Last weekend, my husband and I ventured up to Indian Springs in Calistoga to celebrate our 3 year wedding anniversary and get some much needed R&R. I’ve been wanting to stay at Indian Springs since I first moved to San Francisco, but it’s so popular that I’ve never been able to get a reservation - so book early!
Indian Springs just underwent a major renovation and you can practically still see the paint drying - the entire property is beautifully cared for and an absolute delight to stay at as a guest. If you’re looking for a beautiful, laid back, wine country setting for a small wedding or event (they can accommodate up to 80 guests, max) you’ll definitely want to stop by and check it out. To boot, the tiny town of Calistoga, which is a 5 minute walk from the resort, is ADORABLE and has some great restaurants and shops, yet avoids feeling like the tourist trap that much of Napa seems to be these days.
The resort was built in the 1860's by the pioneer Sam Brannan, who also founded the town of Calistoga. Mini history lesson: Sam Brannan loved the spa town Saratoga Springs in New York state, and accidentally gave Calistoga its name when one evening (probably slightly inebriated), he said something to the effect of ‘I’ll make this place the Calistoga of Sarafornia’ instead of the ‘Saratoga of California’. There you go.
As a self-proclaimed spa junkie, for me one of the biggest draws to Indian Springs is the old Hollywood-esque, historic olympic-size swimming pool, which is fed by natural geysers. Because the temperature of the water comes out of the ground quite hot, taking a dip in the pool is essentially like swimming in a gigantic bathtub. Aimlessly drift around the pool atop a float or passing noodle, take a steam in the sauna, put on a plush spa robe, nap by the pool, repeat. Oh, you can also get poolside ice cream. What more could you want? Although I didn’t have a chance to try one of their famous mud baths I will definitely be putting that on my list for the next trip.
As a wedding venue, it would be the perfect place for an intimate wedding weekend experience, since all of your guests can stay on property and spend time together. Add classic lawn games like bocce and shuffleboard, grilling facilities and a delicious on-property restaurant (Sam’s Social Club), and you’ve got pretty much the most laid back, relaxing wine country wedding weekend I can imagine. If you’re not already getting in your car to go jump in that pool, here are a few snaps from the weekend to make you drool!
