Embrace the Chill in These Philly-Area Cold Plunges
Here’s where brave souls can take an icy dip.
Want to take a cold plunge? Try it at one of these 14 wellness spots in and around Philadelphia. / Photograph by Shakira Hunt for Formation Sauna + Wellness
Around here, running into freezing cold water during the middle of winter has been a thing for years. (Hello, polar plunge in Wildwood!) Some — okay, maybe most — people have scoffed at the act for just as long … until cold plunging became a cool thing to do, that is.
Submerging in bone-chilling water is more than a fad, though. There’s evidence that cold therapy was used as early as 3500 B.C. and athletes have long been known to take ice baths for recovery purposes, but the practice has grown in popularity in the Philadelphia region and among celebs like Hailey Bieber and Kevin Hart, resulting in a modern-day plunge revival.
While research is still in early stages, preliminary studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that cold-water immersion can be anti-inflammatory, help mitigate anxiety, and improve your ability to handle stress, among other benefits. (Though, it’s important to note that there are also health risks to cold plunging, especially for folks living with a heart condition. You should talk to your doctor before trying it for yourself.)
If you’re ready to channel your inner Wim Hof, check out these 14 wellness spots in and around Philadelphia. Each is home to at least one cold-plunge pool, tub, or tank for you to take a breathtaking (!) dip.
Chung Dam Spa & Fitness
41 West Cheltenham Avenue, Cheltenham
There are so many opportunities to warm up at this Cheltenham day spa, but it also boasts a cold pool for some contrast therapy. Bonus: A day pass for the whole shebang is only $30.
F45 Training Manayunk
6001 Ridge Avenue, Manayunk
After your explosive workout or on your rest day, take a dip in F45 Training Manayunk’s cold plunge. Members can access the tank at no additional cost, but non-members can pay $25 per plunge. (Maximum plunge time is five minutes!) You can book your slot — as well as sessions in the studio’s infrared sauna — here.
Fire & Ice X
300 South Lenola Road, Maple Shade, New Jersey
Fire & Ice X will be the area’s newest cold-plunge spot when it opens. (Owner Tom Bazis says he’s aiming for the end of the year.) In addition to two plunges, the space will also feature a traditional Finnish dry sauna and a steam sauna.
Fitler Club
24 South 24th Street, Center City
Members of the posh lifestyle club have unlimited access to the cold plunge situated near the three-lane, 75-foot lap pool. You can apply for membership to Fitler Club here.
Float SNJ
27 North Maple Avenue, #1, Marlton, New Jersey
In addition to multiple float tanks and an infrared sauna, Float SNJ is home to a custom-created cold plunge. It’s bigger than most ice baths, measuring six feet long, three feet wide, and 33 inches deep. Drop in and try it for yourself for $25.
Formation Sauna + Wellness
305 Brown Street, Northern Liberties
At the start of 2023, Formation introduced its single-person cold plunge. Just a heads-up: The amenity is an add-on included in a private sauna booking and cannot be booked as a stand-alone service.
The single-person cold-plunge tub at Formation Sauna + Wellness / Photograph by Shakira Hunt
Ignite Sadhana
Pop-up events
Started by local yoga and Wim Hof Method instructors Jason Muscavage and Peter Reyes, Ignite Sadhana hosts pop-up cold-plunge workshops and retreats throughout the region (and beyond!). During a workshop, you’ll learn the three pillars of the Wim Hof method — breathing technique, cold exposure, and commitment — before taking the plunge in their mobile ice bath. Find where they’re hosting events here.
MVMNT Center
609 East Passyunk Avenue, Queen Village
This recently opened movement and wellness hub sees two private “recharge” rooms, each with a cold-plunge tub, an infrared sauna, and a rinse shower. The amenities are free during the center’s soft opening, which runs until December 14th. After that, a drop-in visit to use the cold plunge and sauna is $35.
Nirvana Float
171 Market Street, suite 2A, Collegeville
Before or after time in the salt-water float tank or halotherapy booth, enjoy a hot/cold session with the sauna and cold plunge. Nirvana Float’s “fire and ice” room can accommodate up to four people, and temperatures range from 52 degrees Fahrenheit for the plunge to 125 degrees Fahrenheit for the sauna.
Southampton Spa
141 Second Street Pike, Southampton
This popular bathhouse in Southampton has pretty much everything you could dream of — from a Hammam and a Russian bath to an infrared sauna, cold-plunge pool, and even a snow room for some extra “chill.”
The Sporting Club at the Bellevue
224 South Broad Street, Center City
Recently reopened after undergoing a massive renovation, the Sporting Club at the Bellevue boasts a cold plunge (and hot tub, if you want contrast therapy) in the pool area. This section of the club is slated to welcome members in December.
Springfield YMCA
194 West Sproul Road, Springfield
The YMCA in Springfield is home to a cold plunge, plus a Jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, a lap pool. You must be a member in order to use the facilities.
Warrior’s Garden Spa and Recovery
600 Huntingdon Pike, Jenkintown
Head to this wellness space in Jenkintown for an array of self-care services. There’s two cold plunges, plus an infrared sauna, Normatec compression therapy, a red-light panel, and cupping. You can book the plunge on its own for $20 or in combination with the sauna for $40.
W Philadelphia
1439 Chestnut Street, Center City
On December 1st, W Philadelphia will debut cryo cabanas that feature solo ice baths. Hotel guests and visitors can book a 30-minute cold-water therapy session — which includes access to the W’s outdoor heated pool and a warm beverage post-treatment — for $50-$60 through March.
