Gyms with a Sauna: The Complete 2026 Guide

Good news if a sauna is on your gym wish list: it's one of the more widely available amenities in the fitness industry. We track 1,548 gym locations with saunas across 30 chains—making it far more common than amenities like cold plunges, steam rooms, or hyperbaric chambers.

That said, not every gym has one. Whether you'll find a sauna at your local gym depends mostly on the brand, the location size, and the membership tier.

Premium clubs like Equinox and Bay Club include saunas as a given—you'd be surprised if they didn't. At monthly dues north of $100, the full wellness suite (sauna, steam room, pool, spa) is baked into the brand promise.

Mid-range chains are the sweet spot for sauna access. 24 Hour Fitness, LA Fitness, Gold's Gym, and Esporta Fitness all offer saunas at a significant number of their locations. You'll typically find them at the larger clubs—especially those with pool and spa facilities. If the gym has a pool, there's a strong chance it has a sauna nearby. Monthly costs at these chains generally run $30–$60.

High-value, low-price (HVLP) chains have been aggressively building out sauna access to compete with mid-range clubs. EoS Fitness, Crunch Fitness (Signature locations), Chuze Fitness, and VASA Fitness all offer saunas at select locations, often bundled with steam rooms, hot tubs, and pools—at prices well under $50/month. These brands are some of the best values in the industry if a sauna is important to you.

Budget and franchise-based gyms are where saunas get scarce. Planet Fitness doesn't have saunas at any of its 2,500+ locations. Blink Fitness and Fitness 19 also skip this amenity. However, a few franchise brands like Anytime Fitness, Snap Fitness, and Retro Fitness do have saunas at select locations—which is notable given their smaller footprints. Always check the specific location before signing up.

Boutique and class-based studios (Orangetheory, F45, Barry's) don't have saunas. Their focus is group training, not recovery amenities.

Saunas have been studied more extensively than almost any other recovery amenity. A 2018 review in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that regular sauna bathing is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure, and fewer neurocognitive conditions—with frequent users seeing their risk of strokes, heart attacks, or cardiovascular-related death drop by 37–83% depending on the study.

Here's what that means for the average gym-goer:

Cardiovascular health. Sitting in a sauna (typically 150°F–190°F for a traditional dry sauna) raises your heart rate and dilates blood vessels in a way that closely mimics moderate aerobic exercise. A 2022 randomized controlled trial from the University of Jyväskylä found that combining regular sauna use with exercise improved cardiovascular function more than exercise alone. For people who are just getting into fitness, the sauna can be a low-effort way to add cardiovascular benefits on top of your existing routine.

Muscle recovery and soreness. Heat exposure increases blood flow to muscles and helps reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The dry heat of a sauna penetrates deep into tissue, relaxing tight muscles and easing tension after a hard session. Many gym-goers find that a 15–20 minute sauna session after training significantly reduces next-day stiffness.

Stress relief and mental health. Heat exposure triggers the release of endorphins and can lower cortisol levels. For a beginner who might be dealing with gym anxiety or the stress of building a new habit, the sauna provides a genuine mental health benefit—not just a physical one.

Immune function. Regular sauna use has been linked to increased white blood cell production, which may help your body fight off infections more effectively. Some studies show that frequent sauna bathers get fewer colds and respiratory illnesses.

A good rule of thumb: aim for 15–20 minutes per session at 150°F–190°F. Hydrate before and after. If you're new to saunas, start with shorter sessions (8–10 minutes) and build up gradually.

Based on our database of nearly 10,000 gym locations, here are the major chains where you'll find saunas:

LA Fitness / Esporta Fitness — Saunas are standard at most LA Fitness locations, particularly those with pool and spa amenities. Esporta, their lower-cost sister brand, also carries saunas at many locations. Sauna access is typically included in all membership tiers.

24 Hour Fitness — Available at their larger Sport and Super Sport tier clubs. Smaller "Active" format locations generally don't include saunas. If 24/7 access and a sauna are both important to you, this is one of the better options.

Crunch Fitness — Crunch Signature locations (full-service, premium format) include saunas. Standard Crunch franchise locations usually do not. Be sure to confirm before signing up.

EoS Fitness — One of the best sauna values in the HVLP space. Many EoS locations include saunas alongside pools, steam rooms, and hot tubs—all at prices under $30/month.

Gold's Gym — Availability varies by franchise owner and location size. Larger Gold's tend to have saunas; smaller locations may not.

VASA Fitness — VASA loads their locations with recovery amenities, and saunas are common across their footprint.

Equinox — High-end clubs with saunas standard in both men's and women's locker rooms.

UFC GYM — Select locations include saunas as part of their recovery suite.

We also track saunas at Chuze Fitness, Edge Fitness, Fitness Connection, Fitness Factory, Genesis Health Clubs, Mountainside Fitness, NYSC, O2 Fitness, Onelife, Retro Fitness, Snap Fitness, Tru Fit, Valley Fitness, Vim + Vigor Fitness, Amped Fitness, Anytime Fitness, Bay Club, City Sports Club, Fitness SF, Fitness 19, and Las Vegas Athletic Club.

Despite saunas being one of the more common gym amenities, some of the biggest brands in the country don't offer them:

Planet Fitness — The largest gym chain in the US by location count has no saunas at any of its 2,500+ locations. Planet Fitness does offer HydroMassage beds and tanning as premium perks, but saunas and wet amenities are not part of their build-out.

Blink Fitness — Positioned as a budget-friendly, clean gym with a modern vibe—but no saunas, pools, or wet amenities.

YouFit Gyms — Focused on budget pricing and functional training spaces rather than recovery amenities.

If a sauna is a must-have and you're on a budget, your best bets are HVLP chains like EoS, VASA, and Chuze—where you get sauna access plus a full suite of recovery amenities at a fraction of what premium clubs charge.

Enter your ZIP code in our search tool above and we'll show you every gym within 10 miles that has a sauna.

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A few things to keep in mind before you sign up:

Check the sauna type. Most gym saunas are traditional dry saunas (wood-lined rooms heated to 150°F–190°F). Some locations may have infrared saunas instead, which operate at lower temperatures (120°F–140°F) and use light to heat your body directly rather than heating the air. Both have benefits, but the experience is noticeably different. If you have a preference, confirm which type your gym offers.

Verify the membership tier. Some chains (like 24 Hour Fitness and Crunch) offer multiple membership levels, and sauna access isn't always included in the base plan. Always ask which tier includes sauna access before committing.

Visit during your trial. Use the gym's free day pass to check out the sauna firsthand. You want to see that it's clean, properly heated, and well-maintained. Also check the hours—some gyms restrict sauna access during certain times or close the wet area earlier than the main gym floor.

How many gyms have saunas?

We currently track 1,548 gym locations with saunas across 30 chains in the United States.

What's the difference between a sauna and a steam room?

A sauna uses dry heat (low humidity, 150°F–190°F), while a steam room uses moist heat (near 100% humidity, 110°F–120°F). Saunas are better for deep muscle relaxation and cardiovascular benefits, while steam rooms offer additional respiratory and skin hydration benefits.

What about infrared saunas?

Infrared saunas use light panels to heat your body directly rather than heating the air. They operate at lower temperatures (120°F–140°F) and some users find them more comfortable. They're less common at commercial gyms—we track just 23 locations with infrared saunas (Crunch Fitness and Snap Fitness).

How long should you stay in a gym sauna?

Most experts recommend 15–20 minutes per session. If you're new to saunas, start with 8–10 minutes and work your way up. Always hydrate before and after, and leave immediately if you feel dizzy or lightheaded.

Is the sauna included in my gym membership?

At most chains, yes—but not always. Budget-tier plans at chains like 24 Hour Fitness or Crunch may not include sauna access. Always confirm before signing up.

Gym amenity data sourced from gymstracker.com's proprietary database of nearly 10,000 gym locations across 40+ chains. Health information referenced from Mayo Clinic Proceedings, PubMed, and the University of Eastern Finland. Amenity data is verified through official gym websites, direct outreach, and member reports. Last updated April 2026.