Sauna fans can sweat it out at Twin Cities spas and gyms, but standalone saunas have sprung up everywhere from restaurant patios to hotel rooftops to parks. Many were shut down temporarily due to COVID, but have returned with safety protocols in place. Here's where to find some of the more popular saunas and what to expect.
612 Sauna Society
This member-owned sauna co-op is parked at the Trailhead in Minneapolis' Theodore Wirth Park. The general public may reserve 90-minute sessions for $35, with discounts available through purchasing a member-owner share, multi-session pass or volunteering. Guided special events are offered, too. 612 requires proof of vaccination or negative COVID test as well as masks inside the changing area. 612saunasociety.com
Cedar and Stone/Freehouse
Duluth-based custom sauna builder Cedar and Stone offers sauna experiences in its hometown as well as on the patio of the North Loop restaurant the Freehouse. Private parties of one to four ($149 per person) may book a 75-minute session to move between a traditional wood-fired, wood-lined sauna and one made with ice-block walls (used for cooling down, but its wood stove can take the edge off subzero temps). The package includes robes, towels and sandals as well as a post-session charcuterie plate and sauna-themed beverage inside the Freehouse. cedarandstonesauna.com, freehousempls.com
Embrace North
Embrace North parks two mobile saunas and four cold tubs outside a Linden Hills gym, offering 30-minute drop-in sessions ($20) or a monthly pass ($30). Embrace North also operates a similar sauna and cold-tub setup inside the Lululemon store at the Mall of America, which can also be rented out to groups. embracenorth.com
Stokeyard Outfitters
Stokeyard parks a small and large mobile sauna at its site in Uptown, the Dock, which includes a cold-soak tub, fire pit and lounge. Two-hour sessions may be booked for up to six people ($350) and up to eight ($600). A group of up to 15 may take over one sauna ($1,275) or 25 people can do two saunas for three hours ($1,750).
Stokeyard also offers guided sauna experiences at the Hewing Hotel, where a host takes a small group through a series of sauna and cool-down sessions combined with meditation and relaxation practices. (The two-hour guided experiences cost $65-$85 and sell out fast.) Proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required for all Stokeyard sauna experiences. stokeyard.com
Hewing Hotel
The Hewing Hotel's posh rooftop holds a lounge, spa pool and dry sauna, which is open to hotel guests ages 21 and over from 7 a.m. to midnight every day. No reservations required. Room prices start at about $200. hewinghotel.com
Bringing sauna home
For those who want to sauna at home, several companies will deliver their mobile saunas to Twin Cities locations, including Stokeyard Outfitters, as well as Little Ember Co. (littleemberco.com), Roam Sauna Co. (roamsaunaco.com) and Stone Grove Saunas (stonegrovesaunas.com). Most may be rented by the day (in the $200-$400 range) or the week ($800-$1,200).
