The larger dot is Thomas M. Menino YMCA; the others are the 10 nearest listed venues.
Thomas M. Menino YMCA
Traditional sauna Traditional sauna in Boston, MA.
Every sauna and bathhouse in and around Boston
- Address
- 1137 River St, Boston, MA 02136
- Phone
- (617) 361-2300
- Website
- ymcaboston.org
- Rating
- 4.6 out of 5 on Google from 174 ratings, as of November 2, 2026
- Hours
- Weekly hours below
What it offers
- Steam room (on the venue's own website)
- Day pass or drop-in (on the venue's own website)
- Memberships (on the venue's own website)
Only features we found stated by the venue or its listing, website checked November 2, 2026. Missing from this list does not mean missing from the venue.
Before you go
This is a YMCA, rec center or hotel spa. We list it because its own page shows a sauna and a day pass sold to the public; members and hotel guests may have priority, and day-pass rules change. Confirm before you go.
- Age rules
- “Individuals identified as level 2 or level 3 offenders are denied access valid government-issued photo ID is required for all adults (18+) to enter any YMCA facilities access may be denied pending...” (ymcaboston.org/policies, read November 2, 2026)
- “...Liability waivers are required for all participants participants under 18 require a parent/guardian signature instructors may be reassigned...” (ymcaboston.org/policies, read November 2, 2026)
- Not published
- Their website did not say prices, temperatures, what to wear, whether sessions are mixed or single-sex or booking rules when we checked (November 2, 2026). Check their website or call.
Quotes are copied word for word from the venue's own pages; we do not set or check prices. “Not published” means we could not find it on their site, not that it does not apply.
Hours
| Monday | 5:30 am to 8:30 pm |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | 5:30 am to 8:30 pm |
| Wednesday | 5:30 am to 8:30 pm |
| Thursday | 5:30 am to 8:30 pm |
| Friday | 5:30 am to 7 pm |
| Saturday | 8 am to 2 pm |
| Sunday | 8 am to 2 pm |
Hours as listed on Google, November 2, 2026. Holidays, private events and seasons change them; check before you go.
What a traditional sauna is
A traditional sauna is a hot wood-lined room heated by a stove, often with rocks you can ladle water onto for a burst of steam (the Finns call it loyly). The air is hot and fairly dry. Public saunas in the US range from wood-fired cabins by a lake to social sauna clubs in a city storefront.
- Finnish sauna160 to 200°F, air, low humidity160 to 200°F, air, low humidity
What to bring
- A towel to sit on, plus one to dry off
- A swimsuit if the venue is co-ed (check first)
- A water bottle
- Flip-flops for wet floors
- A change of clothes
Etiquette
- Shower before your first round.
- Sit on a towel so sweat stays off the wood.
- Ask the room before adding water to the stones.
- Keep voices low and phones out of the hot room.
- Cool down between rounds with a shower, a plunge or fresh air, then rest.
General guidance for this kind of venue, not this venue's own rules. Read more: sauna etiquette by type, sauna safety.
Nearby alternatives
- 4.4 on Google (7)
Debrief
Bathhouse & contrast therapy
55 Boston Providence Hwy, Norwood
Cold plunge, Day pass or drop-in, Private rooms
5 miles away in Norwood
4.9 on Google (42)Modern Wellness Recovery Room
Bathhouse & contrast therapy
32 Everett St, Westwood
Cold plunge, Steam room, Infrared sauna, Hot tub or warm pool
5 miles away in Westwood
5.0 on Google (6)SweatHouz Chestnut Hill Contrast Therapy Studio
Infrared sauna studio
27 Boylston St Ste 145, Chestnut Hill
Cold plunge, Day pass or drop-in, Private rooms
5 miles away in Chestnut Hill
4.8 on Google (104)Dillon's Health Spa
Bathhouse & contrast therapy
81 Copeland St, Quincy
Cold plunge, Steam room, Private rooms
5 miles away in Quincy
5.0 on Google (66)- 4.7 on Google (163)
Where this comes from
Source: the venue's Google Maps listing (category "Fitness center"), checked November 2, 2026, and the venue's own website. We list it as a traditional sauna because of its Google listing and website. Ratings are Google's, shown as a count only; we do not copy reviews. Prices and rules are quoted from the venue's own site with the date we read them; they change, so confirm before you go. Is something wrong, or has it closed? Email contact@saunasnear.com and we will fix it.