Glen Ivy Hot Springs - the Best Day Spa in Southern California

Glen Ivy Hot Springs Spa, located in Corona, California, is the ultimate day spa experience. What makes it the best? The relaxed outdoor atmosphere is like no other, and you do not have to book a spa treatment to enjoy the spa. The one thing that Glen Ivy Hot Springs has that no other spa I know of has is ClubMud.

According to Glen Ivy's website, www.glenivy.com, ClubMud is, "California's only therapeutic red clay mud bath. The fine clay exfoliates the skin, draws from the pores, absorbs impurities, and helps release waste from the skin." According to me, it is like being a kid again! There is this great warm pool that basically looks like muddy water, but don't worry, it's not gross. Since it is clay, it just colors the water, but runs clean through your fingers and is not mucky. In the center is a stone block that has mounds of fresh mud. Grab a chunk of the clay and rub it all over your body. It's best to have friends around to help, so they can get your back. Then you go lay out in the sun, or sit in the drying room ("Wafa"), and wait for mud to dry on your body. They tell you it's best to flake it off roughly with your hands to exfoliate your skin, but you really will need to shower after you do that. I recommend making another trip into the mud pool to help get off the chunks that get stuck in between toes and other hard to reach places. Then shower to remove and residue. At first, it seemed to me like it was just a fun idea, but honestly it does make for softer skin.

In addition to ClubMud, the spa has many other things that make for a wonderfully relaxing experience. There is a pool specially for lounging that is only about a foot deep. It is perfect for lounging around with a delicious fruit smoothie, which they serve at the hut nearby. There are also several deeper pools that are great for just swimming around and staying cool, as well as mineral baths and hot tubs. The mineral baths are usually pretty crowded, and smell like rotten eggs (sulfur, I guess), and I don't really see a great benefit from a mineral bath, but hey- whatever floats your boat.

Several times throughout the day they offer water exercise classes in the main pool. While I have never participated in one, I must admit it looked like a lot of fun. There is a café, where you can have lunch, but the prices are pretty high. I recommend coming in the early afternoon and eating before you come. There are several massage huts around the campus, where you can schedule treatments such as massages, facials, and pedicures.
The locker room is very roomy and has saunas and steam rooms available for your use. The spa provides towels, soap, and shampoo, so there is really no need to bring anything other than a bathing suit. (By the way, I recommend leaving light-colored bathing suits at home since the mud can stain them.)

Admission may seem a bit pricey, considering that it doesn't include any of the treatments, but just spending a relaxing day at the spa is really worth the price. It is $35 per person Monday through Thursday, and $48 per person on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as on holidays. I recommend going on a weekday anyway, since weekends get rather crowded.
While men are welcome at the spa (and I did see several men there), this makes a great Girls' Day Out! We took my best friend as a surprise for her birthday, and it was the perfect day!

For more information and photos, check out the website at www.glenviy.com