Murrieta Hot Springs Resort

What to expect

Murrieta Hot Springs Resort is a large, modern wellness resort built on one of the oldest spa sites in Southern California. It sits on 46 acres in the eastern part of Murrieta, near Temecula, and after almost three decades as a Bible college campus it reopened to the public in February 2024. Expect a polished day spa experience at hotel scale, not a rustic soak.

The resort says it has more than 50 pools and water features, and all but eight of them use 100% geothermal water. Day pass guests can use more than 25 of them. Temperatures range from cold plunges at around 50°F10°C up to hot soaking pools at about 104°F40°C. Staff measure each pool every two hours and post the reading, so you can plan a hot and cold circuit. A few pools, including the Blue Lagoon, Oasis and Roman Spa, are not pure spring water, according to the operator.

The Bathhouse is the core of a day visit. It has a Kneipp reflexology walk, where you wade through alternating hot and cold channels, plus steam rooms, more soaking pools and a panoramic cedar sauna on the second floor. Daily activities are included in the price and change by day: guided cold plunges, a clay experience called Clay Cove, sauna aromatherapy and short group sessions.

The grounds mix family-friendly pools with adults-only areas. The Serenity Garden, a separate adults-only area with its own geothermal pools, comes with spa treatments rather than the standard day pass.

History

The Luiseño people bathed in these springs and used the mud long before the resort. The site takes its name from Don Juan Murrieta, on whose land grant the springs lay. The Temecula Land and Water Company built a hotel and bathhouse in 1884, and in 1902 Fritz Guenther bought the property and expanded it. His family ran it until the late 1960s, and many of its historic buildings, including the 1926 Stone Lodge and mud bath building, date from that period.

The decades after were rocky. Wikipedia records a fraudulent cancer clinic in the 1970s, a vegetarian commune run by Alive Polarity in the 1980s, and from 1995 the campus of Calvary Chapel Bible College. Olympus Real Estate Group, which owns The Springs Resort in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, bought it in 2022 and reopened it as a spa resort.

Getting there

The resort is at 39405 Murrieta Hot Springs Road in Murrieta, Riverside County. From I-215, exit at Murrieta Hot Springs Road and head east toward the hills. From I-15, switch to I-215 where the two freeways meet in Murrieta and take the same exit. Allow roughly 1.5 to 2 hours from central Los Angeles and about an hour from San Diego, longer in rush hour.

Follow the resort signs to Day Pass Parking. The FAQ lists about 750 spaces across the property. Check in at the Bathhouse, where you get your towel. Bring a photo ID and a card, since the resort does not take cash.

When to go

The resort is open every day of the year from 9 am to 10 pm.

Weekends and holidays are the busiest times, and passes can sell out. Expect a line at Bathhouse check-in on busy mornings.

Weekdays are calmer. The resort runs weekday discounts for some groups, including hospitality workers on Mondays, educators on Tuesdays and wellness professionals on Wednesdays, at up to 30% off select passes.

Season: Inland Riverside County summers are hot, so the hot pools are most appealing from October to May. Summer afternoons are better spent in the cooler pools, and the twilight pass from 4 pm avoids the worst heat.

Prices and booking

Published rates in 2026:

• Hot Spring Day Pass: from $109. Full day of soaking, cold plunges, Bathhouse and included activities.
• Twilight Pass: from $59, entry from 4 pm.
• Local Resident Day Pass: from $59 for residents of nearby communities including Murrieta, Temecula, Wildomar, Menifee, Hemet, Lake Elsinore and Fallbrook. Each guest needs government photo ID with a local address.
• Relaxation Terrace Day Pass: an upgraded adults-only pass with a small locker and terrace access.
• Cabanas: family cabanas from $200 (up to four people), adult hillside cabanas from $200 (up to four) and adult poolside cabanas from $240 (up to six).
• Lockers: $13 small or $15 large. Robe rental: $19.99.
• Children 2 and under: free.
• Birthday offer: 50% off select passes on your birthday.

Spa treatments include a day pass, a locker, a robe and access to the Serenity Garden, so if you plan a massage anyway, you do not need a separate pass. Book passes, cabanas and treatments online. Overnight rooms include hot springs access and can be booked up to a year ahead.

Rules and etiquette

• Swimsuits in all pools. Bring sandals and a cover-up for walking between areas.
• No outside food or drink except water, and no eating or tailgating in the parking lot.
• No glass, no personal speakers, and no smoking or vaping anywhere on the property.
• Adults-only zones include the Serenity Garden, the indoor Bathhall and the sauna. Spa treatments are 18 and over.
• Lockers and the Bathhall close at 10 pm. Collect your belongings before then.
• Pets are allowed only in designated hotel rooms and never in pool areas.

Where to stay nearby

• The resort hotel has rooms on site, and every overnight rate includes hot springs access. Check-in is at 4 pm and check-out at 10 am. Early arrivals can sometimes check in ahead and start soaking.
• Temecula, just south, has a large choice of hotels, from chain motels near I-15 to inns among the Temecula Valley wineries.
• Lake Skinner Recreation Area, a Riverside County park east of Murrieta, has a campground if you prefer to camp.

Safety notes

• Heat: The hottest pools sit around 104°F40°C. Check the posted temperature, keep hot soaks short and drink water between pools.
• Hot and cold contrast: The cold plunges and Kneipp walk are a shock to the system. Ease in, and skip them if you have a heart condition or are pregnant without checking with a doctor first.
• Footing: Wet decks and steps are slippery. Wear sandals with grip.
• Summer sun: Shade is limited in some areas. Bring a hat and use sunscreen, letting it dry before you get in.
• Alcohol: Pace drinks from the bars between soaks, since heat and alcohol together raise the risk of fainting.

Nearby stops worth adding

Old Town Temecula has restaurants and shops a short drive south. The Temecula Valley wine country along Rancho California Road is close enough for an afternoon of tastings before a twilight soak. For a walk, the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve west of Murrieta has oak woodland trails and seasonal vernal pools.