Destinations are Open and Fun is Waiting

Fun places are open and ready for business in Southern California. – Courtesy photo / Glen Ivy

As I discussed last week, there are lots of great destinations currently open for fun and safe business. All it takes is a little research and a couple phone calls to see if the spot you are looking at is ready for you. A couple places that I’ve been looking into lately include Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa and Glen Ivy Hot Springs, both located about 90 minutes south of Los Angeles.

Glen Ivy is a luxurious day spa resort, featuring natural spring mineral baths, a large therapeutic mud pit, 19 pools, jacuzzi’s, saunas, fitness classes, and a host of traditional and exotic massages and body treatments. There is also a gourmet restaurant, quick stop café, gift shop and acres of lush gardens that inspire relaxation and inner peace.

To meet current regulations in California the team at Glen Ivy Hot Springs has increased safety measures and arranged its program around a relaxing, socially distanced experience. Currently, the spa is welcoming in a limited number of people each day into its beautiful oasis to help them relax, meditate, smile and escape the world at large. All of the club’s outdoor pools are also open and visitors can enjoy yoga, meditation, and Aqua Fit.

One of the new experiences it has created is called “Passport to Wellness,” an all-encompassing guest experience that includes your own socially distanced outdoor private lounging and dining space complete with changing cabana and small portable safe, a 50-minute Aromasoul massage conducted in a beautiful, new outdoor massage pavilion, a three-course prix fixe lunch with five entrée selections and wine pairing, a robe, souvenir lanyard, and a dedicated host to guide you through your day. The Passport to Wellness is available in three tiers: standard, deluxe and premium based on the space you choose within the resort.

A favorite attraction of many Glen Ivy guests is Club Mud, a unique outdoor mud pit where a mountain of red clay rises in the middle of a large warm pool. The last time I was at the resort I meticulously covered my body and face in mud and then sat in a cave-like drying chamber with other guests as the substance dried and caked on my skin. Once the mud dried, I stepped into an outdoor shower and washed it all off with Glen Ivy’s lavender-scented body cleansing gel.

Since ancient times, red clay has been used as a purifying agent for the skin. Glen Ivy says the mud draws impurities from the pores, while releasing waste and dead skin cells and tightening and revitalizing the skin. All I know is that when I left Club Mud, my skin felt clean and very soft.

Because of current conditions, the spa says Club Mud is open for modified visits only.

Glen Ivy Hot Springs is located at 25000 Glen Ivy Road, Corona, Ca. 92883. Current hours: daily 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday, and 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday For more information on treatments, current specials and appointments, call (888) 453-6489 or visit: glenivy.com.

Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa is another exciting place that is open for business and safe fun. Morongo says it has “dedicated countless hours – following the guidance of local, state, and federal health officials – to develop a detailed plan designed to help keep everyone safe and healthy when they play at Morongo, building upon our already-exacting standards for safety and sanitation, and incorporating new policies, practices, and technologies thoroughly vetted through regular consultation with area medical experts.”

The resort’s 27-story hotel/casino tower is open with 272 guest rooms, 32 suites, and six ultra-luxurious casitas to welcome visitors.

On my last visit to Morongo we stayed in a gorgeous Canyon View Suite overlooking the San Gorgonio and San Jacinto mountain ranges. Located on the 23rd floor, the room came with a private bedroom with a comfy king bed and 55-inch TV; and a separate living areas with another 55-inch TV, fully-stocked mini bar, mini fridge, coffee maker, couch and chair, and office area. Both of these rooms were highlighted by giant windows overlooking the mountains.

A perk for registered hotel guests is access to the property’s Oasis Pool. Complete with a lazy river, sandy beach and two heated spa tubs on different levels, it is among the best hotel pools in California. 

And for gamblers, the 150,000 square-foot casino is also open, with more than a dozen safety measures in place that meet or exceed CDC and industry guidelines for current safety measures.

Morongo Casino Resort & Spa is located at 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon, 92230. For more info and reservations, visit morongocasinoresort.com or call (800) 252-4499.