Peninsula Family YMCA

The staff is super friendly, although I may be a bit biased :)
The Peninsula Y provides a cool indoor/​outdoor space: you can bring a Spin bike outside to bike under the stars in the evening and feel cooled by the breeze.
Or choose to run indoors on a new treadmill and get lost in the new TVs on each treadmill.

If you’re the kind of person who comes to the gym to socialize, hang out, and if there’s time do some light cardio, this is the perfect gym for you.
If you come to the gym to get stronger, I’d look elsewhere. The priority here is cardio and machines.
The good news is the free weight equipment is relatively new, just a few years old. The bad news is there isn’t much of it. There’s one squat rack, which is often busy. Don’t worry though, the two Smith machines are often available and will keep you nice and weak, if that’s what you’re into.
There are about 6 each of the nice rubber weights. So if there is more than one strong person working out you’ll need to walk down the hall and outside to bring the old, rusty weights into the gym, risking tetanus in the process.
It’s pretty hot in the summer time. They have two large garage doors, but only open one of them because, according to multiple employees, they don’t want cool sea air inside the gym. Instead, a few fans helpfully push warm air around.
The staff there are generally cool, they greet me by name and engage in friendly conversation. It’s the management that prioritizes the gym toward the older crowd.
I only keep coming here because it’s close. I really should drive a little further to go to a real gym.

The staff was very sweet! The gym was open (so no AC, but who cares) and there was an outdoor section! All the cross trainers and treadmills were of the latest model and the machines were awesome! they had a flexibility/​stretch machine I have never seen before! Everything was clean and kept neat and the outdoor swimming pool has a swim area AND 8 lanes for lap swimming!
Out of all the YMCAs I’ve been to around the country on vacation, this tops it!

I’ve played soccer here in a few leagues and enjoyed it. The boards on the fields need a little work and some of the organization of the league and logistics seems a bit weird but overall all the refs are cool and the players don’t seem like they are out to hurt you like at other indoor facilities I’ve played at.

This is going to be a great place to go when I need to get a quick swim in while I’m at work.
Needs a little updating, but I can deal with it. :)

If I could give no stars I would. YMCA value is respect (that’s what they promote); however, there is no respect to members. Been taking cycle classes for the last 6 months or so. Sunday 10:10 am class has a «no show» instructor regularly; when there is an instructor it is not uncommon to start late; cycle instructors who don’t ride with the class; required to sign up for the class however when there is no instructor there is no respect in calling those who sign up (must leave a phone number when signing up). Quality of cycle class is overall average to poor. I’ve complained to the Manager at this facility and again no respect shown in fixing the problem so I’ve taken to Unilocal.Staff on-​site is clueless as to what is going on and how to remedy since there is obviously no back-​up plan. Today I showed up yet again for the schedculed class again with no insructor and clueless staff as to what to do for a replacement. Fees have increased and this facility is not worth the price.

I’m not sure how I truly feel about this ymca. I say that because, I have only dealt with the aquatics portion of the business and no others.
The coordinator Lindsey is great! She definitely knows how to take care of business and answer any questions you may have about the swimming classes.
On the other hand, the staff that check in its members (my family and I are not members so we pay the non-​member rates) and take payment for the different programs are not that great!
There has been numerous occasions where I have had to make double trips because apparently there’s no cash in the register to make change for any bills. And I just love how in the middle of your transaction they stop smack dead in the middle to accommodate a member by checking them in. It’s called patience and I believe they can wait a few seconds to be checked into the Y.
Side note: Pay with a card and save yourself the trouble of having to come back due to piss poor management not making sure registers are stocked with at least 50 bucks in change!

The positives:
There is usually no wait for running machine etc.
Good up to date cardio equipment.
The negatives:
1) To me the pool is cold, it’s painful to get into, then only warms up slightly when you start swimming, meanwhile I’m battling goosebumps the whole time. I spoke with another girl who left this Y for the mission valley one, because it has a warmer pool. My boyfriend disagrees and says this pool is a good temperature, so it could just be because I am thin skinned, but I also see the little kids literally shaking with cold while they are swimming.
2) The running machines are facing a wall. This feels weird for me, I realize there are tvs to look at, but I still think it would be more fun to run facing the gym.

Great place to workout, it’s never to busy, and there’s always equipment open. If you’re a vet you can save 20% on your monthly bill. And the initiation fee. Doesn’t get better then that

I really enjoy coming to this Y as it is 300 yards from my house. The pool is usually heated to 83 degrees and the therapy pool is wonderful for my aching bones and muscles after a workout. Just wish it would stay open later during the week as it closes at 8:30pm.

This is the best Y I have ever been to when it comes to working out. Nice pool, great equipment, and awesomely helpful staff! I dont see too many kids around here so that is kinda weird to me at a Y, but I don’t mind :) I LOVE my Y!

Love my Y!

The pool is pretty packed but the new gym is great

I really enjoyed this place because I enjoy swimming. However it ended up that the drive was too far for me. I ended up getting a membership at Wave House Athletic Club as they have just as wonderful a pool, in fact the pool at Wave House was much less crowded and most of the time very quiet.

Love the pool, but could do without all the little kids. I feel like I’ve stepped into a giant day care center every time I go here. They let the swim teams from a couple of schools practice here. It’s not very relaxing to sit in the jacuzzi with 25 kids…
As for the rest of the gym-​the yoga classes are held next door in the church, where they have a giant pad on the floor making the balancing poses difficult. It also smells kind of funny in there-​like my Grandma’s house which I find oddly comforting. That being said-​the Monday night yoga class at 6:30 with Banoo is wonderful. She is Persian and has the most soothing voice.

As bad as the parking is here-​in a cramped lot overlooking the middle school kids smoking pot and attempting to have sex in the bushes, this just happens to be a very good YMCA. It has somewhat recently undergone a nice renovation that enhanced the work-​out and fitness class areas as well as expanded the pool area. My favorite is the 1^st class whirlpool-​the kind that is found in the professional weight rooms of the Chargers and Padres.
This long thin arc of wonderfulness throws intensely agitated water at every part that hurts. As much as I adore jacuzzi’s, when the muscles are aching after intense work-​outs: this is where you want to be!
The lap pool is excellent and very well-​maintained. I used to live in an apartment right across the street and watched fascinated-​all day long at all the water activities that take place here: swim meets, disabled adult swim programs, «water babies” — (which both my kids attended) and scuba lessons in the evening.
One of my kids even threw a massive Birthday party here at the pool one year that was the talk of her Junior High class! What’s nice for families in the area is that this YMCA sponsors wonderful summer programs that keep the kids active and out of trouble. You drop them off at the baseball park in the morning and pick them up after afternoon swim in the evening.
Surf Camp, Fishing Camp, trips to Knott’s Water Park, Adventure Camp – you name it, they got it. If you don’t have much money, they offer scholarship programs to those in need. If you have to do Community Service for a bad rap from the judge, you can do that here too-(but supervised, of course!)
This is a great facility, and if you can stand the drive, walk, or steep bike-​ride up the big Valeta Street hill, you will find an oasis of athletic awesomeness awaits you. I consider myself so blessed and lucky to live nearby. Please go check it out for yourself!

Okay, if you’re looking for an impressive weight room, this isn’t the place. And if you’re looking for an amazing swimming pool, you’ll find theirs to be just adequate. (Though I think an expansion is in the works; but with the economy, who knows when that might actually happen).
But if you’re looking for fitness classes five days a week, where you’d be spending a lot more money than the $ 30 a month or so they charge you, this is the place. I just started taking a yoga class, and am thrilled to have access to all that they provide.