.

My kids (3 & 5) have been begging to go here as it was being built; we pass it on our way to the…read moreAlbany Target. It's a nice new playground, with interesting play structures and a nice cushioned ground. Clean bathrooms, water fountains. Unfortunately no shade in the late morning, which is our usual playground time. It looks like they've planted some trees so eventually that will change. Part of the playground is enclosed by a fence, I guess for the smaller kids. But my kids wanted to play in both areas and i found the fence annoying because the gate is on the side farthest from the unfenced section. (I would be in the fenced area with one kid and the other one would want help so I'd have to walk all the way around.) Obviously not a huge deal, but when I'm evaluating playgrounds I certainly think of parental comfort, and how easy it is to park myself in one spot and be able to see everything. Yes it's next to the highway, and there's plenty of traffic noise. But there wasn't any smell or fumes when we were there. We'll certainly continue to come here, most likely on the way to/from Target.

This is a great park but they need to put a sign up that says no dogs allowed inside the park. I…read morewent there with my son and a lady brought 2 dogs to the toddler section and started fetching with them. Another infant (11 month old) also came into the park. The lady ignored us and continued to fetch with her dogs. The other parent says a lot of neighborhood folks uses the toddler park as a dog park and sometimes she gets scared and won't bring the baby when she sees too many dogs. Come on, there is Point Isabel Dog Park less than 5 min away and Buchanan dog park also less than 5 min away. Please bring your dogs to a dog park and to not a clean children's park! Who do I talk to about this?