Where to Find Aufguss in the US
8 places in 6 US cities that run aufguss, the guided sauna session where a sauna master pours scented water on the stones and fans the heat around the room with a towel.
| City | Places | Cheapest day pass |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | 2 | $39 |
| Portland | 2 | – |
| San Francisco | 1 | – |
| San Diego | 1 | – |
| Philadelphia | 1 | $29 |
| Houston | 1 | – |
Aufguss in New York City
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Bathhouse Atlantic Ave
Brooklyn
Bathhouse's third New York location, in a former newspaper factory on Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill, built around an event sauna for 100-plus people that hosted the 2026 US Aufguss finals.
BathhouseCold plungeAufguss -
Bathhouse Flatiron
Manhattan
Bathhouse's 35,000-square-foot Manhattan location in a former underground garage, with a slate banya, a large event sauna for Aufguss, hot, neutral, salt and cold pools, a steam room and a restaurant.
BathhouseCold plungeAufguss195°F45°FDay pass $39
Aufguss in Portland
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Löyly Northeast
The larger of Löyly's two Portland sauna houses, on MLK Jr Blvd, built around Finnish-style bathing in an electric cedar sauna with a social sauna room, cold showers and a quiet lounge.
Traditional saunaAufgussCo-edSession $35
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Löyly Southeast
Löyly's smaller, quieter Southeast Portland sauna house, with a cedar Finnish-style sauna, a steam room, cold showers and a garage door that opens the space to the outside air.
Traditional saunaAufgussCo-edSession $35
Aufguss in San Francisco
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Archimedes Banya
A four-story Russian bathhouse in Bayview with two stove-heated parilka rooms, a very hot Finnish sauna, a Turkish steam room, an ice-cold plunge, a roof deck and a cafe with a Russian-leaning menu.
BanyaBathhouseHammamCold plungeAufgussCo-ed220°FNo plunge
Aufguss in San Diego
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Breathe Degrees Liberty Station
A breathwork, cold immersion and sauna studio in Liberty Station with a communal indoor plunge pool chilled to about 42°F and a large sauna that hosts Aufguss ceremonies.
Contrast therapyCold plungeAufgussHeat42°F
Aufguss in Philadelphia
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Bathhouse Philadelphia
The New York bathhouse brand's first location outside NYC, a large coed spa under the Bellevue in Center City with a dry Aufguss sauna, a wood-stove banya, an infrared sauna, a steam room and three thermal pools.
BathhouseBanyaContrast therapyCold plungeAufgussCo-ed195°FNo plungeDay pass $29
Aufguss in Houston
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Saunawelt European Sauna House
A European-style sauna house in the Clear Lake area near Webster, with a Finnish sauna, a Brechelbad herbal sauna, a steam room, a cold bucket shower, a cool-mist room and guided Aufguss rituals.
BathhouseTraditional saunaAufguss
What aufguss is
Aufguss comes from German and Austrian sauna culture. A sauna master leads a session of about 10 to 15 minutes: water with essential oils goes on the stones, then the master waves a towel to push the hot air around the room, often to music. Read what aufguss is for how a session works.
Where to find it in the US
Aufguss is still rare in the US but spreading with the new social bathhouses. Bathhouse in New York hosts aufguss competitions, and Bathhouse Philadelphia, Löyly in Portland, Archimedes Banya in San Francisco, Saunawelt in Houston and Breathe Degrees in San Diego list sessions too. Schedules change, so check the place's own calendar.
Frequently asked questions
How long is an aufguss session?
Usually 10 to 15 minutes. You can leave at any time if it gets too hot.
Do you need to book aufguss separately?
It depends on the place. Some include aufguss in the day pass, others sell seats for special sessions. Check the listing and the place's website.
Where can I do sauna and cold plunge in the US?
5 places we list have a cold plunge or cold pool next to the sauna, including Bathhouse Atlantic Ave, Bathhouse Flatiron, Archimedes Banya, Bathhouse Philadelphia and Breathe Degrees Liberty Station.