There’s no more denying it: the days are getting shorter, wetter and colder. One up-side to this otherwise dismal trifecta is that Vancouver (and the surrounding vicinity) is full of places to retreat for some heat – we’re talking saunas, spas and steam rooms.

Since there have been some notable changes around town recently, we thought that now was a good time to update our guide of over a dozen local options to help raise your temperature over the months ahead…

NEW | Good news for Mount Pleasant peeps: Tality Wellness has just moved into the neighbourhood (pictured above)! The new spa on East 3rd Avenue, slightly east of Main Street, is located five floors up – which means that awesome views of the city are also part of the package. Amenities of this third location (Tality also has two North Vancouver spots) include a Electric Sauna with space for 20-25 people, Cold and Ambient plunges, indoor and outdoor spaces for lounging, and all you can drink of their very own (delicious) kombucha on tap (and tea, if that’s more your thing). Enjoy the communal ambience beginning at $45 for a single session, or by committing to a five- or ten-class pass or an unlimited monthly membership (only $195!) Private bookings, guided sessions, and RMT, Acupuncture and Microneedling treatments are all also available. Tality Mount Pleasant is open daily from 8am until 10pm.  DETAILS

PRIVATE | The expanded Circle Wellness Granville Island location opened in late summer of 2023. First crack at bookings happens on the first day of each month, and securing a time slot still requires a bit of organization – but it’s totally worth it in order to score a private spa day (yes, you read that right). Prices range from $219-279 per ‘circuit’ (open-air shower, cedar soaking tub, multi-sensory sauna featuring Himalayan salt walls, cold water plunge, and heated stone bed), depending on the time of day (time slots begin at 6:30am and the final one is at 10:15pm, from Sunday to Thursday; an additional late night start of 10:45pm is available Friday and Saturday nights exclusively) and length of your desired session (90 or 120 minutes). Before 5pm on a weekday is the most affordable – so all you early birds and folks with flexible schedules out there, take note! If your schedule doesn’t gel with their availability, though, you can always add your name to the waitlist. DETAILS.

FANCY | The Fairmont Pacific Rim’s The Nordic Spa is an outdoors self-guided thermal experience unlike anything else within Vancouver city limits. Located six stories up, it features a hot tub, cold plunge, and cedar plank sauna for you to cycle through at your own pace. Rest areas are outfitted with sofa lounges, fire pits, and patio heaters. This outdoor oasis is available to hotel guests from 8am until 8pm for the added cost of $35 for 90 minutes. Doors are also open to the public, albeit for the rate of $165 (from 8am-6:30pm) and $145 (from 6:30pm-9:30pm) – a considerably steeper price, but that covers a whole three-hour-long session that comes with perks like access to all of the Fairmont Spa facilities, including their fitness centre and movement studio. Reservations can be made in advance online. DETAILS.

POP-UP | The Good Sauna is a pop-up wood-fired Finnish sauna and cold therapy experience that can be done two ways, depending on your level of comfort and budget: either as a community drop-in ($45 per person) or you can book the whole thing for yourself and a large group (10 total) for the grand sum of $450. Sessions are 1hr 45min long, happening next to Container Brewing (1216 Franklin Street) in Strathcona. Bookings are available for weeknights after 4pm, and weekends from 8am to 10pm. (Weekday daytime bookings can be arranged by special request; same-same for groups of more than 10.) To arrange a private situation, and for more details, email [email protected]. DETAILS

BASIC | Both the YWCA and YMCA have steam and hot tub facilities in their pool areas. Membership is required if you want to avoid the drop-in entrance fee of $20, but the annual fee is pretty reasonable. Approximately $48-68 per month (plus a joiner fee) gets you access to all facilities, as well as group fitness programs for the year and other perks, depending on which association you sign up with. Towel service ($12 per month) is also a nice touch. DETAILS | DETAILS

OLD SCHOOL | If you’re looking for modern frills, then Hastings Reflexology & Sauna (which has been operating since 1926) probably isn’t for you… On the other hand, if you keep your expectations about the nearly-century-old public bath house in check, then you can count on a satisfying experience. Yes, the price point here is more expensive than a community centre fee, but it is also less crowded. A standard 90-minute booking for a private sauna room will run you about $35 dollars (reduced rates apply to groups of two to four). Steam, High Heat, and Hybrid Saunas are all available. Reflexology and Body Massage services are also add on options. DETAILS.

ECLECTIC | Not sure which type of sauna does it for you, Finnish, Turkish Hammam, or Roman? Maybe a Himalayan Salt Room or Dry Aroma or Eucalyptus Sauna is more your thing? Take a trip out to Burnaby to put in some ‘research and relaxation’ time by trying out all eight of the specialized rooms that Art of Sauna has to offer. $50 will hook you up with two hours to do a thorough tour of the various European and Middle East inspired styles, or pick-and-choose and divide your time as you please. DETAILS

PUBLIC | Many City of Vancouver Community Centres offer access to a hot tub, sauna, and/or steam room. Of course, recreation centres come with some drawbacks (crowds and the occasional floating bandage come to mind), but at roughly $7 for a single drop-in admission, plus early morning through to evening hours and multiple locations, this option gets points for affordability and convenience. We’ve noted a few of our favourite locations below, but be sure to check out a full list of COV facilities and what they offer here.

UBC AQUATIC | For those living off-campus, the UBC Aquatic Centre can be a bit of a trek, but this updated and stunningly designed facility is a great place to sweat. Outfitted with a steam room and a sauna (as well as a 34-person family friendly hot tub and three swimming pools), the cost of an adult single day admission is just $6.90 – even cheaper for students, youth, and UBC faculty/staff members. DETAILS.

DEAL | Unless you live in Coquitlam, you’ll need to factor in a bit time to get to this option. But with both wet and dry saunas, plus salt, charcoal, yellow earth and ice rooms, and a small $25 admission fee that gives you three-hour access to it all (plus your spa outfit, a couple of towels, and a locker to use meanwhile), JJ Family Spa is a real winner on the value front. Also of note: JJ operates on a ‘walk-in’ basis, which is nice if you have a sudden urge to decompress and/or didn’t have the foresight to book an appointment in advance. Additional services at this Korean-style bath house include massages, acupuncture, facials and body scrubs – also at reasonable rates. DETAILS.

NO FIXED ADDRESS | The Finnish Sauna offers three different kinds of experiences: an off-grid 14-person sauna by the river at Cheekye Ranch in Squamish (reserve Sauna socials on Thursdays and Sundays or book a private sessions with your group of friends); portable four-person “sauna tents” available for pick-up from spots in Vancouver or Squamish; or you can opt to have the sauna delivered directly to you. That’s right, this team will literally roll up their mobile sauna situation to a farm, campground, beach, backyard or parking lot, ready to go. Mobile saunas accommodate groups of 7-8 people. Ready to make an even bigger commitment? The Finnish Sauna also does custom builds! DETAILS.

CALM | Although you can’t access the open-air Japanese bathhouse at Bowen Island’s secluded and private Kitoki Inn without being a guest – and scoring a reservation at this popular getaway can be a challenge, since bookings only open twice per year and sell out fast – it’s worth the planning and effort to slip into their onsen style bath. Built onto a bluff overlooking the raw beauty of a West Coast forest, this experience comes complete with birds, deer, butterflies and hummingbirds. Thoughtful touches – including robes, hydrotherapy shower, wood-burning fireplace, cold water and hot tea – make the experience even better. Bonus that it’s also situated on the edge of a forest with numerous trails for exploring! DETAILS.

FOREST BATHING | The AIKA Spa offers visitors a chance to hit their ‘pause button’ and spend some time in hot and cold therapy amid the restorative forests of the Sea-to-Sky Corridor via a wood-fired sauna, cold plunge, massages, and yoga. We’ve yet to visit AIKA (Finnish for ‘spending time’), but the literal ‘Forest Bathing’ in wood-burning hot tubs (shout out to Goodland for such a beautifully made/rad product!) is a strong motivator to head up the highway for a visit. Private spa experiences for up to 10 people are available three-hour-, or six-hour-long sessions (pricing varies by group size). They also have wellness-focused “AIKA socials”, to which you can purchase individual passes. DETAILS.

SAUNA IN THE SNOW | Also worth considering: Scandinave Spa in Whistler requires some planning ahead and subsequent travel time, but with a eucalyptus steam bath, wood burning and Finnish saunas, hot and cold plunge pools and waterfalls, and Nordic showers – as well as outdoor fireplaces, a solarium and a strict no speaking policy – we think Scandinave is well worth the drive! Walk-ins for the full Thermal Therapy experience (not including massages) are usually available, unless specified otherwise online. Since you pay a flat rate ($103-138, depending on the day and season) and there is no time limit on your use of the facilities, we recommend showing up early and dedicating an entire day to some hardcore relaxation. DETAILS.

Did we miss your favourite sauna or steam room? Let us know in the comments below.