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Dowd YMCA
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Dilworth
400 E. Morehead Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
(704) 716-6100
400 E. Morehead Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
(704) 716-6100
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
6 reviews for Dowd YMCA
For the money, you really can't beat this deal. For half as much as I was paying for my gym membership in Chicago, I get an all-access membership to the YMCAs in Charlotte. The facilities are great, the staff are all helpful, and the Dowd Branch (probably the best location) is near my home.
I have heard a lot about the locker break-ins, but have been lucky so far (knock on wood).
Nice work, YMCA!
Good place for a workout, equipment is new, and facility is clean and well-maintained. Apparently, the women's locker room is newly redone and quite nice... the Men's locker room area is looking a bit, well, dowdy, but remains quite serviceable. Good size steam room.
VERY busy at 5-6 pm and especially in January with the resolution crowd like every other gym on the planet. We should have the suckers weeded out by March or so.
This YMCA is located in a very nice area. I see people running there for their first workout all the time. It's in close range to most of the Uptown apartments and townhomes, so there's no need to drive. It's right on the edge of town, so not busy with cars or too many people.
The facility is beautiful and the maintenance staff is really attentive to cleaning and making sure there are enough towels, etc. It has everything most YMCAs have, but the equipment looks new and they have more machines than other YMCAs I've been to.
There are many good and not-so-good things about the Dowd. Let me break it down:
Pros:
- Excellent modern facility. All the equipment is fairly new and works well.
- Fitlinx is a really cool free program you can use to keep track of your weight-lifting routine and your other exercise.
- Two good-sized pools (one warm, one cold).
- A large women's locker room that has a women-only workout area in it.
Cons:
- Lots of competitive people there trying to look cool.
- It's often packed and finding a parking spot is a pain.
- My locked locker was broken into in 2006 and my gym bag was stolen from it.
The Dowd YMCA is the Big Daddy of Charlotte gyms. It's got everything: a huge basketball court (great for lunctime and post-work pick-up games, as well as league games at night), a huge pool, an enormous weightroom, a large cardio room, two or three large spaces for workout classes, and an indoor track.
Where to begin? The hoops games are super competitive and fun. The classes range from kickboxing to Pilates to intense cardio drills--and there are different options depending on the hour and the day. Great staff (tons of them) patrol the grounds, and you can get an answer to any question you have instantly. The facilities are clean and more or less state-of-the art.
Also, if you like going to the gym to mingle and meet, this is your place. Everyone and their mother can be seen at the Dowd after work; it's a veritable meat-market, if you want it to be. And the eye-candy is choice.
The parking lot is huge but even that gets filled up during busy hours, so parking can be a hassle at times. Also, security at the Y can be iffy: there have been numerous car thefts/break-ins etc.
But it's still the best gym in town. By far.
By far the best gym/work out facility in Charlotte. Going to the Dowd Y is like going to work out and then going to the spa, it is a completely rejuvenating experience that's a great way to start... or end your day. I always leave the Y feeling fresh and clean and more alive than when I went in.
Not only do they have a completely renovated downstairs weight room, a number of racquetball and handball courts, row upon row of exercise bikes, treadmills and elliptical machines, but they also have top notch classes, trainers and programs. The Dowd has classes at different times throughout the day, so no matter what your schedule, chances are you can find a yoga class, or a spin class that works for you.
The Men's Locker Room ( I can't comment on the women's as I've never been in there) also boasts an exercise room featuring cardio machines and some free weights as well as areas to stretch and warm-up. There's also a huge whirlpool, steam room and sauna.
After a grueling workout, nothing beats the sauna, steam ,shower. combo. The whirlpool relaxes your muscles. The sauna opens up your pores, while the steam room helps clean out your respiratory system allowing you to feel revitalized , and the showers wash away the sweat and dirt from your workout preparing you to face the world at the top of your game.
The Dowd YMCA is a great place; with state of the art equipment , programs, classes and people.