Desert Hot Springs Spa Tour: It's What's in the Water

Fourth annual event showcases city's rejuvenating mineral water

Marissa Willman Health & Wellness

It has been 100 years since homesteader Cabot Yerxa first struck mineral water gold in the hills of Desert Hot Springs, discovering the naturally hot and cold aquifers that run beneath the city.

Today, dozens of local spas tap into the area’s natural aquifers to fill their pools and fuel relaxing retreats.

Thursday, visitors will receive an exclusive peek into the city’s resorts and spas at the fourth annual Desert Hot Springs Spa Tour.

The event runs 5-8:30 p.m. starting from Two Bunch Palms, 67425 2 Bunch Palms Trail, followed by an after-party at 8:30 p.m. Tickets for the self-guided tours are sold out. For information and tickets, call (760) 329-6403.

The event features visits to more than a dozen of the city’s spas, as well as raffle prizes and after-parties at Aqua Soleil and Mineral Springs Resort.

Maria Lease, owner of The Spring Resort & Day Spa, said visitors won’t find trendy wrap ingredients or the latest facial fads in Desert Hot Springs’ spas.

“We don’t know what the trends are in Desert Hot Springs,” Lease said. “When (people) come to Desert Hot Springs, they come for rejuvenation. They come to rejuvenate in the water and rejuvenate in the peace and quiet.”

In fact, visitors won’t even find distractions such as TVs or DVD players at The Spring. Instead, they will discover weekend yoga classes, juice cleanses and mineral water-filled pools

Because Desert Hot Springs’ spas emphasize wellness, relaxation and cleansing in a natural setting, Lease calls the local spa experience the antithesis of what one may find in retail or commercial spas.