Today it may be hard to imagine Napa Valley without its vineyards, but it was only a few decades ago that Napa and Sonoma counties were better known for farms and hot springs than wine. Fortunately, those early attractions are still going strong, making it easier than you may think to plan a healthy weekend at Napa spas that doesn't necessarily revolve around the vine. See why the Napa Valley is one of our favorite spa weekend getaways:
Related: Check out our photo gallery of 8 Great Sonoma and Napa spas.
STAY & SPA: NAPA HOTELS AND SPAS
Wine country is overflowing with inns, hotels, and B&Bs -- so much so that it could take an entire weekend just to figure out where to stay. Those with a soft spot for modern design will love the mustard walls, warm woods, and crisp white linens of Hotel Healdsburg. (Of particular note are the very deep soaking tubs in most rooms-a real treat.) Its cutting-edge philosophy continues in the spa, which offers certified biodynamic treatments using seasonal ingredients from nearby Stella Flora Botanicals.Fronting the gurgling Napa River and just a short drive from downtown, Milliken Creek Inn & Spa features 12 bright, wood-floored rooms, each with a giant hydrotherapy tub. Gourmet breakfast is delivered every morning and features the same local ingredients that make treatments in the inn's cozy, beautiful spa extra special.
With fireplaces, stone walls, and oversize furniture, the award-winning Kenwood Inn and Spa feels more like a Tuscan villa than a modern California hotel, and that's the point. The vineyard is front and center here, with vine motifs painted on walls and vinotherapy treatments in the spa.
A relatively new addition to the area, Bardessono aspires to be the first LEED Platinum-certified hotel in California. Located on 6 acres of farmland in Yountville, the resort has 62 rooms-all spa suites with custom bathrooms that feature concealed massage tables (and in some cases steam rooms).
Known for mineral springs and mud baths, Calistoga is a must for any spa-lover in wine country. Indian Springs Resort and Spa offers a giant outdoor mineral springs pool and traditional mud baths that are administered in a giant white-tiled room-all very much in keeping with the resort's 1920s health-spa vibe. For a 21st-century approach, visit Spa Solage at Solage Calistoga and try its signature Mudslide, consisting of a self-applied mud masque, mineral springs soak, and nap in a sound/vibration chair.
Want a nap without the mud? Spend the day relaxing in your very own wine country cottage as part of the Destination Day Spa package at The Carneros Inn in Napa. When you book $400 in spa services for one or two guests, you'll get a key to one of the resort's stand-alone rooms-complete with outdoor shower and fireplace-to do with as you please from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
While you won't get a cottage at the secluded Raindance Spa at The Lodge at Sonoma, you will gain access to the quiet, adults-only spa pools -- a wonderful place to spend the day after enjoying a certified organic facial.
Next: Where to Play and Eat
Related Content
Las Vegas is a town known for living it up, but you'd never guess how easy it is to make your visit to Sin City a healing one.
Miami Beach is famous for its sizzling nightlife, but a host of new spas are placing the emphasis squarely on wellness. South Beach and Miami spas are heating up.
A rugged vacation in the wilderness of Jackson Hole, Wyoming reveals its soft side with spa treatments and delicious cuisine.
The spas on new cruise ships are bigger and more blissful than ever. Here are five of the best ones afloat.
Looking for some quality time with her girlfriends both in the spa and on the beach, Tara Bradley embarks on the perfect weekend getaway to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
