About New Orleans JCC - Uptown
The New Orleans JCC Uptown offers a uniquely clean, well-maintained, and exceptionally friendly environment, particularly highlighted by its outstanding Aquatics Department. With both an Olympic-size outdoor pool and a fabulous indoor heated pool, it provides year-round swimming opportunities. Parents seeking a welcoming community center for their children's summer activities will appreciate the highly praised staff and broad range of 'opportunities' and 'classes' available, all within facilities that have been recently updated. The general atmosphere is inclusive, with staff described as 'super friendly and always helpful,' ensuring 'nobody is an outsider.'
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families prioritizing high-quality swimming facilities for their children's summer camp experience.Parents seeking a clean, well-maintained, and friendly environment for their children's activities.Children who thrive in an inclusive setting with welcoming staff and a strong community feel.Families looking for a community center with diverse 'classes' and 'opportunities' beyond just one activity focus.Year-round swimming options due to the indoor heated pool, beneficial for programs extending beyond summer.
Why families love it
- Aquatics Department is highly praised, with specific recognition for staff Kathleen, Greg, and lifeguards Violet and Josephine.
- Features a fabulous indoor heated pool (slightly less than Olympic size) for year-round use and an outdoor Olympic size swimming pool.
- Exceptional cleanliness and maintenance are frequently highlighted, described as 'super clean,' 'extremely well maintained,' and 'outstanding,' which is noted as rare for New Orleans.
- Staff is consistently described as 'super friendly,' 'always helpful,' 'superior,' and 'welcoming,' fostering an inclusive atmosphere where 'all are welcome.'
- Facilities are 'very nice' and 'recently updated,' including the indoor and outdoor pool areas and snack bar.
- Management (Alison Marts) is responsive and efficient in addressing member requests.
Insider tips
- Parents considering enrollment should inquire about the schedule and potential impact of third-party facility rentals on children's access to specific amenities, especially pools, during their camp attendance.
- Be prepared for potentially difficult parking during peak seasons or busy times.
- Leverage the highly praised Aquatics Department for children's swim lessons or water-based camp activities.
- If your child plans to use gym facilities (e.g., older teens in sports camps), be aware of potential AC issues in the cardio room and cleanliness concerns in the weight room.
- Consider the JCC for family memberships; parents can utilize the well-regarded fitness facilities while children attend camps.
Good to know before you go
- Avoiding reliance on specific amenities (e.g., certain pools, gym areas) during peak seasons or without checking schedules, due to potential unavailability from third-party rentals.
- Families who require consistently cool gym environments or strict enforcement of gym etiquette, as some areas may be hot or have issues with member behavior.
- If convenient, ample parking at all times is a top priority, as parking can be difficult during peak season.
- Amenities may be unavailable to paying members due to facilities being rented out to third parties, leading to questions about membership value.
- Parking can be difficult, especially during peak season.
- Crowds
- Parking difficulties during 'peak season' suggest higher crowd levels during those times. No other specific timing details are provided regarding general facility crowds.
- Value
- No specific pricing is mentioned, but reviews suggest a membership model. The general sentiment points to high value due to exceptional cleanliness, well-maintained facilities, and friendly staff. However, one review indicates that the value proposition can be undermined if amenities are frequently unavailable due to third-party rentals, leading to dissatisfaction for paying members. Conversely, for those who consistently access the facilities, it's considered 'one of the finest institutions' and 'best in the city,' implying good value if access is reliable.
- Food
- On-site options include 'health food automats (snack and drink machines)' and a 'little Café/Snack bar' (mentioned with 'outdoor pool area'). No explicit policy on bringing outside food is stated.
- Accessibility
- No specific accessibility accommodations for special needs are mentioned in these reviews. However, the overarching theme of 'all are welcome' and 'nobody is an outsider' suggests a generally inclusive environment.
- Safety
- The Aquatics Department is staffed with 'all the lifeguards, especially Violet and Josephine,' indicating supervision and safety protocols for pool areas, which is crucial for children's activities.
What parents say
"I love the Acquatics Department: Kathleen.and Greg and all the lifeguards, especially Violet and Josephine. JCC, without any doubt, is one of the finest institutions anywhere in New Orleans. I walked right by it for years and assumed it would be "exclusive". But I saw their wonderful Olympic size swimming pool and envied the people who could swim there. I love swimming and there just aren't a lot of pools to choose from. I had gotten horribly out of shape and my doctors referred to my "morbid obesity" and recommended I go there to try to stave off "morbidity." Starting on my son's last bir"
9 months ago
"I work out here three times/ week. It’s definitely the best in the city. Alvarez is great and perhaps could guide the others at front desk to friendly protocol. Women’s locker room is adequate. I’ve requested air freshener for toilet area several times to no avail. Super fan of rowing machine. No improvements needed. Cardio room is well endowed. Requested bin for dirty towels to no avail. ( Jake and Parker are excellent). Cardio room is too HOT. MORE AC. More AC , more fans especially over treadmills. Weight room is well-stocked. But it stinks. Never see anyone clean it anymore. No grey shi"
6 months ago
"Very nice facilities. Recently updated. Indoor pool area is awesome and so is the snack bar and outdoor pool area. It's a much nicer JCC compared to Metairie. Parking could be difficult during peak season."
6 years ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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