The best gyms in Boston

Equinox takes the gym experience up a notch with innovative signature fitness classes, highly-skilled personal trainers, luxurious spas and on-site cafes and boutiques. Multiple locations throughout Boston include standard offerings, plus additional features like an indoor pool and a running lab in Chestnut Hill, or a rooftop training area in Copley Square.

Exhale, with locations in Back Bay and Battery Wharf, combines fitness studio and spa in one location. In addition to top-of-the-line fitness equipment, there are classes such as barre, cardio, yoga, HIIT and cycling. Once your workout is complete, enjoy services like a massage, facial, mani/pedi or acupuncture, or simply unwind in the hammam, sauna or zen lounge.

For the design-minded fitness enthusiast, Republic Fitness offers sleek workout facilities and locker rooms that incorporate rustic and industrial touches. Equipment is state-of-the-art, and classes include boot camp, barre, TRX, yoga, cycling and more. Locker rooms feature premium amenities to complete the experience.

Founded originally by George Foreman III, EverybodyFights is more than just about rings and bags. Modeled after a real boxer’s training camp, the authentic, boxing-inspired group fitness brand offers circuit training, ROAD treadmill classes, MITTS technique classes, weights and more. The recovery room is all about mindfulness, and trainers explain the why behind the work. The gym has three Boston area locations and opens at 5am, so no more fighting a busy day to get in a workout.

In the case of this intense workout spot, seeing red is a good thing. Half treadmill, half strength training, workouts are held in all-red rooms bursting with energy. Workouts alternate anaerobic exercise to raise your metabolic rate and build lean muscle. With three locations in and around Boston, consider this an exercise in pushing your body to its limits. Stop at the Fuel Bar for a protein-packed gourmet shake to refuel.

More athletic resort than gym, the newly built Life Time Northshore is the first of its kind in the Greater Boston area. A 120,000-square-foot, three-story mecca of good health, each level welcomes you to the next stage of your wellness journey, including: 400 pieces of cardio and resistance equipment; yoga, pilates, and spin rooms; two basketball courts; LifeCafe and LifeSpa. Water enthusiasts enjoy hot tubs, cold water plunges, lap pools and an expansive seasonal outdoor aquatic center, complete with a leisure pool, water slides, cabanas and a bistro. For parents, the onsite Kids Academy is a dream.

Need to get a handle on your workout? With Stages bikes and QSC sound, the energy at The Handle Bar is high and the bass is bumping. Look for monthly twists to their signature Cycle ride, like past classes that have included HEAT with live DJs and a mega heated room or Rise & Rave, a coffee-driven glow stick adventure. Go the extra mile with Handle with Care, their non-profit that raises mental illness awareness. Joining their four other sites of this female-owned and operated business is the new Prudential location.

For women who prefer working out in an all-female environment, Healthworks is there, with several locations throughout the city. The gym has well-appointed facilities and offers personal training, nutrition coaching with a registered dietitian and group fitness classes that range from high intensity workouts to mind-body focused yoga classes. Daycare is offered as well to help out fitness-minded mommas.

This local chain of gyms prides itself on cultivating a friendly, neighborhood vibe where members are treated like regulars at a bar. A full range of group classes meet all fitness levels. Gyms feature state-of-the-art cardio equipment and weight machines. The original location, across the street from the TD Garden, includes Combat Sports Boston, an MMA academy where you can learn jiu-jitsu, grappling, striking, Muay Thai and judo.

For a no-frills but highly-effective workout option, Peter Welch’s Gym comes through with an old school attitude towards fitness. Friendly staff and a hands-on approach make this boxing gym welcoming for all ages and all fitness levels. From boxing instruction and conditioning classes to strength training and circuit workouts, this gym offers a no-nonsense path to building strength, stamina, agility and more, all in a community-focused environment.