5 Reasons I Love Carlsbad

The Spa at La Costa

My visit to Carlsbad almost didn’t happen, with an east coast ice storm that had my 8 am flight sitting on the tarmac until noon, only to be cancelled. After several hours of airline customer service maneuvering, I managed to get on a late-night flight to LAX. By the time I stepped out of my longgggg cab ride, I was exhausted — and checking in at 2 am local time! Yikes!

Needless to say, I was in desperate need of a relaxing experience. Thankfully, a trip to the spa was just what the doctor ordered.

Arriving at the hacienda-inspired The Spa at La Costa early the next morning, I changed into my robe and lounged in the indoor-outdoor waiting area. The spa is surrounded by immaculate gardens, an outdoor fountain, and small paddling pool. I sat on the edge of the the fountain, sipping my favorite Tea Forté ginger pear tea, already feeling a world away from the office and the hectic, outside world.

My first treatment was their new Strawberry Hibiscus Body Buff. I settled into the heated massage bed, where my dry, jet-lagged body was massaged with avocado oil and sprinkled with powdered strawberries and hibiscus flowers. The mixture was gently worked in, from my neck to my toes. It felt like an aromatherapy massage mixed with a full body exfoliation, and I needed both. A quick in-room shower later and the finishing touch was the sweetly scented chocolate shea butter cream that left me bathing suit ready.

All that exfoliating and massaging had relieved my travel headache, and the perfect finale to my spa experience was the pampering Stone Journey Pedicure. My feet were in less-than-stellar condition, but a warm-water herbal soak (a geranium, ginger, tea tree, and jasmin mix) and buff already left them transformed. Hot stones were used to massage my feet and lower legs, which is said to relieve tension. For me it truly did, feeling the warm stones against my cold feet. I opted for a bright fuchsia polish to announce – feet first – that I was ready for my California experience.

Tip: Don’t leave without trying their outdoor Roman waterfall showers, then taking a walk on their stone path labyrinth for meditative reflexology. I also recommend checking out The Chopra Center, where professional healers help guests gain emotional, spiritual and physical balance.