Palomar Family YMCA

They have really put a lot of money into the facilities here. The child watch is amazing now! Separated by ages and stages! Employees are happy, everything is state of the art, and clean! Thanks for all your hard work over the last year to improve the ymca!

This review is to specifically address the issues with reaching anyone at Palomar Family YMCA with respect to accounting and payment.
My children have grown up going to the YMCA summer camps which are fantastic. There has been a recent revamping of the front office procedures which has left me frustrated and wondering why it needs to be so difficult.
The Y asks you place a deposit for Summer Camps which is a good way to gauge attendance and viability for the particular camp. What they don’t offer is an easy way to make that deposit and calling the office is not helpful at all. After approximately 15 phone calls and continuous messages left, I was finally charged an incorrect deposit for the 9 weeks (full summer) of camp that I signed my child up for. The incorrect amount created another six unnecessary phone calls which was finally resolved by a multitude of bank transactions by the Y onto my Visa.
Ultimately, they charged me the correct deposit, but the process was painful.
Now there is the issue of Early Bird registration. If you pay for your childs camp one week in advance, you receive a discounted rate which is significant when taking into consideration a full 9 weeks of camp. If you are lucky enough to get someone on the phone who won’t either take a message or say they will call you back, you can make that early bird payment and get your discounted camp rate. If you are unfortunate enough to have to leave a message, you may not get a call back to make the early bird payment on time. If you call the next day, be prepared to listen to attitude and unbelieving tone that you called the day prior to make the payment. After all, you made the deposits and DID want the discount.
The policy needs to change. The parent should not fore-​go a discount based upon the Y’s availability to take a call or process a Visa transaction. Bottom line, the front office is understaffed and/​or not making accounting a priority.
YMCA camp is expensive and parents are paying good money for a good place to take their kids. They too should be treated with respect and patience. Early Birds should be given until close of business on Friday instead of Monday before to receive the discount.
Other than this problem, I’ve never had any other problems with the Y. My kids love it there.

I love this YMCA. Everyone is so friendly and my kids love the child care center.

I feel like we were duped a little when we took the tour. There were «SO MANY» activities for our son and since my husband and I don’t have any family here we loved the idea of childcare while we’re at the gym so we can go together.
Well…there are literally 2 or 3 things MAX for my son. Swimming lessons — which are basically playtime for his age, gymnastics — again, play time, and the playground. Paying for a full family membership $ 60/​month with a $ 50 joining fee, and still having to pay full price for activities ($ 58 for eight 30 min swim sessions, which only ever lasted 20 min) for an 18 month old child is crazy to me.
Then there is free childcare for family membership holders. They don’t let you come in to check the place out the first time you go, or to ease your child into it. For a toddler who doesn’t go to daycare, that is asking a bit much. They also say you get 2 hours free, but we’ve never needed it since if your child whimpers, cries, or is grumpy about not wanting to be there for 10 minutes, they’re calling you from the gym to come back and get them. You won’t let me hang out until he’s used to it, but then get mad and tell me to come get him when he cries?
As for the gym, the rules are 13+ unless you have special permissions. I have seen kids very clearly under about 8 years old in there more often than not (I’m assuming the parent doesn’t want to pay for childwatch) sitting on the equipment watching cartoons. I don’t pay for a membership to have to kick some poor little kid off the equipment so I can use it. Not to mention, its totally unsafe for small children to be in there. And our 10 weeks of free personal training? Yeah, good luck with that.
The staff is friendly, if you engage them first, otherwise they ignore you.
Basically, I LOVE the facility. Its beautiful, clean, new and kept up well. I think the management is lacking and it shows with the service you get while there. I get that its a YMCA, but people are still paying to be there.

Awesome YMCA facility! My son did flag football in the spring really enjoyed the program would definitely recommend to any parents! Lost one star because at times seemed to be a little disorganized!

While this is a nice facility, the staff leave something to be desired. We have 2 kids (5 & 7) enrolled in swimming lessons and while the instructors are fairly capable, they cannot watch everyone at once. No problem, there are lifeguards right? Well, sort of. There are lifeguards present, but they spend the majority of their time chatting it up rather than watching the pool filled with kids who can’t swim. Maybe I’m just overly worried as a parent, but as someone who paid for lessons at a lifeguard protected pool, I expect them to be alert. I feel I should be able to feel trust and confidence in this environment, but again and again I found myself getting up to handle situations the lifeguards didn’t even notice. I know they are young, but when protecting the lives of children is your job, that should take precedence over talking about what you did this weekend.

Such a huge fan! I love our local YMCA. It would get five stars if it were more obvious to me how well the staff were taken care of but I think that it could be better. For the amount of support, time, and care that each of the individuals puts into the love of their jobs, and the families that come here to better themselves you would think that this NON op organization would recognize who it is that makes up this fine establishment, the staff.
I love the classes offered here, always a great time and work out, the instructors are very friendly and helpful, the pool is always clean as are the toilets, showers and changing rooms, they have recently upgraded all the equipment in the weight room, they have every sort of camp and group sport you can think of for your kids, their is childcare, the gymnastics and ballet are highly rated from parents and instructors I know that have gone and worked there.
All in all it is a wonderful place and we have enjoyed our memberships here since 2002. My very athletic son started his basketball career here.
My one other complaint is letting the parents whom are picking up the kids from the daycare park in the gym parking, they should organize this a bit better and have them in the second lot closer to the gymnastics area because drop of and pick up is at peak work out hours its a total mad house. Something to consider for members!

The Palomar YMCA WAS a great family base for recreation and child care until about one year ago when new executives (the new San Diego YMCA CEO) took over with one thing in mind, squeeze the middle class military (USMC) working families by making it more difficult by increasing our child care by 150.00 /​month.
We have both of our children enrolled in after school-​care and pre-​school in the YMCA in San Diego and when we moved to Escondido over a year ago.
The staff at the Palomar YMCA are great and we have trusted them with our children. They are absolutely fantastic people who really love the kids.
I have asked them (the staff) about the substantial increases in our child care and they are as frustrated as we are, because the enrollment has declined.
They and other families are concerned that the New CEO is not adhering to the YMCA mission statement. After doing some research on the New CEO and looking at her resume’ and history, I am certain that the new CEO is NOT working in the best interest of the YMCA as a Not-​for Profit Organization. In performing my research, I have talked with local business people who have worked with XXXX XXXXX AKA the new CEO and they say that she/​he is known for putting her/​his interests first not the YMCA’s.
Bottom Line Up Front — – IN THE NEAR FUTURE We are going to be transitioning our children out of the YMCA completely and will not renew our family membership. It’s unfortunate because we have always been family members of the YMCA and believe in the mission statement.
It’s really unfortunate because the kids are the ones who lose out. Not sure where the new leaders are leading.
I have the name of the CEO (i didnt want to post it) if you feel the same and would like to address it in a letter.

we are a YMCA supporter 100% BUT
This years Swim lessons are starting to become uncomfortable for us. Our little one is in Pike With HANNAH, which thus far has been uncomfortable watching. She appears IMO to not like working with toddlers (3 – 5) or she has a low fuse/​tolerance for toddlers.
We have experienced her snapping at her group of 5 kids, I felt she roughly pulled the children not very comfortable with jumping off themselves of the ledge of the pool by the wrist in a (sorry for the lack of words) rough, jolt type of way if that makes sense? I noticed it on the first day and It became hard to watch luckily I have one of the kids who loves the pool so she didn’t get to frustrated with him but its still to much. I’m sure she is aware they are toddlers and they are not going to fallow 100% drill sergeant instructions.
Finally, there was a little girl in his group and she cried the whole time last session and I felt she got even more frustrated and was raising her voice at the kids and I noticed one of the parents pulled there child from the class I can only assume she noticed what I did but that is ONLY my assumption because he never returned and he was doing good in class and missed up to now half his lessons.
I have made contact with the person under they aquatics dept. director and currently awaiting a response. I did ask my son not be placed with Hannah again and would like to inform any other parents to maybe not consider Hannah as your instructor.
2 stars due to instructor and front desk tends to chit chat more than work

I like the facility, love the workers in the child watch, and the locker rooms and gym are always clean. I only wish the child watch was in the same building

Great family gym. Wonderful pool and aqua program. The family membership is nice to give a small discount on the programs that we pay for the kids (ballet, gymnastics). New weight room is super nice. Chad is a great personal trainer! So far I have taken spinning, yoga, and aqua. Each have had great instructors and I have had awesome workouts. I like the overall energy of the place — family oriented! In terms of a previous «power yoga» review, Tom now does the best ever gentle yoga class. Get your zen on!

They are so nice here
We have enjoyed soccer, swimming, Jiu Jitsu basketball and more
The summer camp is so great
They go on cool field trips
The fishing camp was amazing

I love it here. The childcare staff are great. The room does get crowded with kids, but they seem to be engaged and still do little activities with my kids, eg crayons, pictures, etc. I feel comfortable working out because I don’t worry about them. Plus, 2 hours of childcare a day?! Can’t beat that.

just moved to Escondido from Encinitas where I was a member of the Ecke YMCA for years — one great YMCA — so I was unsure how this older facility would be. It’s tremendous. The staff are all super friendly, the yoga classes are well done, the workout room is smaller than Ecke but the machines are all well maintained and clean. The pool and hot tub spa are outdoors — awesome! All for $ 5 a month less than Ecke for individual membership.

This place is the greatest place to hang out. The people greet you with a smile, and the lifeguards are very nice.

I’ve long since been a big YMCA fan, but this Y takes the cake. Here’s why:
–they’re very accommodating. Hubs and I were staying in Escondido for about a month, and in the interests of off-​setting our in n out burger consumption, we wanted to join a local gym. Instead of making us pay the $ 100 membership initial fee, they waived that and were very flexible with setting up a one-​month membership for us – and we didn’t even have to cancel it at the end.
–Espresso bike machines. Instead of being on a boring stationary bike, I played a virtual video game ON the bike, and was able to race my fellow gym-​goers (IE my husband). This was awesome and made workout times go so much faster. I’d never seen these bikes before but now I’m obsessed.
–An overall kick-​butt facility. I only have the YMCA locations in Hawaii to compare it to, but this Y was cheaper than I’ve seen one before ($ 57/​month for a family membership), and the facility was far superior to others, with tons of cardio machines, a pilates sections, several workout rooms so classes can be going on simultaneously, and a massive pool that almost always has lap lanes open.
This Y almost makes me want to stay in Escondido long term — it’s that good. I’ll miss you, Palomar Y!

Palomar YMCA youth sports program is poorly organized. Teams are formed unbalanced players’ ages and skill levels. Coaches, especially, YMCA workers, don’t know how to coach to young players in recreational league. I do not recommend to any children and teens this youth sports program.

Recently rebuilt and renovated. Very clean. Great place to go sweat! Family membership (one adult with kids, hubby has no time to join us) is $ 45/​month and includes free access to tons of classes, lockers, pool, gym, free guest passes, free 2 hours a day child watch so Moms can go shake those butties off, etc… (I am probably forgetting bunch of things)!
The pool is awesome. The big hot tub is amazing too (no kids allowed in it too! YAY!). The playground is very nice. The gym is awesome, individual tvs, very well air conditioned, tons of exercise equipment, instructors available all the time in case you need help. Tons of classes — Zumba, pilates, yoga, power cycle, belly dancing, etc… all free with the membership. They also have paid ones — taekwondo, ballet, gymnastics, swim, etc… that are paid. But the member price is only about from $ 40 (ballet) to 80 (tkd) a month for 2 – 3 classes a week, depending on the class. They also have some weight loss classes too. Lots of camps for the kids throughout the whole year. I believe they also offer financial aid (if you qualify for it) but I don’t know any details about it. The staff is very nice and friendly.
Every Thursday the gymnasium is open to the public (free for members) and the kids can go and play with whatever they want. Of course the whole thing is supervised by the Y-​staff and the kids get stamps on their feet and hands at the end. Fun!
They also have a teen center with bunch of programs for the older kids, including recording studio. The Friday’s Parents night out is great too. It’s about $ 10/​child and I believe from 5 to 10−11pm? (not quite sure about the hours).
Not giving them the 5 stars because the child watch is in the gymnasium (it’s a separate building from the gyms) and is NOT nice! It’s basically a space there in the corner that has been isolated from the rest of the gymnasium with some kind of short walls and the whole thing has no air conditioning. Gets quite HOT in the summer. Also, for the last few years they have been slowly raising the price for the membership. It’s been an ongoing thing and feels like they will never stop!
Also, the pool can get terribly crowded at times with all the different camps they have. From time to time bunch of screaming kids shows up for an hour or two and the place becomes a ZOO! They do offer members ONLY swim hours though so maybe I shouldn’t complain much.
I believe they also have a day-​care program for the little ones that is quite affordable (I was told so) but I’ve never used it.
Overall — a great, quite new facility with lots of new exercise equipment, tons of free classes that come with the membership, friendly staff. Definitely worth the money!

Love YMCA lots of great classes (Power Yoga with Tom is phenomenal!). I would give it a 5 but for the following:
The kid care is in the same place as the Gymnastics so it always smells like feet and they don’t have air conditioning so if it is warm expect your kids to sweat it out while you do too
And I kind of have a thing about people being professional in work environment-​most people are but that is my soap box
Can’t beat the price for what is offered and the locker room, showers and bathrooms are always clean

We joined this Y as a family with little kids a couple of months ago and have no regrets. We find ourselves just stopping in for a quick play time on their great outdoor playground. Other times, we do the open gym or swim with the kids. And, of course, I work out there. Each cardio machine has its own TV with cable and the treadmills each have a built-​in fan. I’ve never had a problem getting the machine I want at various times throughout the day.
The facility is kept clean and the employees are so friendly, helpful, safety-​minded, and nice. I also like the other people who go there; they seem to be good-​old-​plain-​old nice people. Lots of elderly and people in their 30s and 40s. None of those gym lurkers who seem to be there just for a hook-​up. For the price we pay as a family and the service we receive, we can’t beat it anywhere else in town.