1 / 2McCarren Play Center
📍 Brooklyn, NY
Public recreation facility in Brooklyn offering free access for visitors under 24. Weight room and cardio equipment including treadmills and recumbent bikes, with natural light from windows. Part of a multi-location membership system.
I love this gym! I’ve been going for a couple months now and I’ve never had a problem. I like how it’s free for everyone under 24 and you can use all locations with one membership. The staff is always nice and even during peak hours the gym is not crowded. Sure, they don’t have a lot of machines but you can get a good workout with what they have.
🏆 Family Action Verdict
Best for budget-conscious families with teens and young adults who want a no-cost gym option. Free access for under-24s and multi-location membership make it a strong value. The weight room and cardio setup suits fitness-focused teens rather than young children — this is a gym facility, not a play center with the name.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →99 Google reviews
Chloe DeNuto
3 years ago
“I love this gym! I’ve been going for a couple months now and I’ve never had a problem. I like how it’s free for everyone under 24 and you can use all locations with one membership. The staff is always nice and even during peak hours the gym is not crowded. Sure, they don’t have a lot of machines but you can get a good workout with what they have.”
Emma He
2 months ago
“Solid gym with very kind staff, and the weight and cardio rooms have WINDOWS. Can’t get that at most NYC gyms charging 40x the membership fee. Fulfills the promise of what public facilities could be.”
Tom Silvestro
a month ago
“Excellent and affordable gym with lots of equipment. Staff is friendly and awesome. Great early hours, too.”
Clark Kent
2 months ago
“Really good for how small the gym is. The only non-nitpick I’d say is they need better stationary bikes. All they have are the ones for spin classes and 4 recumbents, one of those can be swapped for a regular electronic stationary bike.”
Reviews from Google
Overview
McCarren Play Center is a public gym operated by NYC Parks, offering weight and cardio equipment in a naturally lit facility. Under-24s access at no cost, with a single membership valid across all NYC Parks gym locations. The gym is consistently praised for friendly staff and a genuine public-service ethos. Equipment maintenance can lag during busy periods, and cardio machine availability varies at peak times.
