40 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} night woke me up, a reminder that the therapeutic waters I was enjoying wouldn’t be accessible without contractions between rock and steam, linked to past volcanic activity and a fault zone. Most say that Calistoga wouldn’t be what it is today without Brannan commercializing the area’s most prized natural resource—mineral-rich water originating 4,000 feet below the earth’s surface near one of the world’s largest geothermal fields. Indian Springs Resort, which Brannan founded in 1862, has four geysers on its 17 acres. There’s a large one that releases steam behind the Olympic-size pool, and watching it mesmerized me while I floated the next morning away. I fueled up on poke at the poolside grill and bar, The Chaise Lounge, and maintained my elevated internal temperature by PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: VISIT CALISTOGA sitting next to the large fire. With a full belly and an Aperol spritz, I was back in the pool until late in the day. The resort’s spa utilizes water from the geysers and volcanic ash mined on-site in many of its treatments. I was intrigued by the Himalayan Salt Therapy Room, which is purported to help with respiratory conditions, and the Binaural Beats Therapy that delivers synchronized sound therapy and is said to aid sleep and harmony. Anyone booked for a treatment can experience the Buddha Pond, a refuge with palm trees and greenery surrounding the geyser-fed pond. Other hotels that tap into local geysers include Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort and Mineral Springs, Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa and Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort. Each property has its own retro vibe and exemplifies the laid-back Calistoga mineral pool experience. DINE & DRINK DOWNTOWN Several decades of architecture are on view within six blocks of downtown along and around Lincoln Avenue. From the post-Gold Rush era Mission-style buildings to ornate Victorian structures and stately Neo-Classical commercial buildings, walking around offered me a lesson in California history. Housed in many of these historic buildings are restaurants, wine tasting rooms and brewer-
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