For many students at St. Joe’s Hawk Hill campus, the on-campus gym, O’Pake Fitness & Recreation Center, was under renovation for much of their time at the university. While the gym reopened this fall, the habit of working out at an off-campus gym stuck for some students. We scouted out some of the best gyms near Hawk Hill for those interested in working out off campus.
Address: 601 Righters Ferry Road, Bala Cynwyd
Driving distance from Hawk Hill: 10 minutes
Hours: 5:30 a.m.-11 p.m. (Monday-Friday), 7 a.m.-8 p.m. (Saturday-Sunday)
Price-per-month: Varies member to member
Equipment rating: 8/10
Crowd volume: Low
Located under I-76 across from Manayunk is AFC Fitness, one of the most popular off-campus gyms for Hawk Hill students. This gym offers a plethora of amenities to its members, including a sauna, steam room, two full-sized basketball courts, two pickleball courts, a turf room and even a pool. Not to mention, the incredibly friendly staff members always greet you at the front desk.
AFC Fitness is a chain of three locations in the greater Philadelphia area, but the Bala Cynwyd location has been around for over 20 years and improves every year.
This gym has been popular among St. Joe’s students because of the convenience of the location, low crowd volume and the amazing student discount they offered the last two years. The discount brought the monthly price down to $36. However, the club no longer offers this student discount for new members. AFC does not provide an average full price of a membership, as it varies member to member, but it can be fairly pricey.
“AFC is always going to be pretty much less crowded. It offers more amenities than O’Pake, and is pretty close to my house,” said Charlie Henry ’26.
Address: 25 E. City Ave., Bala Cynwyd
Driving distance from Hawk Hill: 5 minutes
Hours: 5 a.m.-10 p.m. (Monday-Friday), 8 a.m.-7 p.m. (Saturday-Sunday)
Price-per-month: $30-$60
Equipment rating: 7/10
Crowd volume: High
Located right on City Avenue next to the Bala Cynwyd shopping center, LA Fitness is the closest gym to Hawk Hill, with some students even walking to the gym.
LA Fitness’ popularity is its one drawback: The crowd level is high no matter the time you go. That means despite all the equipment they offer, you can find yourself waiting for weights and machines for most of your workout. The gym can also be dirty, with weights off the rack and used paper towels, water bottles and other items cluttering the floor.
Still, LA Fitness has all the necessary equipment you might need. The location is very accessible, even for students without cars on campus, and the $30 basic membership gets you full access without breaking the bank. The $40 classic membership and $60 premier membership add access to every LA Fitness location in the state or in the country, respectively.
Address: 50 Greenfield Ave., Ardmore
Driving distance from Hawk Hill: 10 minutes
Hours: 5 a.m.-10 p.m. (Monday-Thursday), 5 a.m.-9 p.m. (Friday), 6 a.m.-9 p.m. (Saturday-Sunday)
Price-per-month: $15-$25
Equipment rating: 3/10
Crowd volume: High
Located just off the main drag in Ardmore, Planet Fitness is tucked next to a row of shops and eateries. The membership cost varies from $15 to $25, depending on the type purchased. A classic $15 monthly membership offers access to just the Ardmore location of Planet Fitness but not all the amenities. The $25 membership is called the “PF Black Card” membership, which means a holder can use any Planet Fitness location and have access to a sauna, massage chairs and tanning beds.
The equipment quality is good, but there just isn’t much of it. They have more cardio machines than weight lifting equipment, and their dumbbells only go up to 70 lbs. They also do not have bench, squat or deadlift racks.
But the price can’t be beat. The crowds there prove it. If you are okay with some sacrifices, it’s a good option. It works for Nick Ruggieri ’26.
“It’s nearby. It has all the equipment I personally need, but around four to six gets pretty busy, so it can be tough to find the equipment you want,” Ruggieri said.
Address: 167 Town Center Road, King of Prussia
Driving distance from Hawk Hill and University City: 30 minutes
Hours: 24/7
Price-per-month: $60 (for full-time students)
Equipment rating: 10/10
Crowd volume: Medium
PWRBLD is located in King of Prussia and will take around 30-45 minutes to reach by car from both the Hawk Hill and UCity campuses. But the drive might be worth it for 24/7 access, an abundance of Olympic squat, bench and deadlift racks, state-of-the-art bodybuilding equipment, a full 100 yards of turf, massage chairs, infrared saunas and a powerlifting room. The environment, equipment and overall vibe are what make this gym amazing.
It is also a superb bodybuilding gym on this list, as evidenced by the powerlifters and professional bodybuilders who are there. It also draws influencers from all over.
While even the discounted monthly fee is too steep for most students, there are shorter-term passes available for lower prices, including a $40 weekend pass, a $75 pass that gets you five visits to any PWRBLD location and a $120 pass for 10 visits. The cheapest, a $20 one-day pass, is a popular option for the St. Joe’s students who opt to make the trek to take advantage of the gym’s awesome equipment and amenities.
