Drive past the weekend traffic in Napa and the bustling town of Calistoga and you find the quiet winding road to Harbin Hot Springs, a retreat center tucked into the lush and living green hills of Middleton, CA, not far from Robert Louis Stevenson State Park. Upon arrival, Kennedy and I obtain a 24 hour pass from a beatific graying man dressed in a bright purple linen tunic to camp along the river and use the Harbin facilities which include the hot pools, a restaurant and cafe, yoga classes, reading room, health food market and general store, movie theater and 5,000 gorgeous acres of gardens and green.
It is a place noisy with wildlife - we spot a deer, wild turkey, lizards, hummingbird, squirrels and a nest of three baby birds during our stay. Our tent is set up next to the rushing river in a secluded nook of the forest and up the hill we find dinner at the Stonefront Restaurant. I choose the chickpea curry and Kennedy has the asparagus pie with some vegan chocolate cream pie. I am still not sold that vegan baking is "just as good."
From the warm pool under a canopy of trees we watch dusk become night. No speaking is permitted in the hot pools to maintain a meditative and serene environment. The water is extra buoyant and tiny bubbles collect on my skin. The clientele is a variety of families, chic urban dwellers and earthy folks. After a long soak we visit the steam room and sauna and then get a cup of mint tea and relax in the reading room. Back at our camp the night is cool and the stars are fully visible. Sleep comes easily next to the lulling river.
Our refreshing morning moves slowly with cappuccinos on the cafe deck followed by one last soak, this time under the sun. Pulling away from the hot springs, I feel I've been away from the city for far more than 24 hours. Kennedy and I stop at a vineyard on the way home for a tasting and continue back to the city, thoroughly pleased with the Harbin tune-up.
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