21 Hot Springs to Escape Winter's Chill

Right now, much of the United States is in the icy clutch of one of its coldest winters in recent memory. But some places stay warm no matter how cold the outside temperature gets. Hot springs offer warmth despite the harsh winter winds, along with vistas that make it feel like you’ve escaped into a fantasy world. 

Nestled in the snow-capped mountains of Colorado sits the world’s largest mineral hot springs pool. The Glenwood Hot Springs Pool has been servicing tourists since 1888 with waters that hover at 90–93 degrees Fahrenheit.

Across the globe in the lava fields of Grindavík, Iceland, visitors can take a dip in a hot spring created by a geothermal energy plant. The water that filters into the Blue Lagoon is discharged from the plant but is rich in salt, blue-green algae, sulfur, and white silica. From a hot spring that dates back to the Roman Empire to a spring favored by Japanese macaques, here are 21 springs where you can escape the cold—even if it’s only in your mind.