The staff could use a giant dose of friendly. The whole place smelled way worse than any of the local gyms. The guy who gave a group of 6 people a brief mandatory orientation didn't know how to project his voice because none of us heard a single word he uttered as he ushered us through the place. One person even asked him to speak up but that was pointless...granted, it was loud. I made the mistake of going on a Friday night, which is apparently their half off ($15) night, so it was packed and got busier as the evening progressed the closer it got to when I left at 9pm. There is a very large parking lot across the street marked as dedicated to VV customers, but it was packed and people were creating their own spaces, making it difficult to exit. I enjoyed climbing and will probably give it another chance on a different night of the week, when there is more room. read more

Love this place. 9 auto-belay routes is not enough though hope they add more. There are currently 18 gen pop people waiting for autos and only 3 of the routes have 5.8s or less. More auto belays would also give companions a break, my hands burn from belaying 2 hours for my kids haha Love the place though read more

Vertical Ventures is a great place to hang out with friends and see how strong they really are! I'm kidding, but it is fun to challenge each other and talk strategy on the V2 bouldering. I like that there's auto belay as well, so it is easy to go to Vertical Ventures as beginners. They change the routes and difficulties too, so you'll often find new challenges and patterns. read more

I got into rock climbing when I was 16 (that was way longer ago than I care to admit). When I moved to Tampa I started going to VV and even though they shut the original location down, the St. Pete location is even better. I have had many times where I get way into the sport and then leave for a bit but VV is always going to feel like home. I made some friends there and even met my wife there. The staff is super friendly and supportive. They have excellent courses to learn the...ropes...of climbing, decent gear selection and many fun events held here often. If you are looking to try something new, I highly recommend giving this place a shot. read more

I am specifically reviewing my family's experience with their tots class for kids ages 2-5. It was incredible! My kid came to this class for the first time yesterday and I was impressed with both the instructors and the facilities. The instructors for tots class were -- just as a parent would hope -- welcoming, enthusiastic, and supportive. The class wasn't too large or too small - they gave kids personal attention and support. The program was well designed for this young cohort and it was a lot of fun. My kid got to play with the obstacle course toys, bouldering, and then climbing. They had velcro stickers placed around the bouldering area and climbing area that made the kids excited to climb and collect them all. The facility was clean, spacious, and had a delightful atmosphere. Which is also helped again by having friendly staff. I was brand new to this place and felt welcomed. Easy to park right in their lot right in front of the business (or take the SunRunner!). My kid had a private climbing lesson a few months earlier that I wasn't there for, but she loved that as well. Both me and my kid look forward to coming back! read more

This place just keeps getting better and better. It's an amazing rock climbing gym with multiple levels of challenge. You can take a class to be qualified to belay, you can use just the auto belay which has about 6-8 different climbs available each with two difficulty levels , there's a bouldering section and a huge top rope wall. The best thing to do if you think you'll go often is buy a punch card with 10 visits on it. It doesn't expire and includes the price of the gear to rent (harness shoes and chalk) as well. Great staff, clean and open area. It's a great workout and a fun way to exercise. They also have fitness memberships with Unlimited Climbing, Unlimited First Time Visitor Guest Passes, free Fitness and Yoga Classes, Member Only Training Zone Access, Discounted Climbing Classes and 10% Off Gear and Merch. That's a great deal! Parking available in their parking lot. read more

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Seeing how the faculty responded to Ross creations is really sad. This really shows the kind of environment this gym has. Obviously the staff is not friendly and hard pressed to where they are offended. It is not ok to be name calling customers and acting In an aggressive matter, to an obvious joke. It is really pathetic the way the staff has acted. read more

PROS: STAFF STAFF STAFF From Coach G, Adam, everyone at the front desk, and behold. This gym is extremely personable. They set new routes every week! They are all climbers which means they can show you some betas. The fitness area is for members only and they have everything you need for healthy shoulders and finger strength. Great prices for the most part. Shoes and gear rentals. -Bouldering -Lead Climbing -Auto Belay -Gym CONS: No American flag anywhere. I hate that we do not simply represent our country as a whole. Yet, they have a huge "rainbow" flag when you come in. Just take down all flags or put the American one up. D read more

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I've never been rock climbing before but really enjoyed my visit at Vertical Ventures. I went on a Friday evening and I'd say it was pretty busy but I was able to still climb the walls. The staff was very friendly and provided clear instructions and guidance. Shoes and gear were also provided but it did look like you could bring your own gear. I will definitely go back. read more

Vertical Ventures - Wall climbing - Rock Climbing Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

I'm very afraid of heights but I lost it here Great place for everyone of any age, you all will have fun in here read more

Vertical Ventures - Rock Climbing Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

Super fun venue and friendly staff. The smell inside isn't great and it was very busy when we were there - probably because of spring break. Had a great time with our 13 year old niece. Climbing for a variety of skill levels. read more

Vertical Ventures - Rock Climbing Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

Absolutely love it ! Our very first time here. The service and overall experience was excellent. The instructions/ instructors are friendly and professional. They have clean areas to hang out . Drinks & little snacks are available at a low affordable price. A/c is great - super clean family fun. read more

Vertical Ventures - Rock Climbing Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

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There is plenty of parking around the area of this gym, parking was not a issue at all for us. As we came in we saw that the place is pretty nice and large, with lots of walls and plenty things to do (so we thought) we had a tour of the gym and saw all walls and the members only gym too. They had some walls with a machine kind of thing that made possible to climb with no need of a spotter? idk if that is what is called, the person who holds a cord. They also had a "pit" that apparently only people who had classes with them has access and they also have some short walls that not equipment is necessary. IT is a lot at first but once we saw the price and realized that we could not really use the entire place it was a bit of a let down. now, I wanna make sure to let you all know I understand that safety is important and a class or two should be necessary to use certain more challenging walls. HOWEVER, they charge like almost 40 dollars and have a hour class to use all areas, besides the "pit" (this place only if you gave them enough amounts of money in form of classes" now, I get it to charge a fee to teach, but most people like me who wanna come for one time and get to experience the place cannot. They could make the class shorter and cheaper or think about something to make possible to train new people safely and in an affordable way so they can have more people who will wanna use their facilities. I will probably not come back I was only able to use a couple of walls and it was not worth it in the end as a first time user of the gym, seems ikon this place is made for people to commit to It and not meant for people to come and experiment and see if they would like the sport. read more

Vertical Ventures - Rock Climbing Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

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Very fun place to hang out and exercise . Tome times it can get a bit too crowded so consider that for the time and day you wanna go.

Love this place!!! Been a few times, with friends, buying day passes. Have had so much fun every time I've come. Such a good full body workout. Can't wait til next time! read more

Never went vertical climbing before and wanted to do something different with the kids. This is the only climbing spot in the area. The next one being in Orlando. We had a great instructor Kujo who walked us through all the rights and wrongs of climbing before letting us loose to explore ourselves around the place. The provide the shoes and harnesses to use as well as a pack of chalk to keep the hands dry. I loved that the day pass is provided so that you can skip out for lunch or snack and come back once reenergized. The kids loved reaching the top and belay down. It was my favorite part of the climb as well. There's a large area to simulate boulder climbing and so many varying levels of difficulty. Perfect for beginners and all the way to the ultimate climber who fingers are able to grasp the most tiniest crevice. Overall was a great experience, fun exercise and challenging. read more

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Great Rock Climbing! Challenging and offers variety too. I take my 6 year old with me and he loves it.

Ladies and gentleman if you have not rock climbed before this is your chance to get your feet wet. I could spend ALL day here because there are various walls and training apparatuses to use. The people climbing tend to give tips if you happen to be stuck on a wall so feel free to ask for assistance. Rock climbing is so grounding because the position and weight transfer is always the focus , it's a great experience for anyone highly recommended read more

Obviously, I love rock climbing. On my way back to Jacksonville from Miami, I met up with some of my Tampa friends at Vertical Ventures in St. Pete. A buddy of mine recommended this specific location to me, and I can see my trust was not misplaced. This location offers top rope with a Grigri set up, auto belays, bouldering, lead climbing, and top rope with your own belay device. We had a blast! There is a lot of space, which makes for a good time for friends and family of all ages. I'm sure if I lived in the area, I'd have a membership. It's also visually appealing. Whether you're passing through or live in the bay area, stop by Vertical Ventures in St. Pete. read more

Vertical Ventures - Rock Climbing Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

I've never tried rock climbing before so I was going into it as a total newbie! I think their introductory class for $25 is SO worth it. They teach you how to belay, and then you get unlimited access to the walls for two weeks, gear included (chalk, harness, shoes). PLUS you get access to the gym in the back which has cardio machines, weights and a couple squat racks. This is especially a good deal considering the introductory class is a similar price to a single, one day entry with equipment. Monthly admission is $60-75 depending on how many months you sign up for. I found rock climbing really fun, and easy to get into at any skill level. They have a huge range of walls. They also have the more difficult set of walls for people at an advanced skill level (not me). Ps. It does smell like feet but you get used to it haha read more

Vertical Ventures - Rock Climbing Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

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Great place for family or night out with the guys. Family atmosphere very helpful staff. Fun and safety top priorities.

Sadly, this is really the only place to climb around here. Florida just isn't a rock climber's state, and this gym is not nearly as good as gyms in cities like Denver, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Columbus, Burlington, or Chattanooga. Here's where they fall short: They don't have lockers. Your keys and wallet can't be secured somewhere safe while you climb. They won't let you use an ATC to belay. Their top-roping area has daisy chains (webbing secured to the ground to keep belayers from flying up in the air when the climber falls and pulls on the rope) ... but their lead-climbing area does not. They require you to clip into a daisy chain while you're top-rope climbing, and then they don't even offer this sort of protection for the lead climbing area where daisy chains actually make sense. They tell you not to walk on the mats beneath the climbs until you're ready to climb. This makes it difficult to see the routes and decide if you want to climb them or not. The place is a bit expensive considering the small amount of climbing. There are much better gyms in other states that cost the same, or less, and have much more to offer. If you don't have much experience I guess this gym is better than nothing. You might have fun here. I found it to be pretty sad overall. read more

TLDR: nice facility, needs newer and cleaner holds and improved route setting. Pros: only climbing gym in a 90 mile radius, decent sized facility with a lot to climb and a nice variety of easier climbs to harder climbs (5.5's to 5.12's). The pit has lead climbs mostly starting at 5.9 and two to three top ropes that allow for a 40' or so climb. The boulder area is decently sized with some nice features and overhangs. The gym/workout area may be one of the best features, it's well stocked and has a lot of space to workout including cardio machines, rigs, hang boards etc. I really love working out here. Parking is easy as well as getting there by bike as it's right on the bike trail. The staff are helpful, courteous, and efficient. Cons: it is very crowded most of the time, like there is literally almost no time at which there isn't a line for climbs. In the upstairs area of toproping, it's half autobelays and half toprope with knots already tied and ground anchors at every station (the positive to this is it's faster to tie in/out and given the crowds that is helpful). The walls are not that high in the upstairs area, maybe 25'-30'. Seems to be a mecca for first-timers and people who aren't really that into it i.e. something to do when it's hot or raining out. The climbing holds are super old, gunked with chalk and shoe rubber, and the routes are not re-set that often. The route setting is average at best. Would love to see the routes reset more often, some more variety in the route setting and CLEAN holds. read more

Up up! Vertical Venues hooks you up with all the gear to safely climb. A fear of falling? That will be conquered here as you learn how to let go (and let God - or the safety line take over). Who knew climbing can be such a good workout? This place as walls for all levels of experience or inexperience. There's a gym on hand, a boulder wall and so much. Honestly, I've walked past this location and heard about it, but did not believe how much fun and how easy it is to get started. After finishing the easy wall I felt like a champion... But, when face to face with a more difficult climb I quickly realized I had a lot to learn. I highly recommend giving a climb a try. You'll be hooked. read more

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This place is way more fun than I expected. Lots of ropes to choose from and different lanes to climb, with various levels of difficulty. I was hesitant at first when my buddy initially invited me. But I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised not only with the experience in general, but the workout I had in only an hour of climbing. They also have a bouldering section (free climbing) which I thoroughly enjoyed also. Huge facility, and with membership access, they have a training section, along with an entire gym actually inside in a backroom. They also offer belay certifications so you can access more of the rope section by holding your partner up. I will be back! read more

Vertical Ventures - Rope section. - Rock Climbing Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

Pro: Clean facility, modest bouldering area with several auto belays upstairs. The lead climbing area is somewhat limited d/t space but does feature pleasant overhangs, small roofs, slab, vertical climbing and even a crack...what! Cons: If you're used to a laidback environment with receptive but not overbearing staff, this isn't your jam. I can only guess, this is d/t dealing with an abundance of jackasses and gumbies with no climbing etiquette, or cultural ethos. If you're leading they have strict rules regarding the use of active belay devices (no ATC's), designated taped anchors(which sometimes entail traversing across the top several feet from a closer anchor??) I also noticed poorly placed color taped permadraws, or ones that would allow the leader to pendulum swing onto next door climbers. Pleasant staff but authoritatively rule oriented to the point of paranoia. Just know that if you're in the lead pit, their eyes are laser fixed on your every move, so don't f$&k up and hit a blue clip on a pink route. Haha In summary, if you're a local, this IS your climbing destination. If you're a visitor, or come from an area with outdoor and modern indoor facilities, it's worth a visit, especially if the weather's bad, or you're needing a climbing fix. read more

Pros: Gym has a lot of variety. I love that the top rope/lead climbing areas are sectioned off into "levels" so that more experienced climbers get their own space. The workout area is great with lots of different things to supplement your climbing. The staff members really lovely, and climbers seem to follow climbing etiquette (like not sitting underneath someone while they're climbing, and making sure they don't climb too close to other climbers). The ropes in the pit (for top-roping) were in really nice shape. They looked brand new! Cons: They require everyone to use some type of auto-locking belay device, so if you have a run-of-the-mill ATC, you can't use it here. The "level 1" top ropes also all have grigris attached, so in order to belay someone in that section, you need to know how to use a grigri specifically. Holds are old and too smooth to get a good grip; they all have a layer of chalk and shoe rubber on them that is so persistent, brushing does not help. Overall, I'm happy to have this gym nearby, but wish the holds were cleaned more regularly/switched out more frequently/maintained better so that the experience is more about working on technique/strength and less about the struggle to hold onto slippery holds. read more

When here last time night with the family, I have a 5 + 7 year old, and we had a BLAST! Zarin, gave us our tour and we set to climbing. Such a fun activity for everyone, my kids are monkeys. I'll be back soon. read more

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Love that they are changing the routes more frequently, staff is very helpful! Shout out to Michael who remembered my name after meeting him a couple of weeks ago . Climbers are friendly, they will help and encourage you figure out the route and cheer you on when you complete one! Thank you Julie and others!!! read more

We reserved our spot a week ahead of time (I think they only open spots for booking a week in advance) - a 2 hour chunk of time for bouldering or belaying for punch passes. I believe each 2-hour slot holds 6 people for punch passes, and of course, the gym is also open to its members. We were there for bouldering, and I would say I was a bit disappointed with the limited amount of bouldering wall space. Bouldering walls cover a corner of the building with an island in the middle. It got pretty crowded on the Saturday morning we were there (10:30-12:30 slot). I was also not used to the grading system they use here - perhaps it translates to the V-scale, but here, the walls are on a triangle scale (more triangles = more difficulty). The start and finish holds are marked with a white tag - it was hard to tell sometimes where the finish for a route was. The staff are friendly and are all wearing masks. I feel like there should have been a quick introduction/ short tour of the place, as we had to ask around for where things were, how rentals worked (by the way, you can rent chalk - though I think the website says they only sell due to COVID), how the walls were graded, etc., but regardless, everything worked out. Overall, I enjoyed my time climbing here, but I wish there were more walls for bouldering, as it felt a little crowded. Still happy I got to experience indoor rock climbing in St. Petersburg though! read more

Staff was great! We showed up and were climbing in a few minutes. Nice routes letting us boulder and belay until exhausted. We had a blast trying out a new gym. They had several that we found super fun and different than our home climbing gym. Great climbing community with several encouraging the kids as we worked to top some routes. read more

The only climbing gym I know of in the St Pete area which is totally fine with me! They have everything you could possibly need as a a climber with a plenty of courses, big bouldering area, and even a free weight area with squat racks and all. It's also very easy to acclimate to the environment. The staff is very friendly and there's always a healthy mix of rookies and veterans on the floor so you never feel out of place. I find myself having conversations with different climbers every time I come in. read more

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I have never left a Yelp review because I understand that everyone has their bad days and it's not a reflection of how the whole business runs. But I felt like this was important to address. We came to climb on 8/6/21 later in the afternoon. Whoever gave us a tour of the facility was awesome... I wish I remembered his name, he was very knowledgeable, welcoming and kind. We made a mistake by letting him know we would only be Bouldering and there was no need for the top rope lesson and harness certification. He let us know that it's required that he walk us through that if we changed our minds and we agreed to let him know if we changed our minds about just bouldering. About 30 minutes passed and I changed my mind and wanted to try automatic belaying. I approached the desk, explained the situation and that I was instructed to come to the desk and get certified before climbing on the automatic belayer. I'm not sure who I spoke to, I'm assuming she was the manger (wasn't wearing a red shirt uniform and carried herself like she was the boss). She expressed that not giving a belay lesson was a liability for their facility and that she needed to speak to whoever gave me the tour and correct them and train them properly. Which is completely valid, appropriate and important for safety purposes. But she did not say that to me in an efficient, respectful or professional manner. Yes her point and sentiment was completely valid and important. But I have to say that she was absolutely awful and I was terrified for the poor employee who had to deal with her wrath. Instead of having this be a teaching moment for her employee. I could tell it was more about power to her than liability. She spoke to me incredibly disrespectfully, she demanded I tell her who gave me the tour and asked me if I wanted them to get shut down. I took full responsibility for our part in the situation and told her that the employee told us the safety requirements and we assured him we would just be bouldering. She proceeded to raise her voice with me, made me feel incredibly uncomfortable and was completely unprofessional. She gave me the quickest lesson, she was pissed the entire time and just left me hooked up to the wall and stomped off. Earlier in the conversation I told her that I was uncomfortable and just wanted to go back to bouldering and she berated me again and asked if I wanted to get them shut down. Whoever this is, needs to be taught how you should treat a customer and how you should treat and employee, with respect. Just because you have a higher up position does not make you better, or give you the right to yell at a customer or an employee (I'm assuming she yelled at him, because I didn't see him the rest of the time we were there). Teaching moments are important, but nobody will listen if your strategy is being demeaning. Take some time to self reflect and get off your high horse! As for the rest of the employees, facility and atmosphere. We loved it! Those two stars go to whoever that was managing that day. She needs to get it together, she was scary. Thanks for reading! read more

Wonderful facility. Very well laid out and a awesome look with all the shipping containers. Instructions were thorough and we were all able to remember everything l we were taught. The yoga, CrossFit and gym included in the membership is a nice plus. read more

This place is so much fun. Me and my fiancé have now done the groupon twice (you have to wait 6mo in between) but for $24 it's so worth it. You get the intro to belay class (great for beginners) and then free reign on the walls! It's a great workout. The groupon was good for a two week pass with guest passes too! read more

This place is a blast! I highly recommend taking the belying class. You get 2 weeks free and you don't have to rely on only the automatic ones. I have a 4 and 7 year old and they absolutely loved it and didn't want to leave! All the people are super helpful and are walking around making sure you're doing things correctly so everything feels so safe. Love coming here and my new addiction!! read more

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I love this place! It's so large and the variety of routes and climbing styles is fantastic! They really do have something for everyone and I could not be more pleased. I love the culture of the gym here. Fellow gym goers are always encouraging each other and helping each other to conquer new routes. People that are belay certified are always willing to belay you up a course, you just have to ask. I took an Intro to Belay class here. The staff was very knowledgeable and helpful during the course. They were willing to help us one on one until we were comfortable with the technique. Outside of the course, the staff is always friendly and approachable. They are always willing to help. For your things there are a lot of storage cubbies but not much in terms of security. However, I have never had an issue with security. read more

I purchased a two week trial membership for two from Groupon, and Sunday was our last day. If either of the two facilities were closer to where we live, we would definitely be purchasing a recurring monthly membership! We travelled to the Tampa location as much as we could and took full advantage of the privileges, and visited the St. Pete location both weekends. This was this as close to feeling like a kid again as I have ever gotten. My son and I loved every single visit, and we visited multiple times and even brought guests with us once (included in our membership purchase). I agree that the Tampa location has a slight sweaty/musty/chalky odor, likely because it is so much smaller than the St. Pete location and seems draw a LOT of customers. It also has more of a gym-like feel, but never at any time did it feel cramped or crowded, it was great! Most of the people who frequented this location looked like they meant business. The St. Pete location is more open, airy, colorful, and feels like it's about 10 times the size of the Tampa location, but it also has a more family fun center feel...more kids and families (maybe because it was the weekend), and it had a advanced climbing area open only to those who'd completed advanced training. We enjoyed both locations for different reasons. The one constant was the incredible friendliness and helpfulness of the staff, as well as the patrons. A lot very friendly people are drawn to climbing! We are definitely fans! read more

I love this place! I've been going here every Friday for several months now. I love the environment, everybody is so kind and the employees are awesome! They have everything you need for indoor climbing and exercise and above all FUN:) read more

Vertical Ventures - Rock Climbing Near Me - St. Petersburg, Florida

I took my co-workers here for a team expedition today and we had an absolutely exceptional time. The space is clean and well thought-out, and they had Top 40 music playing (softly) in the background which created a nice vibe, but wasn't intrusive where you couldn't wear your own headphones and zone it out. I've been indoor rock climbing a few times before and this is the most impressive space I've seen. It really has that WOW factor when you walk in. The actual rock climbing installations were pretty massive and had varying levels of height and difficulty. That being said, the staff is what made our experience truly remarkable. Brandon and Kelly (there was another girl and guy helping us too but I can't remember their names but they were awesome) were great instructors! You can tell they take a lot of pride in their work. Everyone was so helpful and attentive the entire time we were there. I've had instructors before at other venues that had an over-it attitude or talk down to you, but that was definitely NOT the case with this crew! In my opinion, indoor rock climbing is a great workout and self-esteem builder... and it's super inexpensive; the price per person breaks down to about the cost of a movie ticket. So do yourself a favor and check it out. I would recommend this for families, couples, friends, or a large group like I did today! Thank you guys we will definitely be back. read more

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