McGrath Family YMCA

I have a confession to make. I’ve been a member of this place for 6 months and have yet to use it. I am also guilty of owning a very fancy expensive treadmill, one that has a tv screen that shows you real trails and famous runs like the Boston Marathon so you feel like there there. Yup, I admit it makes a mighty fine clothes drying rack for my delicates.
Having a gym membership and equipment at home, there is really no excuse for being overweight and out of shape. But there is a reason. I’m lazy and I like to drink. I’m living proof that just because someone is vegetarian doesn’t mean they are healthy. I eat plenty of veggies, but also consume most of my fruit and calories via wine and martinis.
Tis the year I decided it’s time for some new healthy habits. Usually I drop the kids off for camp or open swim while I shop at Tar-​zhay. This time I decided to go beyond the front desk and requested a tour of the McGrath YMCA. The young people at the counter were confused as to how one could have a membership and never personally used it. It’s called parenting life — and yes, the struggle is real.
We got a tour and wow, I had no idea this place was so big. There are many machines and equipment, enough that if it was crowded (which it wasn’t, but if), you can always find something to work out. Every area was clearly defined with visual signage «cardio» «stretching» etc. They also have multiple rooms for literally hundreds of classes. The place smells of cleanly newness and not sweaty pits. They have free orientations to teach you how to use the equipment. You can also hire personal trainers. There is even a massage room, where they offer various types for purchase. After a good workout I like to open the pores and relax the muscles, so I was disappointed there isn’t a steam room. The jacuzzi is outside and only available during pool hours.
I got a schedule of group classes and found they have several family workouts. My idea of a good work out is getting away from the kids. However, having exhausted kids is never a bad thing. I’m looking forward to getting in shape and getting them tired, so when bedtime strikes at 8pm my glass of wine will be ready at 8:01.

Best gym that I’ve experienced here in rancho San Diego great equipment stays relatively cam throughout the day can’t beat the prices child watch so many programs to get involved in staff is friendly I have made this my daily gym and I’ve been a regular here now for over a year this review is long overdue but I can’t say enough about this gym going to continue coming here 18 check ins so I know what this gym is like

I am so thankful this gym came to Rancho. As a new facility, it’s great because of the cleanliness and new/​updated equipment.
My first experience with this location was during the summer. I tried their 2 week promotion — free access to the gym and all classes. I ended up returning to East Coast and getting a membership there. I come here when visiting because they honor AWAY memberships: Every time I come to visit, I get 30 days free.
The classes here are great. I’m obsessed with the KettleWorks class and the Body Pump class. The staff is incredibly friendly, professional, and helpful.

Love this gym ! Literally the best gym I ever been to ! This staff is very friendly and zumba classes here are awesome ! Haven’t had the time to go back to Zumba due to school but will be going back soon ! Miss it too much !!

I really like this location. Has quite a good selection and variety of gym equipment. I enjoy the scenery through the windows of the mountains and nature while working out. I wish though younger children would be better supervised or have another area to exercise. Love this location over other Y’s.

We stopped by YMCA on a whim with baby bear in tow. They have a August special: 2 weeks free before you join. We met with Martha who gave us a tour. She directed us to leave our son in the child watch so we can sample that perk while we got the full tour. That took a load off makes me want to exercise for 2 hours everyday haha! They have a splash park, 2 swimming pools, jacuzzi, nice shower rooms, a digital scale to weigh yourself, a huge basketball court that’s always being used and you can view from the lobby and upstairs windows, lockers for keys etc, the gym upstairs is so clean and up to date nice machines, they have a help desk upstairs and Fadi took great care of me teaching me some pointers on machines reps etc, the child watch is great with Maryanna is so sweet, they have a nice baseball field outside, rock climbing across the parking lot for kids and adults, and a kids park used for camps. We ran into friends here and they said how great it is too. Can’t wait to join!

What a facility! Great atmosphere and the equipment is always in good repair. I love the pool and the kids play area. I have been a member since the opening and plan to stay with them until we move out of the area. Thanks YMCA!

Great for families. The childcare is awesome! I love the staff in the infant room. The pools are great… and clean. I do wish they had more than two stairmasters. On the plus side, the cycling bikes are brand new and there are plenty of them. Very friendly staff too.

Came here one day because I was interested in swimming Lessons for my son (who’s almost 2) and the lady helping me mentioned that it would be cheaper to get a membership since they offer free swimming lessons for 3yr olds and younger, and also free day care amongst other activities. So that was a no brainer since I had been thinking of joining a gym anyways. From day one the staff has been great, they are very helpful and friendly. Always get greeted on my way in, and out as well. The daycare is also great, my son had fun and they were very nice. I’ve been there late afternoons during the week and early mornings on the weekends and it’s not too bad. Not too crowded like I thought it would be. They offer classes and I’ve only tried body pump so far and I looove it! It’s a great workout and the instructors are very good. I was sore for days! My only complaint would be that they should def add more classes in the evening since most people (like myself) work mornings. Lots of stuff to do here and great family atmosphere

I have been to several gyms and I believe this gym is so-​so. The pros is that it’s very clean and has a variety of equipment that you can use. The pools are excellent and the locker room is clean. The cons is that it’s a small facility and doesn’t have the most up to date equipment compared to another YMCA I’ve been to. This YMCA gets extremely packed and it becomes nearly impossible to get in a full workout. I’ve worked out at many different times during the day and it just seems to always get busy. The staff is very friendly!

I go to the gym here every day, overall really nice clean place to work out not to crowded but there is still a nice vibe there. The people are really cool and are there to help you!
There is also kids areas and a teen center if you have kids and you need a place to leave them, they will take great care of them

Love the gym! It seriously feels like a resort! The reason why I give 4 stars is because on my first day nobody offered me a tour or any information. I felt lost! But after walking around I figured it out. The people at the front desk will make you feel like an inconvenience if you have any questions. Beware! ;)

I love this place. I love the indoor pool. I love the family changing rooms. It’s very accessible for disabled. The staff is friendly and very helpful. I wish I could go more frequently. If they could add a juice bar like the Mission Valley Y, I would give them five stars.

I wish i can give this place a 0 stars because they have the rudest and unprofessional staff that i have ever seen. Every time we reserve the indoor soccer field at night, ymca forget to open the lights or give our reservation to another people and they tell us to come back another day.

I only give this place 1 star for the gymnastics program. The gymnastics alone is 4 ½ stars. The instructors are great and my daughter love the program.
The swimming lessons are HORRIBLE!!! They let other people swim during the lesson time and the kids are distracted. Parents argue with the lifeguards over swim space during lessons. The swim instructor is ok but there is too much going on around for a kid to focus. The swim lessons are cheap and you get what you pay for. I brought my daughter during open swim and was kicked out of an empty lap pool because it was lap swim only. We were the only ones in the pool and still were asked to leave the pool. I will never take my kid to this pool again.

I have never been to a better gym. Short of going into Beverly Hills, or maybe some overhyped/​priced place in Solana Beach, this gym is the crème de la crème. Beautiful, spacious, upscale, clean, extra friendly, the list goes on. As always, money talks, bullshit rides the bus, and people in Rancho have the nicest facility available to them because they overpaid for it.
McGrath renovated several times since its initial opening in 2010. Since then it’s added an indoor and outdoor pool, a Jacuzzi, a small kiddie water park, baseball field, soccer field, annexed trails near the Sweetwater River, and DOUBLED it’s already massive upstairs weight room. Off the top of my head the upstairs has three studios for aerobics, Zumba, etc. and one is fully devoted to cycle classes. The downstairs also has/​had a cycle studio, the largest indoor basketball court short of high schools’, and a nursery. The locker rooms dwarf other locker rooms found at 24 Hour, YMCAs, Gold’s, etc. I think the ceiling height is ~14 or 15 feet. Lots of nice lockers, no funky carpet smell, clean urinals that are eco friendly, a clean shower room, and of course, obligatory flat screens on the wall. If I can’t watch Sports Center while a towel-​dry my *****, why even bother paying a monthly fee… Ostentatious excessiveness aside, the locker rooms are pretty nice.
The staff. The staff ranges from hot to haut. I’m not being superficial. These are some friendly and VERY attractive people here. Not only that, nearly all of them have college experience or degrees in exercise science or kinesiology. So they’re smart cookies when it comes to proper lifting, conditioning and exercise regimes. Really great staff.
And if the staff’s hot, you can bet the clientele is hotter. This IS a meat market gym. The girls wear make-​up, the boys are all tan and cliquey, everyone has money, nobody has any responsibility. The clientele at this gym can be extra obnoxious, especially at 6 pm when everyone piles in from work and school. But most everyone is nice and friendly.
This is definitely a perfect score for me. I live in North East County, and I still drive into South East County to go workout at McGrath at least twice a month. There simply isn’t a better gym in east San Diego.

I’m giving this place more credit after their little expansion. The weight area is pretty nice and at 530am not too many people. I like how I can just scan in now.
Not sure how it works when you are not coming to work out and just want to watch kids play… Your Own kid I would hope and not because you enjoy watching random kids playing :/​
If groups of kids give you a mini panic attack like they do to me and you want to avoid them, I would suggest coming early mornings on weekdays. Otherwise the parking lot looks like an ant farm and driving can cause you to be extra precautions and paranoid.
Kids also have no sense of personal space. Walking in the front door seems like a football field. Got to side kick and run upstairs before the little boogers can bump into you with all their germies.
What i still don’t like: there is totally room for a steam room in the women’s room so they should consider one and if possible a sauna as well. Also add more active yoga classes. The other yoga classes are meant for the very old which is very cute and needed. If you decide on a huge sauna then we could have hot yoga :)))) and I would give this place bajillion starz.

If you are looking for a gym that is focused on helping you reach your health and fitness goals. Not only are there tons of classes that are geared for all your needs, the people who actually go to the gym are all focused on the same thing. Fitness! There aren’t any people there to slam weights on the ground and grunt like they’re having babies. The gym itself is always clean and well kept. Overall best gym ever.

Very clean facility. We use it primarily for the pool. For some reason, most pools make me sneeze either halfway through my swim or after. It’s annoying. This Y’s pool doesn’t cause me to react. This is a bonus, the pool is sparkling AND I’, not sneezy? Bonus.
Machines upstairs are clean, not too busy.
I played a season of women’s softball with them, they kept score for us, furnished umps, the whole gammit.
I love the long hours available for swimming. We have taken the Master’s class as well.
I agree that it would be nice to have more classes available, but I’m still happy regardless. Reasonable pricing for our military family.

I went to this YMCA for the first time this week… wow, what a beautiful facility, with such a nice «vibe» too.
I took Bridgette’s 7am Gentle Yoga class on Monday and I was happy beyond expectations. She’s very kind and sweet and an excellent instructor, teaching in such a soothing and gentle manner that is so non-​judgmental. She has mastered the art of being able to teach in such a thoughtful and clear way such that I can almost always follow along without having to look to see what she or other students are doing.
I’m looking forward to having an orientation at this facility so I can get familiar with the equipment… it’s all very nice and clean and very inviting.