Inside the Booming World of Wellness Clubs, Where Men Unplug, Reset, and Build Community

There’s been a seismic shift in men’s locker rooms. The familiar musk of sweat has been replaced by eucalyptus and juniper. Men in robes sip adaptogenic lattes and trade cold-plunge tips before heading to a breathwork class, then suiting up for another high-stress day. This is a common scene at wellness clubs in major U.S. cities, where men have embraced recovery alongside social connection as crucial parts of their fitness rituals.

Equal parts gym, spa, and social hangout, joining one of these wellness centers is like being a disciple of the modern-day country club. Members say they get all the amenities—ranging from cold plunges to saunas and primary care to physical therapy—plus a built-in social circle of friends and even business connections.

“I think if you’re surrounded by people who like to do the things you do, you’re bound to make a connection,” says Adrian Narvaez, who lives in Brooklyn, NY, and regularly drops into Remedy Place and Othership. “I liken it to a run club.”

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Community is as much of a promised benefit as the latest health and wellness technology, housed under one roof in spaces that look and feel more like boutique hotels than typical rap-blasting, rubber-mat gyms. Dim mood lighting, calming soundscapes, plush furnishings, signature scents, and earthy color palettes are shared design hallmarks.

At Remedy Place in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles, a cryotherapy chamber set at -175 degrees reduces inflammation, while a vitamin IV drip infuses guests with calcium and magnesium. New York’s Continuum Club helps members create bespoke training programs using AI and biometric data. At Oru Space in London, coworking rooms sit beside yoga studios. And at Love.Life in El Segundo, CA, members can meet with their physical therapist or primary provider before lifting weights or taking a Pilates class.

“The intent was to have a community of health-, wellness-, and longevity-focused people,” says Michael Robertson, regional president of Love.Life. “But because there’s so much time and interactions spent here, I’ve watched the business deals happen.”

Trevor Martin says as a former member of the social health club Knot Springs in Portland, OR, he often crossed paths with the city’s top entrepreneurs. The wellness club has hot and cold pools, a gym, lounge, treatment rooms, and a balcony with a view of the city, and guests are encouraged to socialize.

“Some of the most amazing business relationships have come out of Knot Springs,” adds Alli Lurie, the director of brand experience.

But it’s not just about rubbing elbows in the sauna or being seen braving the ice bath. Men interviewed for this story said being surrounded by people who prioritize their health and well-being has had a positive impact on their own mental health and sense of belonging.

The pursuit of health used to be much more of a solo endeavor, says Brian De Lowe, co-founder and president of Proper Hospitality, which launched a wellness club in April 2025. Either that or self-care was viewed as something feminine, says Remedy Place founder Jonathan Leary. Now, the individualistic mentality is shifting for a variety of reasons.

On the heels of the pandemic, the World Health Organization in 2023 declared loneliness a global public health concern linked to a 30 percent increase in risk of cardiovascular disease.

For many men, the isolation that took root during COVID never quite let up. Working from home replaced office banter, dating apps eclipsed spontaneous encounters, and digital connection—efficient but hollow—became the default. What’s missing, they say, are places to gather, socialize, and feel part of something bigger than themselves. The bar used to be one of those places, but many men are drinking less, looking for ways to unwind and connect that don’t revolve around alcohol. Having candid conversations in a towel has become more appealing than binge drinking.

“You can still have those moments and not go to the bar,” Martin says.

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Meanwhile, frustration with conventional healthcare is growing deeper. Long waitlists for appointments, rushed interactions with overwhelmed providers, and coverage gaps due to insurance limitations have left people feeling unseen by a system meant to care for them. Even as skepticism toward alternative wellness modalities persist, people are gravitating toward spaces that promise something medical establishments don’t.

Having fitness equipment, recovery rooms and, in some cases, medical providers, all in one place helps men feel comfortable and engage more deeply with their health.

“I think men, in general, are a little bit more closed off or silent about their health than women,” Robertson says. “There’s a lot of information out there and they’re overwhelmed, and we want to be a source of truth.”

Love.Life is the first to employ an integrated care team, including a functional medicine physician, nurse practitioner, physical therapist, dietician, traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, mental health therapist, and more. Members—and non-members for $55—have access to a DEXA scanner, a device once reserved for measuring bone density that’s now used to assess body composition and even help predict future metabolic diseases.

A friend introduced Bob Rosenstock, 61, a CrossFit competitor since 2011, to Love.Life when he was left without a primary care physician after the healthcare startup Forward abruptly shut down in 2024. Now, Rosenstock sees Love.Life as his primary provider of functional and integrative medicine—from blood and cardiovascular tests to advice from on-site dietitians. For any specialty it doesn’t provide, such as dermatology, he can seek referrals.

More wellness clubs are adding healthcare to their model. In Saint Paul, MN, Elsewhere is on the brink of opening a wellness center with an integrative medical arm, which includes psychedelic medicine. Co-founder Kyle Keller, a psychotherapist who’s worked in traditional outpatient mental health clinics, says therapy patients often get stuck in a cycle of care and never graduate.

“The more integrative medical side of the space is helping people figure out what obstacles are getting in their way from being able to do whatever mission they’re on, and to make that as brief as possible so they can engage in the more social and communal aspect of it,” he says.

Access to these kinds of spaces doesn’t come cheap, though. Continuum Club sits at the far end of the spectrum, with memberships at $10,000 a month, while most others cost a few hundred.

Elsewhere plans to accept insurance—rare in the wellness world—but for the most part, these kinds of clubs remain out of reach for anyone without disposable income. As a result, member bases skew toward high earners, such as lawyers, engineers, and wealth managers, who can afford to make wellness a lifestyle, because their stress levels depend on it.

As an alternative to pricey brick-and-mortar clubs, Blake Waller and George Miller launched Coffee & Chill in 2023 in Venice Beach, CA, to “democratize wellness.” During twice-monthly social gatherings, attendees cold plunge together on Sunday mornings for $29, coffee included. What began as a few friends dunking in a chest freezer on Waller’s patio quickly evolved into a larger wellness community, now with chapters in San Diego, Miami, Austin, Las Vegas, and New York City. The demographic skews evenly male and female, mostly between the ages of 24 and 34.

Waller says it brings back the spontaneity of meeting people in real life through a shared challenge, which inevitably attracts ambitious and interesting people who are willing to put themselves out there. Attendees often leave with new friends they met offline, he says.

“I saw this graph recently on X about social media usage declining across the globe. But the interesting thing is, in North America—the only outlier—it’s still climbing,” Waller says.

In numerous studies, doom scrolling has been linked to anxiety and depression, and exacerbating underlying or present mental health issues.

“You reach a point where that becomes so oversaturated you have this retreat back to in-person experiences,” Waller says.

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Rather than viewing fitness as only one part of their identity, men are integrating it with all parts of themselves. They’re seeking spaces where physical health, mental well-being, and social connection overlap, where a workout can double as therapy or networking. No wonder pickleball and other racquet sports have become popular recreational pastimes. It also reflects a broader redefinition of masculinity—one that values balance, vulnerability, and community as much as strength or performance.

“Now it’s not just how hard you go, but it’s how well you recover, sleep, and manage stress,” De Lowe says.

Leary adds, “When men share an ice bath or a breathwork session, it’s not about talking; it’s about presence, resilience, and shared experience. It helps redefine what strength looks like.”

The future of wellness is still evolving and taking shape, but one thing’s certain: Men will keep seeking trusted spaces like wellness clubs. And a friend’s invitation to join them in the steam room or the cold plunge remains the strongest endorsement of all.

Best Wellness Clubs in America

Remedy Place - New York, NY; Boston, MA; Los Angeles, CA

A first of its kind when it opened in West Hollywood, CA, in 2019, Remedy Place prioritizes “social self-care.” Sports medicine doctor and founder Jonathan Leary’s mission is to make the pursuit of health less isolating. Ice bath classes—where instructors prepare you for six minutes in 38-degree water—are meant to be done with friends, for instance. A menu of tech remedies includes hyperbaric and cryotherapy chambers; private contrast suites (perfect for wellness parties); red light therapy; lymphatic compression; AI robot massages; and foam bathing rooms, which feature heated pods that accommodate up to six people for a nutrient-infused scrub, plus a sound and light show. Vitamin shots, IV drips, acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, biometric testing, and digital body scans round out the wellness club’s offerings. Memberships start at $255 a month, but à la carte services are available.

Love.Life - El Segundo, CA

Knee feeling a little tweaked after Pilates? Walk from the studio to your physical therapist’s office at Love.Life, the holistic health and wellness club, where fitness and medical teams are integrated. Four Ts are this club’s cornerstones: test, treat, track, and transform. In addition to a gym, fitness classes, and treatment rooms, the club has a 6,500-square-foot pickleball facility with three courts and a plant-forward café serving mugs of mushroom and sea root broth, MCT C8 coffee, grain salads with oil-free vinaigrette, and whey protein packets. “Sometimes I’ll go down there, take work calls during the day, and have lunch,” says Rosenstock. Silver tier is the medical-only membership, Gold includes full club access, and Platinum adds expert care and personal training. Co-founded in 2024 by Whole Foods Market’s co-founder John Mackey, the plan has always been to expand beyond Southern California. Memberships range from $70 to $500 per month.

The Well - New York, NY; Miami, FL; Los Cabos, Mexico; Costa Rica

Not to be confused with a church or a glorified spa, The Well is a wellness retreat that started in New York City’s Flatiron neighborhood and now has a location in the mountains of Costa Rica. The 13,000-square-foot flagship location is steps away from Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, but worlds away from the ambulance sirens and bustling pedestrians. Mat Pilates and strength training classes build muscle and strength; vibrational energy sessions promote relaxation; and health coaching in tandem with the organic wellness café nourish your body. The club approaches treatments with both Eastern and Western philosophies, such as combining energy analysis with traditional massage. Memberships operate on quarterly, monthly, and annual models, starting at $375 for the core membership.

Cascada - Portland, OR

Dodging seasonal affective disorder in the Pacific Northwest requires a dedicated regimen. Opened in 2025 by local alternative energy company Solterra, Cascada is Portland’s newest thermal spa and wellness sanctuary, complete with a 100-room boutique hotel. Outside a hotel stay or membership, a $100 visit unlocks access to five hydro-thermal soaking pools, steam and sauna rooms, and a salt tepidarium (a gently heated room with Himalayan salt brick walls). Most of the pools are housed in an underground space where chatting is forbidden; an employee will come by with a singing bowl if they hear even a whisper. Before you let the heat loosen all your muscles, take a breathwork, HIIT, or infrared yoga class. Or, sign up for a sound bath ceremony, somatic breathwork class, or three-day retreat to meet like-minded people who can help further your health journey.