Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort & Spa

What to expect

Sycamore Mineral Springs sits in the Avila Valley, a short drive inland from Avila Beach on the Central Coast, on a large wooded property of meadows and oak woodland. It was originally known as San Luis Hot Sulphur Springs, and the resort is built over a natural hot mineral spring. Today it is a full resort with a hotel, a restaurant, a spa and a yoga dome, but the reason most people come is the hillside.

Above the main buildings, 24 wooden hot tubs are set into a slope under sycamore and oak trees. Each one has its own fenced wood deck and a bench, so once you close the gate it is just your group. Tubs hold up to 8 people and are rented by the hour. The water is piped from the resort’s mineral wells. The resort says some wells carry a sulfur smell and others do not, and that the water is analyzed by a third party. It does not publish soaking temperatures, so expect hot-tub warm rather than a particular number.

Night soaks are popular. With the trees overhead and the decks fenced, it feels far from the freeway even though US 101 is only a few minutes away.

The pools

• Hillside hot tubs: 24 private open-air mineral spring tubs, up to 8 people each, reached by stairs. One ADA-accessible tub with a lift is at ground level.
• Waterfall Oasis Lagoon: A larger, enclosed and locked mineral pool with two waterfalls, a tree canopy and lounge areas, booked privately for groups of 4 to 20. You get an access code at check-in. Minimum group size is 4 Monday to Thursday and 6 Friday to Sunday and on holidays.
• Mineral swimming pool: A temperature-controlled mineral pool with lounge chairs, open 8 AM to 8 PM. From 8 to 11 AM and 5 to 8 PM the resort keeps “Serenity Hours” and asks guests to keep noise down. There is an ADA lift.
• In-room tubs: All 72 hotel rooms and suites have a private mineral spring tub on the patio or balcony.

Prices and booking

Prices below are from the resort’s site as of October 2026.

Hillside hot tubs (per person, per hour):

• Monday to Thursday: $25
• Friday to Sunday: $30
• Peak and holiday dates: $35
• Towel rental: $3

Waterfall Oasis Lagoon: $35 per person per hour, or $40 on peak and holiday dates. Towels $3 per person. First booking 8:15 AM, last 10:30 PM.

Mineral pool: Hotel guests use it free with a wristband. Everyone else pays $30 per person for a 4-hour block, either 9 AM to 1 PM or 1:30 to 5:30 PM. Poolside cabanas cost $150 per session for non-hotel guests (including pool passes for up to 4) or $100 for hotel guests.

Peak and holiday dates for the rest of 2026: October 10-12, November 21-29 and December 19 to January 3.

Things to know before you book:

• Bookings do not overlap. A tub or Oasis reservation does not include the pool, and a pool pass does not include a tub. Spa treatments include a hillside tub soak but not the pool, unless you hold the resort’s Exclusive Spa Membership.
• Under 18s must be with an adult 18 or older in the tubs and the Oasis. Children can use the pool with an adult.
• Check in at the Gift Shop entrance next to the Green Bridge, 15 minutes before your time.
• No outside alcohol or glass. Outside food and drinks are not allowed at the pool. The Sycamore Shop at check-in sells canned cocktails, local wine, beer and light food.
• Facilities are basic for day visitors. There are rinse stations and restrooms, but no lockers or full showers. Come in your suit and bring slippers for the hillside stairs.

Book online at sycamoresprings.com or call (805) 595-7302.

Getting there

The resort is at 1215 Avila Beach Drive, San Luis Obispo, just west of US 101 and Highway 1 between San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach. From 101, take the Avila Beach Drive exit and head west toward Avila Beach. The resort entrance is on Avila Beach Drive, a few minutes from the freeway, before you reach the beach town.

Parking at the resort lot is free, but it gets tight on holidays and event days. The paved Bob Jones Trail runs past the property toward Avila Beach, and the resort describes it as about 3 miles one way. It is a popular walk or bike ride before or after a soak.

When to go

The Central Coast is mild year-round, so there is no closed season. Weekday bookings are cheaper and easier to get. Weekends, holidays and the peak periods listed above book up first, so reserve ahead for those. Late evening slots are popular because the air cools off quickly at night, which makes the hot water more pleasant. Summer mornings along this coast are often foggy.

Where to stay

• At the resort: 72 rooms, from king rooms to two-story and hillside suites, plus a three-bedroom guest house. Every room has a private mineral tub. Rates change daily. Check-in is 4 PM and check-out 11 AM. A facility fee covers pool access, robes, parking, Wi-Fi, admission to the pool at sister property Avila Hot Springs, and half-price yoga classes. Fourteen rooms take dogs, at $65 per night up to $195 per stay.
• Avila Beach, a few minutes west, has beachfront hotels and vacation rentals.
• San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach, each a short drive on 101, have a wide range of hotels and motels.

Safety notes

• Heat: Hot tubs warm you up faster than you expect, especially after wine or a long day in the sun. Keep soaks short, drink water and get out if you feel dizzy.
• Stairs: The hillside paths and stairs get wet. Wear slippers or sandals with grip.
• Jewelry: Mineral water can tarnish metal. The resort asks you to remove jewelry before you soak.
• Quiet hours: The resort asks hotel guests not to use patio tubs from 11 PM to 7 AM, and quiet hours run from 9 PM to 9 AM.

Nearby stops worth adding

Avila Hot Springs, the resort’s sister property about 2 minutes away, has a large public mineral pool with a water slide. Avila Beach itself has a pier, a small downtown and a sheltered swimming beach at the end of the Bob Jones Trail.