10 Best Gyms With Pools, Saunas, & Hot Tubs

Joining a gym that has a pool, sauna, or hot tub can enhance muscle recovery, aid in rehabilitation after an injury or surgery, or give your kids something fun to do while you work out.  

Here are the best gyms with pools, saunas, and hot tubs:

1. Best for Aqua Classes – GoodLife Fitness
2. Best for Families – YMCA 
3. Best for Lifters – World Gym
4. Best Budget Pick – LA Fitness
5. Best Luxury Pick – Equinox  
6. Best Pool Facilities – Life Time Fitness
7. Good Indoor Facilities – Gold’s Gym
8. Good Luxury Classes – Onelife Fitness
9. Good Budget Pick – 24 Hour Fitness
10. Good Atmosphere – Crunch Fitness

We sent a writer, Amanda Dvorak, to all the popular gyms near her home in Wayne, New Jersey, and also called them to verify their amenities.

Don't miss the details about the gyms before committing so you don't waste money. Below, you'll find the pool facilities and if they're included in a membership.

1.  Best for Aqua Classes – GoodLife Fitness

GoodLife Fitness offers three different membership plans that allow you to access the pool facilities with different conditions. They are: 

• Essential – $26.99 every other week 
• Premium – $31.99 every other week 
• Ultimate – $36.99 every other week 

All of these membership plans allow you to access the swimming pools, but you can only use the sauna if you’re on the Ultimate plan. 

With the Essential plan, you select one home gym, the only pool facility you can access. However, with the Premium and Ultimate options, you can choose any of the 200+ GoodLife gyms, so you have a wider range of pools and saunas to choose from. 

GoodLife Fitness is also known for its extensive aqua class timetable.

They offer multiple classes, including Aqua Abs, Aqua Athletic Training, Aqua Fit, and Aqua Zumba. Their classes range from low to high intensity and you can even filter their online timetable according to your preferences. 

They have a detailed health and safety protocol called The GoodLife Standard. This includes their best practices for infection prevention, cleaning, and sanitization of the pool areas. 

Goodlife Fitness is also one of the best gyms with showers, so the details are in the full post. I also compared Goodlife Fitness against Anytime Fitness, LA Fitness, and Fit4Less.

2. Best for Families – YMCA

The YMCA is a family-friendly facility that offers childcare services to keep your kids occupied while you dip in the pool. 

While most YMCA locations have a pool, sauna, and hot tub, some locations even have indoor and outdoor pools with slides. 

The ‘Y’ offers some of the lowest membership prices that you’ll find ($29/month for 18-29-year-olds and $39/month for adults over 30 years old), and they offer partner and family memberships at a slight discount ($64/month for up to two adults).

Pool access is available with every membership. An adult must always supervise children around the pool and gym unless you’re using the YMCA’s childcare facilities.

The YMCA locations offer a range of swimming lessons and courses that you and your children can participate in. During these sessions, you will learn important swim skills in and around the water. Their lessons include three options – basic, safety, and survival swim skills. 

The downside to the gyms is the difficulty in reserving a time slot for the pool. The YMCA is a popular franchise, and the pools are often packed, especially during peak hours. You need to schedule and book your swim sessions well in advance, and you will often find yourself booking several days ahead of time to reserve your desired time slot. 

Many of the YMCA’s aquatic classes are either early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid work and school hours. If you normally work out at either of these times of the day, you might have to rearrange your usual schedule to squeeze in time for one of their swimming classes. 

YMCA is also one of the best gyms for seniors, so I shared a full post for more. I also compared YMC against top gyms, including Life Time Fitness, LA Fitness, and Anytime Fitness.

3. Best for Lifters – World Gym

World Gym is known for its extensive range of free weights, strength machines, and cardio machines, but it also has pools and saunas in most locations. 

The gym is open 24/7, but very little information is available online regarding the pool opening hours since the pool hours will vary from location to location.  

World Gym also doesn't offer aqua classes like other gyms with pools.  

The costs of World Gym memberships vary depending on the specific location, but they start at around $20/month. They offer an all-access, three-month, and one-month membership plan, including pool and sauna access. 

Many World Gym locations offer childcare services, too, so if you have children, you can bring them along to the gym while you go for a swim. 

World Gym is great for those who are not avid swimmers but love the option of using the pool or sauna after your workout. 

I also compared World Gym against similar gyms, such as Planet Fitness and Gold's Gym.

4. Budget Pick – LA Fitness 

Although you won’t find an LA Fitness in every state of America, most of their locations have pools and saunas, so if there’s one near you, it’s likely to have an indoor lap pool at the very least. 

The membership costs vary between locations, but they start at around $40, making it ideal if you’re on a budget. No matter your membership plan, you can access the pools and sauna at no extra charge.  

LA Fitness isn’t open 24/7, but their locations are usually open from around 5 am to 11 pm, which is ideal if you enjoy swimming before or after work. 

From reviews online, the cleanliness of each location also varies. Although their pools aren’t dirty, some will be better maintained than others. 

Most locations will offer at least one water-based class called Aquafit. However, the class schedule is not as extensive as that of other gyms mentioned in this article.  The pool is mostly for lap swimming and has 3 lanes available at most pools.

LA Fitness is ideal if you’re looking for a budget-friendly gym with a pool and/or sauna, but you’re not too bothered about having the best, most high-quality facilities. 

I also compare LA Fitness against similar gyms, so read those full reviews before committing to a membership, including Planet Fitness, Youfit, and Anytime Fitness.

5. Luxury Pick – Equinox

Equinox gyms are usually exclusive to larger cities, but they’re definitely one of the best gyms with pools. Most locations have indoor pools, but some offer outdoor pools, too. 

You can expect to pay at least $100/month for a membership at Equinox (and up to $300/month in major cities), so they’re more expensive than average. Luckily, these plans will include access to the pool or sauna if your location has these amenities. 

Most Equinox locations have an Olympic-sized indoor pool (50 meters in length). You’ll be able to find a sauna and steam room in most locations, too. They offer pool-based workouts that target every muscle group, from low-intensity to high-intensity. You must be an existing member to try out their classes ‒ you can’t simply drop in for an aqua aerobics class. 

Unlike many other franchises, Equinox is not open 24/7, and they close in the early evening, around 8-9 pm, so they might not be the best option if you enjoy swimming late at night. Unfortunately, this means that the pool is often crowded between 5 and 8 pm. 

You can rest assured knowing that the pools, saunas, and steam rooms will be extremely clean. Equinox is known for its cleanliness, and its clubs offer a high-end luxury feel. 

Equinox pools are ideal for those of you who don’t mind paying for a more luxurious experience (towel service is included along with several other amenities). If you’re free during normal 9-5 working hours, you can enjoy a relaxing swim in a clean, well-maintained pool.

I also compared Equinox against similar gyms like LA Fitness and Life Time Fitness.

6. Best Pool Facilities – Life Time Fitness

Life Time Fitness is one of the best options if you’re looking for gyms with aquatic facilities. There is a pool, sauna, and hot tub at almost every Life Time Fitness location. 

The pools at Life Time Fitness locations are like no other. They aren’t your average gym pool. They’re more like the type of pool you’d find at a holiday resort. Some facilities have indoor or outdoor pools with large water slides or waterfalls, and many locations have separate pools that are exclusively for kids. 

The downside to Life Time Fitness is the fact that their pools are often crowded due to their popularity with families and children. It’s not ideal if you’re looking for a relaxing dip in the pool after work. There have also been a few complaints that the staff doesn’t do anything about the kids running around the gym and sauna facilities. 

However, their steam rooms are likely to be a little quieter. They are eucalyptus-infused, well-maintained, and extremely clean. 

They offer a few different gym membership plans, with the two most common being their Standard and Signature membership plans, which cost $169 and $249, respectively. Their prices aren’t the cheapest, but both of these plans offer anytime access to their gym and pool facilities. They also offer family memberships so you can take your kids along to the pool with you. 

I also compared Life Time Fitness against similar gyms like LA Fitness and Planet Fitness.

7. Good Indoor Facilities – Gold’s Gym

Most, but not all, Gold’s Gym locations have indoor pools, saunas, and hot tubs. If you’re looking for an outdoor pool, you’ll need to search for one of the few locations offering this amenity. 

Gold’s Gym offers standard-sized pools and saunas, but every location takes cleanliness very seriously. You can be certain that every Gold’s Gym location will be well-maintained and clean. 

Their EFT yearly membership plans cost $39.99/month, giving you access to their 700+ locations. So, if the club near you doesn’t have a pool, you’ll be able to access another nearby that offers aquatic amenities. 

Many locations only offer access to the sauna and steam room on certain memberships. If you want to use either of these facilities, you’ll need to double-check the specifics of your membership with your club directly. 

Unlike many of the best gyms with pools, Gold’s Gym is not open 24/7, but they are open between 4:30 am and 11 pm on weekdays and 7 am and 3 pm on weekends. You can use the aquatic facilities at any time during their opening hours.  They also do not offer aqua classes. 

Gold’s Gym offers childcare facilities so kids can be supervised while you swim. During peak hours, however, you may have to wait for a while to get your kids into the childcare area, as the facilities can get pretty busy. 

Gold's Gym is also one of the best gyms for kids and teens. I then compared Gold's Gym against other top gyms, including 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, and Planet Fitness.

8. Good Luxury Classes – Onelife Fitness

Onelife Fitness offers a premium gym experience with extensive amenities, including pools, saunas, hydro-massage, and even whirlpools in some locations. 

Although Onelife Fitness doesn’t have as many locations as some of its competitors, it provides well-maintained equipment and pool facilities, including saltwater pools and saunas. 

Both their basic and premier memberships give you access to full-sized pools and/or saunas if your location has these amenities. They offer aqua classes on most days of the week, including Aqua Fitness and Aqua Circuit. These classes are usually included in your memberships and are suitable for adults, teens, and children. 

Onelife Fitness also offers swimming lessons and programs to help children and adults of any age or ability learn how to swim in a fun and challenging way. They are not open 24/7, but their pools and saunas are available to use from around 5 am until 10 pm. 

Onelife Fitness pools and saunas are perfect for those of you who enjoy keeping fit through group aqua classes with other gym members. They’re also great if you want to get your teens and young children involved in the fun!

I also compared Onelife Fitness against similar gyms like Planet Fitness.

9. Good Budget Pick – 24 Hour Fitness

24 Hour Fitness offers one of the most affordable gym membership plans, including access to their pools, saunas, and group classes. 

The 24 Hour Fitness membership plans vary depending on the specific location, but you can expect to pay around $56.99/month for a monthly plan or $51.99 for a 12-month contract. 

These memberships include access to the aquatic facilities. You can access the pool anytime during their opening hours, but the saunas are usually time-restricted. Most 24 Hour Fitness locations are open 24/7, but a few follow blue laws, so they are partially closed on Sundays. Blue laws are legal rules that prohibit certain leisure activities on a Sunday, such as shopping or using the gym.

They have a variety of pool classes, including Aqua Zumba and Aqua Bootcamp, and most locations offer these classes as part of your membership with no additional fees.  

Some of the 24 Hour Fitness don’t have the best reputations. Many clubs have had complaints in the past about mold in the sauna and shower facilities. However, most clubs are kept pretty clean. To be sure if your facility is clean or not, make sure to drop in before purchasing a membership.

The 24 Hour Fitness pool facilities aren’t going to be the cleanest you’ll ever use, but they are suitable if you’re looking for a budget-friendly option.

I also compared 24 Hour Fitness head-to-head against similar gyms, including Anytime Fitness, LA Fitness, and Life Time Fitness.

10. Good Atmosphere – Crunch Fitness

Crunch Fitness is last on the list of the best gyms with pools because only their larger Signature clubs have a pool or sauna. Most locations do not offer a pool, sauna, or steam room.

Most Crunch Fitness locations don’t have a pool, sauna, or steam room, but if you live near a Signature club, you’ll probably find an indoor or outdoor pool. They don’t offer any aqua classes. 

They offer a “base”, “peak”, and “peak results” membership plans, but only the “peak results” plan gives you access to the Signature clubs. However, even their most expensive plans are affordable, with the “peak results” memberships costing just $29.99/month plus taxes. 

If you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful pool for casual swimming, Crunch Fitness will be an ideal option. However, you will need to find one of their Signature clubs to find a pool or sauna; there are limited numbers of these clubs. 

I also compared Crunch Fitness head-to-head against similar gyms, including Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, and Anytime Fitness.

Why Should You Consider A Gym With A Pool, Sauna, or Hot Tub?

Some of the best reasons why you should consider joining a gym with a pool, sauna, or hot tub include: 

• Enhanced recovery: The hot temperatures in the sauna and steam room can reduce inflammation and muscle soreness, speeding up your recovery. It may also boost your endurance and improve your tolerance to heat, so you can endure intense exercise better.

• Variety in your workouts: If you don’t fancy your usual resistance training workout or you want to switch up your cardio, you can jump in the pool instead.

• Family-friendly: Swimming is one of the best family-friendly forms of exercise that encourages your children to get moving. 

• Availability of group classes: If you enjoy working out with others, join a gym with a pool so you can enjoy water aerobics, water polo, or swimming-focused circuit training with your friends. 

• Reduced stress on the joints: If you suffer from joint pain or osteoarthritis, it’s a great alternative to other forms of cardio to get your heart rate up and your muscles working. If you’re recovering from an injury, swimming can be a great temporary replacement for your usual exercise routine to relieve stress on your joints. 

Gyms That Do Not Have Pools, Saunas, or Hot Tubs

The gyms in America that don’t offer pools, saunas, or hot tubs are: 

• Anytime Fitness: They do offer a range of other membership benefits that you might enjoy, including fitness classes, massage chairs, red light therapy, and tanning beds.

• Planet Fitness: Although Planet Fitness doesn't offer swimming pools, saunas, or steam rooms, they are known for offering a vast array of cardio machines. They are suitable for anybody, from beginners to keen gym-goers to bodybuilders.

• Youfit: They are still a great gym franchise with decent cardio and strength equipment. They also offer group classes and one-on-one personal training sessions if you want extra guidance with your workouts.

• Snap Fitness: They are open 24/7 with affordable memberships with no hidden fees, and they are well-known for being extremely welcoming to everybody.

Other Gym Membership Resources

• Best Gyms for Beginners: My Top Picks + 7 Things to Consider
• 7 Best Gyms With Basketball Courts (Cost & What To Expect)
• 11 Best Gyms With Classes (What’s Included, Schedule, & Types)
• 5 Best Gyms For College Students (With Student Discounts)
• 8 Best Gyms With Tanning (What’s Expected, Cost, How To Use)
• 9 Best Gyms With Trainers (And, How Not To Get Ripped Off)
• 7 Gyms That Allow Kids & Teens (Polices & Prices Explained)

About The Author

Athina is a Biochemistry and Genetics graduate, and a qualified personal trainer with a passion for women’s health and fitness. She is passionate about helping women to learn more about the importance of the menstrual cycle and how to balance their hormones. She is the host and producer of Fertility and Freedom podcast, which covers all things women’s health and hormones.