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Take family trip to mineral hot springs

By Lynn O’Rourke Hayes, FamilyTravel.com
Published: February 10, 2024, 5:46am

Discover the ancient origins and healing properties of mineral hot springs. Here are five places where you and your family can soak together.

  • Pray, Mont.

The Chico Hot Springs Resort & Spa, located in Montana’s picturesque Paradise Valley, first opened in 1900 with a promise that guests could expect a clean bed, hot bath and fresh strawberries with every meal. The tab: $6 a week. Today, the expanded resort remains popular for its steaming springs, gourmet cuisine, authentic western saloon and proximity to a world-class recreation area that includes Yellowstone National Park and the famed Yellowstone River. Stay in the historic main lodge or in larger, family-style cabins or homes.

For more: www.ChicoHotSprings.com; www.VisitMt.com

  • Calistoga, Calif.

The Palisade Mountains provide a picturesque backdrop to a day spent relaxing in this comfortable, family-run spa in Napa Valley. Warm up in an 80-foot-long lap pool, a 90-degree kiddie pool with a waterfall or the 100-degree pool. The steamy therapy pool is for adults only. Ask about the “Volcanic Ash Mudbath,” a century-old natural healing ritual said to improve joint and muscle pain. Other mud baths, massages and a fitness facility are also available. A multi-generational favorite, rooms with kitchenettes make a family overnight easy to handle.

For more: www.calistogaspa.com

  • Steamboat Springs, Colo.

In the late 1880s fur trappers passing through this Colorado enclave, heard an odd noise resembling a steamboat. They were pleasantly surprised to find more than 150 geothermal steamy, bubbling springs that today soothe tired muscles après ski or after a long days’ hike. The centrally located Old Town Hot Springs offers swimming pools, a full-service fitness center and a waterslide for the kids. Just seven miles from town, the Strawberry Park Hot Springs offers a unique experience, with hand-built stone pools of varying temperatures, tepee changing rooms and a natural and serene environment. Note: Children are welcome during the day. Once the sun goes down, you must be 18 or older and clothing is optional. Discover more soaking spots in the state by following Colorado’s hot springs trail.

For more: www.StrawberryHotSprings.com; www.Colorado.com

  • Fairbanks, Alaska

If viewing the Northern Lights is on your bucket list, it’s hard to imagine a more amazing experience than catching the skyward show from a healing hot spring. The resort’s recorded history dates to the early 1900s when weary gold miners discovered that soaking in the waters helped their aching bodies. While visiting you will also want to check out the Aurora Ice Museum and learn about dog mushing during a sled dog kennel tour.

For more: https://chenahotsprings.com; www.TravelAlaska.com

  • Hot Springs, Ark.

This area’s earliest settlers believed the steaming pools had magical healing powers. In time, the town and the Hot Springs National Park grew around the storied and soothing thermal waters. Stroll through the Bathhouse Row National Historic Landmark District and visit the Fordyce Bathhouse, now the welcome center that once included a bowling alley. Make time for local museums, a water park and aquarium. Junior Ranger badges are available.

For more: www.nps.gov/hosp/index.htm; www.hotsprings.org

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