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Refuge

27300 Rancho San Carlos Rd · Carmel, CA

Why you should go…

Refuge is an outdoor relaxation spa on Rancho San Carlos Road in Carmel, built around a thermal-cycle circuit of sauna, cold plunge and hot pools. The property has a large co-ed cedar sauna, two eucalyptus steam rooms, four Nordic cool pools and six hot pools with cascading waterfalls spread across more than two acres of indoor and outdoor space. The spa is kept device-free and largely silent, and optional Swedish and deep-tissue massages can be added to general admission.

  • #spa
  • #wellness
  • #hydrotherapy
  • #relaxation
  • #carmel

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Refuge, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Shopping
    Local Gem

    The Crossroads Carmel

    Free

    An open-air shopping center at the gateway to Big Sur, mixing everyday retailers with Carmel-area boutiques and dining.

    2.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Shopping

  • Attractions
    History Buff

    Carmel Mission Basilica

    Under $25

    Historic 1797 Spanish mission church founded by Junipero Serra, now a minor basilica with a museum and gardens.

    3.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Carmel-by-the-Sea

    Free

    Official visitor resource for the coastal art town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California.

    3.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Monterey Bay Equestrian Center

    $50+

    A beachfront stable in Marina offering guided horseback rides along the dunes and shoreline of Monterey Bay.

    11 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Local Gem

    UC Santa Cruz Arboretum and Botanic Garden

    Under $25

    A 115-acre botanic garden of Mediterranean-climate plants from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Chile.

    33 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Garrod Farms

    $50+

    A family-run stable and estate winery in the Saratoga foothills offering trail rides and wine tasting.

    53 mi awayMore like this