Tuckahoe Familly YMCA

Tuckahoe YMCA is fantastic for so many reasons, so let me count the ways!
1) Great equipment, and plenty of it. I never have a problem getting cardio equipment; at most, I’ve had to wait 5 – 10 minutes for a treadmill.
2) Really (really!) friendly and helpful staff.
3) Great classes. I’ve taken boot camp, body sculpt, yoga, and spinning, and have loved every class/​instructor. They recently added Barre to their repertoire, and the classes have been fantastic! Note that the Barre classes book up online REALLY fast (we are talking within minutes of the class sign-​up going live) so be prepared.
4) Convenient location/​parking.
5) Really great value for your money.

Yes, there are YMCAs all over the country, in fact there are a bunch in Richmond, but this Y has some distinctive features.
I used to go to the Y as my main gym. It may not be fancy or new, but it’s got every machine you can want. Remember, you have to sign up on a clip board near the front of the gym if you want to use a treadmill. If you forget, someone else can sign up and kick you off your machine! Yes, this did happen to me before.
Along with traditional gym equipment, this Y has a track, group fitness classes, two pools, a rock wall and other stuff. I’ve always liked that there’s an adult pool and a kids’ pool. This way those who want to swim laps can swim without kids getting in the way. The lap pool does fill up during peak times, though.
There’s also a full schedule of fitness classes including yoga, pilates, step aerobics, water aerobics, toning/​weight lifting classes and whatever’s in style at the moment. I always thought the instructors were good and friendly.
I generally pick my gym on proximity to my house, so when I moved, I moved my membership. I was definitely happy with the Y when I went there, though. There’s also a place for babysitting while parents’ are working out.