Dowd YMCA

Fantastic experience: Physical Therapist,TL is the absolute Best! TL conducts himself with the utmost knowledge,kindness,and professionalism.

Fantastic experience: This Y is a complete 180 from all the others in the area. I can't believe how nice it is, and it's still upgrading.

Fantastic experience: I love this place for the woman's locker room and classes. There's a whirlpool, sauna, and women's only workout room in the locker room. It can get pretty packed in the upstairs workout room, but the women's locker room stays pretty chill.

Fantastic experience: Always great. Nice layout for equipment. Customer service always great too!

Fantastic experience: I love this gym one of the best that I ever been.

Fantastic experience: Best gym I have ever been to. Love YMCA Dowd! Great staff. Clean and gym area well kept. Thank you.

Fantastic experience: I have a few gym memberships just to keep things interesting and it helps keep me motivated. They have a sauna, steam room, hot tub, and indoor pool which really make it stand out from other gyms. The Y is pretty much always busy when I go which is early morning but it’s also busy at night after 6pm. If you workout during the middle of the day you won’t have to wait on equipment to be free to use. Just a heads up on that. I don’t mind the wait because I like the equipment and the options. It is 4 stories, with racquetball courts, plenty of cardio equipment, group fitness classes, I stay in the weight area mainly and they have a turf area which I like. Plenty of barbells and chalk there too. There’s a women’s only center too so it’s good for women if they don’t feel comfortable around a large crowd of if yours first starting out. They have a coffee shop in there now and community work space if you want to work remotely there. There’s a pro shop that has sports drinks, snacks max pool accessories, and much more. The top floor is my favorite for outdoor workouts, the view is the best early mornings and during sunset. Those are the pictures you’re seeing.

Fantastic experience: I love the staff, really sweet. Great gym and enough space.

Fantastic experience: Great variety, tons of equipment, and very friendly staff!

Fantastic experience: Best gym in Charlotte.

Fantastic experience: The Dow YMCA was awesome great facility very claimed very friendly people and staff in a great community great parking I’ll give you guys a picture next time

Fantastic experience: Best YMCA on the east coast!

Fantastic experience: Great workout with great instructor

Fantastic experience: Best YMCA I've ever been too. There's so much to do and space. Im in love with the roof top track.

Fantastic experience: Best YMCA in the Metro. They still have racquetball courts.

Fantastic experience: The best gym I’ve ever been and at a very good price! I’m from Brazil and a gym like this would be 4x the price…

Fantastic experience: This YMCA has plenty of space and very open and welcoming. Loved my experience there and would definitely revisit there.

Fantastic experience: Always love this place when visiting in town. Lots of activities, fresh and clean, and courteous staff!

Fantastic experience: Best gym in Charlotte, amazing facility, great value. Nothing really compares to this place 10/10.

Fantastic experience: #dowdy that's my hashie lol I love coming here daily to exercise,revamp,meditate,pray and most of all relax my mind from life's topsy turns! The staff is kind and considerate. I love going to classes too when I can! It's honestly my fav place to hang out since getting back in Charlotte NC yayyyy! If you're unable to attend in person you can always visit the website and follow along with video workouts that are available for you online! I love to swim at Dowd Y! Howdy Dowdy!!! ❤️ Thanks for being so welcoming and making my membership a pleasant experience!

Fantastic experience: I have a few gym memberships just to keep things interesting and it helps keep me motivated. They have a sauna, steam room, hot tub, and indoor pool which really make it stand out from other gyms. The Y is pretty much always busy when I go which is early morning but it’s also busy at night after 6pm. If you workout during the middle of the day you won’t have to wait on equipment to be free to use. Just a heads up on that. I don’t mind the wait because I like the equipment and the options. It is 4 stories, with racquetball courts, plenty of cardio equipment, group fitness classes, I stay in the weight area mainly and they have a turf area which I like. Plenty of barbells and chalk there too. There’s a women’s only center too so it’s good for women if they don’t feel comfortable around a large crowd of if yours first starting out. They have a coffee shop in there now and community work space if you want to work remotely there. There’s a pro shop that has sports drinks, snacks max pool accessories, and much more. The top floor is my favorite for outdoor workouts, the view is the best early mornings and during sunset. Those are the pictures you’re seeing.

Positive experience: Nice place for working out! I wish to see more advanced weight lifting machines.

Fantastic experience: This YMCA has a lot to offer. It is very large with many amenities including swimming, a rooftop workout area and track, racquetball, workout classes, and more. I came as a visitor and was treated very well! I will come here again when I visit Charlotte. Shoutout to Dana at member services, thank you!

Fantastic experience: This gym reminds me of Equinox in NYC so much. I feel at peace here because they have a cleaning crew that is on top of their maintenance like no other. Super clean especially during times like this however I agree with the reviews below that the mask requirement is pointless. When I first moved to CLT, my home gym was Gateway where I was a part of their CrossFit tribe however since Gateway is no longer - I decided to rejoin the Dowd last month. I have been to a ton of boxes and I really appreciate the conservatve approach amongst the coaches. As with many boxes, coaches will always vary however here they are super attentive, never on their phone at all and really care that you get better. Outside the gym rate, the membership price is relatively lower compared to other gyms yet, you definiitely get more bang for your buck at the Dowd. At boutique gyms, you are very limited however at the Dowd, I have a variety of choices from swimming, Barre, Pliates, Cycle to Functioning Training. Participating in Cardio Dance class after work reminded me how much I missed options. I totally forgot that I was in class as the playlist was filled my favorite Soca and Caribbean tunes - I felt like I was at a party. If you are like me and you dont want to do the same routine everyday when it comes to fitness, join the Dowd - they truly have some thing for everyone. For me, this is the best workout facility in Charlotte in terms of value, variety as well as networking. Plenty of equipment, cleaning stations, comfortable locker room's and friendly staff. While I miss my cozy spot, Gateway, I am also a huge fun of this YMCA location.

Fantastic experience: Great spot to do it all plenty of free weight areas spread out throughout the weight machine areas. I do not use the locker room and haven’t even seen it in 2 years. So can’t comment on it. Overall great place to work out.

Fantastic experience: I can only speak for pre COVID experience. I feel like this is without a doubt the best gym in Charlotte. The equipment is top knotch. It’s is fairly busy at times but never to the point where you’re just waiting around forever. I do wish they had more ropes as the ones they have are bulkier than typical ropes. That’s about the only Complaint. After being in many other YMCAs, I now can only wish they had the equipment that DOWD has.

Fantastic experience: This Dowd has always been top notch. Staff has been friendly. Facility has been clean and safe. Equipment is up-to-date!

Fantastic experience: Great place to work out, multiple weight rooms, basketball courts, indoor and outdoor tracks

Fantastic experience: One of the best gym I been in very nice all the remodeling was worth it

Fantastic experience: Love the location and facility Wish hot yoga was back and more machines available now that we're required to wear masks even during exercise

Fantastic experience: The DOWD is awesome all the way around. Diverse class offerings with wonderful instructors, a number of different yet quality areas to work out and the mens locker room has 2 steam rooms 2 saunas a whirl pool and 2 areas to shower. Further the staff is always friendly and helpful. Best Y I have been to hands down.

Fantastic experience: Clean and well-maintained, with a large assortment of machines and weights. Pricing scales with income. Can get very busy during peak hours, but about an hour or two before closing it dies down fast; that's when I usually go.

Fantastic experience: I just finished my last shift as a lifeguard at the Dowd's aquatics center. I have never worked anywhere with a friendlier staff or friendlier members. The sense of community among the staff and members at this branch is incredible. I will cherish my experience here for years to come!

Fantastic experience: This gym is amazing and has so many amenities. It is one of the best family gyms to go to. It offers so many activities, clubs and other exciting things to do for the children. It also has so many great workout areas for any type of training, crossfit, cardio or meditation you would like to do. This location also provides the food and drink and their cafeteria and the staff is amazing

Fantastic experience: I've been going to the Dowd for a few years now and love it there everyone is friendly and they have done an Amazing job keeping the gym safe during covid.

Fantastic experience: Great facility. Lots of fitness equipment for various types of workouts and exercises. Swimming pool, CrossFit, group exercise, free weights, machines, complete cardio area. Basketball courts, racquetball and more.

Fantastic experience: Took the cycling classes yesterday with Gregg. Honestly, I’ve gone to many cycle classes in different studios in New York and Miami, and this class was top notch. Your equipment is awesome, the instructor was very motivating and helpful in keeping our alignment correct throughout the class, the big fans were amazing (someone get the instructor a fan too), and the structure of the class was perfect

Fantastic experience: So this YMCA is flush with cash from local corporations and is nicer than many athletic facilities at large college campuses (ie LSU, Bama, Uga). It has everything you'd expect to find in those gyms including multiple weight rooms, a track, basketball courts, fitness classes, dance studios. The only thing is the gym does get crowded and some (not all) staff are rude. The gym is also the only traditional gym in Southend and not some specialized fitness class like orange theory fitness they are strict about social distance and the crowd ranges from fresh out of college to older adults. One thing that is clear is that there is a heavy number of obvious steroid users at this gym.

Fantastic experience: Wow, this place is incredible. The people here are wonderful too.

Fantastic experience: This branch has helped me get in shape so many times. I live farther away but I think it will always be my favorite YMCA and gym.

Fantastic experience: The dowd is amazing! For what I think is a pretty low price of $50 they have amazing cycling and yoga classes, all the weights you could ever need, personal training, and awesome locker rooms. Sometimes even when I dont want to workout I will go just to sit in the steamroom for 15 minutes. One of the nicest YMCAs i've seen in the country. Happy it is in my hometown!

Fantastic experience: Enjoying the outside workout equipment...plus the staff is doing everything they can to keep us safe during pandemic....equipment spaced out...hand sanitizer and clorox wipes ready clean equipment before. And after use....thank you ymca team

Fantastic experience: Great gym for a good price. Free towels, water fountains, clean locker rooms, and good equipment. Amazing place for the price. I recommend going around 9am-10am, 1:30-2pm, or 8-10pm. Those are the best times to show up bc the crowds are small.

Fantastic experience: Excellent facilities, great staff, and amazing classes of many activites including cycling, yoga, swimming and many more.

Fantastic experience: The absolute best YMCA I have ever been to! Charlotte people, you really don’t know how good you have it, until you try to go to any other YMCA in the country. They’re typically dirty, way out of date on EVERYTHING! The only thing they’re current on is the pricing at the other YMCA’s. It’s obviously not a policy throughout the YMCA to uphold any basic standards. Charlotte, you sure are lucky to have the Dowd.

Fantastic experience: Beautiful gym, extremely clean and great customer service. If you plan on joining ask for Tiffany, she is awesome!

Fantastic experience: This gym is the best in Charlotte. It is of course busy after 4:30pm most days (as is every other gym), but it has everything anyone could ever need and more. Plenty of bench racks, squat racks and deadlifting platforms. Sauna, steam room, pool and hot tub. I am very satisfied.

Fantastic experience: The renovations are amazing. I mostly swim laps and the cold pools a nice temperature for laps, also really clean. The workout equipment is great too and the new barre/yoga rooms are really nice. Great gym for the price and what they offer.

Fantastic experience: I really enjoy the water aerobics classes they offer! Everyone in the class is so nice and accommodating!

Fantastic experience: Great service. awesome facilities and one the best gyms ever. Love it Any YMCA around Charlotte are amazing.

Fantastic experience: My personal favorite YMCA gym. They have everything you could want: cardio equipment, weights, pools, and lots if classes. The ongoing remodel has included a new primary health clinic in it as well! Locket room has towel services, sauna and a hot tub.

Fantastic experience: A wonderful place to work out! There is a large range of equipment to exercise with. There are also a range of classes to take. Check their weekly schedule. Locker rooms are spacious and equipped with changing booths, a shower room, steam room, sauna, and jetted tub. Basketball is frequently played in the court here. A small essentials store is inside the building. They are currently undergoing a major remodel both inside the building and outside in their parking lot. You'd have to park in the parking deck across the street. Unfortunately, their child daycare is unavailable because of the construction.