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5 Best Gyms in Columbia (2026)

Ranked by real Google ratings and review volume · How we chose

Vespera Quill
By Vespera Quill, Expert in Local Experiences and Cultural Analysis · ✓ Updated · 7 min read

We compared 16 gyms in Columbia on Google Maps · 5 listed · How we rank

Gyms in Columbia run from large clubs with childcare and a running track to a coached group-training floor and a boutique studio with aerial yoga. Together the gyms below hold more than 3,200 Google reviews, and Onelife Fitness - Forest Acres accounts for more than 1,700 of them.

Short answer: Onelife Fitness - Forest Acres is the most-reviewed gym here, rated 4.6 from more than 1,700 Google reviews. EQ Fitness and Physical Therapy holds a 5.0 on more than 110 reviews, and Fit Columbia is rated 4.9. No membership prices are published here, so ask each gym for its current rates.
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Columbia Gyms at a Glance

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 Onelife Fitness - Forest Acres 4.6 ★ 1,743 Full-service club with childcare View ›
2 Planet Fitness 4.6 ★ 1,051 24-hour access and recovery extras View ›
3 Anytime Fitness 4.8 ★ 244 24/7 access and personal training View ›
4 EQ Fitness and Physical Therapy 5.0 ★ 113 Coached group training with PT View ›
5 Fit Columbia 4.9 ★ 120 Yoga, aerial and personal training View ›
5 Best Gyms in Columbia (2026)

Gym-by-gym notes

Onelife Fitness - Forest Acres logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Onelife Fitness - Forest Acres

4.61,743 Google reviews

Onelife Fitness - Forest Acres is a large gym at 4114 Forest Drive in Columbia. Its site describes a running track and a yoga studio, and Google also tags it for Pilates, personal training and racquetball. Hours listed on Google run from 5:00 AM on weekdays to evenings, with shorter hours on weekends.

What people praise

  • Reviewers praise personal trainers who build customized sessions and keep clients motivated
  • Childcare and recovery amenities come up in a member review
  • One reviewer notes improved equipment, with multiple bench and squat stations
  • Locker rooms with a sauna, according to a reviewer

Worth knowing

  • Its 4.6 rating comes with a visible minority of lower ratings
Reputation scorecardrank in Columbia
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume1,743 · 97th
Confidencevery high
Recency3 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown84% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The deepest review base on the page, with a running track, a yoga studio and childcare mentioned by a member, which suits families and people who want everything under one roof. Check the childcare rules and hours at your visit.

Website+1803-787-4950 Directions

4114 Forest Dr, Columbia, SC 29206

Planet Fitness logo
#2🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Planet Fitness

4.61,051 Google reviews

Planet Fitness is a gym at 833 State Street in Cayce, and Google lists it as open 24 hours every day. Reviewers describe a clean facility with a spa area that has massage chairs and tanning options, plus a large lobby with seating.

What people praise

  • Reviewers praise clean showers and bathrooms
  • A solid selection of equipment and weights, according to one reviewer
  • Busy at times, but one reviewer says there was no wait for a machine
  • A spa area with hydro massage chairs and tanning, according to a reviewer

Worth knowing

  • One reviewer found the lights bright over the bench area
  • Its address is in Cayce, so check the drive from your side of town
Reputation scorecardrank in Columbia
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume1,051 · 91st
Confidencehigh
Recency2 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown79% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A practical choice if you want late or early hours and a clean locker room. Confirm which membership level includes the spa area.

Website+1803-939-0723 Directions

833 State St, Cayce, SC 29033

Anytime Fitness logo
#3🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Anytime Fitness

4.8244 Google reviews

Anytime Fitness is a gym at 2808 Devine Street in Columbia. Its site lists 24/7 member access, personalized coaching and strength and cardio equipment, and Google tags it for personal training and weightlifting. Google lists it as open 24 hours.

What people praise

  • Reviewers describe welcoming, engaged staff
  • A clean facility, according to several reviewers
  • Personal training praised for fitness and nutrition knowledge
  • 24-hour access suits early or late schedules

Worth knowing

  • Reviewers describe a smaller space, and one found it cramped with limited machines
  • One reviewer was unhappy about a guest fee and a broken stair climber
Reputation scorecardrank in Columbia
Rating4.8 / 5
Review volume244 · 84th
Confidencehigh
Recency7 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown91% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A friendly, smaller gym that suits people who value round-the-clock access and a personal trainer. Look at the floor in person if you need a lot of machines.

Website+1803-546-8578 Directions

2808 Devine St, Columbia, SC 29205

EQ
#4🕑 Open 6 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

EQ Fitness and Physical Therapy

5.0113 Google reviews

EQ Fitness and Physical Therapy is a coached group-training gym at 1815 Gervais Street in Columbia, with physical therapy and recovery rooms on site. Its site lists fitness classes, personal training, private events and a kids program, and it mentions complimentary childcare.

What people praise

  • Reviewers praise coaches who learn names and keep classes encouraging
  • A community feel mentioned across several reviews
  • Complimentary childcare that parents call a relief
  • Yoga, Pilates and family classes, according to a reviewer

Worth knowing

  • Not a 24-hour gym, with split hours and Saturday mornings only
  • A smaller review base than the biggest names
Reputation scorecardrank in Columbia
Rating5 / 5
Review volume113 · 66th
Confidencemoderate
Recency3 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown99% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A strong choice for coached classes in a friendly setting, with physical therapy under the same roof. Try a class first to see if the group format suits you.

Website Book now+1803-563-1767 Directions

1815 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29205

Fit Columbia logo
#5🕑 Open 7 days

Fit Columbia

4.9120 Google reviews

Fit Columbia is a boutique fitness studio at 2121 College Street in Columbia. Its site describes strength and mobility training, play-based movement and yoga, and it also hosts interns and apprentices as a teaching studio. Reviewers mention personal training, yoga, aerial yoga, bungee fitness, wall yoga, assisted stretching and massage.

What people praise

  • Reviewers praise welcoming instructors and personal trainers
  • Classes that introduce new movements and suit different body types
  • A gentle approach for someone recovering from injury, according to one reviewer
  • Open early and late every day, per Google

Worth knowing

  • A studio built around training, yoga and stretching, so check whether it has the equipment you need
Reputation scorecardrank in Columbia
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume120 · 72nd
Confidencemoderate
Recency6 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown98% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A good fit if you prefer personal attention and variety, such as yoga, aerial and stretching. It is a different kind of gym from the large clubs on this page.

Website+1803-394-1247 Directions

2121 College St, Columbia, SC 29205

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How the scorecards work

Rating is the live Google star average. Review volume is how many members have rated the gym, compared across this page. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.8 from hundreds of people carries more weight than a 5.0 from a handful. Recency reflects how recently members are still leaving reviews.

What shapes gym costs in Columbia

No prices are published here. Membership cost depends on the gym type (big club, group-training gym or boutique studio), the contract length, and add-ons such as personal training or childcare, so ask for the full rate and the cancellation terms.

Gyms around Columbia

These gyms list addresses on Forest Drive, Devine Street, Gervais Street and College Street in Columbia, and on State Street in Cayce. Looking for a gym near me? Each listing below shows a phone number and directions.

What to ask before you join a gym

  • What is the full monthly cost, and is there a joining or annual fee?
  • What are the contract length and cancellation terms?
  • Is childcare included, and what are its hours?
  • Can I try a class or take a trial visit before I commit?
  • Which hours are staffed, and which are member-only access?

Frequently asked questions

Which gyms in Columbia are open 24 hours?

Google lists Planet Fitness in Cayce and Anytime Fitness on Devine Street as open 24 hours a day. Anytime Fitness’s site also describes 24/7 member access.

Which of these gyms offer childcare?

EQ Fitness and Physical Therapy lists complimentary childcare on its site, and reviewers mention it. One Onelife Fitness - Forest Acres reviewer also describes childcare there.

Where can I find group classes or yoga in Columbia?

EQ Fitness and Physical Therapy runs coached group classes, and Fit Columbia offers yoga, aerial yoga and bungee fitness according to reviewers. Onelife Fitness - Forest Acres lists a yoga studio on its site.

Is there a gym in Columbia with physical therapy on site?

EQ Fitness and Physical Therapy lists physical therapy and recovery rooms as services at 1815 Gervais Street. Ask about booking and what insurance it accepts.

Before you join

Match the gym to how you train. Onelife is a full-service club, Planet Fitness and Anytime Fitness suit 24-hour schedules, and EQ and Fit Columbia are better for coached or boutique sessions. Try a visit before signing a contract.

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