The Gazette’s Best of the Springs
Nominations for The Gazette’s Best of the Springs have closed, and it is now time to cast your vote for your favorite businesses and services in categories including Arts and entertainment, City Life and recreation, Food and drink, Family and health, and Services and professionals. Cast your ballot now!
This resort, located near one of Earth’s original wellness destinations, boasts 25 soaking pools filled with natural mineral waters containing 13 minerals – giving the small southwestern town its name from these healing springs.
Strawberry Park
Steamboat Springs provides plenty of opportunities for adrenaline-pumping adventure. However, this town also offers ample chances for therapeutic relaxation, one such spot being Strawberry Park Hot Springs, located north of town.
Strawberry Park provides a cozy sanctuary in the Rocky Mountains for those searching for relaxation and rejuvenation, making it an all-year destination. Boasting five natural hot springs surrounded by hand-laid stone masonry and heated by geothermal energy from Hot Springs Creek, Strawberry Park allows visitors to find their ideal geothermally bliss spot.
Hot springs are a favorite among locals and visitors alike, offering beautiful rock formations surrounding the pools as a stunning backdrop while taking a refreshing soak. There is also an area nearby offering tables and tips for group and private picnics and massage and spa services at this resort.
Alongside hot springs, this property boasts a genuine railroad caboose that is a year-round lodging facility. Private cabins and cottages are available for those preferring more privacy and homey accommodations, all complete with access to hot springs.
An unforgettable family campground and resort, there’s so much more than hot springs to discover at this family-oriented campground and lodge. In the summertime, themed weekends with activities like kanjam tournaments, ceramic-making workshops, line dancing lessons, and Tiki bars poolside for adults to relax are planned as part of this experience.
If you prefer not to drive to Strawberry Park, Sweet Pea Tours, and The Hot Springs Shuttle offer shuttle services from Steamboat Springs that make this easier. These companies are an excellent way to relax while leaving all the driving to professionals.
The Springs Resort & Spa
The Springs Resort is an excellent option for travelers seeking a peaceful, serene, and rejuvenating hot springs experience. Offering everything that one would expect from a luxury hotel and more: spacious rooms equipped with modern amenities; an array of restaurants and bars; 25 thermal water pools in their pool complex; massages, facials, body treatments from their spa; as well as an on-site adventure center offering tours.
This 5-star property falls into the midprice range for La Fortuna hot spring hotels and features concierge services and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout its grounds, an outdoor pool, Jacuzzi, and sauna – plus bike rentals and fitness center to keep guests active! Rooms feature flat-screen TVs with satellite programming, iPod docking stations, and separate tubs and showers stocked with designer toiletries – everything one needs for an ideal vacation in La Fortuna’s hot spring hotels!
Each of The Springs Resort and Spa’s 74 rooms features a balcony or patio with stunning volcano views, air conditioning, a mini-bar, refrigerator, and coffeemaker – while bathrooms boast jetted tubs with separate shower stalls for your added comfort.
At The Springs Resort, guests have a complimentary breakfast, and parking is available on-site. A restaurant also serves lunch and dinner, and a cafe/snack bar on-site.
The Springs Resort and Spa are situated along a river, within 15 minutes’ driving distance of Arenal Natura Ecological Park and Arenal Volcano National Park, Lake Arenal, and other points of interest.
The Springs Resort boasts on-site hot springs naturally heated by Arenal Volcano and housed within manmade pools. Unlike many hotels that only allow access to their hot springs through guests, The Springs Resort’s thermal-water pools are open to the public via day or evening passes – becoming a sought-after spa destination worldwide.
Healing Waters Hot Springs Resort & Spa
This resort sits atop its natural mineral hot spring and offers unforgettable soaking experiences. Additionally, they boast an exquisite spa offering massages, facials, and body wraps – it truly has everything!
Pagosa Springs’ hot springs are our favorite due to never feeling overcrowded. Plus, there are many pools of varying temperatures to soak away the day. Additionally, there’s free-flowing at the resort’s base as an alternative if more expensive indoor soaking doesn’t appeal.
From the outside, this building looks like any other on Pagosa Springs’ charming main street – but you may be surprised to find plenty of bubbling hot tubs to relax in! Inside this lovely old-fashioned hotel awaits a wealth of bubbling hot tubs to soothe away stress.
Popular with both locals and visitors alike, this hotel provides an ideal way to unwind. Boasting a large swimming pool for swimming and water exercises, an outdoor hot tub, and separate men’s and women’s bathhouses, all their collections contain 100% natural mineral water!
Guests can select one of their luxurious suites or park-model cabins to provide everything they need for an enjoyable and restful getaway experience. Suites feature separate living and sleeping areas and kitchenettes that make storing and reheating leftovers from one of the delicious local restaurants easy and efficient.
Healing Waters Resort is just a short walk from some of Pagosa Springs’ finest offerings, such as the historic Fordyce Bathhouse. Suppose you need to fly in or out. In that case, Durango-La Plata County Airport is only 56 miles away – treat yourself to an unforgettable vacation experience here – though note that its price may be higher than others we’ve mentioned here but that you are paying extra for its luxurious location and one-of-a-kind soaking experience!
El Paso County Parks & Recreation
El Paso County Parks Department has an established history of offering indoor and outdoor leisure services to individuals from various walks of life, providing opportunities to develop social skills, experience nature, and relax – leading them towards living happier, healthier lives. Ascarate Park is just one of many such parks El Paso County offers for everyone’s enjoyment.
El Paso County’s largest public-use recreational park, dedicated to sports, picnicking, fishing, and other recreational activities such as golfing, lakeside boardwalk strolls, and fully equipped aquatic center services and playground facilities, is located here. In addition, the recently built Healing Garden can also be found here.
El Paso County Parks and Recreation offers more than just park facilities; their Parks and Recreation Department also maintains an expansive network of trails for walking, jogging, bicycling, and horseback riding. Their trail system is integral to regional outdoor heritage while giving residents a unique way to connect with their environment.
The Department has an award-winning Master Plan outlining crucial renovation and development projects for the future, prioritizing parkland developments outside Colorado Springs city limits and regional trail spines.
Parks staff collaborate closely with the Community Services Department and other County plans in developing strategies and plans to create outdoor recreational opportunities, long-term open space protection, and natural, historical, and cultural interpretation. Furthermore, this Division oversees land acquisition and management.
El Paso County residents enjoy complimentary access to its parks. However, fees are charged for non-residents and visitors using its amenities; current pricing includes pavilion rentals, golf cart rentals, club rentals, Aquatic Center practice fees, and summer league membership fees.