We Angelenos carry our stress in our bodies — in shoulders tensed up from sitting in traffic, in lungs that still remember the January wildfires and in lives that are always fast-paced. That’s why more locals are turning to water as medicine. From steamy Korean day spas to hidden natural springs, from icy plunges that reset the nervous system to float tanks where everything seems to disappear, water is our sanctuary.
Here are some of the wellness-rich places Angelenos go to submerge and restore.
Beverly Hot Springs – Koreatown
When you step inside Korean day spa Beverly Hot Springs, the city dissolves. The cave-lit walls glow with mineral heat, and the air smells faintly of salt and stone. The naturally occurring geothermal pool — the last of its kind in the city of Los Angeles — roils at 96 to 105 Fahrenheit. It is a natural composition of bicarbonate-rich water that draws locals seeking both physical relief and ritual.
This popular spa also features a cold plunge and a range of body and spa treatments. The numerous health benefits of balneotherapy — or soaking in warm mineral water baths — include improving circulation, relieving joint and muscle pain, detoxification, alleviating skin issues and calming the nervous system to help provide stress relief.
“I’m sensitive to chlorine, so I don’t go to any K-spa other than Beverly Hot Springs,” says West Hollywood Poet Laureate Jen Cheng, who also likes to treat herself to a body scrub when she visits the spa. “It’s good for the lymphatic system to detox, and it’s a nurturing self-care ritual.”
As with other K-spas in L.A., which aim to replicate the jjimjilbangs (bathhouses) of South Korea, nudity is optional; bathing suits are allowed.
Calamigos Ranch, Resort & Spa – Malibu
“Water is at the heart of the wellness experience at Calamigos,” shares Martine Blanchet, spa director at Calamigos Ranch, Resort & Spa. “Our hydrafacial harnesses the natural power of water to cleanse, restore and deeply hydrate the skin, while our outdoor cold plunge offers an invigorating reset that boosts circulation and supports the nervous system.”
Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the tranquil Malibu mountains, guests here will feel the restorative effects of nature. The spa focuses on mind, body and spirit rejuvenation and features natural products from local brands. Cold plunge included with any treatment.
Glen Ivy Hot Springs – Corona
About 50 miles southeast of Downtown Los Angeles, the Glen Ivy Hot Springs mecca is worth the drive. A longtime favorite of Angelenos for solo day trips, girls’ getaways, couples’ dates and celebrations of all kinds, the full-service day spa spans 12 acres with 19 therapeutic pools, including geothermal hot springs and mineral baths, saline pools, lap pools, hot tubs, cold plunges and the famous “Club Mud” natural red clay mud pool.
“Water-based treatments have been practiced for centuries across cultures with the belief that water, primarily when naturally heated and mineral-rich, may support healing. But it is not an ancient wise tale; these hydrothermal therapies have scientifically supported benefits for physical and mental health,” explains Sandra Miller, Glen Ivy’s director of marketing. “For more than 160 years, we have welcomed guests seeking the healing and renewal that only water can provide.”
“The mud is the iconic experience,” says Michelle Korner Unrot, who has been visiting the spa for 30 years. “This summer, I brought my daughter, who turned 18, and we laughed at each other while smearing mud on ourselves. What could feel healthier than bonding with your daughter while treating your body like a shrine?”
Love.Life – El Segundo
Think of cold plunging as an exercise for your nervous system. “Cold plunging is a powerful, evidence-based wellness protocol built on the principle of hormetic stress, a controlled ‘good stress,’” shares Michael Robertson, regional president of Love.Life, an integrated wellness company.
“Intentionally exposing the body to this controlled challenge — the cold water — triggers profound beneficial adaptations. The acute shock of the cold dramatically spikes norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that directly boosts mood, focus and energy. At the same time, cold plunging trains your nervous system to handle environmental stressors, improving stress resiliency.”
The 45,000 square-foot holistic wellness destination features an inviting co-ed contrast therapy space with six cold plunges ranging from 38 to 58 degrees Fahrenheit, along with a massive dry sauna and five Sunlighten red light saunas.
Murrieta Hot Springs Resort – Murrieta
Nestled between palm trees and pale desert light, Murrieta Hot Springs, located 80 miles south of L.A., feels like a small, water-soaked oasis. Its signature Contrast Circuit draws visitors who swear the ritual resets their whole nervous system.
Guests move slowly between warm mineral pools and sudden cold plunges — a rhythmic rise and fall that feels a little like breathing with your whole body. The shift in temperature acts like exercise for your circulation and stress response, says Marcus Coplin, a naturopathic doctor and the resort’s medical director. “It is especially great to use at the first signs of feeling ill,” he says.
One of the most unusual experiences here is the Kneipp Walk, a shallow path of alternating hot and cold water that wakes up your feet, legs and senses. Steam curls up from thermal pools and by the time you finish the circuit, you feel both rinsed and recharged.
Pause Studio – Brentwood, El Segundo, Long Beach, West Hollywood, Studio City, Venice, Newport Beach and coming soon to Woodland Hills
Float therapy at Pause Studio feels like slipping into a warm, weightless cocoon. The accessible wellness franchise provides a wide range of restorative treatment services, including full or adaptive immersion floats.
“I have an autoimmune condition that makes my joints hurt, so I did an immersion float bath with tons of Epsom salt, and I felt much better for a couple of days afterwards,” says Kim Sudhalter, president of Urban Legend PR.
Travel and wellness journalist Lola Mendez says: “It was my first time experiencing a sensory deprivation tank, something I had been curious about but had put off due to claustrophobia. Luckily, I was encouraged not to close the tank fully if it was too intense for me. This meant I didn’t have the full experience, but I was able to remain calm and enjoy the floating sensation. It was truly relaxing to float with ease in the 10-inch-deep water dense with 1,000 pounds of Epsom salts. Once I felt comfortable, I laid down and closed the lid, but I left on the gentle blue light and sound bowl music. I loved the sensation of the buoyancy of my body floating without effort.”
Quantum Clinic – Frogtown, L.A.
Frogtown’s airy and gleaming Quantum Clinic blends immersive flotation and sound therapyto achieve deep epigenetic (or cellular) healing, which can be especially therapeutic (and dreamy) for frenetic parents.
“Our signature frequency therapy uses sound to support cellular balance as the brain shifts into theta state where deep healing occurs,” says Katelyn Lehman, founder of Quantum Clinic. “The body naturally releases endorphins and mood-balancing neurochemicals, and parents consistently tell us they feel more patient, present and emotionally available after just one session.”
Flotation REST sessions in a luxury flotation tank can include frequency therapy for cellular balance and mood support and a dedicated clinician by your side to provide trauma-informed care and a personalized experience.
Two Bunch Palms – Desert Hot Springs
A luxurious, adults-only destination resort long-beloved by discerning Angelenos, Two Bunch Palms is fed by a 600-year-old natural spring that replenishes every 24 hours and is centered around its serene grotto, where guests soak in adjustable-temperature mineral tubs and pools tucked into lush, secluded landscaping.
With refreshed rooms, wellness-focused dining at its Essence restaurant and refreshing cocktails at the Twine bar, the resort, a two-hour drive from Los Angeles (with light traffic), offers a relaxing getaway from hectic city life.
“Our treatments complement our abundance of mineral tubs our guests can enjoy with geothermal waters rich in therapeutic minerals (including calcium, magnesium and lithium) and known to ease muscle tension, calm the nervous system and promote overall balance,” says Danny Min, director of operations for the resort.
Wi Spa – Koreatown
Wi Spa is rated the overall top K-Spa in L.A., and it is the only Korean day spa included in the “Best Spas in Los Angeles” by Discover Los Angeles, the city’s tourism guide.
The four-story, full-service, family-friendly spa, which has gone viral on Instagram and TikTok, is open 24/7. Day passes start at $40, including access to hot and cold soaking tubs, plus five different mineral saunas.
Its restaurant dishes out tasty viral favorites such as ramen and shaved ice, and the spa also features a gym, a rooftop terrace, co-ed spaces and a designated kid zone.
L.A. is a city forever reshaping itself, and in seasons of repair, water is a welcome companion, offering us release, renewal and the sense of being carried.
Michele Raphael is an L.A.-based culture, health, lifestyle and travel writer and editor, she can be found on Instagram at @michelebraphael.
