If fitness is important to you, and you live or plan to live in Cary, NC…well, you’re in luck! Cary is the ONLY place in North Carolina where you can experience a fabulous LifeTime Fitness Club! This isn’t your father’s gym…and it’s kind of hard to describe, but I’ll give it a shot.
From the moment you walk in, you literally feel the energy exuding throughout the 2-story atrium. Open to the cardio section above, the lobby also serves as the access point for the on-site Spa & Salon and the on-site Cafe. There’s high energy music playing and people are talking or just making their way to or from their workouts…on your way to the locker-room, you’ll pass the 2 full size gymnasiums and rock climbing wall, as well as the squash and racquetball courts. Just past the locker-rooms is a GIGANTIC on-site child care center.
So, back to the locker room. The lockers are mahogany, complete with an ingenious key system which utilizes your membership card. There are free towels, hairdryers and TONS of sinks and mirrors. Not to mention a steam room and a sauna…yes, in the locker room! The same energy laced music is playing in here as well…getting you pumped and ready to workout! The showers are plentiful and spacious. There’s even a liquid body wash dispenser in case you need it. If you keep walking out the other side of the locker room, you’ll end up in the indoor pool area…
The indoor pools include a large lap pool and a giant ‘family’ pool which has a very tall slide at the far end and walk-in entry at the near end. This room also includes 2 mammoth hot tubs and a co-ed sauna. If you continue out the far doors of this room, you walk right onto the outdoor pool deck where the indoor pools are duplicated, along with an outdoor cafe (in season) and a hot tub. Once you go, check out the very, very cool misting sun shades ; )
Okay, that’s the entire ground floor. I bet you’re thinking…um, didn’t you say this was a gym? Hold on. I’m getting to that part ; )
Upstairs is the massive ‘gym’. The large stretching area with benches, mats and machines is located right at the top of the stairs, I think as a gentle reminder when you first arrive or are ready to leave…that ‘I should probably stretch a little.’ Suffice it to say that there are so many cardio machines, I’ve never had to wait for one. There’s at least 3 types elliptical machines (dozens all together), 2 types of stair climbers, speed skating simulators, rowing machines, stationary bikes (3 types), and literally DOZENS of treadmills. That’s all in the cardio area. The 2 fitness classrooms are enormous and nice and bright (unless it’s a yoga class). Adjacent to those is very large section of strength training machines…and then there’s the free weights. Not my thing, but it’s fun to watch! Again, just an incredible number of options here. At the far end you’ll find the personal training area where you can do the floor work that your trainer has recommended. The mats, balls, weights and other equipment are all easily accessed. Behind a closed door is a hallway leading to the private Pilates and yoga studios. Yes, really.