After months of 110-degree temperatures, winter is finally here. Cold temperatures present a new problem not seen during the summer—how does one stay warm?
Many people with chronic pain find that staying warm is important for minimizing symptoms. Some conditions, such as fibromyalgia for example, can cause people to feel cold even if the room is at a comfortable temperature for others. Sure, you can curl up on the couch while wrapped in a cozy blanket, but Phoenix offers many fun ways to stay warm and toasty all winter.
A plethora of teahouses, coffee shops, saunas, and spas around the Valley offer opportunities to stave off the winter chill. Best of all, partaking in these activities promotes health and relaxation.
Fitness centers and spas
Although summertime in Phoenix can feel like a sauna, the cool winters don’t offer the same effect. Get your dry heat fix at saunas around the Valley, many of which are accompanied by steam rooms. Meanwhile, an innovative new company offers a special service designed to warm you up and melt tension away.
One of the more accessible gyms with a sauna and hot tub, an affordable monthly membership fee gives you unlimited access to these warming amenities, in addition to a fitness center equipped with everything you need to keep the winter weight gain to a minimum.
LA Fitness has many locations in Phoenix and the surrounding Valley.
This company offers a signature floating spa experience, and has several locations around the Valley, including Tempe and Scottsdale. Floating pods are filled with so much Epson salt water that they become zero gravity. The buoyancy allows patrons to rest on the water, feeling like they’re floating. Purported benefits include reduced stress, anxiety, and diminished chronic pain.
Water is heated to skin temperature, providing a feeling of warm relaxation. True Rest says many clients have experienced pain relief after a few float sessions.
- Sheraton Wild Horse Pass
Aji Spa at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass is a fantastic spot for locals to hang out with its beautiful steam room, hot tub, and sauna helping to warm up even the coldest winter day. Although the spa offers fewer specials during the winter than the summer, be sure to ask the front desk about their locals program, with a free massage for every ten purchased.
- Boulders Spa
Looking for an escape? Take a trip to the Boulders Spa, located on the outskirts of Phoenix, surrounded by well-manicured desert terrain and huge namesake boulders. The resort is far enough away from town that no semblance of the city seeps onto the property, but close enough so it’s accessible no matter where you live.
Experience a decadent massage or enjoy the spa’s steam room, sauna, and hot tub. A fitness center completes the experience and makes this day of getting toasty one to remember.
Tea houses and cafes
If you’re looking to imbibe warm beverages, you’ll find many spots in the Valley with piping hot drinks made of coffee or tea. Skip the Starbucks if you’d like and venture out to find one of the Phoenix’s many interesting establishments with flair and dedication to serving high-quality coffee and tea.
This Phoenix coffee shop focuses on serving high-quality coffee and tea. Songbird calls itself a third wave coffee shop, a movement that considers the beverages artisanal, like wine.
Because of that viewpoint, Songbird staff seeks to educate customers about the different varieties in addition to offering good customer service. The café also hosts weekly events, including game nights and a weekly fiction writers’ group.
For the perfect cup of artisanal tea, visit this Phoenix-based online retailer that has a physical shop welcoming tea lovers and newbies searching for the perfect blend. Tea has many healthful properties, including inflammation-reducing antioxidants that may help manage chronic pain. Local cafes serving Souvia teas include 32Shea coffee in north Phoenix and Urban Beans, also in Phoenix.
This Chandler coffeehouse features an intimate, unpretentious environment with a focus on community and service with a smile. The cafe serves fair trade coffee roasted by Cartel, another Valley-based company. Sozo also welcomes local musicians throughout the week in addition to hosting open mic nights.
Agritopia is a Gilbert neighborhood that features a working farm and restaurant, in addition to The Coffee Shop. At this café, find delicious coffee and tea, along with a menu of healthy omelets and sandwiches to warm your tummy on a cold winter day.
Since The Coffee Shop opened in 2006, its unique location in Agritopia and delicious food have received accolades from Cupcake Wars. While you’re there, take a drive around the neighborhood itself, which has been featured in the New York Times.
Lux cafe has emerged as one of Phoenix’s hipster hotspots, earning a reputation for good music, quality coffee, and delicious food. The New Times has named it one of the Valley’s best coffee houses. The alt weekly describes:
“Stationed in a nondescript building, this hipster hotspot houses a lively interior of mismatched mid-century furniture, typewriter centerpieces, grandma-chic dishware, and a seemingly endless maze of rooms in which to work, study, and socialize.”
Don’t let the oh-so-cool vibe scare you off. Everyone is welcome to drink coffee and enjoy the eclectic atmosphere.
If you’re in Mesa, check out Inside the Bungalow, a coffee/tea/event space sure to help keep you warm with craft beverages. Besides an assortment of coffees and teas, you’ll find a large menu full of healthy smoothies, sandwiches, and salads.
Located in downtown Mesa, take a stroll along the Main Street while you’re still warm from a delicious cup of coffee or tea.
In the West Valley, visit It’s a Grind, an international chain with one Valley location in Glendale. The café focuses on high-quality coffee, with espresso coming from micro-roasted beans imported from Central and South America. Micro roasting means the beans are roasted in small batches to enhance flavor and overall quality.
Where is your favorite spot to stay warm during Phoenix winters?
Image by Michael Allen Smith via Flickr