the best vacation rentals with saunas in california
California's sauna rentals cluster in three zones: the Joshua Tree high desert, where design compounds pair saunas with cowboy pools and cold plunges; North Lake Tahoe, where the sauna is an après-ski amenity; and the Mendocino coast, where wood-fired outdoor saunas suit the fog year-round. The San Bernardino mountains near Big Bear are the emerging fourth pocket.
01 · Mendocino, CA
the mendocino tree house
Octagonal house built around an 80-year-old redwood, with a wood-fired outdoor sauna, hot tub, and al fresco shower.
view listing
02 · Joshua Tree, CA
halcyon hideaway
Spa-themed desert retreat on fifty acres with an oversized indoor sauna.
find on airbnb
03 · Joshua Tree, CA
terra vieja
Design-led desert house with a barrel sauna and firepit.
view listing
04 · Carnelian Bay, CA
adventure basecamp a-frame
North Shore Tahoe A-frame backing onto forest trails with an outdoor sauna near Northstar and Palisades.
find on airbnb
05 · Alpine Meadows, CA
trapper
Modern mountain home with a private sauna, hot tub, and Sierra views near Palisades Tahoe.
find on airbnb
06 · Point Arena, CA
point arena redwood cabin
Minimalist small-footprint cabin on the Mendocino coast with a private sauna.
find on airbnb
07 · Running Springs, CA
creekside a-frame
A-frame in the San Bernardino mountains near Big Bear with a barrel sauna.
view listing08 · Joshua Tree, CA
nowhere
Desert house pairing a private sauna with a private cinema and a stargazing dome.
find on airbnb09 · Yucca Valley, CA
joshua tree oasis
High-desert house with the full contrast circuit: sauna, pool, spa, and cold plunge.
find on airbnb
the local read
Joshua Tree is best fall through spring · the desert sauna in July is a category error. Tahoe saunas ride ski season; note that some 'Lake Tahoe' sauna listings sit on the Nevada side. Mendocino is the quiet year-rounder: wood-fired heat against marine fog, no season required.
nearby
good to know
- where in california are the sauna airbnbs?
- Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley in the high desert, North Lake Tahoe for ski season, and the Mendocino coast for year-round wood-fired heat. The San Bernardino mountains near Big Bear are the emerging fourth pocket.
- is a desert sauna a good idea?
- Fall through spring, absolutely · high-desert nights drop hard and the sauna-to-cold-plunge circuit is the point. In July, skip it or go at dawn.
- tahoe note?
- Some 'Lake Tahoe' sauna listings sit on the Nevada side of the lake · check the map pin if the state matters to you.
- what should i check before booking?
- Read recent reviews for the word 'sauna' to confirm it heats properly, and in the desert check whether the sauna is indoor or a barrel unit in full sun.
more sauna guides
Listings come and go on Airbnb. Every pick above was named, with its sauna, by a travel publication; if a direct link has gone stale, the find-on-airbnb link opens Airbnb’s hidden sauna filter (amenity 223) for that town instead. Read a listing’s recent reviews for the word sauna before you book.
Hotels With Saunas is an independent guide and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Airbnb.