Surrounded by vineyards in the scenic upper Napa Valley, Calistoga is your typical Americana town, with folk there packing an attitude full of spirit. The geothermal hot springs were the reason Calistoga founder, Samuel Brannan, decided to model the town after Saratoga Springs, New York some 150 years ago. There’s plenty to see and do in and around town today, all related to the outdoors and connecting with nature – but we weren’t there for any of that. Calistoga is renowned not just for its natural hot springs but also for its mud baths. This had been on our bucket list a while, and, boy, did Calistoga deliver! There’s nothing better than being buried up to your neck in mineral-packed mud before a cool shower and a soak in spring water, and all that followed by a relaxing massage.
A bit of advice before we go on – mud baths, even more so than hot spring mineral pools, are not advised for those who have issues with heat, have heart conditions, or have weakness in their limbs. Check with your doctor before booking a mud bath and be sure you can get out of the bath yourself. There will be attendants to help you, but it is for you to tell them if you need any assistance before you sink in.
What To Expect In Calistoga
Our exploration of Calistoga revealed around two dozen spas and hot springs resorts within the town itself. Below are the ones we’ve tried and tested and can give a well deserved stamp of “must-visit” to, though that’s not to say the other 20-odd destinations are not worth your time or money. Visitors flock here to treat themselves to mud and mineral springs, seeking to detox and relax before heading back to the daily grind. Be like them – come to Calistoga!
1. Indian Springs
The oldest spring in town, dated 1861, and remodeled to the finest detail to accommodate the modern guest, Indian Springs tops our list for its history, vintage look, friendly staff and giant pool!
What To Expect
The self-styled whimsical Indian Springs has an Olympic-sized mineral pool that was built in 1913 to replace an earlier plunge there, and it is one of the largest pools in California (keep your eyes open for the cute yellow rubber duckies that appear on occasion!). Fed by four on-site geysers, the hot mineral water ranges in temperature from 92–102°F. There is also a fenced Adult Pool that is smaller, quieter, and around 10 degrees cooler, with plenty of loungers to relax on poolside. Overnight guests get to use both pools until midnight. Being a family-friendly resort, Indian Springs has floaties, noodles, umbrellas, loungers and deck chairs ready and waiting for you, as well as a beautiful, airy cabana lounge beside the pool boasting an outdoor fireplace.
Take time to explore the property – there are lots of little treats around to find, such as the bocce court and library, with plenty of water stations to keep you hydrated as you stroll.
Don’t Miss…
- Complimentary coffee between 7 – 10 am on the hotel front porch
- The exclusive Holistic Facial
- Yoga classes
- The Halotherapy Himalayan Salt Room
- Cucumber citrus water by the Buddha Pond
Good To Know
Indian Springs offers a collection of historic cottages, bungalows, and Mission Revival–style buildings to stay in, spread out across its 17 acres and connected by gardens and paths. With each room you get great views, complimentary in-room snacks, Naysayer coffee and Wi-Fi, a flat-screen TV, Frette linens, a hairdryer and iron, a mini-fridge and Spa robes. There are also rooms with handicap-access available. The furniture, accessories and art in the Indian Springs’ accommodations was created by local artists and artisans for a truly unique touch.
Breakfast comes at an extra charge.
Hungry? Head to The Chaise Lounge poolside café and bar for pool snacks, beer, wine and cocktails.
Address: 1712 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, California.
Website: indianspringscalistoga.com
2. Calistoga Spa Hot Springs
In the heart of the town, Calistoga Spa Hot Springs offers four pools for mineral soaking delight right outside your hotel door, and the resort is LGBTQ-friendly, too!
What To Expect
Calistoga Spa Hot Springs’ mineral pools range from 80 to 104°F, with a large cooler one for laps, a smaller and hotter one for soaking in, a super hot jacuzzi and a baby pool for the littlest guests. The well-paved pool area is surrounded by soothing greenery, loungers and picnic tables. There’s even a fire pit for cozy fall evenings.
Don’t Miss…
- A signature Volcanic Ash Mud Bath
- “The Works,” which includes the Traditional Calistoga full immersion Volcanic Ash Mud Bath, Mineral Whirlpool Bath with Light Therapy, Aromatherapy Bath Salts, Eucalyptus Steam Bath & Cool Down Blanket Wrap and the Massage Treatment of your choice
- Pool yoga, Pilates, boot camp, and TRX
Good To Know
Stay in a king, queen, double queen or queen suite room. For those less able, pick one of the accessible rooms. Enjoy the earthy colors, contemporary decor, local art and everything you need for a comfortable stay – all rooms boast a kitchenette with a refrigerator, free Wi-Fi, and a flat-screen HD TV with cable.
Mud and Mineral Bath Treatments are available Thursday through Sunday.
Address: 1006 Washington St, Calistoga, California.
Website: calistogaspa.com
3. Golden Haven Hot Springs Resort
Specializing in spa treatments for couples and friends, this is a great, affordable sulfur-water resort to head to for some pampering time together in mud and mineral water!
What To Expect
The natural hot springs water comes from a huge aquifer that runs deep under the property, drawn up for use not only in the pools but also to heat the mud baths.
Open until 10pm daily, the main pool, at 85 – 88°F, is covered and makes the perfect place for a gentle swim, while the two adjoining jetted mineral pools are kept at a hotter 98 – 104°F for a more intense mineral soak. If you’re a sun-seeker, enjoy some time on the sun deck or in the picnic area.
The property offers guests bikes, a picnic area and bocce courts.
Don’t Miss…
- A stay in a Spa Room
- Enjoying spa treatments with up to three friends
- A Herbal Mineral Bath or Mud Bath Package
- A couple’s massage or spa package
Good To Know
All 28 rooms include a mini-refrigerator, TV, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi, coffee, tea and bottled water. Spa Rooms feature a large hot springs mineral bath for two, vaulted ceilings, an electric fireplace, and a shower. You can park right outside your door.
Day-use spa guests get complimentary use of the pools.
Address: 1713 Lake Street, Calistoga, Napa Valley, California.
Website: goldenhaven.com
4. Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Spring
A great place for fun with family and friends, with a chill vibe if you can escape the noise of the kids playing in summer, Dr. Wilkinson’s has been providing wellness, relaxation, and good times since 1952.
What To Expect
Enjoy three 86 – 104°F hot sulfur water mineral pools in both a paved outdoor and covered indoor swim-and-soak zone. Add to that falling water treatments, eight new mineral baths, four mud baths, aromatherapy experiences, and new outdoor treatment rooms in the spa garden and you’ve got yourself a full weekend’s worth of self-love and pampering to explore! Head to the Adults Only Zen Zone for a fenced-off pool away from little splashers.
Spend time socializing around fire pits, at the bar, or by playing any of the numerous lawn games available.
Don’t Miss…
- A Cold Blanket Wrap
- The Adults Only Zen Zone
- The in-room oil diffuser
Good To Know
Guests can enjoy fresh and beautifully designed rooms with a retro mini fridge and kettle, malin+goetz products, mobile room entry and check in, and walk-in showers or bathtubs. They also have courtyard or pool views and comfy sitting areas, while the Spa and Edy cottages offer a quiet refuge and a bathtub to unwind in.
Hungry? Eat and drink at the on-site restaurant “House of Better” (go for tacos and beer – we did!) and in the summer enjoy a DJ set on Sundays.
Address: 1507 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, California.
Website: drwilkinson.com
5. Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort
A boutique Napa Valley hotel and spa nestled at the foothills of Mt. St. Helena, Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort offers a luxurious soak among flowering Mediterranean gardens, private patios, and trickling fountains.
What To Expect
Immaculately kept gardens offer a wealth of relaxation. Filled with natural geothermal mineral water, their small indoor Hydro-Jet Therapy Pool is kept at 100°F, while their large outdoor pool offers a mineral soak of 92-96°F and their hot tub 104°F, if you can take the heat! Surrounded by lounge chairs, greenery and flowers all summer, you can comfortably spend the day soaking and chilling with friends. All pools are open until 10pm.
A 101-103°F degree mud bath is a must during your stay here, as is some time spent in the Men’s/Women’s dry Finnish Saunas!
Don’t Miss…
- The Sweet Indulgences Package – including wine, chocolates and spa credit
- The Romantic Getaway Package – including a champagne and cheese gift basket and breakfast for two at Café Sarafornia in town
Good To Know
The designers of Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort chose to blend Wine Country charm and Tuscan design in their decor. Choose from the sun-dappled Classico, custom-furnished Superiore or the Splendido Suite with its jacuzzi tub and fireplace. Each features complimentary Wi-Fi, and some have refrigerators while others have full kitchens.
The spa works daily, 9am – 5pm.
Hungry? Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort is just a short walk to restaurants and shopping on Lincoln Ave.
Address: 1300 Washington Street, Calistoga, California.
Website: romanspahotsprings.com
6. Solage
Designed with order and calm in mind, the ecologically conscious Spa Solage offers new twists on the renowned Calistoga mud and mineral water therapies, while offering a selection of pools and saunas to cater to every detox and rejuvenation need.
What To Expect
From icy cold, to a comforting 98°F, and a soothing 103°F, there is plenty here to appeal to guests seeking total escape and rejuvenation: A cold plunge of 50 – 55°F, an ambient temperature magnesium rich pool, a large relaxation pool of 98°F, a jetted saltwater pool heated to 102-104°F and a jetted mineral pool of 102-104°F. The 130-foot landmark pool offers plenty of space to exercise and soak, while the gardens have lots of nooks and crannies to sit and relax in.
Stay for the day and rent a cabana or pick a spot to have lunch in the shade of the mulberry trees.
There are no mud baths here; instead they offer the “Mudslide” – a specially mixed mud which you lather on yourself before relaxing on a warm platform in your own room with cucumbers and cold towels over your eyes.
The zero gravity chairs are a must-try – seeing you laying back with headphones playing soothing sounds as you are wrapped in a sweet-smelling heated blanket and aromatherapy neck pillow. Go on – take a well-deserved nap!
Don’t Miss…
- A couple’s mud bath
- The zero gravity chairs
- Detoxing in the Eucalyptus Steam Room and Infrared Sauna
- A game of bocce
Good To Know
Book a vaulted-ceiling studio with earthy tones, a pebble-bottomed shower and a patio that opens onto the gardens. Alternatively, up the luxury and choose a one or two bedroom cottage suite with an outdoor jetted tub or shower and fire pit. Accessible rooms are available.
Hungry? Grab some contemporary Mexican cuisine at Picobar, then head over to Solbar for wine and craft cocktails on its patio.
The Bathhouse and Spa are open from 8am – 7pm daily for ages 18+.
Treat yourself to a takeaway by choosing from their selection of beauty and wellness products, clothing, candles, soaps and lotions.
Address: 755 Silverado Trail N, Calistoga, California.
Website: aubergeresorts.com/solage
What Else Can I Do In The Area?
This is Napa Valley, so vineyards and wine tasting are surely top of your list! With over 400 wineries in the area, there is ample opportunity for you to try the grapes, take a guided tour, and learn about the winemaking process.
If you’re seeking a bit of adventure, book a ride on the Napa Valley Wine Train or soar up to the clouds on a hot air balloon ride across the vineyards.
Visit quaint towns and eat at restaurants serving locally-sourced award-winning cuisine.
Discover 8 million-year-old giant redwoods in the Petrified Forest.
Go say “hi” to the Old Faithful Geyser.
Also worth checking out within a 100 miles of Calistoga are Harbin Hot Springs (21.2 Miles) and Vichy Springs Resort (66 Miles) – we love them both for their peaceful surroundings and healing and rejuvenating waters. And if you’re up for traveling further afield on your hot springs exploration, California has numerous resorts and free hot spring destinations to offer.
Disclaimer
While we at Traxplorio do our very best to give you the latest information about these hot springs sites, life happens, weather happens, and property owners happen. We always recommend you go to the official hot springs’ web page and/or the relevant state authority page to check conditions, times, and prices (where relevant) before you head out. Thanks for understanding, and enjoy your soak!
