Page 49 - 2017 Travel Guide to California

SPAS & WELLNESS
BY LAVINIA SPALDING
Pamper Your Body, Center Your Soul
California’s celebrated spas provide the ultimate getaway
NAPA VALLEY
This celebrated region and
neighboring Sonoma Valley are
known primarily for their wine,
but their appeal runs deeper than
that. You can pamper yourself at
luxury spas—such as Meadowood
in Saint Helena, the Sonoma
Mission Inn & Spa, or Indian
Springs Resort & Spa in
Calistoga—dine at some of
California’s (and the USA’s) best
restaurants, shop at trendy
boutiques or live a little rougher
and explore wild state parks.
In San Francisco’s vibrant Japantown
district, buses and bikes whiz by, teens con-
gregate and people text as fast as they walk.
But inside the Kabuki Hot Springs, the city
vanishes. The only sounds in the dimly lit,
Japanese-style communal baths are the
gentle splashing of water and occasional
strains of soothing music. In the sauna, you
can lie back and detoxify as you treat your
eyes to chilled cucumber slices. Then hit the
steam room and exfoliate with lemon and
sea salt. Follow with a long, lazy soak in the
hot tub, and if you’re brave, a cold plunge.
When you’re finished, start all over again. In
fact, linger all day: it only costs $25.
For people around the world, the name
“California” means escape and conjures
images of sunny beaches. But in today’s
demanding, perpetually wired world, a true
vacation requires more than just a break
from the office; it takes unplugging, puri-
fying and restoring. Luckily, this is
practically the state motto.
California has been a resort destination
since the early 20th century, beckoning trav-
elers with its year-round warm weather,
spectacular geography and mineral springs.
The 1950s brought yoga to the state, and the
1960s ushered in a wave of young hippies
passionate about all-natural food and
intentional living. Today, California is the
nation’s vortex of personal health and self-
improvement, with spas and wellness
centers almost as ubiquitous as scenic
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