Best Yoga Studios In The Bay Area

Owners Tim and Tara Dale have witnessed the evolution of yoga in the Bay Area over the past 15 years, marking that milestone last October with a celebratory event for hundreds in Golden Gate Park. While Yoga Tree recently joined the YogaWorks family, the Corte Madera studio remains separate. Comments about instructor Susan Hauser are A-plus, frequently expressed in superlative adjectives such as "amazing," "awesome," "addictive" and "anti-depressant" by addicts of her Yoga, Power Yoga and Power Vinyasa Flow classes.

This glorious yoga studio is like none other, as it's not a studio in the traditional sense. The weekly setting is the interior of Grace Cathedral, splendidly perched atop Nob Hill. Said to be one of the largest regular weekly yoga classes in the world, hundreds gather here on Tuesday evenings at 6:15 p.m. for Yoga on the Labyrinth set to live music. Everyone is welcome, all faiths, all ages, all levels from first-timers to regulars of all ages. Instructors are on hand while the group is led by yoga teacher and author Darren Main. Donation boxes are available at the entrance for those able to contribute $10-20. Remember your mat.

Voted best by readers of the East Bay's Diablo Magazine for five consecutive years, Yoga Fusion hands onto that crown in 2015. Teachers Gloria Persico of Glorious Yoga and Greg Riley of Upward Spiral Yoga are on hand, joined by other experts for classes covering yoga for athletes, reiki energy clearing, Friday night meditation, managing menopause with yoga and Ayerveda, pre and post-natal yoga, AcroYoga, therapy ball workshops for the feet, restorative yoga, yoga for kids and more. Newcomers are welcomed with a one month unlimited yoga series for only $29 to have ample opportunity to see what works best for them.

One of the most popular yoga studios in the Bay Area, this Burlingame location is quite used to hanging up awards from people's choice competitions. If yoga is a sort of magic, the enthusiastic regulars at this studio have clearly seen it working, with some committed yogis attending the studio even more than once a day on average. If you can get to Burlingame, the owner suggests, "Join an enthusiastic community of friends as we grow spiritually, learning to trust our hearts, free our minds and live balanced lives."

For those who can take the heat, Bikram yoga says they can have you fitting in to your favorite jeans (from high school). Non-believers can get started with a $49 unlimited first month trial by fire. Alternatively, there's Fridays at 5 p.m. for $5. Newcomers are reassured that Lynn Whitlow's profile as a widely recognized expert is an impressive one. She "works closely with Rajashree Choudhry and was instrumental in helping with the development and expansion of the International Yoga Championships and USA Yoga. Lynn is one of the few select Head Judges for National and International competitions," according to the website. There's plenty of parking, so you're cool, calm and collected until Lynn works you into a sweat.