A very coo place, with plenty of indoor rock climbing walls. I first went there with my brother Matt. He dragged me there, because he'd been there before and said it was pretty awesome, me, well I was a little scared of heights. But not anymore, thanks to InnerPeaks (Just kidding I'm still scared of heights, but that's what makes life exciting, right?) To get started I had to rent the climbing equipment, including shoes, harness, belays, etc, I think it came to a total of around $25. then it was go time. I was a little nervous and I guess the guy at the desk could smell fresh meat, cause he asked me if it was my first time, and I cannot tell a lie, so I told him it was. Then they took me to a nook of the main floor, which is like a gymnastics floor covered in huge rock climbing walls. It smells of chalk and the floors are soft and covered in carpet. I was walked to a corner of the room, near the lockers and watched a video about the proper climbing and belaying procedures, always be in communication with your belay partner..."Climb On"! Then it was off to the walls...Inner Peaks has a ton of different walls for varying skill levels. I started with the beginner walls which have a slight slope and aren't completely vertical like some of the intermediate walls. After summitting the first wall I was exhilarated,overcoming my fear of heights and using my brain and muscles to find my way to the top. So I moved onto the bigger walls toward the front of the place. It had more difficult grips, spaced in a more challenging way, after some effort I made it to the top of this wall, as well. Rock climbing is an awesome sport, great exercise, challenging both mentally and physically and it helps you use all of your muscles, especially your legs,fingers and forearms. But that could also be because I'm not using the proper technique. Either way InnerPeaks is awesome, not only do they have some hard core walls that wrap around the entire interior of the building, but they also have little stations where you can work on your grips, techniques and strength training. And there is a whole section devoted solely to bouldering, like rock climbing, but closer to the ground and without the need for a lot of the equipment. that means its a lot cheaper to just boulder. But that also takes away the thrill of climbing 30+ feet in the air supporting yourself on nothing but tiny plastic grips and your own determination. So for me it was worth it to pay the $25, get a nice work-out and feel the thrill of being alive and pushing boundaries. InnerPeaks is a great place, check it out, its also the only indoor climbing facility in Charlotte. They offer classes and programs for all skill levels. Rock climbing is a great activity to engage in with your friends and family,(perfect place to take the kids) what better way to build camaraderie than by pushing the limits and living on the edge (all in a safe and controlled environment).

positive

The biggest gripe I have is the mandatory tipping policy. It makes the entire operation seem cheap, and make you feel nickel-and-dimed. Essentially, they're trying to reduce their membership prices by either not paying their instructors or paying them very little, and they make up for that by requiring their customers to tip the instructors. Yes, *requiring*. I don't think they understand what a tip is. So they get to advertise lower prices, but in effect you end up paying as much as you would elsewhere, but the end effect is: * You have to carry cash into every session. * They have a guilt-tripping process wherein you have to turn in a card that says you've tipped. * You're left with the feeling that the operation is too cheap to pay their instructors, or too sleazy to divulge the true costs to customers. Ultimately, I'd rather pay full price for the membership and do without the idiotic tipping policy. Especially since I live a block from here and would likely instantly buy a membership. And now for the pros: They have a LOT of classes, and at a lot of times, including late at night (which I need). Most studios stop offering classes around 7 p.m., but this studio goes much later into the night, which helps me out considerably given my busy and random schedule. I've only had one instructor (went to multiple of her classes), and it was a good experience.

negative

Not as impressive as ten other with the same name in my opinion, and the $5 entrance fee was off-putting since it was a religious edifice. I found the whole place to be more business-like than a cathedral should be. We were told there was a tour daily, but when we came later, they confirmed that yes there is a tour,, but you still have to purchase a ticket to join it. So there is one tour daily and it requires a paid ticket to join! I felt the lady could have said that the first time and it would have been clear. The light show is apparently a little too theatrical, so I skipped it. The Chartes Cathedral in Paris and Kolm Dom in Cologne were absolutely free and of no comparison in terms of architecture, stained glass and holy ambiance. However; I see why some enjoy this cathedral. I thought exactly as yelp describes a two star review: "Meh, I've experienced better."

negative

Just had my first lunch here. I chose the avocado BLT and a cup of their squash soup. $6 and it hit the spot. The soup was a little too sweet and I couldn't finish it, but the BLT was perfect. I didn't try the cheese, but will next time. Service was prompt considering there wasn't an empty seat in the house. 4 stars.
positive