Romantic Getaway with Natural Hot Mineral-Water Pools
More than a century ago, in the California town of Desert Hot Springs, both hot and cold natural mineral springs were discovered atop the aptly named Miracle Hill. As a result, resorts and spas populated the town, hoping to take advantage of the springs’ believed holistic healing properties. You can soak in these mineral-rich, odorless waters at Miracle Springs Resort & Spa, set on an acre in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains.
The Mediterranean-influenced hotel, topped by a terra-cotta stucco roof and surrounded by lush gardens, pumps the 140-degree water straight from the earth before cooling it down to 90–105 degrees. The water then fills eight pools and hot tubs, which are open 24 hours. There, you can bathe in the sweet-scented waters for as long as you’d like—the hotel suggests dipping into the pools and tubs two to three times a day to reach total relaxation.
Near the mineral pools, the onsite Capri restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Typical entrees include top sirloin ($14), halibut steak ($15), and gnocchi a la romano ($11). At the onsite spa, aestheticians and massage therapists are on hand to perform massages, facials, body masks, wraps, and full-scale Broadway musicals.
Desert Hot Springs, California: Spa-Centric Oasis Minutes from Palm Springs
In 1913, settler Cabot Yerxa was digging a well in the San Bernardino foothills when he unearthed natural hot springs bubbling beneath the Californian desert. These hot springs created a spa-centric culture in Desert Hot Springs—the mineral waters, which reach temperatures of up to 148 degrees, flow directly into several local spas. Yerxa also used material found throughout the desert to handcraft a Hopi-influenced pueblo home that towers four stories high. It’s now immortalized as Cabot's Pueblo Museum, and is open for tours.
Twelve miles south of Desert Hot Springs, you’ll find a retro '50s and '60s vibe in Palm Springs. The ritzy vacation spot features world-class golf courses and shopping centers. Joshua Tree National Park lies 40 miles east, an 800,000-acre swath of land that stretches across parts of the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. The five palm oases scattered throughout the park are the best spots to see native animals, such as snakes, bighorn sheep, and black-tailed jackrabbits.
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