Fountain of Youth Spa RV Resort

What to expect

Fountain of Youth Spa RV Resort is less a hot spring and more a small desert town built around one. It is a large RV park on the gravel slope east of the Salton Sea, below the Chocolate Mountains, with roughly a thousand RV and dry camp sites, rental villas and manufactured homes. The resort has been family-owned and operated since 1966 and describes itself as an active adult 55-plus community. In winter it fills with snowbirds who stay for weeks or months.

The draw is the water. The resort pumps mineral water from natural artesian hot springs on the property, and it runs that water into a set of spas, tubs and steam rooms rather than one big natural pool. A published analysis gives the water a pH of 6.55 and about 4,585 parts per million of dissolved minerals. The resort does not post soaking temperatures.

Social life is a big part of the experience. Expect a packed calendar of concerts, Friday night street parties, water volleyball, pickleball and clubs, more like a retirement community than a quiet spa.

The pools

The resort lists these soaking and swimming facilities:

• Lobster Pot: a raw mineral water spa, the closest thing here to soaking in the spring water as it comes out of the ground.
• Three hot spas: hot tubs with different set temperatures. One older listing describes freshwater, saltwater and waterfall spas.
• Three private mineral soaking tubs: personal tubs where you adjust the temperature yourself.
• His and hers mineral steam rooms.
• Two chlorinated swimming pools: used for laps, water aerobics and water volleyball.

Full hookup guests get access to the heated pools and hot tubs as part of the rate, along with the gym, billiards room, pickleball courts and dog parks.

Getting there

The resort is at 1500 Spa Road, Niland, on the east side of the Salton Sea in Imperial County.

• From Palm Springs or Indio: Take I-10 east to Highway 111 south, then follow Highway 111 down the east shore of the Salton Sea, past Mecca and Bombay Beach. Billboards along the highway point the way to the resort.
• From El Centro, Brawley or Niland: Take Highway 111 north. The resort’s directions say to turn right onto Frink Road, keep left where it merges with Coachella Canal Road, then turn left onto Spa Road. One listing puts the resort about 13 miles north of Niland.

There are few services for long stretches of Highway 111, so fill up in Indio, Mecca, Brawley or Niland.

When to go

This is a winter resort. From roughly November to March, days in the low desert are usually mild and sunny, the resort’s events calendar is full, and occupancy is at its highest, so reservations are a good idea. Summer in Imperial County is extremely hot, with many days well over 100°F38°C. The resort stays open and offers seasonal specials, but hot tubs lose their appeal in that heat.

Prices and booking

The 2026 rate sheet:

Site	Daily	Weekly	Monthly
Upper dry camp	$45	$270	$675
Lower dry camp	$50	$300	$750
Regular full hookup	$75	$430	$1,050 plus utilities
Patio full hookup	$80	$480	$1,200 plus electricity
Pull-through full hookup	$90	$540	not listed
Premium lot	$95	not listed	not listed
Super premium lot	$140	not listed	not listed

Daily and weekly full hookup rates include electricity, water, sewer and cable TV. Monthly electric is metered. Vacation villas run $195 a night for a one-bedroom loft and $230 to $250 for two-bedroom units, with $15 per person per day beyond two guests per bedroom.

Seasonal specials on regular full hookup sites include a fall special (September 1 to December 31, 2026) at $1,200 plus electricity, and 3, 4 and 6 month packages from $2,800. Specials are paid in full, nonrefundable and cannot be combined.

Booking rules worth knowing:

• Check-in is 1pm for RV sites and 3pm for villas. Check-out is 11am, and late check-out costs $25 per hour.
• Cancelling an RV booking more than 14 days out costs $100. Inside 14 days, you can be charged up to a month’s rent. Villa cancellations more than 30 days out cost $225.
• Leaving early does not earn a refund.
• The resort’s notes are unclear on whether taxes and resort fees are added, so confirm the total when you book.

Book through the website, by phone at 760-354-1340 or 888-800-0772, or by email at reservations@foyspa.com.

Where to stay nearby

The resort is the lodging, with both RV sites and villas. If you want somewhere other than a 55-plus park, the Salton Sea State Recreation Area has campgrounds along the northeast shore off Highway 111. Brawley and El Centro to the south and Indio to the north have chain motels and full services.

Safety notes

• Heat: Desert sun plus hot mineral water dehydrates you quickly. Drink water between soaks and keep hot tub sessions short, especially in the steam rooms.
• Health: The resort and older marketing talk up the water’s benefits. Those are the resort’s claims. If you have heart, blood pressure or other health concerns, ask a doctor about hot soaking first.
• Remoteness: The east shore of the Salton Sea is sparsely populated. Carry water in the car and keep your tank full.
• Pets: Desert ground and pavement get very hot. The resort requires leashes outside your RV and provides two dog parks.

Nearby stops worth adding

Salvation Mountain, the painted hillside near Niland, and the art installations of Bombay Beach on the Salton Sea shore are both short drives from the resort. The Chocolate Mountains and surrounding desert are crossed by off-road and ATV trails that many guests use.