refuge spa & the 17-mile drive

 while in carmel last weekend, we promised
 ourselves to slow down and relax. . . and

we succeeded! between wandering in

town & enjoying the beach + our hotel,

we had a great set up. but when we woke

up saturday to a pretty rainstorm, we knew

just where to head :: refuge day spa.

we started off a cozy rainy morning with

breakfast at our hotel before heading straight

to refuge spa. it is in carmel valley and it's

absolutely gorgeous and lovely. it's 

everything a spa should be: secluded,

welcoming, warm, and incredibly nice.

we opted to do the refuge thermal cycle, which gets you

into the spa for only $44. this price includes full use of

all spa facilities all day, and it's not just your regular spa.

you are in the middle of the most beautiful nature, and the

thermal cycle is so worth it. basically we got the fluffiest

robes, changed, entered the refuge (no talking! :) and

began the cycle. you can see the steps listed above on

the water bottle, but we loved this process of heating up

in the steam room // sauna, cooling down in the ice cold

plunge pools, (set to the temperature of the atlantic & pacific

oceans...) and then going to the zero gravity chairs to relax

& enjoy the grounds before doing the cycle a few more times.

it was cleansing, relaxing, and we left feeling amazing!

while we were in the spa for a few hours, the rain

subsided and gave way to beautiful blue skies.

we had no choice but to do the famous 17-mile drive

 -- one of the most enjoyable experiences on earth.

the views and scenery along here are well worth

the $10 to get into the 17-mile drive ^^

we had many stops along the drive, as it should be!

on our many stops, the boys went exploring

every time. they always keep things lively!

after the most perfect drive we ended in the tiny town

of pacific grove and explored lover's point at sunset.

^^ always love adventures with this crew!

we got caught in the rain at the end of our exploring,

so we ducked in the car and made our way to

tarpy's road house for a fun (and warm) dinner

by the fireplaces and gorgeous setting on the

grounds. between the tenderloin special, wedge

salad, and halibut dish we left happy and satisfied.

this restaurant is in monterey, so it was a perfect 

location to be able to eat after our driving! 

what a beautiful, relaxing day in one of the best areas on

 earth. between the rejuvenation of the spa and the

unreal natural beauty on the drive, 

this day was good for the soul. 

also see :: our time in town, our carmel hotel,

and exploring the monterey bay aquarium.

xo