Is Bay Club worth it?

Looking for a new gym? You've come to the right spot—the comprehensive guide to the Bay Club. We compiled all of our expert knowledge on this page, just for you. We'll give you everything you need to know about this popular gym chain.

22
Total Locations
146666
Average Size (sq ft)
4.21
Average Google Rating

Looking for a new gym? You've come to the right spot—the comprehensive guide to the Bay Club. We compiled all of our expert knowledge on this page, just for you. We'll give you everything you need to know about this popular gym chain.

Amenities offered at Bay Club

This luxury fitness "chain" in the Bay Area is what most folks would refer to as a country club. We only call it a "chain" because of their multiple gyms (22) scattered throughout California. They're definitely upscale too, with:

  • An average of nearly 150k square foot sized locations
  • Four golf courses available in Danville, San Jose, Novato and Rancho Santa Few California
  • 73% (16 locations) with a pool—several locations with multiple
  • 59% (13 locations) offering childcare
  • 55% (12 locations) with basketball

And there are of course, many—and we mean many more amenities we haven't even listed.

Amenities
These amenities are available at some locations
Personal Training
Group Training
Sauna
(
14
Locations
)
Swimming Pool
(
16
Locations
)
Basketball
(
12
Locations
)
Childcare
(
13
Locations
)
Steam Room
(
15
Locations
)
Tanning
(
0
Locations
)
Open 24-hours
(
0
Locations
)
Spa/Hot-Tub
(
1
Locations
)
Racquetball
(
3
Locations
)
Pickleball
(
12
Locations
)
Tennis
(
0
Locations
)
Squash
(
0
Locations
)
Retail
(
0
Locations
)
Free WiFi - LocalListing X Webflow Template
Wi-Fi
(
0
Locations
)
Women-only Workout
(
0
Locations
)
Smoothie/Shake Bar
(
0
Locations
)
Equipment
This equipment is available at some locations
Cardio Machines (treadmills and more)
Weight Training (free weights & machines)
Locker Room
Shower
Restroom
Cold Plunge
(
0
Locations
)
Cardio Cinema
(
0
Locations
)
Towel Service
(
0
Locations
)
Massage Chairs
(
2
Locations
)
Olympic Lifting
(
0
Locations
)
Functional Turf
(
8
Locations
)
Unavailable

These amenities are not offered at any Bay Club location.

Sauna
Pool
Childcare / Daycare
Basketball
Steam
Open 24-hours-a-day
Pickleball
Tanning
Spa/Whirlpool/Hot-Tub
Massage Chairs
Racquetball
Cardio Cinema
Functional Turf
Towel Service
Olympic lifting
Tennis
Squash
Retail Area
Free WiFi - LocalListing X Webflow Template
Wi-Fi
Women Only
Workout Area
Cold Plunge
Smoothie/Shake Bar

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Fast Facts

Bay Club was founded in 1977 in San Francisco, California. The current CEO is Matthew Stevens. The headquarters is located in San Francisco, California.

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What time does Bay Club open & close?

No Bay Club locations are open 24/7.

Awesome! 0 of their clubs are open 24/7!

While the exact times will differ for every location, the most common opening hours we've seen from Bay Club are: 

  • Monday: 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Tuesday: 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Wednesday: 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Thursday: 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM
  • Friday: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM
  • Saturday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
  • Sunday: 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Bay Club by the numbers

22

Total Locations

The total amount of locations we're tracking from this fitness chain.

4.21

Average Review Rating

The average rating of all their clubs combined.

146666

Average Gym Size

Room for activities! Average square footage of their gyms.

Average Monthly Membership Cost

How much you can expect to pay for the entry-level membership every month

11

Total Cities

Find a Bay Club in this many cities.

What we love about Bay Club

We love the absolutely ridiculous amount of amenities available across their upscale locations. It's a true, all-you-can-want fitness option, especially if cost is no issue.

  • Resort and country-club amenities and services. We love the upscale, exclusive vibe from Bay Club.

  • A huge selection of racquet sports, including tennis, pickleball and racquetball. Don't forget about their classes and tournaments!

  • Multiple pools, aquatic activities, saunas, steams and spa rooms. Fans of rejuvenation, relaxation and all water-related activities have to look at Bay Club as a great option.

What we wish Bay Club would improve

While Bay Club's total offerings are off the charts, we can still name a few things we'd like to see from this upscale gym.

  • There were ultra clear pricing options for memberships. That starts with a base membership starting cost on their website. Let's be clear: you do have the option to build and price your membership online, but it's buried after a bunch of clicks on their site.

  • Adding to our pricing comments above: we do wish their plans were more affordable. Just a base membership for a single adult in the Bay Area: $430 a month with $250 initiation fee.  

  • They expanded their footprint outside of California. It may not be in their plans, but we think Bay Club would do great if they expand.

How much is Bay Club?

Bay Club is a boutique, luxury gym chain—much more a country/golf club. If you're open to spending a few hundred a month, you'll get your money's worth with the endless list of amenities.  A single monthly adult membership is around $430 to $575/month (in the San Francisco Bay Area). Adding your child aged under 12 will run you around $400, and a teenager about $450.

Don't forget about the one-time initiation fee that can range from $500 to $2500 (or more).

Why are these memberships much more expensive than your typical gym? You also get exclusive access to tennis, squash and golf. Bay Club gives complementary access to childcare, too. 

The most expensive membership we priced was the Club West Gold, which provides full access to all Bay Club locations. You'll also get complimentary childcare where they provide it, amongst other things. As of November 2023, that membership is $405 a month with $2500 initiation.

  • No mention of an annual fee on their website, or on the checkout page for a membership.
  • Standard one-time initiation fee is about $500. We did try to price out a location in the SF Bay Area and found a whopping $2500 initiation fee.
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Who does Bay Club cater to?

We all have different bodies, different goals and different fitness journeys. Some gyms may fit a person better than others. So who would enjoy this gym most?

Frequently asked questions about Bay Club

Who owns the Bay Club?

Does Bay Club San Francisco have parking?

What happened to the San Francisco tennis club?

Who is the CEO of Bay Club?

Is Bay Club Buying Crow Canyon Country Club?

Top amenities offered at Bay Club

All the gym essentials

Free weights, strength machines and cardio equipment.

14 saunas to choose from

Nothing like the hot heat to warm muscles up.

Swim laps in 16 different pools

Dive in to relax after your work—or you can swim laps at Bay Club.

Practice your shot at 12 courts

Courts with regulation rims and beautiful hardwood. Just 8% of gyms nationwide have a court.

13 different locations with childcare

What a rare treat. Less than 9% of gyms in the country have childcare/daycare!

0 gyms that are open all night long

An extra early or real late workout—your choice.

Functional turf workouts at 8 gyms

Stretch, sleds, bodyweight or box jumps. The turf area is the place to be.

1 hot tubs FTW!

Relieve pain post workout or soothe sore muscles.  

Additional info about Bay Club

Final thoughts — Is Bay Club worth it?

Gym Pricing Tiers Explained

There are 3-4 main pricing tiers that nearly all gyms across the country fall into. Generally, higher prices = more amenities and services.

$10 - $25 /month — Value

  • Standard/basic equipment
  • Cardio machines: treadmills, ellipticals
  • Various free-weights, strength machines

$15 - $30 /month — High Value Low Price

  • All the above, plus a few have saunas or pools
  • Massage and/or Tanning options
  • Expect newer style amenities like Olympic lifting platforms, functional turf and cardio cinema.

$25 - $65 Monthly — Mid-Tier

  • All the above, placed in larger facilities and spaces. Pools, saunas and steam are a must.
  • Basketball courts and childcare were the main amenities.
  • These are your "older" more aged "big-box" gyms, often with hundreds of locations spanning the country

$65 and up  — Boutique/Specialty/Luxury

  • Highest end cardio equipment with advanced, expensive machines
  • Specialty group training and fitness classes
  • Luxury or boutique locker rooms, workspaces and lounges

"Is this gym worth it?"

Use our guides to help inform and educate what a gym can offer your fitness lifestyle. Only you can truly decide if a gym is worth it!

The Bay Club is a fantastic gym and country club. One one hand, it would be wrong to categorize this gym solely on their pure fitness amenities and abilities. On another, its wise to acknowledge that all the other services offered place it into a different class—meaning its hard to compare to other more traditional gyms on our site.

With pricing that at times can be 30x your most inexpensive membership ($9.99 month), you can clearly see we must judge it differently. Even the higher initiation fee price points ($250 to $2500!) are sky high vs other gyms.

Nonetheless, many members love the Bay Club, and we suspect it's worth it to them if: 

  • If you value golf, tennis, racquetball
  • If your children will partake in classes, training, tournaments and the like
  • You believe that a gym—err—fitness experience—is just more than weights and treadmills. It's a social gathering of like minds

These three questions should guide most folks into (or out of) Bay Club, because they speak to the main differences compared to traditional gyms.

Find your perfect gym!

Unlock the secrets to finding the right gym, starting your fitness journey, and achieving your goals.
Download the guide now! 🙌

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