Forest Spa
Step into stillness at the Journey Inn Forest Spa — a quiet retreat inspired by Nordic wellness traditions and the restorative beauty of the Driftless forest. Move slowly between warmth, water, and rest as you unwind in our relaxation lounge, outdoor sauna, Japanese soaking tub, and curated spa rituals designed to calm the body and restore the mind.
Services
Our Forest Spa offerings are designed to invite rest, reconnection, and quiet restoration. Guests may choose from soothing massage services, Nordic-inspired sauna and soaking rituals, guided forest bathing experiences, relaxation lounge access, magnesium foot soaks, Himalayan salt therapies, and thoughtfully curated spa enhancements. Whether seeking deep relaxation, intentional stillness, or a romantic spa escape, each experience is designed to move gently between nature, warmth, water, and rest.
Japanese Soaking Tub
Come relax, rejuvenate and reflect. Enjoy the Japanese Soaking Tub, a ritual practiced in Japan for centuries. Unlike a bath for cleansing, it is a relaxing, meditative experience, used to calm the spirit and restore vitality. The soaking tub enables you to sit upright with water reaching your upper chest or neck. This is an ultimate spa experience (spa = partaking in healing waters).
Soaking in a deep tub of hot water is a meditative, restorative experience that provides a ritual to ground yourself each day that purifies both body and mind, boosts circulation and the immune system, helps reduce pain, relieves stiff shoulders and muscle tension. We add sea salts, magnesium flakes and essential oils to our clean chemical free spring well water enhance these benefits
Your ritual begins as you step into a serene, steam-filled sanctuary where soft music, candlelight, and the gentle warmth of the room invite you to slow down and fully unwind. Plush towels, spa robes, and slippers are thoughtfully provided, allowing you to settle into comfort at your own pace. This private retreat is yours for the duration of your experience, offering uninterrupted time for rest and restoration.
We recommend beginning with a warm shower to soften and hydrate the skin before applying the mineral-rich salt scrub provided on your ritual tray. This gentle exfoliation helps prepare the body for deeper absorption of the magnesium, salts, and minerals found in the chemical-free soaking waters.
When ready, slowly ease into the Japanese soaking tub, allowing the warmth to relax the body and quiet the mind. A refreshing carafe of water is provided to encourage hydration throughout your experience. Guests are welcome to move intuitively between the soaking tub and the walk-in shower, allowing the contrast of heat and cooling water to stimulate circulation, awaken the senses, and deepen relaxation.
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A restorative self-guided spa experience designed to encourage stillness, relaxation, and quiet renewal.
90 Minute ExperienceBegin your experience in the Forest Spa Lounge, where warm lighting, herbal tea, and peaceful forest views create a calm space to slow down and settle in. Change into plush spa robes and unwind beneath warm blankets while preparing for your restorative soaking ritual.
Your experience includes the presentation of a hand-carved wooden spa tray featuring a warm lemon-scented towel for your hands and a thoughtfully curated meditation card chosen to reflect your intention for the experience — whether rest, grounding, release, clarity, or simple quiet presence.
You will then enjoy the Japanese Soaking Tub Ritual at your own pace, allowing the warmth of the water to relax the body and calm the mind. This self-guided experience is designed to invite intentional rest and gentle reconnection through stillness, warmth, and quiet moments surrounded by the beauty of the forest.
Following your soak, return to the relaxation lounge to continue resting with herbal tea service, warm blankets, and the peaceful rhythm of the woods just beyond the windows.
Includes:
• Japanese Soaking Tub Ritual
• Relaxation Lounge Access
• Herbal Tea Service
• Warm Blankets & Spa Robes
• Guided Meditation Card -
Nordic Forest Spa Ritual
Inspired by Scandinavian sauna traditions and the restorative rhythm of nature.
120 Minute ExperienceBegin your ritual in the Forest Spa Lounge, where you are invited to slow down, settle in, and prepare for a deeply restorative thermal spa experience. Change into plush spa robes, enjoy a cup of herbal tea, and relax beneath warm blankets while taking in the quiet forest surroundings.
Your experience begins with the presentation of a hand-carved wooden ritual tray featuring a warm lemon-scented towel for your hands and a thoughtfully curated meditation card selected to align with your intention for the experience — whether relaxation, renewal, grounding, connection, or release.
You will then move through a guided Nordic-inspired thermal circuit beginning with time in the outdoor barrel sauna, allowing the warmth to relax the body and quiet the mind. Following the sauna, awaken the senses with a refreshing cold contrast shower before easing into the Japanese soaking tub ritual, where deep warmth and stillness complete the experience.
After your thermal cycle, return to the Forest Spa Lounge to continue resting with herbal tea service, warm robes, and quiet moments of relaxation surrounded by the peaceful beauty of the Driftless forest.
Includes:
• Barrel Sauna Session
• Cold Shower Contrast
• Japanese Soaking Tub Ritual
• Relaxation Lounge Access
• Herbal Tea Service
• Guided Meditation Card -
A quiet shared ritual designed for connection, stillness, and relaxation.
120 Minute ExperienceBegin your experience by settling into the Forest Spa Lounge, where soft lighting, warm herbal tea, and peaceful forest views invite you to slow down and unwind together. Change into plush spa robes and relax beneath warm blankets while your private ritual is thoughtfully prepared.
Your experience includes a beautifully presented hand-carved wooden spa tray featuring a mineral-rich essential oil salt scrub designed to gently soften and prepare the skin before entering the Japanese soaking tub. A warm lemon-scented towel is offered for your hands, along with a curated guided meditation card created especially for couples — encouraging reflection, presence, and connection throughout the experience.
You will then be guided through the Japanese Soaking Tub Ritual for Two, allowing time to soak deeply, relax the body, and enjoy quiet moments together in a peaceful candlelit atmosphere.
Following your soak, return to the relaxation lounge to continue resting with herbal tea service, warm towels, robes, and the calming rhythm of the forest surrounding you.
Includes:
• Japanese Soaking Tub Ritual for Two
• Relaxation Lounge Access
• Herbal Tea Service
• Warm Towels & Robes
• Couples Guided Meditation Card
• Essential Oil Salt Scrub Ritual Tray -
A deeply restorative spa experience inspired by Nordic wellness traditions and the quiet beauty of the Driftless forest.
2.5 Hour ExperienceThis extended ritual invites you to move slowly between heat, water, stillness, and rest — allowing the body to soften and the mind to fully unwind in the peaceful rhythm of the forest.
Begin your experience in the Forest Spa Lounge, where warm lighting, herbal tea, and quiet forest views create a calm and grounding atmosphere. Change into plush spa robes and settle beneath warm blankets while your ritual experience is thoughtfully prepared.
Your journey begins with the presentation of a hand-carved wooden spa tray featuring a mineral-rich essential oil salt scrub designed to gently soften and prepare the skin before your soaking ritual, along with a warm lemon-scented towel for your hands. A curated Forest Bathing Ritual Meditation Card invites you into a more immersive experience of stillness and connection with the natural world.
Guests are encouraged to wander the forest trails at their own pace, pause at the Whispering Pines meditation platform nestled among the trees, or simply sit quietly on the bench outside the sauna overlooking the forest. The guided meditation card is designed to help you slow down, breathe deeply, and fully settle into the peaceful rhythm of the woods before continuing your spa ritual.
When ready, move through a Nordic-inspired thermal spa circuit beginning with the outdoor barrel sauna, allowing the warmth to deeply relax the body and quiet the mind. Following the sauna, awaken the senses with a refreshing cold shower contrast before easing into the Japanese soaking tub ritual, where deep warmth and stillness invite complete relaxation.
Your experience continues with a 15–20 minute Himalayan Salt Foot Dome Ritual designed to soothe tired feet, encourage grounding, and gently restore balance while resting comfortably in the relaxation lounge.
Throughout the experience, guests are invited to move slowly, sip herbal tea, rest beneath warm blankets, and embrace quiet moments of stillness surrounded by the beauty of the Driftless forest.
Includes:
• Nordic Sauna Session
• Cold Shower Contrast
• Japanese Soaking Tub Ritual
• Relaxation Lounge Access
• Himalayan Salt Foot Dome Ritual
• Herbal Tea Service
• Forest Bathing Ritual Meditation Card -
A restorative spa escape designed for deep relaxation and intentional connection.
Perfect for couples seeking a full spa afternoon immersed in warmth, stillness, and the peaceful rhythm of the forest.
3+ Hour ExperienceBegin your experience in the Forest Spa Lounge, where warm lighting, herbal tea, and quiet forest views invite you to slow down and settle into relaxation together. Change into plush spa robes and unwind beneath warm blankets while your private ritual experience is thoughtfully prepared.
Your Couples Forest Spa Ritual begins with the presentation of a beautifully hand-carved wooden spa tray featuring a mineral-rich essential oil salt scrub designed to gently soften and prepare the skin before entering the Japanese soaking tub. A warm lemon-scented towel is offered for your hands, along with a curated guided meditation card created especially for couples — encouraging reflection, presence, and connection throughout the experience.
You will then enjoy the Japanese Soaking Tub Ritual for Two, allowing time to soak deeply, relax the body, and reconnect in a peaceful candlelit atmosphere surrounded by the quiet beauty of the Driftless forest.
Following your soaking ritual, continue your spa journey with a 60-minute massage for each guest, thoughtfully designed to release tension, restore balance, and deepen relaxation.
Throughout the experience, guests are invited to return to the relaxation lounge to sip herbal tea, rest beneath warm blankets, and embrace quiet moments of stillness together.
Includes:
• Couples Forest Spa Ritual
• 60 Minute Massage for Each Guest
• Herbal Tea Service
• Relaxation Lounge Access
• Warm Towels & Spa Robes
• Essential Oil Salt Scrub Ritual Tray
• Couples Guided Meditation Card