Looking for a new sensation? The blend of hot + cold we found at Sauna House (230 Short Coxe Ave.) definitely fits the bill. The Nordic-style bathhouse offers what’s known as contrast therapy, an ancient practice which entails heating the body and then immediately cooling it off. In this case, that means sitting in a ~180 degree sauna, followed by a cold plunge in a ~53 degree walk-in bath.

How it works:

Upon arriving, you check in and head to the lockers to change into your swimsuit. Then you’ll decide which of its 2 saunas you want to try: a “wet,” aspen wood sauna or a dry cedar sauna. Staff recommend folks spend ~10-15 minutes in one of these spots to get good + hot.

When you leave the sauna, your next step is to hop into the cold shower to rinse off before stepping into the cold plunge. Staff recommends you spend ~1-5 minutes in the cold plunge. Even though we’re old pros at the ice bath routine, we still found ourselves initially breathless.

Following the cold plunge, you’re encouraged to rest + recharge before doing it all again. There are teas, coffee, and more available to sip on while sitting on the most delightful heated cast stone furniture.

We couldn’t get over how invigorated and renewed we felt after 2 rounds of heat and cold. Our muscles tend to stay sore from regular workouts, but felt supple and pain-free following our visit.

Maybe even more shocking was how truly unplugged we were while we were there. We left our phone alone in its bag for 2+ hours to partake in some technology detoxing and it was genuinely liberating to commune with friends and just be.

Quiz

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