Montecito Family YMCA

The Montecito YMCA Preschool is a wonderful experience!
The director, teachers and assistants are all exceptionally wonderful with my son. There are three classes (for the different age groups) and the entire preschool staff knows every child in each classroom by name. They are a fantastic team that work well together and truly love working with children.
The play time is creative, the education has really prepped my son for kindergarten (next year) and I love the time the kids get to enjoy in the «outdoor classroom.» My son loves hamming it up in the school performances. Plus, what other school offers walking field trips and swim lessons?
The preschool staff all have an open door policy, which many of the parents take advantage of. I’ve popped into the director’s (Annie Fischer) office several times to ask questions and gain insight and advice on parenting issues. She’s always happy to listen and give honest and great feedback.
Keep up the good work, Montecito YMCA Preschool!

Aside from the instructors, the management and staff here are very unfriendly, unorganized and unprofessional. I hope I can increase my rating at some point– but unfortunately after 2.5 years walking into the Montecito YMCA, nothing’s changed. I often look around, check my odor and wonder if it’s me… but I haven’t noticed them very friendly with others either. I’ve wasted my time and energy voicing my concerns or just merely asking a question– they don’t call back or return emails and everyone is «out». Suggestion to management… regional management for that matter– there needs to be customer service etiquette training within this YMCA. With that said, I really like a few instructors here! They are always friendly– one of the few reasons I keep coming back. The other would be location/​convenience.

My son who is now 22 still has fond memories of the Y’s preschool. It was a lifesaver for me because they would walk him across the street from MUS so I could pick him up any time the rest of the day. We really felt like part of the community.

I normally don’t write reviews and hate to do a negative one but I am so frustrated. I have been trying to get my daughters in for private swim classes for over 3 weeks now. I keep calling, they keep saying the aquatics director is not in (in a meeting, many excuses) and they will leave a message for her to call me back. Needless to say she never called me back. One man told me I had to come in and fill out forms. I came to fill in the forms and a woman told me it wasn’t needed yet but I did it anyway. After SEVEN more phone calls, I finally spoke to the director. She was not apologetic and told me that there are no open spots for privates and there is a wait list of 7 people ahead of me. The best part is she claimed she never got one of the messages that I called and she couldn’t locate my paperwork. What a poorly run department! I am taking my business elsewhere.

I have been a member on and off since a kid. great place to workout, not overcrowded so it can feel like a private gym if you go at the right time :)

The YMCA isnt for everyone but its perfect for our family. I dont really care for Spectrum, we like the family feel of the YMCA. Its very kid and family friendly

I’m giving it four stars because I really do love the Y in Montecito. I have worked out there for years, practically grew up there… and now my daughter is in the swim program and she LOVES it! However, I have to say, if it were not for the fabulous instructors and the friendly staff, I would give it a 0 star rating for firing the greatest swim coach that we have ever been blessed to have.
The «powers that be» allowed gossip and prejudice to supersede a man’s true gifts to the community and our children. This instructor knew just how to get each child to reach and then to exceed their perceived potential, and gently treated each child as an individual, knowing just how best to reach within and pull out greatness.
Montecito YMCA, you totally blew it. But, you are lucky that the deck is stacked with other great staff and mentors. Don’t blow it again by letting anyone else go, especially under such hazy and circumspect pretenses.

When I tell my sweetheart I’m going to this YMCA after work, I lovingly refer to it as «going to summer camp.» If you go, you’ll understand what I mean. Snuggled into a woodsy little pocket of Montecito a good mile away from the freeway, you park in a lot and then traverse a small foot bridge over a bubbling creek which is sometimes filled with the jabbering croaks of frogs.
But lest the camp-​like exterior belie the quality of getting your sweat on, let me assure you that it is a bona fide gym. Perhaps it is on the small side, but they have everything you need to get a good workout, including a huge fitness room that offers a nice variety of classes (my favorite is Alison’s spinning class). They have an excellent locker room which is always super clean and they offer full size lockers in which to store your things, which saves this camper from the pain of crumpled up work clothes. I’d say that’s worth a round of «kumbaya.»
Bonus tip: If, like me, you live in Ventura and work in Santa Barbara, you can join the Ventura Y (which as of this posting does not require an initiation fee) and use the Montecito Y up to 6 times a month free of charge!

I can only really speak for the gym. There is not much equipment, the place is a little rundown, and if you are used to a quality gym (i.e. the Santa Barbara/​Goleta Spectrum gyms), with new equipment, state-​of-​the-​art fitness classes, and towel service… this isn’t the right place for you.
The staff is very friendly, and most of the gym-​goers are friendly as well… but when I go to a gym, I need to be motivated by the people around me and the equipment/​facilities. This gym lacks that quality and ambiance. They do have a nice-​sized exercise room. But the staff seems very nice.