Recharge and Unwind at These Top-Notch Wellness Destinations in San Diego
Self-care has never been more in vogue, but if skipping town isn’t an option for that weekend wellness reboot, get a San Diego spa day on the books instead! Ranging from wanderlust-worthy destination hotels to chic and charming neighborhood gems, these holistic sanctuaries, indie beauty spots and authentic Korean bathhouses or “jimjilbangs” (the Korean term for spas) offer a stellar range of services and experiences. Think everything from full-body scrubs and botanical facials to IV therapies and moon-phase rituals. Want a calm mind and silky smooth skin to match? Discover your new favorite place to take care of you! Best San Diego Day Spas
The Spa at the Catamaran Resort
South Pacific and Asian healing traditions influence treatments at San Diego’s only beachfront spa, The Spa at the Catamaran Resort! Here, guests can look forward to relaxing treatments that feature marine and botanical-based products. Keep an eye on monthly and seasonal spa specials or schedule one of the signature services, such as the Tropical Catamaran Ritual—a body treatment inspired by the natural beauty of Fiji. This soothing service features a head-to-toe milk and honey exfoliating scrub, an invigorating Swiss shower, soothing milk and honey wrap, coconut milk bath and hydrating milk and honey massage. Other special treatments include the Guava Anti-Aging Wrap with powerful fruit enzymes, the Anti-Gravity Facial for a little lifting and contouring and the customizable Catamaran Signature Massage. All treatments include the use of the relaxation lounge and locker rooms for half an hour before and after services—enough time to enjoy a quick steam before grabbing a bite at Oceana Coastal Kitchen.
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Local Insight: Enjoy an exclusive spa membership with access to resort amenities on Mission Bay with a Catamaran Spa Members+ membership. To learn more, click here!
Location: Mission Beach
Ocean Pearl Spa at The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa and Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa
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“If guests only have time for one treatment, I tell them it has got to be the Lalicious,” says Spa Director Kerri Calver of the luxurious exfoliation and massage combo at Ocean Pearl Spa. “It takes care of your skin and makes it glow. I can’t say enough good things about it.” Calver, who got famous faces red-carpet ready before joining The Westin Carlsbad and Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa, redesigned the menu to “give the San Diego crowd a taste of LA style.” She also champions local skincare brands like COOLA and CA Botana that use marine botanicals and helped inspire treatments like the COOLA Sunrise. Calver recommends coming early to enjoy the eucalyptus steam room and vitamin C shower before a session and staying afterward to unwind further with some tea, fruit-infused spa water and snacks in the relaxation room or outside on the saltwater pool deck.
Location: Carlsbad
Best San Diego Day Spas
The Spa at Torrey Pines
Celebrating its location by the Torrey Pines State Reserve, all of the services at The Spa at Torrey Pines are inspired by nature and incorporate marine and botanical-based products. Alongside massages, facials, manis and pedis, water therapies make an excellent add-on to other services. Try Oligomer seawater bath Balneotherapy to soothe muscles and remineralize the body with trace elements. For 140 minutes of pure head-to-toe pampering, book the Spa at Torrey Pines’ Signature Ritual, which incorporates indigenous sage and essential oils to leave your senses feeling euphoric. The spa features 14 treatment rooms, and there’s a cozy relaxation lounge to enjoy pre- or post-service.
Location: La Jolla
Best San Diego Day Spas
Four Moons Spa
Recharge your body and soul at this gorgeous day spa-meets-cosmic collective in Leucadia, where spa treatments, including facials and massages, can be mixed and matched with intuitive services by healers, mystics and yogis. Schedule a self-guided scrub in the gorgeous marble hammam room and follow it up with a half hour in the infrared sauna or a nutritional IV with Dr. Megen McBride, ND, in the lovely new Moondust Lounge. To clear blocked energies, book a spirit reading with intuitive psychic Kim Hassey, who will soon be offering regular Tarot readings!
Local Insight: Keep an eye on the events calendar for monthly and quick-to-sell out multisensory sound bath experiences with Sister of Ceremony Jazmine Amelia.
Location: Leucadia
Saffron & Sage
More of a spiritual awakening center than a conventional spa, this peaceful Mission Hills studio is the perfect place to begin a mind-body wellness journey. With a focus on preventive and integrative healthcare, Saffron & Sage offers a variety of resources for holistic healing and natural living alongside a multidisciplinary team of practitioners, including reiki masters, acupuncturists, massage therapists and naturopaths. Group sessions cover meditation, breathwork and moon circles, while individual treatments range from cupping to life coaching. There are three levels of yearly memberships, and each comes with perks like complimentary consultations and members-only events. If you’re looking to just try it out, however, all services can be booked by non-members too.
Local Insight: Facials at Saffron & Sage use the brand’s holistic skincare line, which is plant-based, vegan and cruelty-free.
Location: Mission Hills
Best San Diego Day Spas
Yu Spa
Whether coming for a dry and steam sauna session, wet room massage or blissful 90-minute body scrub, it’s worth setting aside a morning or afternoon to explore everything this authentic Korean spa has to offer. Maybe try a yoni steam (yes, that V treatment Gwyneth Paltrow put on our wellness radars back in 2015) or hop between the Himalayan salt and red clay saunas and ice room. There are separate men’s and women’s treatment areas, but the relaxation lounge is co-ed. Always shower before hitting the wet rooms, and be prepared to go completely naked in bathing areas.
Location: Kearny Mesa
Spa Estancia at Estancia La Jolla
If being in the tranquil grounds of this hacienda-style resort doesn’t soothe your soul, then a couple of hours at its award-winning spa should do the trick. For velvety soft skin, try the ultra-luxe Grand Cru Rose facial or get pampered with a loved one during Spa Estancia‘s “Escape The Day” couples package, which includes side-by-side treatments on a private outside patio and a glass of bubbles. Schedule a private yoga or meditation session to help calm your mind before starting a treatment or book a cabana for extra downtime beside the saltwater pool.
Location: La Jolla
Best San Diego Day Spas
Girl on the Go!
Girl on the Go! offers gua sha, herbal poultice, connective tissue massages, and LED light therapy to leave skin glowing and looking lifted alongside its lineup of more than 10 traditional skincare facials. Luxurious body treatments are featured as well. The 90-minute Body Detox not only targets stretch marks but increases lymph metabolism. Or you can choose to reach new and deeper levels of total relaxation with the 2.5-hour Pure Bliss facial and body treatment combo. This includes dry brushing and a jasmine and hyaluronic body cream massage before being wrapped in a warm blanket with a scalp and foot massage finale.
Location: Golden Hill
Thérapie Day Spa
Kelly Robinson’s charming day spas in OB and La Mesa hit all the high notes when it comes to relaxation. Enjoy CBD or Himalayan Salt Room massages or body scrubs and wraps in the new shower room (the Cell.U.Lift Thérapie will get you beach body-ready in time for summer). Facials are a specialty too and use products by Epicuren Discovery and Image Skin Care. The Calme Thérapie Detox Facial is great for soothing acne-prone skin, while the Glow Thérapie Signature Facial will boost radiance levels. There’s also a dedicated men’s menu that spans from facials to waxing.
Locations: La Mesa and Ocean Beach
Keri Bridgwater is a freelance writer covering travel and lifestyle. Her work has been featured in Fodor’s Travel, Marie Claire, Matador Network and InsideHook, among other outlets and publications.
