Van living is a trendy minimalist lifestyle that saves money and stress. For many, that means improving your happiness. Full time remote work has made embarking on your van life journey easier than ever. But before you head out on your first road trip, you need to consider a couple of things. First, what about personal hygiene? Second, how can you keep your workout routine? Fortunately, there is a simple solution to both problems. Nationwide gyms allow you to get a great workout and take a hot shower when you are done. Here you will find the best gym membership for van life.
Best gym membership for van life
The best gyms to meet your nomadic lifestyle needs will depend on several factors. Most importantly, they must be national chains. Next, you must consider the cost. How much are you willing to spend?
Planet Fitness gyms are a great option for a low-cost nationwide gym membership. A PF black card membership will even provide you with some additional perks like the total body enhancement machine. However, if cost is not a concern and you are interested in group fitness classes, steam rooms, and a hot tub, then Equinox is a good option.
Finally, you should consider the number of locations these gym chains offer. Are they limited to certain areas of the country? Are there locations in the smaller towns or near the national parks you want to visit? How are the locker rooms? What are the membership fees and do they offer personal training? This post will discuss the best options for full-time van lifers so you can enjoy the freedom the lifestyle has to offer without sacrificing your health.
List of the best gym memberships with nationwide locations
Here is the list of the most popular options when it comes to the best gym membership for van life in the United States.
- Planet Fitness
- Anytime Fitness
- Equinox
- Crunch Fitness
- 24-hour Fitness
- LA Fitness
- Orange Theory
- Pure Barre
So, which one is best for you? Below you will find details about each of these options. Additionally, this post will include some unknown options. These include hotel gyms, community centers, and even home gym ideas.
Best gym membership for van life: Planet Fitness
If a cheap gym membership with a global network of locations is what you desire, Planet Fitness is your best bet. Planet Fitness’s gyms are equipped with basic fitness equipment which includes free weights, weight training machines, and cardiovascular machines. The basic Planet Fitness membership is as low as $10 a month, but the only downside is this only includes access to your home club.
Since you are going to be exploring the country, it is worth the extra cost for the PF black card plan. This will give you unlimited access to any of the Planet Fitness locations. You will also have unlimited use of other amenities including massage chairs. Click here to search for judgment-free zone locations so you can map out your van life road trip.
Best gym membership for van life: Anytime Fitness
If the convenience of 24-hour access is the most important factor, then Anytime Fitness is a great choice. Anytime Fitness has the most locations in the United States. The best part is that it is one of the fastest-growing gyms making it the best bet to find locations near the small towns you want to visit. If you are unsure you can sign up for a free trial to see it for yourself.
An Anytime Fitness gym membership is approximately $40 per month but will vary by location. There is usually a small startup fee, but again that will vary by location. This will give you access to a free personalized plan upon signing up and instant access to a wide range of equipment and shower facilities. Small group training and individualized personal training are also available to those interested. Click here to map out your trip based on Any Fitness locations.
Best gym membership for van life: Equinox
If a wide range of services and amenities are what you desire in a gym, then Equinox is your best gym membership for van life. An Equinox membership includes unlimited top-notch group classes including Pilates, yoga, dance, boxing, and cycling. Equinox has also taken their classes to the digital age, meaning many of these fitness classes are streamed online so you can still take advantage if you were traveling to a specific region of the country where Equinox has yet to expand.
The major perks of an Equinox membership are about the finer things in life. After your workout, you could take advantage of their spa service. Some of these services include cryotherapy, skincare, and bodywork. You can also be sure to get a good shower as the facilities are also top-notch.
Finally, van life can give you the freedom of the open road, but now and then you may be looking to have more space. For these times when you find yourself in a metropolitan area, consider one of Equinox hotels. You will be treated like royalty.
Just be prepared as the cost for these services adds up. The cost for a multiclub membership can run you over $250 monthly, but with low overhead costs elsewhere consider it an investment in you and your well-being.
Best gym membership for van life: Crunch Fitness
Crunch Fitness prides itself on being a club for everyone. You can select your membership path depending on what you are looking for. A basic membership can be as low as $10 a month for the basic membership providing you access to all of the strength training and cardiovascular machines. However, if you want access to their 400 locations, you will need to upgrade your membership.
Upgrading will give you access to unlimited classes. You also get online access to remote workouts for times you can not make it to the gym. For those times you find yourself near one of their signature locations, you can spoil yourself with full-service locker rooms. These signature locations offer towel service, saunas, steam rooms, and much more. Although these signature locations have greatly expanded from their original New York City location, you will only find 28 signature gyms in the country.
Best gym membership for van life: 24-hour Fitness
There are a lot of gyms that are open 24 hours a day, but none of them offer the same amenities as 24-hour Fitness. 24-hour Fitness has basketball courts, racquetball courts, and even lap pools. You can relax in the sauna after your workout and treat yourself at the juice bar on your way out.
All of this is in addition to the high-quality weight machines, cardiovascular equipment, and exercise classes. Currently, there are over 275 locations across the country. For those times that you simply can not make it to the gym, you can use the mobile app. The mobile app will give you access to over 2000 different workouts.
For these reasons, 24-hour Fitness is considered the top choice for a 24-hour gym. However, with this title comes crowding. Reviews suggest that some locations can become crowded at times. A great way to know for sure if 24-hour Fitness is right for you is to take advantage of their free trial.
Best gym membership for van life: LA Fitness
If you like to vary your workouts and demand diversity, LA Fitness may be your best option. LA Fitness offers a large space with a variety of equipment that can meet the needs of almost any style of workout. Here you will find virtually every cardiovascular machine you can imagine. Plus, LA Fitness offers Olympic lift stations for powerlifting.
Additionally, many locations offer a pool and a kids’ zone if you are on your van life journey with children. With the large space, crowding is never really an issue. LA Fitness offers over 600 locations throughout the U.S. The only downside is they are not located in every state. Also, not all locations offer a pool and courts for racquet sports.
Best gym membership for van life: Orange Theory
For those of you who prefer a high-intensity group class to keep you motivated, you should consider Orange Theory. As HIIT routines have become trendy, gyms like Orange Theory have become more popular. Their group exercise classes are designed to be effective and efficient. All classes last one hour and the group setting can help you meet new people along the way.
This design makes it easy to just show up and work out. No thought, no planning, just show up and be prepared to work. As of February 2024, there were over 1300 studios in the United States making it likely you can find a location wherever your travels may take you.
Best gym membership for van life: Pure Barre
Pure Barre is a great option if you are looking for a group exercise class, but a lower-impact full-body workout. This strength training alternative workout blends Pilates and yoga to isolate muscles you never knew existed. Although you may not use traditional strength equipment, the workout is far from easy.
Just know, the studio is designed for this singular type of workout so your options will be limited if you want to change up your workout. Equally important, Pue Barre Studios may have a small locker room but does not offer showers.
Best gym membership for van life: Gold’s Gym
When it comes to gym chains, Gold’s Gym is likely to stand out. Gold’s Gym is the best choice for anyone who considers themselves a serious weight lifter. Gold’s Gyms has been popular in the bodybuilding community for years being frequent by many former champions like Arnold Schwarzenegger. With over 200 locations in the United States, you can easily put some miles on your van.
Alternative gym memberships
Van life offers a no-strings-attached lifestyle. Unfortunately, gym memberships come with strings attached. Fortunately, there are ways you can continue to exercise without being tied down with a gym membership and the additional fees associated with it. You can get a great HIIT-style workout by simply walking or running. You can even do bodyweight exercises in any parking lot. If you prefer some basic equipment an adjustable dumbbell can easily fit in your small space. If you prefer home workouts, check out options for a solar shower to clean up after breaking a sweat.
Another option is community centers. Many towns and cities have community center equipment with strength training and cardiovascular machines. Some of them may even have basketball courts and an indoor track. The best part about this option is they usually offer short-term memberships by the month. If this was too much you could certainly still take advantage and use a singular day pass.
Best gym membership for van life, final thoughts
Selecting the best gym for van life will come down to you and your preferences. A gym with clean locker rooms may be one of the best ways to keep fit and clean. Ultimately, before you decide you should get a free trial. Use the day and class pass to find out which gym is best for you. It is probably a good idea to do some planning to make sure your selected gym offers locations near your travels.