Step through the torii gates at Golden Door Spa in Escondido and enter a Japanese-inspired getaway replete with classic shoji screens, a koi pond, sand gardens, and some serious relaxation. This serene retreat accommodates only 39 guests who each stay for a week or more, so expect some major pampering from the attentive staff. Days start with an early-morning guided hike through avocado groves, waterfalls, and stone walkways lined with ancient granite boulders. Classes in Yoga, special water therapy, nutritional guidance, and more are available, all with a focus on wellness and healing. As for treatments, try the luxurious calendula butter wrap, infused with flowers, or the lavender and lemongrass scrub.
At Spanish-styled Spa at Rancho Valencia, in Rancho Santa Fe, treatment rooms boast adobe fireplaces and private outdoor gardens with Talavera tile soaking tubs, the perfect venue for the spa’s signature Sixth Sense body ritual. Start with a tranquil bath soak under gently rustling palms before settling into a full-body massage and soothing paraffin treatment for hands and feet.
You can’t help but feel extra special at the Hotel del Coronado’s Spa at The Del, where a private terrace lets you lounge by a vanishing-edge pool overlooking the sparkling Pacific. Many of the spa’s treatments, like the Ocean Salt Scrub (fine-grain mineral salts infused with citrus oils) focus on healing properties of the sea.