Are there hot springs near San Diego?
Yes, two in San Diego County. Agua Caliente County Park in the Anza-Borrego desert has spring-fed pools, open Labor Day weekend to Memorial Day ($5 parking + $7 pool). Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel sells 21+ day passes from about $45.
- Cheapest soak
- $12
- Agua Caliente season
- Labor Day-Memorial Day
- Jacumba day pass
- From $45
- Indoor spa temp
- ~102°F
Agua Caliente: $5 parking + $7 pool per person (County Parks)
Closed in summer heat
Ritual Pool, 21+ only, booked via ResortPass
Agua Caliente indoor pool (Wikipedia)
The short version
- Agua Caliente County Park is open Labor Day weekend to Memorial Day; day use is $5 parking plus $7 per person for the pools
- Agua Caliente's indoor spa pool is about 102°F (Wikipedia); the outdoor pool is open to all ages 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
- Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel reopened April 24, 2024 after a renovation; its Ritual Pool day pass is listed from $45, adults 21+ only
- Jacumba's spring water comes out of the ground at about 104°F, per Wikipedia
- Murrieta Hot Springs Resort in Riverside County has 49+ soaking pools; day passes start at $109 ($59 local resident rate)
Yes. San Diego County has two places where you can soak in natural spring water, and both are in the east-county desert, not near the coast. Agua Caliente County Park is the cheap, family-friendly option, and Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel is the adults-only, boutique one. If you want a bigger resort, Murrieta Hot Springs is just over the line in Riverside County. Planning a desert trip? See day trips from San Diego and the Anza-Borrego bloom outlook.
Which hot spring to pick
| Agua Caliente County Park | Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel | Murrieta Hot Springs Resort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Anza-Borrego desert, off County Route S2 | Jacumba Hot Springs, off I-8 near the border | Murrieta, Riverside County |
| Season | Labor Day weekend to Memorial Day | Year-round | Year-round |
| Day cost | $5 parking + $7 per person pool fee | Ritual Pool day pass from $45 | Day pass from $109 ($59 local resident rate) |
| Ages | All ages (indoor pool 14+) | 21+ only | All ages; some areas adults-only |
| Best for | Families, campers, budget | Couples, a night away | Spa day with many pools |
Agua Caliente County Park
- Where
- Anza-Borrego desert, off County Route S2
- Season
- Labor Day weekend to Memorial Day
- Day cost
- $5 parking + $7 per person pool fee
- Ages
- All ages (indoor pool 14+)
- Best for
- Families, campers, budget
Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
- Where
- Jacumba Hot Springs, off I-8 near the border
- Season
- Year-round
- Day cost
- Ritual Pool day pass from $45
- Ages
- 21+ only
- Best for
- Couples, a night away
Murrieta Hot Springs Resort
- Where
- Murrieta, Riverside County
- Season
- Year-round
- Day cost
- Day pass from $109 ($59 local resident rate)
- Ages
- All ages; some areas adults-only
- Best for
- Spa day with many pools
Agua Caliente County Park
This 910-acre county park sits at about 1,350 feet at the base of the mountains west of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, roughly 110 miles from downtown. Spring water feeds three pools. The County lists the park as open Labor Day weekend to Memorial Day, so it is closed in the summer heat. Day use runs 9:30 a.m. to sunset. Parking is $5, and if you aren't camping, the pools cost $7 per person.
Agua Caliente pool hours
| Pool | Daily hours | Who can use it |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor pool (heated, about 102°F) | 9:30-10:30 a.m. adults only; 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | Adults 21+ and kids 14+ |
| Indoor pool, evenings | 6-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday | Adult campers only |
| Outdoor pool | 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; 6-9 p.m. Fri-Sat for campers | All ages |
| Children's pool | 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | All ages |
Indoor pool (heated, about 102°F)
- Daily hours
- 9:30-10:30 a.m. adults only; 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Who can use it
- Adults 21+ and kids 14+
Indoor pool, evenings
- Daily hours
- 6-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday
- Who can use it
- Adult campers only
Outdoor pool
- Daily hours
- 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; 6-9 p.m. Fri-Sat for campers
- Who can use it
- All ages
Children's pool
- Daily hours
- 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Who can use it
- All ages
Source: San Diego County Parks and Recreation; checked Nov 3, 2026
Jacumba Hot Springs Hotel
Jacumba was a celebrity resort town in the 1930s. Its spring water comes out at about 104°F and has a sulfur content. The current hotel reopened with a ribbon cutting on April 24, 2024, after a renovation by a new ownership group. It has three mineral-spring soaking pools. Non-guests can buy a Ritual Pool day pass, listed on ResortPass from $45 per adult with towels and parking included. The pool is 21+ only, so this is not the one for kids.
San Diego County
Riverside County
Check each site's own page for closures before you drive.
See these on the full San Diego mapIf you're heading east anyway, Julian is on the way to Agua Caliente; see Julian apple season.
Is this still right?
We last checked this tip against its sources on November 3, 2026, and we re-research every tip on a schedule. Things in San Diego change, sometimes overnight.
Prices, fees, hours and rules change, often at the start of a year or season. Confirm with the official source linked below before you rely on a number.
This is general information, not legal, financial, tax, medical or safety advice.
KEEP READING
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
- PrimaryAgua Caliente County Park
San Diego County Parks and Recreation · Checked November 3, 2026
Season, hours, $5 parking, $7 pool fee, pool schedule, pet and alcohol rules, address and phone
- PrimaryPark closures and updates
San Diego County Parks and Recreation · Checked November 3, 2026
No closure listed for Agua Caliente
- BackgroundAgua Caliente County Park
Wikipedia · Checked November 3, 2026
910 acres, 1,350 ft, about 110 miles from downtown, indoor spa 102°F
- BackgroundJacumba Hot Springs, California
Wikipedia · Checked November 3, 2026
Spring water about 104°F, 1930s resort history
Imperial Valley Press · April 2024
April 24 reopening, three mineral-spring soaking pools, owners
Axios San Diego · April 24, 2024
Confirms 2024 reopening date
- BackgroundRitual Pool Day Pass
ResortPass · Checked November 3, 2026
From $45, 21+, towels and parking included
Murrieta Hot Springs Resort · May 20, 2026
49+ pools, day passes from $109 or $59 local rate, address