What a great interaction we've had signing up and getting started at Toby Wells! Justin signed us up and gave us a thorough tour. He was very encouraging to get started because we've had a sedentary life. Last week we met with Calvin in the gym. He did a great job helping learn some equipment for my wife. I got cortisone in my knee a couple weeks ago and I've been using treadmill each time. Today I met Karen in the gym and she unlocked exactly what I need to safely get started. The likelihood of our success is heightened by each interaction and it's sure making it easier! Thank you! read more

My husband and I have PCS'd back to the area and we now have an infant daughter. I've been a gym goer before, during and after she was born so I asked my neighborhood page what gym they recommended with child care. They all collectively suggested this location and I saw why as it was just up the road from where we live. I decided to try it out this past Sunday. Mind you, moving and transitioning back to the west coast, I'm exhausted and stressed just need to go back to the gym. Initially arriving at the gym on that day, they closed the main parking lot off due to an event so it just added a damper to my day starting off as I'm new to the area and trying to figure out where they want the overflow of parking. Luckily found my way and went to the gym. Asked for info with membership and they were very helpful in that regard. I walked into the gym, it's very clean and everything seems new. I just wasn't a fan of how small it is but honestly I'll take anything at this point. So it seemed promising at first. Today I finally mustered up some energy to get my daughter and I back to the gym. I dropped by the child watch location. The guy helping me out couldn't find me in the system as I'm a guest that hasn't signed up. Understandably he is new and didn't know that. So after that, I set my daughter up with the sitters and headed out but was then stopped because my daughter pooped. I didn't understand what they meant so I kept walking towards the gym. They called me and let me know and clarified I had to change her diaper myself. I found that strange as I didn't have this happen at my former gym. So reluctantly I walk back towards child watch and was met with I'm assuming she is the supervisor or manager of child watch. Honestly I was a bit peeved at this point but tried to be understanding as the supervisor was trying to explain their policy. Totally get it but my whole thing is coming to the gym to have at least two hours to myself. I went to go change her diaper then headed back to work out. And in the middle of it I was called again. My daughter was crying her eyes out and I had to rush back. They claimed they did everything they could but they didn't try to feed her? I initially told the girl who took my diaper bag if she gets fussy, she has a bottle in the bag. Also the new guy holding my child just looked like he didn't know how to hold her. Needless to say I was pretty pissed. The whole visit was more stressful than I needed. I come to the gym to destress and release not come for inconvenience and more stress. I personally would not go to this gym if you don't have the patience for being constantly called by child care for every little thing. Today is my last day trying it. read more

This is the 3rd YMCA location I've been to in a week. My usual go to is in East County. But, the decided to take advantage of my membership and have the opportunity to visit the ones that benefited my list of "Things to Do" for the day. Since my doctor's appointment for today is a few blocks away from Toby Wells- it was ideal to come here. At least this location opens at 5:30am (including the indoor pool). My regular location opens at 6am. And the extra half hour really makes a difference. Although the spa area was closed this morning- the overhead music was playing at a decent volume, then decreased by the end of my hour aquatic walking & exercises. Since I tend to dedicate my hour to aquatic walking- I noticed the entire pool has depths of 3 1/2 ft to 5 Ft to 3 1/2 feet in length. Which I thought was interesting. And I liked it! Compared to Oceanside & Rancho San Diego- I like how the pool depth is lined up. Although I can swim- I prefer 5 feet being the deepest for my aquatic routine. Lifeguard staff is friendly and didn't seem bothered when I had simple questions about the facility. For the 3 YMCA locations that I've been to- the pool is the primary reason I got membership. If it's any other location that I'll visit- I make a habit to call the evening before to inquire if the pool will be open. But, I do bring a change of clothes, a n case there's a last minute pool closure. This location has a hallway leading from the men's & women's locker rooms leading to the indoor pool. The women's locker room is updated in renovations compared to the other locations. There are combo locks installed with the lockers- which is a cool feature. I asked a regular member to show me how to use it. The women's lockers are all half sized- which makes it very convenient. Plenty of makeup/ mirror stations w/ blow dryers. New shower heads and a wet suit extractor, which is also a bonus. I like how the pool area offers mini foam boards and dumbbells for your aquatic fitness regimen. Just make sure to put equipment back where you got them from read more

It's been over two years since my last update and felt like it was time! Some of the teachers who I loved for group fitness classes have moved on and I'd love to share some of my new (and old) faves! Jenna's 5:30 pm BP class on Monday is nothing short of amazing! Her music pics are always upbeat, and she delivers a killer workout and has good queuing and motivational messages! Get there early, this class packs out! Be sure to get a pass from the front desk after you check in, and pick up a blue towel in the gym so you can wipe down your equipment during class. La Monique aka "Blue" has a cardio dance class on Tuesday at 5 pm that is so much fun you won't even realize how hard you're working! She does a lot of her own choreography, which is really innovative and fluid. Her class is well designed, sometimes we use fitness bands for a song or two and maybe even break out one of the risers for some step work. Chris is still holding it down for the 5:30 PM BP class on Wednesday. His cues are always spot on, and he takes time to meet the new folks in class at the beginning and shows them the basics. This is a good class to start with if you've never done weightlifting before and need some foundational cues. Chris also teaches a new class called Thrive at 4:30 pm on Wednesdays, it's a lower impact workout designed for folks who are 50+. I've taken it a few times myself and still gotten a good workout! It especially emphasizes strength training in the legs and balance. Abby is teaching the 5:30 PM Mixxed Fit hip-hop class on Thursdays now (in addition to the 11:30 AM on Saturdays), and she always brings the party! Her playlists are often ratchet, bring extra H2O and throw in a sprinkle of sea salt for those electrolytes and maybe a squeeze of lemon for some sweetness! I have the biggest calorie burn ever when taking Abby's classes! Friday Mariah slays the 4:30 PM BP class, and it is everything you need before the weekend! Good music, strong cueing, motivational messages to not quit! Jessica also teaches Thrive at noon on Fridays, which is a solid bet if you want a less intense workout. Jessica has an incredible voice, you might find yourself humming along to her good song pics! Sunday at 9:30 am Eric DJs a good mix of old school and current beats for UJAM. He's an attentive instructor and gives multiple options for folks of varying dance capabilities. He wears a headset for class and breaks down the movement over the microphone. It's a really good class to start with if you haven't taken a cardio class in a minute, or ever! While I had to take a break from personal training due to work commitments, Emily is still the baddest of the baddies and I recommend her wholeheartedly if you are considering personal training to build strength or after recovering from an injury or had extended time off from exercising. She's incredibly knowledgeable and can build you a personalized program. Toby Wells just celebrated its 20th anniversary and it's easy to see why it's thriving - great teachers and terrific classmates! I've met many new friends at the Y in the past few years, and I'm very grateful for this space, which is why I'm here almost every day! Thanks, Toby Wells! read more

See all

I've been a member here for many years and have taken my kids to childwatch since my daughter was 2. She always had an extremely hard time separating from me even with family and I was so grateful that all of the child watch teachers were so supportive and understanding while I would sit with her and get her used to the space. They were accommodating and made me feel safe leaving her even when she was feeling nervous. Now she is 4 and begs to go all by herself! read more

Great classes and such a huge gym!Kim is an amazing Zumba teacher! And the place is always clean.

Can't cancel membership without walking in to location. Kid drop off is in a shed in a separate building. A teacher told my daughter that "women do tongue to tongue" while she was at the drop off. Disgusting place. Never trust them with your kids. read more

Within two months of joining, I experienced unwanted physical contact and verbal confrontation twice in the women's locker room and had to contact law enforcement. The way this situation was handled did not reflect an appropriate response to a safety concern. I did not feel supported and no longer feel safe at this location. I have canceled my membership. This raises serious concerns about how member safety is managed at this facility. I have already been in contact with a team leader regarding this incident. The handling of this matter did not fully address the safety concern and instead placed responsibility on me. What is especially concerning is that management described this as a "private matter." This was not a private matter -- it was a safety issue involving member conduct in a shared space. Being told this after what happened reflects a lack of accountability and concern for member safety. read more

I've been coming here now for a couple years. As far as gyms go, this one is amazing. Most, I hear, are loud, crowded and dirty. I chose my gym well because Toby Wells YMCA is none of those things. Also they have equipment. I've been to other YMCAs that definitely did not measure up. read more

The great thing about joining the YMCA is you're not limited to just the facility where you sign up. This appealed to me as it does get kinda boring going to the same pool day in and day out. Anyways I've been a member for a little under two months. The pool is indoors however a half dozen tiles have been removed from the ceiling letting in the sun and a few cute birds. This means sunscreen is needed for me. The hot spa is outdoors with some shade provided by a small triangle canvas. I highly recommend getting the facility schedule and reading it before you plan your workout. They do have many activities for the kids including gymnastics and day camp. The women's locker room consists of; one dressing room, roughly ten semi private showers, numerous toilet stalls, lockers with built in combination locks, benches and blow dryers. They have three (that I know of) separate locking family restrooms. I really appreciate these on gymnastic days when the locker room is filled with little kids and privacy is hard to find. The indoor pool has 5 or 6 lap lanes depending on swim lessons, day camp and family swim time. It is fairly shallow, the deepest part is approximately 5 1/2 feet. A lifeguard is on duty at all times. A full indoor workout area is available. Group fitness classes include; water exercise classes, yoga and pilates. Soccer leagues are offered for kids on up thru adults. So far I really like this location. The staff are always friendly, everything is super clean and parking is plentiful with shady spots. read more

See all

Family friendly? Good luck if your kids are between 8 and 13 years old. Too old for child care, but not old enough for them to be in the gym unless you are next to them. Not what I was told when I signed up!! read more

Been going here since preschool love this place, well maintained good people good place to be. AWESOME gym has everything to offer and not over crowded and has new machines. read more

Both of our kids attended pre-school here for roughly 2 years each (ages 2-4). We had 1 or both enrolled consistently for about 4 years. We had a wonderful experience. Both kids loved it and developed great relationships with their various teachers. Morning drop-offs and afternoon pick-ups are always warm and loving. Our kids enjoyed the social interactions at school and made several friends - some of who we still keep in touch with. I was also impressed by the quality of the instruction. Activities were intentional and the teachers did a great job of tracking improvements made. I was also consistently pleased with the quality of the parent/teacher conferences...areas of focus and tracking improvement etc. We really partnered with many of the teachers to maintain consistent approaches at home and school (learning, discipline, manners etc). Toby Wells also includes weekly gymnastics and swimming in the cost of the program. We loved that aspect. The gym is really nice, and many of the kids also reserved it for birthday parties. It was always fun for the kids to go to bday parties in a place where they were already comfortable. Not to mention the huge outdoor gazebo and great playground to go along with it. The other nice thing about Toby Wells is the quality of the camps. We still attend the weekly camps in the Summer and various holidays when school is out. There are several themes so kids don't get bored going several weeks in a row in summer. There's lots of friendly counselors and overall things seem to operate very smoothly. And our kids love it. read more

Beautiful facility with a pool and good fitness classes and equipment. Parking is easy.

Meh. This location is not really into kids. I have had staff interact rudely with me when playing or walking around while waiting with my children for my other children to finish up their gymnastic/ swim or soccer lessons three times at this location. The other Ymca locations are for sure more family friendly. read more

We had our kiddo take a private swim lesson here. I do not recommend. Th female instructor was not punctual. Also, during the 30 minute lesson, there was too much "down" time with no instructions or reinforcement of any skill practice. Basically, it didn't feel like it was worth the price of private lessons. We had our kiddo take private lessons in a different Y location and it was much better. This particular Y location needs to pay attention to improving their private swim coaches. read more

Great workout equipment, best overall among the three YMCAs in the area that I use. 3pm closure on Saturday and 1pm (or earlier) closure on Sunday is pretty limiting, really weak, and unaccommodating to people who want to get their most intense workouts in on the weekends and actually work for a living on weekdays. Also can get pretty hot in the summer with inadequate AC coverage. read more

I take my kids here for swimming and they both love it! Very clean, very spacious, and great staff. They've learned a lot and couldn't have asked for better instructors. read more

Nice facility, good equipment and classes for adults. Staff is always welcoming. Not overcrowded and dirty like many of the chain gyms.

This review is mainly to let parents of young, potty-trained children know about the Child Watch at Toby Wells YMCA. The Child Watch is in an outbuilding OUTSIDE of the actual YMCA; this outbuilding has NO bathroom attached. So if your young child is fully potty-trained, the Child Watch staff has to take your child from the Child Watch outbuilding to the YMCA building to use an adult restroom with a wooden stool, to aid the child in using the restroom. This young child (2 years old) is then expected to use the bathroom on his/her OWN. YES, on their own! I was told during a tour of the facility that the staff can't assist your child AT ALL in the adult restroom. So think of this scenario...a TWO YEAR OLD asks to use the restroom after you drop them there (as a parent, my kid is taken to the bathroom before we go anywhere. So child should not need to go, but this is a two year old) - the Child Watch staff executes taking said child across the street to the YMCA (I must add these restrooms are not designated for Child Watch, anyone can use them), the bathroom is unavailable for use due to occupancy, the bathroom finally becomes available after one minute, the Child Watch staff opens the bathroom door for two year old to use the bathroom, then closes the door for the two year old to do their business (yes, two year old is in bathroom alone). Now think of this developing two year old in a bathroom by themselves trying to push a wooden stool to an adult toilet (the toilet is not lined or cleaned prior to child's use or specific to only children), the child then sits on this adult toilet (hopefully not getting a disease), then has to push stool to sink and figure out how to wash their hands. With all these extra steps, my kid has already used the restroom on themselves. AND if your child has an accident, the Child Watch staff does not change your kid. They have to locate you in the YMCA to remedy any accidents. You only have a 90 minute, REGISTERED Time Slot for Child Watch. I was told another option would be, if your child needs to go to the bathroom, the Child Watch Staff could come find the parent in the YMCA. I don't know about all two year olds, but my kid wouldn't be able to hold his bodily fluids that long, if they have to find me within the facility. The final deal breaker for me in joining this YMCA was being given the option to put my kid in a pull-up during that 90 minute time frame. So all the time and stress of fully potty training my kid is going to be jeopardized for Child Watch. Very inconvenient and an asinine process in my opinion. I must note that not all YMCA Child Watch's are the same. As a member of a YMCA in a different state, the Child Watch was completely different and offered better help to parents for newly potty trained children. I'm not sure if this Child Watch situation is isolated to Toby Wells or if all the YMCA's in San Diego are this way, but in my opinion, YMCA's are supposed to be family friendly. I am not going to pay over $100 for a family plan and half the time be unable to use the facility because I possibly (I say possibly because my child may not need the restroom some days) may spend the majority of my 90 minute Child Watch slot at Child Watch assisting my kid. I guess this parent keeps looking for family-friendly gyms, which are extremely limited anyway, because it looks like I can't rely on the YMCA to help me stay fit and healthy. I gave two stars because the Toby Wells facility is nice, but rendered useless for my family with a young, potty-trained two year old. read more

We did a birthday party today. No coordinator was present, no one really knew what to do, no one one tried to help and we had to ask every single time. Good thing everyone had good time but it was very poor customer service. We will be putting claims to HQ and probably never use them again. read more

One of the better YMCA. A modern gym, and not too crowded. My regular YMCA was the mission valley location, but that location is always crowded. While this location is not as large as the MV location, I was able to get onto the equipment I wanted. Also, I like hot showers. The showers at this location are modern, clean and yes hot water. Pros - modern locker rooms. Plenty of seating. The range of hot/cold water in the showers is better than the Mission Valley location. - has a pool. I do not use the pool, but it looks clean and people were using it. - Offers all the typical aerobics classes, if you want that. - Plenty of parking (and does not make you walk the long way around, to the front door like Mission Valley). Cons - does not have smoothie bar (like the La Jolla or Mission Valley location) a quick review of the YMCA locations I have been to, from best to worst. 1. La Jolla. The only YMCA with a sauna. Has a smoothie bar. Lots of modern work out equipment, never feels crowded. I would go more often if it was closer to me. 2. Toby Wells. Modern gym, never crowded. Does not have some of the extras that the La Jolla location has, yet still a solid gym. 3. the Santee location (Cameron family). a good gym, never crowded. Modern equipment and plenty of parking. In many ways, on par with the Toby Wells location. this is a 2 story location. 3. Rancho Family. The smallest gym I have been to (not bad, just noticed its a bit smaller, but they make it up by having some work out equipment in a back patio). The locker room looks like every high school locker room and could use an update. Nothing is broken...... its just very minimalist. 4. Mission Valley. A large gym and has the smoothie bar. However, this location is always crowded and the lay out of the equipment is, leaves something to be desired. Parking is crowded and has homeless people hanging around. 5. The Davis location. From the outside and inside looks like an office building, complete with staircases that lead to storage areas. First timers might take a wrong turn looking for work out equipment. The work out equipment that is there works fine ( its strongest asset). However, the shower in the locker room does not have the walls / partitions. Instead its a group shower. No thanks, I like my privacy when I shower. read more

I'm a long time Y member. Toby Wells and Mission Valley are the Y's closest to me. I'm a senior and mainly use the gym equipment. I used to take more classes but there are not as many yoga classes as there used to be. The Y has a good online list of its classes now. read more

The lifeguard timothy is so helpful and kind! My daughter throughly has enjoyed all her swim instructors as well

Awesome facilities, clean gym and pool area and super friendly staff! Member prices for classes can't be beat. Offers kids hip hop, parkour, gymnastics, ballet and more. read more

See all

It's a little small, and I don't like that they don't have an indoor basketball court. The good part is that it's never too busy even on a 6/7pm weekday night. Staff is friendly. Could have better ventilation everywhere as it feels stuffy in the main exercise room. read more

A very feel good establishment. The aquatics department maintains a clean and fun setting. The staff are extremely friendly and meets any of their members needs. I visit 5 locations and Toby Wells is my favorite. read more

The front desk workers never great you or say goodbye if you're a single person - I guess they only greet families. I spend over $65 a month to go this ymca and it's rare for the front desk to say hello or goodbye. Very unfriendly place. Would love to talk to management about this. Ridiculous read more

Good location, lots of programs offered to members and non-members, indoor sized soccer arena, and decent hours. Also gym equipment is in good condition. read more

I mainly use the gym at Toby Wells so my review is based off of my experiences with this. Overall it's a good gym. There is a wide variety of workout equipment. All the equipment is clean and well-maintained and the staff have always been professional. My main gripes are as follows: I wish there were more than 2 squat racks!! Unless show I show up first thing in the morning or right before they close, they are almost always taken. While they do have 2 squat racks outside, they are far removed from the gym and I always get locked out when I use them and am unable to re-enter the building. I also wish they opened later on Saturdays (they close at 1pm) and weren't completely closed on Sundays. But overall, it's a great place to workout and membership prices are very reasonable (like $50 per month, no commitments). read more

This is a terrific YMCA that offers a lot for all age groups. I came here to use their Gymnasium with some friends as a guest and the place left me quite impressed. I had no idea that they offered a 6-lane Olympic size pool and a family aquatic center. After using the Gymnasium, I headed outside to the park area were they have two playgrounds for different age groups. The park like setting outside has plenty of shaded area, picnic tables, and a very clean and well maintained restrooms. I was also impressed how well the landscaping was taken care of. The facility also includes a sectioned off soccer area, a training area that includes equipment for cardio work outs, an aerobics studios, and a meeting room. Another words, the place is huge. The offer senor, adult, and youth programs throughout the year. The surrounding community is certainly lucky to have this YMCA nearby, and I sure hope they take advantage of it. read more

See all

Classes and most instructors are great; however, it's very sad that they cancel classes on a daily basis. Even though, membership fees continue to increase, it appears management cannot find instructors. And, when you try calling, no one answers the phone. I would give it a five-star based on classes and instructors, but considering how it's being managed, I can only give it a two star. read more

Great place to work out, it gets busy during the evenings because the gym itself is rather small, but there's a lot of other stuff to do. Staff is usually friendly and the environment is nice, sometimes the gym is a little stuffy but that's to be expected in a smaller space read more

A great family oriented place. Had spinning classes that I got to participate in. I really enjoyed my membership here, although it lasted a short while. read more

I go to all the Y locations across SD County due to a mobile job, and love coming to this location. It has all the expected amenities of SD YMCA's (lots of cardio and weight equipment, pool, classes, locker rooms with showers, hairdryers, and self-set lockers), but I find it is a) very clean b) has relatively new equipment/amenities and c) is often much less busy than the closer-to-me Mission Valley location. My FAVORITE: the Peloton bikes (!!), which I've only had to wait for once out of at least thirty uses. Great location! read more

Swim Director has very poor communication, lack of customer service. Swim instructors were average to below average not really teaching kids very much. They cancelled appt without communicating with us and have not responded to emails or calls to reschedule. Do not recommend will be going elsewhere for swim services. read more

The staff here are idiots. Trying to schedule a tour for the pre school is like pulling teeth. The front desk just transfers you and you 99% get a vm. Once I finally had a scheduled tour I had to cancel and reschedule, me being a responsible adult calls ahead of time so that I just don't do a no show up and waste anyone's time. Of course I just keep getting vm. So I show up an hour early instead to reschedule however the front desk says only supervisor can help me and there are no supervisors in at the moment for pre school. Ummm is it just me or shouldn't it be standard for a supervisor to be at a pre school at all times??!! Major red flag. So with that being said no need to reschedule I won't be putting my daughter at this ymca. read more

Toby Wells YMCA - Pricing for pre school - Gyms Near Me - San Diego, California

I've been going here for a couple months and I've put my daughter in swim lessons here. I am giving it 2 stars because while I enjoy the group classes and the weight room (although a little packed) the child care area staff are awful. The other day I drove around the entire building for 15 minutes looking for a spot to park. There isn't convenient parking in a lot close by so I drove around until I finally got lucky to get a space. This is typical depending on what time you come. I've been called repeatedly to come get my child for various reasons and the staff do not seem to care at all. I will be trying a different y to see if it's any better and if not I will be cancelling. read more

I've had a very poor experience with private swim lessons here. The first week my son was supposed to have lessons, we showed up and the other instructor told us that our instructor couldn't make it. Nobody tried to called us beforehand to tell us. I've been trying to get a refund for that class applied for weeks and it still hasn't been fully confirmed. I've been trying to communicate with the aquatics director about it and he hasn't responded to my email in a week. Now, two weeks after the first canceled lesson, the instructor canceled again 2 hours before the lesson. So over 3 weeks, 2 lessons were canceled. They don't have anyone to cover when an instructor is absent? Additionally, their online registration and account system is a mess. It says I have no upcoming lessons even though I already paid for upcoming lessons, and the online lesson registration system was not working when the director told us it would be, so everyone had to call instead. read more

The staff are super helpful. You get access to multiple YMCA's. Decent size pool (wish it was bigger), outdoor jacuzzi, great free weight selection. Lots of cardio machines. Lots of other random fitness machines. They even have a little side room for the big weight sets/racks. Ropes, and a treadmill that runs off of YOUR effort. They also have a ton of group classes, 2 hours of free childcare, and an impressive gymnastics gym. Highly recommend. read more