The mud bath (Club Mud) at Glen Ivy Hot Springs.

Glen Ivy Hot Springs.

Lacking the time or energy for a road trip, but in need of a quick getaway? We found ours last Thursday, getting on the road at 8 a.m. and heading north on I-15 for 70 minutes, arriving at Glen Ivy Hot Springs on the southern edge of Corona, CA.

Beneath the Santa Ana Mountains, with majestic views of the Temescal Valley, we found 19 unique pools, baths and spas located throughout the grounds, each offering its own benefits.

Loungin' at the Lounge Pool.

The pools

The large Lap Pool, close to the entrance, features water jets in the pool walls that provide a nice massage. A favorite with guests was the shallow Lounge Pool, a perfect place to wade or float on a raft while enjoying a beverage from the Paradise Bar. The Hot Pool and Cold Plunge at the Terrace Pools offers an invigorating form of hydrotherapy: a few minutes of immersion in the Hot Pool, followed immediately with the Cold Plunge for 30 seconds or more.

Mineral bath.

Glen Ivy’s geothermal mineral baths hover at 104°. The mineral waters absorb into the skin, soothing aching joints and muscles. The Saline Pool temperature is just on the comfortable side of warm, and has a sulfur-like odor due to the concentration of sodium sulfate. The waters come directly out of the earth in this form, and the mineral baths are circulated every 10 minutes. (Leave any jewelry at home; the naturally occurring minerals may cause them to tarnish.)

Club Mud.

Spa treatments

Club Mud is a red clay mineral bath. On certain dates the Mud Club experience is enhanced by availability of Dr. Bronner’s All Natural Magic Soap. The Glen Ivy Spa offers a variety of services and treatments, including massage, facial, waxing, masque and pedicure.

Grotto experience.

The Grotto is an underground body moisturizing treatment, using a rich, warm body moisturizer of aloe vera, shea butter, coconut oil and other beneficial elements including hints of eucalyptus and lavender oils. This inexpensive and very popular treatment is often sold out, so advance reservation is highly recommended.

Eats

While it probably won’t fit into Ed Bedford’s budget, Café Solé offers a selection of tasty breakfast and lunch entrees artfully prepared by Chef Bill Wavrin, who calls it “Mediterranean Cuisine of the Sun.”

Our enjoyable Glen Ivy experience was capped off with a visit to Tom’s Farms, about a mile and a half away. This small wannabe theme park includes a farmer’s market, furniture store, wine and cheese shop, sweets shop, two restaurants, and some children’s rides complete with background murals.

After buying some huge luscious peaches, we ordered a tasty dinner from the Wine and Cheese deli counter (Nicole and Kelsea womanned the counter and provided great insider tips on the options available), and ate our meal in the outside picnic area along with a nice bottle of red wine (free corkage).

Our day ended with a little more shopping and a drive home at 7 p.m. with light traffic, fond memories and just a hint of magic.