6 California Farm-to-Spa Experiences Not to Miss

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By Kind Traveler • Posted on Jul 30, 2023

There’s nothing quite so authentic to a place as getting a spa treatment that uses ingredients from the local area. You connect in a special way to the destination's natural environment, and using fresh, local ingredients in the spa has similar benefits to using fresh, local ingredients in a restaurant: it’s healthier for you and the planet since there’s less fuel used for transport. These six California spas all feature local ingredients in at least one spa treatment, making it an experience you can’t get anywhere else.

The Spa at The Lodge at Bodega Bay has unique treatments like a Warm Shell Massage – think hot stone massage but with tiger clam shells. And its Sonoma Salt Scrub body treatment features a locally made lavender sea salt scrub. The combo of locally harvested chamomile and lavender with shea butter and sea salt will leave your skin (and mind) feeling restored.

Post Ranch Inn is on the cliffs of Big Sur, overlooking the ocean and surrounded by redwood forest. At the Post Ranch Spa, they use herbs like white and black sage, hummingbird sage, coastal sage, rosemary, lavender, juniper, bay laurel, and redwood from the Chef’s Garden and the surrounding forest in their custom herbal smudge bundles and herbal poultices, which are used in a variety of treatments. Its signature spa product line includes flower essences from local Big Sur flowers and Big Sur jade, which is associated with healing and purifying, is used during the Hot Stone Massage.

At The Spa at Bernardus Lodge & Spa in beautiful Carmel Valley, local ingredients are the highlight of their seasonally changing spa specials, and each season inspires a different treatment. They put together a body treatment for the winter season that uses an immune-boosting body oil blend with eucalyptus, bay laurel, and lemon. They use freshly milled lavender from the property combined with pink Himalayan salt for a body scrub, followed by applying cold-pressed lavender olive oil and a honey face mask for hydration for the Lavender & Honey Body Treatment. The Carmel Valley Gold Massage uses the local extra virgin olive oil combined with shea butter and beeswax.

Bernardus Lodge & Spa (Monterey County)

The Well Spa at Miramonte Resort & Spa in Coachella Valley takes inspiration from the surrounding Sonoran desert. They use hand-picked citrus from the property to make the massage oil used in its seasonal body scrub. The oil leaves skin hydrated, soft, and glowing.

Miramonte Resort & Spa (Greater Palm Springs)

The owner of Farmhouse Inn in California's Russian River Valley harvests local honey for the spa and restaurant. One treatment not to miss is the seasonal Replenishing Honey & Elderberry Treatment, where a honey face massage coincides with a detox body treatment. The spa, housed in its Wellness Barn, is all about rejuvenation and relaxation. They use the ODE Verde body scrub from McEvoy Ranch, made from estate-grown olives, tomato leaves, basil, and fresh-cut grass. The scrub is also used for foot exfoliation in the Celebration body treatment, and wild mustard seed from Sebastopol and salt from the Pacific are used in the aptly named Nurtured by Nature treatment.

MacArthur Place in Sonoma started as a family home in the 1800s owned by the Burris family. It’s now a boutique hotel set amidst beautiful gardens in the heart of Sonoma. One of the highlights is The Spa at MacArthur with treatments that include aromatherapy from flowers on the grounds, like jasmine, lavender, chamomile, peppermint, and rosemary.

MacArthur Place (Sonoma)

Find exclusive offers from participating Kind Traveler hotels and book your farm-to-spa experience today.

Author Bio: Kristin Conard is a writer based in central California with a passion for travel and wellness. She has had bylines in a variety of publications, including 7x7, BBC Travel, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, Conde Nast Traveler, and more. She is also the co-author of the award-winning Kansas Trail Guide: The Best Hiking, Biking, and Riding in the Sunflower State.

6 California Farm-to-Spa Experiences Not to Miss

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