location
parking
hours
knowledgible staff
on-staff personal trainers?
do they offer the facilities/equipment you want?
do they offer cardio classes that interest you?
price
To give you an idea, I pay a little over $30 a month for my Gold's Gym membership. full gym, full cardio machine area, free cardio classes too. tanning beds available but are a separate hourly fee.
I had no interest in a swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball, etc. I wanted a manly gym full of free weights, some useful machines, and a variety of cardio machines.
Some peopel here pay about $100 a month for a crappier gym, but it offers a small pool, sauna, a few raquetball courts, and a gymnasium space.
