KERN COUNTY’S HIDDEN SPA

About 40 miles northeast of Bakersfield, CA, among the quiet hills and valleys of the Sequoia National Forest, lies a quaint hidden sanctuary called Lake Isabella Hot Springs. This privately owned, one-of-a-kind spa is not easily found when driving on the main road, and it’s not even generally open to the public. The private property is fully fenced, and you need to open the gate by hand to enter. Pass the gate. It’s about a minute drive until you reach the hot springs area and another 3-5 minute drive until you get to the cabin and the RV area.

I was fortunate enough to come to this exclusive spa and stay in the cabin for two days and one night because I went with a friend who knows the owner. I accepted my friend’s generous invitation, and it turned out to be an irresistible call to adventure…

When all was said and done, we were all satisfied with our short vacay…

Shortly after checking in, we saw a small mouse that frightened us to death! My friend Jenni was in utter disgust, and I shrieked at the highest vocal frequency known to man. When we addressed this matter to the owner, she ended up giving us a generous $50 discount on our stay.

I saw my friend hand the owner $500 for our party of eight with the discount, if my math is correct, that comes out to about $69 per person, and the spa usage is included in this price. At first, I was pretty grossed out about the mouse situation too, but perhaps this type of thing can be understandable in a country cabin like this? 

So, before I list all the good things about my trip to this place, I will tell you about the things that I think this place could work on (in addition to rodent control, of course). Right off the bat, there are no toilets in the hot springs spa area, only port-a–potty outside of the facility. This is not the most kid-friendly spa, as the water in all of the spas is generally too hot for kids. 

Another one of the inconveniences during our stay was not having hot water in our cabin’s bathrooms and kitchen. However, the hot springs water made up for this. The only thing was that we had to remember to take a shower at the hot springs area before driving back to the cabin. We were able to wash our face and brush our teeth with the hot springs water that was brought back in our water bottles, but this was rather inconvenient.

The next day, when we mentioned this, the owner seemed unaware of the issue. We were told that the lack of hot water might have been due to an electrical outlet shortage. 

I also noticed that the closets were full of the owner’s belongings; this seemed very odd. It was as if the owners lived there and were renting it out whenever guests made reservations. Another drawback was the lack of WiFi and, consequently, a lack of internet TV signals. Most people today, these are must-haves on vacation, yet for me, this is actually a pro since I believe a relaxing spa getaway should be free from monotonous tech usage. On that note, let’s discuss the pros… 

Pros:

The cabin we stayed at was the only one on-site, and yet, with three bedrooms, it was spacious enough for our party of seven. I also found out that the two RVs parked outside could sleep four to five people each and were going for $150 a night , which seemed reasonable enough.

For those looking to save money, there’s an option to tent up by the hot springs, that way, you only pay for the spa usage. Spa admission prices are exceptional: $25 on weekends and $20 on weekdays per person. The area is also perfect for BBQing as it is right next to the hot tubs. This spa has three hot tubs, one changing room, and several huts where you can sit and eat. There is also a conveniently located plaza one block away from where you can purchase toiletries if you forget to pack them. 

The spa itself was better than average. I enjoyed the peaceful setting and the country ambiance. Another thing I noticed about being in the hot springs water is its healing effect on my skin. I have had these dark blotches on my skin for months, and no matter what I’ve tried, they never seemed to fade away. After two days in the hot springs, however, the flaws have faded about three shades lighter, and the pimples on my teenage daughter’s face cleared up quite a bit as well.

One of my favorite attributes of Lake Isabella Hot Springs is the setting. While I was there, a herd of friendly, neighboring sheep came by and let me pet and take selfies with them. They were so cute! Especially the little lambs as they “baaah” ed and gathered around me as I sang to them. The sky provided an inspiring backdrop for reflection and creativity. Beautiful sunsets, starry nights, open fields, friendly lambs…perhaps the best things about the spa had nothing to do with the spa itself! Watching the sunset with the reeds swaying in the cool breeze while the lambs and sheep came by to say hi was a beautiful experience we will always remember… 

Overall, it was a great trip. I can think of several ways it could have been better, but my overall summary is that it was a wonderful getaway, and I will definitely be back again.

Vlog

* The owners of this hot springs spa told me that they tried doing Airbnb, which wasn’t a pleasant outcome. For this reason and their language barrier, they seemed to prefer Korean customers by reservation only, but perhaps, in the future, they will make acceptance.

Pros:
Real hot springs water (from my experience)

24-hour open spa facility
Comfortable stay
Great night ambiance
Hot springs are conveniently located right next to each other.
Campground right next to the hot springs
Market and stores nearby.
Sheep and lambs roaming around the field
Quiet and peaceful
All utensils, towels, and blankets inside the cabin
Friendly Christian owners
No WiFi
Affordable

Cons:
Things inside the closets in the cabin
Mice (maybe it was this one time)
No WiFi
Porta Potty
No hot water (we were told this was the first time)
No warm or cold tubs for the kids

Address to Lake Isabella Hot Springs:

5838 Lake Isabella Blvd, Lake Isabella, CA 93240