Like a tree house, a gym never lets non-members inside and always deflects frogs fired from the neighborhood bully’s slingshot. Hurry up the rope ladder with today's Groupon: for $30, you get 30 guest visits to Almaden Valley Athletic Club (AVAC), a $600 value, as single-day guest passes are normally $20 each.

Almaden Valley Athletic Club provides exceptional services and facilities that include a vast array of weekly group-fitness classes, an extensive fitness center with iPod-friendly equipment, a junior Olympic-size pool, and indoor and outdoor spas. Group-fitness classes range from intense indoor cycling to Strictly Core strength training and therapeutic yoga. Low-impact water aerobics work the body while eliminating the painful belly flops and "inspiration sharks" popular in so many water workouts.

The fitness center is festooned with state of the art equipment for throwing heavy weight around, running on a mill, stepping furiously above the ground, cycling on an inert bicycle, and even has water fountains for extreme chugging. Fully stocked locker rooms feature sauna and steam rooms, making them prime for muscular regeneration and relaxation. For a taste of a day at the gym, check out "today at AVAC".

Reviews

Almaden Valley Athletic Club has received three-star ratings from Yelpers and a four-star average from Insider Pagers.

• The club is large enough to offer a variety of classes and services, and yet it is still small enough to feel like a small supportive community with the common goal of fitness. – Rita M., Insider Pages
• I can not say enough about the way the owners continually upgrade the facility annually with new equipment, remodels and obviously they re-invest into the club. – Anonymous, Insider Pages