Warm and cozy: Hot springs are a good place to visit when you can't take the winter cold any longer

Carolyn Sandgren-Kempf, travel expert and owner of Elite Travel in Cape Girardeau, says hot springs in Costa Rica are a "new, hot destination" for people looking to relax and detoxify their bodies, especially during the upcoming chilly winter months.

Sandgren says discounted nonstop flights to Costa Rica will be newly available for travel in 2016. Elite Travel's organized trips to Costa Rica are centered in Liberia, the capital and largest city of the Guanacaste province.

"There's a huge volcano there. ... You can go zip lining, do all this great hiking and trekking and then you come back and you have this great series of hot springs that you can sit in and relax in. ... And that is so much fun, and it is really affordable. Clean, safe, fun," she says.

She says another great feature of visiting Costa Rica is a mountain water slide in the same location as the hot springs.

For those not wanting to leave the continental United States, Sandgren has some recommendations for affordable and fun destinations.

"One is Lolo Pass in Montana, which was a great fun place to go, especially for kids. I actually went there every summer of my life on our relative run from Oregon through Idaho, Washington, and then we'd go through Montana, and we'd always go to Lolo Hot Springs. And they had a great slide where you'd slide down and come into the hot springs," she says. "As a young person, that's where I found this great love for hot springs. ... There's just something relaxing and therapeutic [about them]."

Another destination within driving distance is Hot Springs, Arkansas.

"A lot of people stay at some historic hotels there and do some therapeutic [treatments] ... For that particular hot spring, a lot of the people we send there are senior citizens or a little older where they want the benefits of the hot springs," Sandgren says.

She also mentions travel destinations such as Europe for the Turkish baths, Iceland's hot springs, natural soaking pools near the Dead Sea and also Bagby Hot Springs in Portland, Oregon.

"I haven't been to every hot spring in the world, but it would be something I would definitely do if it was available on a trip, and I would recommend it. It's fun," she says.

Nicole Landgraf DuBois, a licensed esthetician and owner of Aura Skin & Body Care in Cape Girardeau, says hot springs are a relaxing and detoxifying getaway for people looking to release some stress.

"It's a lot of stress reduction, is a big, huge component of going to the natural hot springs, getting in that spa environment and purifying your body, mind and spirit. And plus, a vacation's nice," she says with a laugh.

Sandgren agrees, saying spa vacations are also a possible outlet for relaxation and heat-related treatments.

"We live in a stressful world, so people definitely want to try to unload that stress," she says.

DuBois says one of the main health components to soaking in hot springs is the minerals in the water.

"You'll hear different springs around the world being kind of famous for clearing the skin, rheumatoid arthritis and that kind of thing. You'll hear of sulfur springs, silica springs -- it's the different mineralization of the spring that actually has the health benefit," she says. "A lot of it has to do with the detoxification of the body, so we're looking at boosting the immune system, getting our lymphatics -- which our lymphatic system is part of the immune system -- getting that to really cleanse, detoxify and to really boost our circulation."

She says there are common minerals found in certain hot springs, including sulfur, which will help with skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis.

Silica is another mineral often found in soil that enriches groundwater, and it helps treat dry skin.

She also mentions iron and magnesium.

"All these are different trace minerals that we actually need in our body, need in our diet, that are very good for us. And we're receiving them from, basically, an outside source, from the waters," DuBois says.

Sandgren says to make sure when planning family vacations where some members may be underage that the hot springs do not have any age stipulations for entry.

"If you have children under 18, even though they're 17 or 18, a lot of spas won't allow them in there because people are undressing in the thing. So you have to also look, if you're on a family vacation ... some of the hot springs don't allow children just because they don't have a separate place for people to change in the locker rooms," Sandgren says.

She also has several tips when it comes to "hot spring etiquette."

"Wear a swimsuit. I'm sure that you tip the attendants. Some might require reservations. Some might have time limits," she says. "I think down in Arkansas on their menu, some of them you have to have a treatment like a massage or something to be able to use the other parts. *... They're all individually-owned commodities, so you'd want to make sure you understand the age requirements."

Although hot springs can be beneficial for many people, DuBois says certain precautions should be taken into account, and individuals who have a disease, heart condition or temporary condition such as pregnancy should talk with a physician before using any type of hydrotherapy, whether it be in a hot spring or spa.

"I think most people do it for health and then the experience. I did it for the experience to sit in a hot springs in a volcano after zip lining with a group of friends," Sandgren says. "It was really, really fun."

How to get spa effects at home

If you want the hot springs experience but aren't able to travel, DuBois recommends looking for high-quality, naturally-scented bath salts that contain minerals such as magnesium. She mentions Himalayan pink salt, Dead Sea salt and others.

"Good quality salt in your bath, a nice warm water bath, is a good option to try to get some of those benefits. In the spa industry, that's kind of what we go for is to mimic some of those all-natural good things that have been made for us. ... That's kind of what we try to mimic, some of the good natural health qualities of the tried and true traditions," DuBois says.