Local Brief
These spas near D.C. are worth a day trip
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Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios
If you're willing to hit the road for your New Year's self-care, there are plenty of spots worth checking out within driving distance of D.C.
Why it matters: Road trip snacks and a podcast are very important parts of any well-balanced wellness routine.
State of play: Here are three spots we'd recommend:
🦎 Salamander Resort
Where: Middleburg
Distance: ~1 hour, 20 minutes
Sure, the cold-weather treatments are fire — with mid-week discounts on pampering like a winter warming massage and a "spiced cashmere quench" wrap — but it's also worth the drive just to hang post-treatment at the spa itself.
- Hop between the sauna, steam room, soaking tubs, the "experiential shower" and heated lounges, plus a private pool. (Treatment prices vary.)
💠Mimi's thought bubble: This is by far my fave spa out of all the ones I've visited in the area — and yes, that includes the D.C. Salamander location, plus standbys like the Ritz and Four Seasons!
🧂 Shore Salt Cave
Where: Queenstown
Distance: ~1 hour, 15 minutes
Feeling salty that all the holiday indulging is over? Head to this wellness retreat housed in a historic home on the Eastern Shore, where you can detox in a pink Himalayan salt cave.
- Or go for salty toes with an infused foot soak, or full woo-woo via offerings like reiki, breath work and sound baths. (Treatment prices vary.)
🌾 Celeste Farms
Where: Richmond
Distance: ~2.5 hours
Yes, this is a working farm sitting on over four acres, but it also has an outdoor "field spa" situated around a fire pit with cold plunges, a hot tub, barrel saunas and heated showers.