Let’s get fit. Come with us to some of the best luxury gyms in the Charlotte area.

Heidi Finley
·8 min read

Fitness is a for a lifetime, not just at the beginning of each year when the resolutions hit. And setting yourself up for a wellness experience you’ll look forward to and enjoy is key to keeping a routine. So in keeping with with that thought, we set out to check out some of Charlotte’s most luxurious gyms.

James Maxwell, a personal trainer at Life Time Charlotte, said the luxury gym that calls itself an “athletic country club” is all about setting clients up for a better life. He breaks down an overall wellness outlook that looks something like this:

  • Know it: understand your body, your biometrics and how you move your body

  • Move it: cardio, conditioning, weight lifting and daily steps

  • Nourish it: nutrition, workout recovery, sleep and stress relief.

“Just taking small steps to bigger goals is very important,” Maxwell told CharlotteFive. “And people really need to focus on their stress level and recovery, as well.”

That focus on stress and workout recovery with tools such as spas, saunas, cold plunging and more can not only lead to better exercise sessions but also contributes to overall wellness, he said.

James Maxwell is one of 45 dynamic personal trainers at Life Time and works with clients from teenagers to senior citizens.
James Maxwell is one of 45 dynamic personal trainers at Life Time and works with clients from teenagers to senior citizens.

Life Time invited us to experience everything the immense facility has to offer, including a dynamic stretch session, spa, cafe and fitness floor. So we took them up on it —and it was purely indulgent. But we didn’t stop there: We found a few more luxury options for you to explore what’s out there and find the Charlotte gym that’s the right fit for you.

Here’s what we found:

Barry’s

Location: Atherton Mill, 2140 South Blvd Suite 2, Charlotte, NC 28203

Barry’s famous Red Room claims “the original HIIT workout,” with half interval cardio and half strength training. Instructors guide you through a treadmill run, and the class schedule focuses on a different muscle group each day — all in the glow of red neon lights. (If you’re not a runner, you can book a double floor workout, too.)

Read more: We tried a Barry’s workout. Is the fitness program worth the hype?

Pros:

  • Open 365 days/year.

  • There are locations worldwide, and there’s also an app, so you can work out anywhere you go.

  • Amenities include a shake bar, Oribe products in the locker room and retail merchandise.

Cons:

Cost: There are all kinds of class packs, membership options and early booking credits. You can try out one class for $29 or get a first-timer three-pack that comes with a shake on your third visit for $33. You can also choose a membership option that gets you eight classes a month for $150/month or bump that all the way up to 30 classes per month for $229/month; add on video on demand to those options and prices go up further.

MG Body Space

Location: 820 E 7th St STE R3, Charlotte, NC 28202

MG Body Space is the only fitness studio of its kind in North Carolina — and it’s a little futuristic. The shiny new gym that opened in January uses European-style technology that combines vacuums with infrared light to create pod-style machines such as the Vacutherm Treadmill, Vacutherm Recline Bike, Climber Machine and Body Roll. (You may have seen these infrared machines on “Selling Sunset.”)

Pros:

  • MG Body Space touts benefits such as enhanced circulation, skin improvements and metabolism boost.

  • The machines are designed to increase your calorie burns in a shorter time than what you’d find in a traditional workout.

Cons:

Cost: You can book an appointment for individual services, such as a 15 minutes on the Body Roll InfraRed Fit Roller for $20, or package a few together like the Treadmill + Climber + Roller bundle for $60. Another option is to buy a one-month membership option with choices including eight sessions with six services for $250 on up to the highest monthly package of 12 sessions with eight services for $600.

Core24

Location: 2320 Toomey Ave Charlotte, NC 28203

Step inside Core24, a brand new gym built with fitness influencers in mind, and you be set awash by neon lights, drawn to an enormous Bugs Bunny mural blurting out “Enjoy your f****** workout.”

You’re going to see crop tops, booty shorts and ball caps everywhere amongst the selfie setups, squat racks and benches. The vibe check on its website is giving Mojo Dojo Casa House mixed with Red Bull fever dreams. (But if it’s too loud, you’re too old.)

Pros:

  • No contracts — memberships are month-to-month.

  • If music, art and beautiful bodies inspire you, you’ve found your home.

Cons:

  • If you don’t want to make a sweaty appearance in the background of some bro’s TikTok, this may not be the gym for you.

Cost: $125/month

Core 704

Location: 2300 N Davidson St Suite 1, Charlotte, NC 28205

Location: Sedgefield Shopping Center, 2729 South Blvd Suite B, Charlotte, NC 28209

Shaded with pink and purple neon lights, you’ll find Core 704 locations packed with pilates reformers and step-climbing machines. Expect a room full of tight-knit women in bold bra tops and bike shorts or running tights. Oh, and there are a few men sprinkled in here and there, too.

Choose from multiple CoreFORMER classes:

  • 50-minute high intensity

  • a CoreSTRETCH version that splits the 50 minutes between high intensity work and deep stretch

  • a 50-minute core-focused version

  • CoreFORMER MOCK, taught by instructors who are finishing up their pilates instructor training.

Its ClimberBEATS classes are 30-minute full-body workouts on the resistance-based CoreCLIMBER machines for those looking for a high-intensity experience while keeping things low impact. Its 30-minute ClimberINTERVAL classes are similar, but not beat driven.

Pros:

  • No contracts — memberships are month-to-month.

  • It’s the perfect setting to get to know people quickly and form bonds.

Cons:

  • If you’re looking for a lot of variety or something unstructured where you can mix up your workout routine from day to day, this probably isn’t it.

Cost: $219/month for unlimited access; CoreFORMER only monthly unlimited access is $169, and CoreCLIMBER only monthly unlimited is $89. Class packs and private sessions are also available.

Life Time Charlotte

Location: 11220 Golf Links Dr, Charlotte, NC 28277

If you can think of something you’d want in a luxury gym, there’s a good chance Life Time has it somewhere on its 320,000-square-foot grounds of space, accented with palm trees. Fitness options include:

  • Cardio machines

  • Studio classes featuring barre, bikes, boxing, strength and cardio — plus access to on demand and livestream classes

  • Swimming, both indoor and outdoor

  • Tennis and pickleball, both indoor and outdoor

  • Pilates, using reformers

  • Weightlifting with free weights, machines and classes

  • Yoga, both indoor and outdoor.

And that’s just scratching the surface. There are 45+ personal trainers on staff to schedule sessions with at the click of an app, including options such as dynamic assisted stretch. You can easily immerse yourself at Life Time for an entire day, getting in a workout, recovering in a massage chair and then grabbing some lunch before visiting the spa to get a facial and relax in the sauna.

Pros:

  • Uber-premium childcare includes fitness opportunities for kids, as well as games and learning.

  • Normatec compression and HydroMassage chairs for recovery are included with your membership.

  • Spa services include massage, facials, hair and nails are available, in addition to a pro shop and cafe.

Cons:

  • Add-on services via the Life Time app can ramp up costs.

  • Some features such as the recovery chairs and childcare are reserved via the app, so a little planning ahead is required.

Cost: $239/month+ for signature level; $209/month+ for ages 26 and under or 65+. A day pass is $50.

(Pro tip: Non-members can book services at the LifeSpa, then hang around to explore the resort-like gym for the rest of the day.)

Rally

Location: 101 Southside Dr, Charlotte, NC 28217

Is it a stretch to consider the 27,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space at Rally Charlotte a fitness facility? No. But would you call it a gym? We’re not sure. (There are Pickle Pump classes that aim to get you a court-based HIIT workout, though.)

In any case, we think it’s worth considering Rally among the luxury wellness options in town. After all, how many other places you can get moving while you play pickleball for a while, then sit down for tacos and cocktails?

Pros:

  • There’s no membership fee.

  • There are also classes for all skill levels, from beginners to elite players.

  • Open play is available, along with groups like Courts & Coffee, Cocktails & Courts and Rally Social for meeting new people.

Cons:

  • Payment is generally by court reservation fee or by league fee, so it could add up if you go quite a bit.

  • Pickleball also requires you to play in a group, so if social interaction isn’t your jam, this won’t be for you.

Cost: A Polar Bear Club membership good through February starts at $75 and includes unlimited court reservations, guest privileges, discounted pricing for pickleball programs and complimentary hot beverages. Cocktails & Courts is $25 for 3 hours of round robin court play, access to ping pong tables and the space, and includes a cocktail. Drop in classes are $30, or $26 for a pack of 4. Social classes are $15 for drop ins.