Spas with walk-ins welcome

Ainsworth, British Columbia

A lakeside hot springs resort in British Columbia's Kootenays with public thermal pools, a spa, restaurant and overnight rooms, closed Tuesdays.

Banff, Alberta

A historic outdoor mineral pool run by Parks Canada on Sulphur Mountain in Banff, open daily and walk-in only, no reservations.

Beppu, Oita

A budget mineral-mud and colloid hot-spring bathhouse in the Myoban district of Beppu, open daily for walk-in day soaks or an overnight stay.

Los Angeles, California

A clothing-optional Korean-style bathhouse in East Hollywood built over LA's only natural mineral hot spring, with soak pools, steam room and sauna.

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Historic 1912 bathhouse on Bathhouse Row offering walk-in thermal mineral baths, steam cabinet and Swedish massage, no appointment needed.

Ourense, Galicia

Riverside hot springs in Ourense with a Japanese-inspired design, day pass 6.95 EUR, minimum age 5, closed Tuesdays.

Lake Tahoe, California

Family-friendly hot springs resort near Lake Tahoe with outdoor pools, private indoor soaking rooms and saunas, open daily on a walk-in basis.

Gero, Gifu

An outdoor-only onsen in Gero with rock-built baths, a cascade bath and three-temperature pools, open daily except Thursdays.

Mývatn, Northeastern Region

A geothermal lagoon by Lake Mývatn in North Iceland, with hot tub, steam cave, swim-up bar and massages, open daily noon to 10pm.

San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato

Family-friendly hot springs park near San Miguel de Allende with indoor and outdoor thermal pools, a kids' splash area, and day passes for walk-ins.

Gero, Gifu

Gero's riverside hot-spring source pool in the town center, where visitors can touch the water and take photos, though full bathing has been banned since

Temescal Valley, California

Adults-only hot springs resort in Temescal Valley with 19 outdoor mineral pools, red clay baths, and a cave-like grotto, open daily 9:30am-5pm.

Calistoga, California

A Calistoga hot springs spa built around mud baths, with private couples rooms and mineral pools open daily from 8am to 11pm.

Hakone, Kanagawa

Day-use hot spring in Tōnosawa, Hakone, styled like an old farmhouse village, with communal baths and 19 private open-air rental baths.

Hanmer Springs, Canterbury

New Zealand's largest geothermal hot pool complex in Hanmer Springs, with pools from 28°C to 42°C, a lazy river, slides and alpine views.

Reykjavik, Capital Region

Eight oceanfront geothermal pools in Hvalfjörður, 45 minutes from Reykjavík, plus steam baths, a bistro and guest houses for rent.

Ischia, Campania

Family-run thermal pool park on Ischia's Maronti beach, open since 1973, with three sulfur-water pools, a sauna and direct beach access.

Bishop, California

A century-old natural hot springs pool near Bishop in the Eastern Sierra, with a cooling waterfall, a separate hot soak, and simple day-use facilities.

Reykjavik, Capital Region

A tiny free geothermal footbath on the Seltjarnarnes coast near Reykjavik, good for warming your feet while watching the sunset or northern lights.

Monroe, Utah

Natural hot spring pools fed by mineral water in rural Monroe, Utah, open 24/7 with day-pass soaking and funky bus and cabin lodging on site.

Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Victorian-style bathhouse in downtown Pagosa Springs with mineral soaking tubs, a rooftop tub, sauna, cold plunge and on-site massage.

Saturnia, Tuscany

Walk-in thermal park in the Maremma countryside with four outdoor sulfur pools, hydromassage jets and a vascular circuit fed by a 3,000-year-old spring.

Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

Geothermal hot springs and day spa in Fingal on the Mornington Peninsula, with a family-friendly Bath House and an adults-only Spa Dreaming Centre.

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Thermal-water bathhouse on Central Ave in Hot Springs offering soaking pools, private mineral baths and eight spa treatments, minimum age 14.