Riverside Swimming Centre is a no frills leisure centre but it is perfectly adequate and has been…read morethe place we have taken our children to for the last few years. There are two pools, a main pool and a teaching/childrens pool which is slightly warmer than the main pool and has a few steps leading down into it. They often have fun floats and woggles on the side for public use. My children loved us taking them here for a swim around and now that they are more confident in the water they have just started having lessons by themselves. They are in a group of no more than eight children and the lesson is taken by two instructors. They really look forward to this every week as the lessons are made quite fun and yet they are making good progress. You can watch them from the viewing area on the other side of the glass too. The only negative is that the changing rooms are quite cramped. There are a couple of family changing rooms if you can get one. These have got a shower in them and baby changing facilities, but the floor sometimes looks as if it could do with a bit of a clean. All in all though a reasonable pool.

The Oasis Sports and Leisure club is situated in Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich. The original building…read moreused to be a private house and has been added to over time to accomodate all that the club has to offer. As it is not part of a chain it has a unique and personal feel to it. I was a member some time ago and enjoyed following a fitness programme in the gym using the cardio machines and fixed/free weights. They have a wide range of equipment. The swimming pool area is peaceful. There are two pools, one open to children and the other adult only. As you would expect there is a jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and also aromatherapy room to unwind in. They also have a full programme of fitness classes which are well worth attending. These are also open to non-members, as is the restaurant. The food here is good and as well as dining inside, there is a patio area outside. Great place to meet friends for a coffee. They also have a supervised baby and toddler play area, which can cater for children'is parties too. I have been to one here and the children had a great time. They also have beauty treatments here, tennis and squash facilities but I haven't tried them so can't comment. They often have quiz nights and other socials so would be a great place to join for friendship as well as to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Located 15 mins from Norwich in Poringland is the Playbarn. Young children will relish the delights…read moreof this place which has activities indoors and out. Some of the outdoor activities are only open Easter to October such as the small farm, pony rides and tractor trailer rides and maze. Other than that it is open most of the year but not on Mondays, or Saturdays when it has private parties. Indoors there is a small soft play area, with a separate area nearby for babies, the 'duck' pond (ball pit) area, a sandpit in the barn, and a book corner. There are also outdoor play areas when the weather's fine. The only problem I find when we go is that it can be hard to keep an eye on both children at once if they want to do different things because it's not altogether under one roof. Fantastic for little ones though - worth a visit!

fantastic day out for kids of all ages. lots of indoors and…read moreoutdoor activities to do - including ride on's, climbing, sandpits, maze and petting area.There's a great indoor soft plays area for the really small ones, and a cafe for tired parents. they do birthday parties too, where you can either mingle with the others or hire out the entire place - the rates are really reasonable considering what you get. Its a shame that there's no public transport links really, as you have to drive to get there. other than that, its fantastic.

Recently taken over and refurbished…read more Good quality equipment, and excellent prices which are affordable to everyone. Very popular with all ages, from young to old. Classes are also held by professionals in the evening, inc spinning, etc The squash courts could be spruced up a little, a paint, etc. Its nice to see it being used, and so busy.

Located near Trowse just a couple of miles from the city centre is Whitlingham Country Park…read more Parking is easy but you do have to pay. It is adjacent to the Visitor Centre which opened in 2006 from which you can relax in the cafe and enjoy views over the broad. We often come here to just walk around the Great Broad (about 3 miles) or for the children to enjoy playing at the man-made beach by the Little Broad. We enjoy watching all that goes on here as they have a full range of water-based activities. A great place to picnic in the summer and take it all in. Bird lovers will also enjoy a trip here. Cyclists too can enjoy a ride in safe and pleasant surroundings. I hope one day that their will be a bridge built over the River Yare so that easy access to the site can be made from the other side of the city in Thorpe St Andrew.

Greens is located near the city centre and so is a prime place to go for those working there, as…read morewell as those living nearby. You have to be a member to use the facilities but they have quite a wide choice of membership options so you should be able to find one to suit your time and budget. It is a trendy glass-fronted building and inside everything is kept immaculately clean. The changing areas are tastefully done and well equipped with hairdryers etc, but there are not that many private cubicles so be warned. The pool area is divided into slow and fast lane areas and at times during the day is open to children to use, or used for aqua classes. Surrounding the pool are three spas, saunas and a steam room. It is very light and spacious and there is a very calm and relaxed atmosphere. Great to unwind after a long day. Upstairs there is a fully equipped weights room and cardio room. It also has a fitness studio with a fantastic range of classes. I have tried most of them and have now got my favourites. The great thing is that you get all sorts of people there; male and female, young and old, all different sizes! So you should never feel out of place. The only thing is that the classes are very popular and you often have to book up the week beforehand to avoid disappointment. If you are thinking you need to get into shape or de-stress somewhere then Greens can offer you a great place to do so.

I have been a member at Green's Health & Fitness for four years now and have finally had enough…read more The good points: The facilities are above average, with a decent cardio, resistance and weights section in the gym, and the pool, sauna, steam and ice room aren't bad either. The bad points: It is not at all good value for money. As of 13/03/2011 my peak membership (any time any day) is £59.50 per month, and this has significantly increased since I joined (regardless of the recession), and I really do not see where the money goes! Since I have been a member I have seen two new rowing machines and a machine that nobody knows what it does or how to use it! The shower area is not particularly clean (with mould growing on the roof tiles). There is regularly either the sauna, steam room or a jacuzzi out of action at any one time (either they are very unreliable or they turn them off and out of order to save on costs near the end of the month). They increased the car park size which was good, however in the process removed any way cyclists could enter - Cyclists either had to illegally ridge over a hatched bit of road then mount the sharp kerb against the flow of traffic (on a busy road), or ride on the pavement (also illegal) or ride up the the entry barrier, get off the bike, limbo under the barrier and get back on! As an organisation encouraging health and fitness, it would be common sense to promote the use of a bicycle to get to and from the gym rather than driving! This was mentioned to the management and nothing ever came of it. Unfortunately what pushed me over the edge to leave the Green's was the management and their lack of care for members. Whilst operating the wall light switch on the poolside w/c I was elecrocuted by a mains electric shock due to a wet and rusty light switch (this should have been an automatic light switch, or a waterproof/pull switch). I mentioned this to the management and they said 'we'll look into it'. A month later nothing was done so I mentioned it again and still, 3 months after I mentioned it nothing has been done. It's a shame that my £59.50 a month membership cannot go towards a new switch and that the £20 or so they will save is more important than memebers getting mains electric shocks. I would seriously warn anyone from joining Green's as they do not care for members

Not only a leisure park & gym, this place is also a hotel and has a bar open to the public. parking…read moreis available.

Eaton park is one of the best green spaces in Norwich. It is great for sports and has pitch and…read moreputt, tennis, bowls and croquet areas. There are also flat playing fields for more informal ball games and running around. All the paths are smooth and flat and are ideal for children to ride their bikes on in a safe environment away from roads. My children's favourite part is of course the play area which is all built over sand so don't forget to bring your buckets and spades with you too! As well as spending a great deal of time here we also like to play games of Hide and Seek in and around the Rose Garden and try and spot fish and frogs in the Lily Pond. Be warned if you have very young children as this is not fenced off. There is also a model steam railway (open Sundays only in the summer) and a model yacht pond. The focal point of the park is the bandstand in the centre of the park. A small coffee shop and toilet facilities are also to be found near here. We always enjoy our time here and of course it's free!