I went to Tevah Wellness in Yaletown with considerably more enthusiasm for the sauna than the cold plunge. Each time I’ve tried a plunge, I’ve dreaded that first step a little less. At Tevah, though, the part I’d tell you to leave time for is the lounge. You can pour a cup of tea and properly unwind before heading back out onto Pacific Boulevard.
My visit to Tevah Wellness in Yaletown
Tevah has a tiered red cedar sauna and three plunge pools set to different temperatures. If you’d like someone to talk you through the experience, book a guided class. Free Flow lets you move between the sauna, pools and lounge at your own pace. The address is 955 Pacific Boulevard. See Tevah’s first-visit guide.
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Where to book a sauna and cold plunge around Vancouver
Tality Wellness, Mount Pleasant and Kitsilano
In Mount Pleasant, head upstairs to Suite 501 at 107 East 3rd Avenue. There’s a shared sauna, a rooftop with city views and kombucha on tap. Across town, Tality’s Kitsilano location at 3719 West Broadway has a 30-person sauna, a cold plunge and space to lounge indoors or out. Mount Pleasant sessions | Kitsilano sessions.
Circle Wellness, Granville Island
For privacy, book Circle’s self-guided thermal circuit at 1297 Johnston Street. You have the space to yourself or share it with the person you book with. The circuit includes a cedar soaking tub, an infrared sauna, a cold plunge and heated river stones. In November 2026, a 90-minute off-peak session is $235 before tax, whether one or two people go. See Circle’s Granville Island experience and current session prices.
Reviva Lounge, Richmond
For an option with a straightforward drop-in price, Reviva lists a 75-minute visit at $25 as of November 2026. There’s a cedar sauna and a choice of four plunge tubs. Towels, showers and lockers are included at 4888 Vanguard Road, Unit 106. Check Reviva’s drop-in sessions.
For a spa day farther afield
At Scandinave Spa Whistler, the thermal journey moves between hot pools, saunas, cold water and places to rest among the trees. The grounds are quiet and phones stay packed away, so this is the one I’d choose for an afternoon off the grid. Plan a visit to Scandinave Spa Whistler.
For a floating sauna, HAVN’s operating location is on Victoria’s Inner Harbour at 920 Wharf Street. Its proposed Vancouver site at the Maritime Museum’s Heritage Harbour is targeting mid-November 2027. An earlier version of this guide also listed Othership in Vancouver. Othership’s current studios are in Toronto and New York. Visit HAVN in Victoria | Follow the Vancouver opening | See Othership locations.
What the research says about brain health
A 2026 review of 13 studies found the evidence too uncertain to say that cold-water exposure reliably improves mood or reduces stress. Researchers in Finland have observed lower rates of dementia among some frequent sauna users. Those studies followed people’s habits, so they can’t tell us whether the sauna caused the difference. The long-term effect of alternating heat and cold on memory remains an open question. Read the cold-water review | Read the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation’s summary of the sauna research.
Before you book
Sudden immersion in cold water can make you gasp and quickly raise your heart rate and blood pressure. If you have heart disease or high blood pressure, or you’re pregnant, check with your health care provider before trying a hot-and-cold circuit. If you start to feel light-headed, stop and let staff know. Heart & Stroke’s guide to heat and cold | Canadian public health guidance on saunas and cold plunges.
