Nature at Its Best: The Homestead

At The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia, the 74-foot-long spring-fed pool has long been considered a source of healing. That's why we think of these natural hot springs as acool pool.

The springs have been enticing travelers since the resort's founding in 1766. Visitors "take the waters" to soothe aching joints and tired muscles. Steam rises from the 98-degree water year-round, creating a comfortable indoor sauna surrounded by palm trees and arched windows that filter the light.

The elegant pool house, which reflects the stately Jeffersonian redbrick style of the resort, sits adjacent to the spa, where you can also get treatments using the water from the hot springs. Outside the pool house is a traditional swimming pool complex, which includes a children's wading hole and snack bar. Here is where you head in the sweltering summer.

When it's time to stroll back to your room after a leisurely day of soaking, you'll find the classically decorated rooms vary in size but are all as lovely as the property. Twenty-two Presidents, including Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Reagan, and Clinton, have chosen to visit The Homestead, tucked beautifully in the Allegheny Mountains. We can see why.

NextYour Guide to Cool