Hidden In Downtown Santa Cruz Is California's Secret Bamboo Garden Spa And Tea House

California's Santa Cruz is famous for its sunny beaches where surfing first came to America, yet true tranquility awaits at a secret bamboo garden spa and tea house hidden in the heart of downtown. Centrally located at 112 Elm Street, just a few blocks from the Santa Cruz Boardwalk (which is one of the world's best seaside parks), the Tea House Spa is an urban oasis that blends Eastern traditions and Californian wellness. 

Services at the boutique spa include salt water hot tubs in private rooms with traditional shōji-stlye doors, cedar-lined dry saunas, relaxing massages with optional CBD add-ons, and a world-class selection of fine tea. For access to just the hot tub and sauna rooms, couples can enjoy a 90-minute private experience with unlimited tea for $170. Individuals may also use the room for $85, but there is a two-person maximum. With the Gemini Package, couples can enjoy 50-minute massages in addition to an hour of soaking for $295. If you want the ultimate spa day, the Room 1 Experience includes 70-minute massages along with a 70-minute access to a private freshwater onsen bath and a steam room shower.

Beyond the spa's professional services, the setting further elevates the experience. Each hot tub room has a view of the spa's secret 70-year-old bamboo garden, and the seasonally selected, artisanal teas you'll try add to the peaceful allure. It's the ultimate escape in an otherwise busy downtown; however, space is limited, and reservations are required.

The Tea House Spa is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday through Monday, and 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Guests must be at least 18 years old, and cell phone use inside the spa is strictly prohibited. The owners also have a sister location, The Santa Cruz Spa, on Mission Street downtown, though it lacks the beautiful bamboo garden.

The story of this sanctuary dates all the way back to the late 1940s. Shortly after World War II, local Anne Sunlight opened a traditional Japanese tea garden in the area. It was a potentially controversial move coming so soon after the conflict, but Sunlight focused on connection and healing between the two cultures. The tea garden did well, lasting more than a decade. After several years of development and a change of ownership, the Tea House Space opened in 1997, and beloved patrons of the spa, the Ginterts and the Pullens, took over the reins in 2022 with a commitment to preserve the iconic space.

For those visiting Santa Cruz, the spa is a nice break from exploring the city's many iconic attractions. After your relaxing bamboo spa experience, you can take a short but scenic stroll down West Cliff Drive, one of California's most breathtaking walks, which features stunning beach views all along the Pacific Coast.