Great Neck residents are spending heavily on fitness, with options ranging from high-end gym memberships to specialized boutique studios that have transformed the peninsula into what locals call a “fitness ecosystem.”

The fitness landscape spans budget-conscious options like Planet Fitness, which opened around 2014 at The Gardens shopping center, to premium destinations like Equinox, one of the longer-standing major fitness clubs in the area. The national luxury brand, dating back to 1991, attracts what industry observers describe as “a more mature crowd, not too many students.”

But the real growth appears to be in specialized studios that command premium pricing. F45 Training Great Neck Plaza draws “goal-crushers” - athletes, busy professionals, and social exercisers willing to walk several blocks for parking just to access high-intensity workouts.

The boutique fitness sector includes multiple personal training facilities like Studio E Fitness, Great Neck Fitness, and Kings Point Fitness, where residents pay for individual sessions with trainers. Specialized movement studios have also carved out market share, including ConfiDanZe, launched by owner Michele Tabaroki, and SWEATWITHCANDIE, a community-focused studio that has operated for over a decade under fitness entrepreneur Candie Zar.

Pilates represents another significant spending category, with Fit Pilates by Sepi offering specialized classes. The studio, founded by Sepi Koren, focuses on core strength, flexibility, and balance training that typically commands higher per-session rates than traditional gym memberships.

Additional wellness options include Ki Body and Spirit, adding another layer to resident fitness spending with various training approaches.

The fitness spending reflects broader economic patterns in Great Neck, where wellness has become part of the “social language” and fitness studios now double as community hubs.

The trend raises questions about the economic impact on local infrastructure. Planet Fitness users reportedly create parking demand at The Gardens, and the situation may worsen when Aldi opens this spring, potentially straining municipal parking resources.

The fitness boom also highlights the community’s demographic shifts, with different facilities serving distinct economic segments - from budget-minded families and students at Planet Fitness to affluent professionals at Equinox and specialized studios that charge premium rates for personalized attention.