California: Experiencing Relaxation in Santa Barbara

Resort spas offer guests packages that include healthful cuisine, massage, yoga, relaxation techniques, exercise programs, mineral baths, and mud masks. These high-priced spas total twice as many as they did 5 years ago. Situated on the beach just north of Santa Barbara, sits the 7.5 million dollar, 360 room spa resort of Bacara. This resort features Spanish-colonial style buildings with terra cotta roofs and wrought iron balconies. Rooms can reach rather high rates, but even the lower priced rooms feature luxury personal amenities. Bacara features a 42,000 square foot spa center with treatments at an additional charge. The resort also offers horseback riding, golf, tennis, and weight training.

The San Ysidro Ranch sits east of Santa Barbara in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains. The ranch consists of 20 cottages with 38 suites. The cottages have a cozy country style with most suites having Jacuzzis. Treatments are performed in the guest's room rather than in a separate treatment facility. The Ojai Valley Inn & Spa is a 220-acre, 206 room resort situated near the Topa Topa Mountains. It features a 31,000-square foot, Spanish-colonial style spa center housing weight rooms, exercise rooms, and treatment rooms.

If relaxation is the cure you seek, look to the Santa Barbara, California area for a varied choice of resort spas. Although most of these spas are high-priced, they offer patrons the opportunity to be pampered and treated like royalty.