Spas, saunas, and hot springs that welcome kids offer the opportunity to rethink what the wellness experience actually is—and who it is for.
By Michelle Baran, January 23, 2026
Rush Creek Lodge, California
I know what you’re thinking. Kids? At the spa? Is nothing sacred? And, believe me, several years ago, when I was in the throes of exhausted early motherhood, I was sleep deprived enough to probably whack someone over the head for even suggesting such a thing.
After all, spas and hot springs are supposed to help heal our frayed nervous systems, right? And last time I checked, there was nothing chill, zen, or even remotely quiet-zone–esque about kids. But perhaps, like many things, it’s simply about a slight twist in perspective. In many places in the world, spas and natural springs are intended to be a more communal, all-ages event.
Our first encounter with a family spa experience happened by accident. During Thanksgiving break in 2023, while visiting Yosemite National Park with my husband, mother-in-law, and our two kids (then aged four and seven), we were told that the little ones were welcome to experience the wellness facilities at Rush Creek Lodge and SPA. Each day, the property’s on-site spa hosts “morning family time” (from 8 to 11 a.m.), when kids and adults can enjoy the spa area, including a mineral bath with a granite waterfall, a Himalayan salt sauna, cooling shower streams, and relaxing loungers with views of the surrounding forest.
