Lynx Fitness Club
Opened in the old David Barton gym space this past January, Lynx is a club in the truest sense of the word, with memberships capped to avoid overcrowding. That means less time waiting for a machine (including three Peloton bikes) and more time to lounge in the men’s sauna, stretch out in the large turf area, and practice your putting in New England’s only Topgolf Swing Suite. If ever you needed motivation to get moving, you’ll find it here. 64 Arlington St., Boston, MA 02116, lynxfitnessclub.com.
Trunk Club
One visit to Trunk Club’s recently opened Boston clubhouse and you’ll be inventing occasions to have a suit made. The swanky digs are just one perk of this personal-styling service’s merger with Nordstrom; another is the access clients have to designer accessories in the department store’s catalog. Sip a cocktail while your stylist takes 26 precise body measurements and then helps you choose everything from the buttons and fabric lining right down to the Gucci loafers. 501 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, trunkclub.com.
The Club Car
Housed in a Nantucket Railroad car, this 41-year-old stalwart got a gorgeous redesign last year courtesy of its new owners, who earned their bona fides at Boston favorites like Toro and Grill 23. Chef-partner Mayumi Hattori’s Cali-inspired cuisine is top-notch, but we especially love the scene at the bar, which pours local Cisco brews and cocktails such as the Garden Variety, a refreshing mash-up of tequila, cucumber, and lime. Live piano music gets the party started while keeping it classy. One Main St., Nantucket, MA 02554, theclubcar.com.
Club Café
In Boston’s admittedly somewhat limited gay club scene, Club Café is a standout for its commitment to being not just a nightspot, but also a queer gathering place: If you’re looking for an earlier evening, it’s a fine place to grab a bite, and on any given night of the week, you’ll find a plethora of events to enjoy—trivia, performers belting out Broadway standards. But make no mistake: There’s nothing quiet about an evening here. Get ready to dance. 209 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA 02116, clubcafe.com.
Fit Revolution
In an era when there’s a boutique fitness studio for every day of the week and personality type, local mini chain Fit Revolution manages to offer one-stop sweating without the feel of a bland big-box club. Sure, there’s the latest equipment for gym rats and the now-standard hyper-luxe locker rooms. But there’s also boot camp, indoor cycling, yoga, barre, boxing, and personal trainers at the ready. Owner Michelle O’Connor even offers a program for would-be fit kids. Multiple locations. 23 Concord St., North Reading, MA 01864, fit-rev.com.
Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club
The hardest part of a vacation is making sure everyone has a good time. At Ocean Edge, however, that’s never a problem. Looking to work up a sweat? Swing a club or paddle a kayak. Need to entertain the kiddos? Keep ’em busy with kite-making and scavenger hunts. Longing for some time all to yourself? Lounge on the private beach or check into the spa. No matter how you spend your trip, you’ll want to find time at sunset to roast s’mores ’round the beach fire. 2907 Main St., Brewster, MA 02631, oceanedge.com.
Walter Hill, Social Club Barbers
Walter Hill’s Downtown Crossing shop is perpetually buzzing. It’s no wonder: Once the traveling groomer for boxer Floyd Mayweather, he claims to have cut his first head of hair at age 11. His dedication to the art of men’s grooming extends to his luxuriously close shaves as well as his minty and citrusy lotions that he crafts himself. Now that’s what we call a cut above. 333 Washington St., Boston, MA 02108, socialclubbarbers.com.
Marathon Sports
Five years after the marathon bombings rocked the city, Marathon Sports’ Boylston Street location—the site of the first explosion—has become emblematic of Boston’s strength, compassion, and resolve. In addition to outfitting the area’s pavement-pounders with a wide selection of technical clothes and sneakers, the store engages the community with running clubs, classes, high school "team nights" and more. Because everyone’s fitness routine could use a little extra support. Multiple locations. 671 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, marathonsports.com.
Life Time Fitness
Is it a gym or a wellness oasis? Actually, it’s both. In addition to offering the essential yoga and indoor cycling classes, Life Time Fitness lays on the extras: nutrition counseling, weight-loss support, even chiropractic care. Feeling guilty about leaving the tots while taking time for yourself? There are kids’ classes, too, even for infants. Why not send your little one to preschool yoga while you visit the spa? 300 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA 02459, lifetime.life.
WellFit Studio
When Anna Israel, the owner of WellFit, explains why acupuncture works, she’s not speaking in the abstract: Her own health woes led her to the traditional Chinese practice and a slew of other natural healing techniques. She knows that listening carefully to what ails you—from pain to infertility—is almost as important as the treatment itself. Whether it’s her easy-going demeanor or those magical needles, we guarantee you’ll leave feeling like a better version of yourself. 376 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, wellfitstudio.com.
Precision Running Lab
In a city with a short autumn and an even shorter spring, dedicated treadmill studios, where runners pound pavement in a climate-controlled environment, are becoming increasingly popular. And this new spot inside Equinox’s Chestnut Hill outpost runs laps around the competition with its dance-club ambiance (classes sync lights and music to your speed), oxygen-enriched air, and custom Woodway treadmills. Wave goodbye to monotonous training sessions—Precision will have you marathon-ready in no time. 200 Boylston St., Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, equinox.com.
Juniko
This Hanover workout center is less a gym and more a lifestyle dojo. Named for Japan’s "Twelve Lakes" and cofounded by jujitsu world champ Daniel Gracie, Juniko takes a fitness-academy approach to wellness, offering adult- and child-level formats to suburbanites investing in their whole family’s health. Held in a sleek studio, the classes—including Brazilian jujitsu and aerial yoga—feel more like performance art than exercise. But you’ll still want to reward yourself with a visit to the on-site juice bar for kale smoothies, avocado toast, and take-home cleanses. 1376 Washington St., Hanover, MA 02339, juniko.com.
East Boston Oysters
Imagine rosé cascading down tabletop fountains during a springtime caviar "egg hunt." Silver platters loaded with watermelon at a rooftop pool party. Gin cocktails propelling raw oysters via an ice luge into partygoers’ waiting mouths. Memorable dinners are all about the details, something East Boston Oysters founder Alexis Cervasio knows all too well. The woman behind this secretive supper club—which anyone can snag tickets for by signing up for her email newsletter—isn’t just curating chefs’ dinners and corporate events, though the well-connected hospitality pro does both extremely well. She’s creating experiences worth shelling out for. MA eastbostonoysters.com.
The Fat Cat
You’ll need to loosen your belt a few notches to try all the new entries to Quincy’s expanding restaurant scene, but the decade-old Fat Cat is still the locals’ spot for craft-beer-accompanied comfort food gussied up to gastropub standards. The lobster mac ’n’ cheese is legendary, wings are doused in more than a dozen sauces (don’t miss the orange-agave), and a jovial hubbub of rapid-fire South Shore accents ricochets off the industrial-cool brick walls. In other words, this place keeps everyone purring. 24 Chestnut St., Quincy, MA 02169, fatcatrestaurant.com.
20byNine
This little bar just off the main drag in Oak Bluffs has upped the cocktail game for the whole island with its expertly executed house-made syrups, infusions, and discerningly cultivated selection of boozes—including an imposing whiskey list. With classic Old Fashioneds and Sazeracs that meet or beat just about anything you can find in the city, the only clue that you’re on the Vineyard will be the sand in your hair. 16 Kennebec Ave., Oak Bluffs, MA 02557, 20bynine.com.