Massage in Desert Hot Springs

Off the beaten path in the San Bernardino Mountain foothills, Desert Hot Springs draws travelers with the natural mineral waters that flow into Aqua Soleil and local spas, burbling at up to 148 degrees. The calming desert landscapes provide the backdrop for a relaxing getaway. The Cabot's Pueblo Museum, a Hopi-influenced pueblo hand-built by town founder Cabot Yerxa in 1913, displays how the settler crafted his home from material found throughout the desert. World-class golf courses and shopping centers are found about 10 miles south in Palm Springs, featuring retro '50s- and '60s-influenced architecture.

Midcentury modern architecture dominates Palm Springs' landscape, echoing of Colony Palms' retro roots. While the city's piano bars and kidney-shaped pools smack of the 1950s, the San Jacinto Mountains' granite peaks, subalpine forests, and fern-fringed mountain meadows retain timeless appeal. Sneaker-clad sojourners can explore the high-country wilderness via the Pacific Crest Trail—a scenic pathway that spans from Mexico to Canada—or soar to 8,516 feet in elevation via a rotating tramcar. In addition to whisking wanderers over the Chino Canyon, the tramway deposits travelers at the gateway to the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, which encompasses about 272,000 acres of verdant wilderness.Back in the lowlands, travelers at the Moorten Botanical Gardens scrupulously snake past more than 3,000 examples of desert cacti while carefully resisting the plants' outstretched spines and delightful hedgehog impersonations. About 2 miles north at the Palm Springs Art Museum, the soft and sensuous brushstrokes of Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh grace the current showcase of modern-era artists, open until September 4.Five miles away, the Palm Springs Air Museum corrals one of the nation's largest collections of WWII aircraft alongside period artifacts and military uniforms. Twelve miles north in Desert Hot Springs, Cabot's Pueblo Museum transforms found objects, including windows and doors from abandoned homesteads, into in 35-room treasure ascending four stories. Back by the hotel, walkers can saunter along the cool, cobbled length of Palm Canyon Drive, whose palm-studded arms stretch with vintage furniture stores, charming boutiques, and ample perches for people watching.

The FDA-approved Venus Concept cellulite-reduction treatment employs bipolar radio frequency and magnetic pulses to break up cellulite deposits and smooth skin. After a consultation to explain the procedure and answer questions, trained staff members guide the noninvasive mechanism over the selected target area, delivering magnetic energy to stimulate blood flow and iron-coated skeletons. The process helps disperse cellulite clumps and boost collagen production, smoothing skin with gentle heat akin to that experienced during a hot-stone massage. As the skin’s surface evens out, the appearance of stretch marks, scars, and enlarged pores disappears like a villain in a house of mirrors. Treatments should be scheduled one week apart.

The tight-knit posse of stylists and aestheticians at Hi-Lites Aveda Salon spike every service with an extra dose of relaxation. Aveda's Pure Plant Essental Aromas send all-natural smells wafting through the air as clients weigh which complimentary spa extra will best suit their styling or waxing session: hand or neck massage, steam-towel treatment, or five-minute makeup application? Candlelight flickers in the secluded Hair Spa, where each snipping starts with a neck massage and a spell in a full-body massage chair that loosens up tense muscles and over-tight neck bolts.

Certified as Master Trainers by the State of California, the salon's owners mold their protégées in-house to ensure a shared camaraderie and uniform standard of quality. Hi-Lites' professional ethic includes eschewing tips and bribes to surreptitiously chop a political opponent's locks, with the team favoring higher wages and the simple rewards of satisfied customers.

When Sly and the Family Stone sang the lyrics "different strokes, different folks" in their 1968 hit "Everyday People," they probably weren't thinking about chiropractic and weight-loss techniques. But the song's general principle—that everyone is different and should be accepted—applies at McDonald Chiropractic, where Dr. Greg McDonald and his team tailor their techniques to fit clients' unique needs and goals. Dr. McDonald specializes in spinal decompression and treatments that target lower back and neck pain, but his service menu also includes advanced therapies such as brain-based neurological rehabilitation.

Nary a chemical is found inside Lemongrass Studio for Well-Being. Instead, the professional aestheticians incorporate organic products into facials designed to clear up women’s skin issues. The staff also alleviates stiffness and improves circulation during bodywork such as deep-tissue and Swedish massages. To round out the services, holistic nutritional counseling helps clients fill their diets with super foods based on Batman’s favorite meals.