City Cave offers a unique open float therapy experience, plus personal massage, and infrared sauna treatments at this first-of-its-kind holistic health retreat. The spa offers patrons a head-to-toe rejuvenation experience. Although it’s been open for a few months already, one of Fort Worth’s newest wellness spas celebrates its grand opening on April 5 at 465 S Main Street, Suite 100.
“City Cave prides itself on creating healing experiences that address everything from athletic recovery to anti-inflammatory rejuvenation,” says Jen Watkins, City Cave Fort Worth franchise owner.
The Near Southside location has nine treatment rooms, three of which are ADA-friendly for each service area. Guests can relax and ease into their service or linger after treatments in the peaceful relaxation room. Here you’ll find bench seating and an assortment of herbal teas and waters including one made from blue pea flower. You can choose one of three medicinal mushroom extracts from Dryad Grove Mushroom Farm with benefits ranging from relaxation to focus. The choice is yours.
Get Ready to R.E.S.T.
R.E.S.T. is the acronym for Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy, which is a central tenet of City Cave’s practices.
Inside City Cave, you’ll find its open float therapy experience. These private rooms are not like the (coffin-like) lidded pods you have seen or used elsewhere. They are open, so if you’ve put off a flotation session due to fear of claustrophobia, that excuse has been removed. The shallow pools are filled with magnesium sulphate. 1000 pounds of Epsom salt in each pool allows you to relax in a weightless and buoyant state. These float pools “address inflammation, chronic pain, immune health, blood pressure regulation, and overall relaxation,” they say.
You can even book a couples float, massage or choose to relax in their infrared saunas with a friend. Patrons from all backgrounds including those in search of sports recovery to those seeking medical relief, are finding it a City Cave.
“Through our R.E.S.T. model, patrons can take a moment to center themselves and allow their bodies to fully absorb the physical and mental health benefits,” Jen Watkins says.
With 80 locations across Australia and the U.S., City Cave provides a modern approach to holistic health. Fort Worth’s first City Cave location is open from 10 am to 9 pm Monday through Tuesday and Thursday through Friday, it’s noon to 9 pm on Wednesdays, and from 9 am to 9 pm every Saturday and Sunday.
First Time Open Float Therapy Experience at City Cave
I’ve been interested in the concept for years, knowing that almost everyone is depleted in magnesium, and that it is easily absorbed through the skin, but the coffin-like pod formats have kept me away. So, I jumped at the chance to try a float at City Cave, where each flotation suite is a private sanctuary with its own fully stocked shower to use before your service and to wash off all the salt crystal residue from skin and hair afterwards.
The open float therapy room is dimly lit and soothing, maintained at the right temperature to make your flotation experience the most relaxing. You can easily turn the lights off inside the pool, during your float, if you’d like. They provide earplugs, and City Cave staff run through every detail for first-time floats so you’re well informed and comfortable with the process.
You can choose your audio experience as well, with speakers positioned underwater. Choose from freeing forest with healing frequencies, the white noise of a quiet cave, or the mindful moon, which puts you in a peaceful state.
My City Cave staff member suggested the 10 and 10, which allows you to transition into a quiet state with 10 minutes of audio at the beginning, and 10 more at the end to transition you back to reality. In the middle, I enjoyed sweet silence, which is such a luxury anywhere in the busy city, simply allowing my mind to wander. But you can also choose to have the soundtrack play throughout your float, or go with all silence if you wish.
Having been to the Dead Sea before, I was prepared for the strange weightless feeling of buoyancy that awaited me. Even though the pool is shallow and they provide a headrest for added comfort and support, you might find yourself unintentionally trying to help the salt water keep you afloat. Don’t do that. Relax as deeply as you can to get the most benefit.
As with swimming in the ocean or a saltwater pool, your skin will feel soft and nourished after your open float therapy experience at City Cave. And, it’s hard to believe, but your fingers and toes won’t get the least bit pruney during your hour-long experience.
To celebrate its first Fort Worth location, City Cave is hosting a Grand Opening Party on April 5 from 10 am to 12 pm. The party will include guided tours of the facility with the City Cave staff, special promotions, small bites, and mocktails, to get you acquainted with the space and the offerings.
There are many places to rejuvenate in Fort Worth, but the new City Cave on South Main provides expert care and a chance to R.E.S.T. like no other.