Hot Springs: USA

Paul Rouse: Editor & Publisher

Jun 1, 2026

5

min read

T

o set the scene…

The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has tracked and measured the global thermal and mineral springs industry for more than a decade.

In 2013, it estimated that the sector was already a US$50 billion industry globally. Since then, it has grown rapidly alongside the broader wellness movement. GWI currently estimates that there are over 30,000 thermal or mineral springs establishments operating worldwide, generating over US$70 billion in revenue. And it believes growth will continue to accelerate in the coming years, with rising consumer interest and business investment in the sector all around the world.

The majority of establishments around the world are rustic/traditional bathing and swimming facilities. They largely target their local markets, and charge relatively low admission fees. About a quarter of the establishments are higher-end: they primarily target tourists, and offer value-added spa services. And GWI’s figures do not include springs that don’t have any built facilities and/or do not charge any kind of fee for access.

Taking all three categories into account, the question is: how many of these can you get naked in?

Attitude

The good news is that the industry is heavily concentrated in Asia-Pacific and Europe, reflecting the centuries-old history of water-based healing and relaxation in these regions. Together, they account for over 90% of the total global establishments and revenues each year.

And with many countries in Europe having a fairly relaxed attitude to social nudity, it follows that there will be plenty of opportunities for consumers to enjoy the facilities without the encumbrance of swimming costumes.

Even in countries that you wouldn’t necessarily describe as being that naturist-friendly – in other words, where naturist beaches or clubs might be few and far between – the rules are often a little more relaxed when it comes to public bathing. More people, as a rule, will feel comfortable with social nudity when it’s in context: and that applies equally to saunas, steam rooms and any form of thermal bathing.

Segment

According to GWI, “thermal and mineral springs bathing experiences appeal to a growing segment of consumers seeking to connect with nature; experience cultural traditions; and pursue alternative modalities for healing, rehabilitation and prevention.”

All of which tends to describe many naturists, or at least those who have a more relaxed approach to the wellbeing experience, and to what you should or should not be wearing whilst there. Which includes a growing number of the younger generation: a demographic that all sectors of the travel industry are targeting.

Responding to current trends, both private investors and governments across many countries are investing in the thermal springs sector, increasingly promoting them as a key wellness tourism offering. This includes the renovation and reopening of primitive, outdated and closed-down facilities, as well as upgrading service standards and training to meet the expectations of international tourists. An estimated 365 new thermal/mineral springs projects opened worldwide in the period 2020-2025, and over 250 more projects are in the pipeline for future openings or development.

GWI also coordinates The Hot Springs Initiative, a global network of hot springs owners, operators, academics and industry participants dedicated to exploring the diverse potential of geothermal waters to contribute to the health and wellbeing of visitors, as well as the economies and societies in which they are located.

Knowledge

There’s a downside, of course.

As with many things naturist, outside of specific naturist enterprises, very few mainstream organisations acknowledge the size, relevance or importance of the naturist travel sector. Or possibly even its existence. The Hot Springs Initiative is no exception, with little or no information forthcoming on how many nude-friendly thermal springs there might be.

Policies at venues (as they often do with naturist resorts) vary. Some places are officially clothing-optional within designated areas (pools, hot tubs, spa spaces), but may require clothing in reception, dining or public hotel areas. At some of the lower-key or more rustic hot springs however (one could be tempted to call some of them the ‘hippy’ variety), nudity is more or less a given.

Understanding the local culture is crucial, as ever. In Japan for instance, nudity is normal in onsen springs and at sento bath house, but is gender-segregated (see our feature on page 52). In many places in Europe – Germany, Austria and the Scandinavian countries immediately come to mind – it’s almost an arrestable offence to wear swimming costumes in the sauna and steam room, and the same applies to many thermal locations. In the USA, it often depends on individual state legislation: some are fairly relaxed about public nudity, others will probably string you up for it.

As always, we’d advise readers to check with the current policies of any location or establishment before booking. Or contact the relevant hot springs organisation in whichever country you are traveling to: see the panel for details.

Keywords

When it comes to unofficial knowledge, checking TripAdvisor or Google Reviews specifically for keywords like “clothing optional”, “nude spa” or “naturist friendly” is a good (if not always guaranteed) way of confirming recent visitor experiences.

And there are, thankfully, several naturists on social media who are hot springs aficionados, happy to pass on their knowledge and recommendations. They are the ones with the ‘tough job but somebody has to do it’ approach, spending a lot of time visiting some fabulous thermal locations and making the rest of us deeply envious.

On Instagram, US-based @laughing.girl.108 describes herself as “a naturist with a hot springs problem,” and regularly posts photos of herself naked and neck-deep from locations in Idaho, Oregon, Texas and New Mexico.

Tara, who produces the Water Witch Hot Springs guide on the same platform (@healingis_hot) to complement her Healing Is Hot series of retreats for women, comments that: “I’ve travelled to waters across the world, soaking in the ever-giving hot springs and the surrounding scenery. I’ve seen so much beauty, but there’s something special about Washington State.”

The Ultimate Hot Springs Guide (@ultimatehotspringsguide) does exactly what it sets out to do, reviewing locations around the world, and also has an associated website, although more information on the clothing/clothing-optional rules of each would be good.

And Luna Mae (@lunamae.alongtheway), who we featured in the September 2024 issue, loves hot springs almost as much as she hates clothes. Constantly on the move, around California and Nevada in particular, she noted in our interview that “the western US has a considerable number of designated areas where you can be legally naked. And I’ve found that it is generally accepted the further west that you go. It doesn’t seem quite as easy in the Eastern states.”

An understatement if ever there was one.

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