Visit the best New Jersey Spa: SoJo Spa Club!
Every so often, each one of us needs a long relaxation day to temporarily escape our everyday stresses. Whether you’re traveling to the New York City area or are looking for a beautiful local oasis, SoJo Spa is truly one of the best New Jersey Spas you can visit. And believe it or not, it will take you less than 30 min to get there from the Port Authority bus station!
In this post, I will walk you through what an experience at this Korean bath house looks like and hopefully get you to take the much-needed day that you’ve been putting off for so long!
Logistics of visiting SoJo Spa in Edgewater, NJ
Before we dive into the details of what the SoJo Spa experience entails, let’s go over some useful information for your visit. This section will give you more clarity on how to get there, what to bring, and what your day will look like taking away the stress of the unknown.
How to get to SoJo Spa
SoJo Spa is located in Edgewater, New Jersey. Before any NY visitors come at me and say that they’re not crossing the river to get there, I’m going to let you in on a little secret … NJ is awesome and you should absolutely cross the river 🙂 And I’m not just saying that because Jersey is my home but because we do have some good places here.
Don’t believe me? Check out my other New Jersey guides for some cool ideas for your next visit!
If you’re staying in NYC, getting to SoJo Spa is super easy (certainly easier than getting to Brooklyn 😉 ). You can easily take the 158 Bus from Port Authority Gate 202. It should take you there in under 30 min. Or alternatively, you can also catch a ferry to either Edgewater or Weehawken and grab that same 158 bus that runs along River Rd. Or if public transport isn’t your thing, simply catch a quick Uber across the bridge or the tunnel.
If you live in Jersey, SoJo Spa is located at 660 River Road in Edgewater. It has complimentary self-parking or a $15 valet option.
The best time to visit SoJo Spa
I have personally visited the Spa during every season and while I love the summers for the sunny and warm weather, visiting SoJo is just as good in the winter. There is nothing like the drastic difference between the crispy cold air and taking a hot steam bath. SoJo does an excellent job with creating seasonal outdoor set-ups to keep you away from the cold.
One major thing I recommend is to visit the spa right at opening. SoJo is an amazing place which made it quite a popular spot in the area. If you visit mid-day on the weekends, you will certainly not be the only guest there. However, if you visit at 9 am sharp, especially on a weekday, you can even have the amenities all to yourself! And yes, I had the whole infinity pool to myself during one of my 9 am visits 🙂
How much time do you need there
SoJo Spa is open from 9 am to 9:30 pm. At the very minimum, you’ll need 2-3 hours to experience all the spa has to offer. However, if your goal is to lounge and forget about your responsibilities for a while, allocate 5-6 hours there. If you want, you can even spend your entire day there as well!
For remote workers or digital nomads, there are areas where you can work as well if you want to combine some business and pleasure during your visit or if you’re “working” remotely for the day 😉
What to bring to SoJo Spa
First and foremost, bring your ID as they will need to confirm your age. The spa is 18+ as well so anyone younger will not be able to enter.
Upon your visit, you’ll be provided with a towel, robe, and toiletries to use in the Bath House, so you’ll only need to bring a bathing suit. They also have hairdryers if you want to get ready for your next activity there.
The spa is a shoe-free facility indoors and optional flip-flops/sandals outside. If walking barefoot grosses you out, you can bring socks to wear inside and sandals for outside. I will say though that the spa is spotless so that will really not be necessary. If for some reason you forget to pack a bathing suit, they sell very reasonably priced ones in the bathhouses as well!
You cannot bring food or alcohol either. Your bag gets searched upon entry so any food or beverages will be held with security until you check out.
How much does SoJo Spa cost
The cost of daily admission varies by the day but generally expect it to be between $125-$145 a pass. It’s certainly not a cheap activity but for what you get, I certainly think it’s a fair price. Treatments like scrubs or massages are not included and if you purchase those, you’ll get 2-hour admission to the facilities after.
When you purchase a pass, you’ll have a specific hour to enter and you will not be let in before or after that hour window. Although the website states that the reservations are recommended, I would without a doubt make one as it is a pretty popular spot and if they’re at capacity, you won’t be getting in!
Photos at SoJo Spa
Instagram or it didn’t happen right?! SoJo knew that it is a super beautiful spot and you’ll want to take a ton of photos so it did something super simple yet so convenient. Near every pool or sauna, you’ll find mini lockers in which you can leave your phone after you snap some of your favorite shots.
That gives you the freedom to bring your phone around without the need to run back and forth to the main locker room or worry about watching it from afar. You can take photos all over the facilities excluding the bathhouses or the saunas for obvious reasons.
The SoJo Spa Experience & Amenities
Why do I think that SoJo is one of the best New Jersey spas? Because I have yet to find another location to offer as many amenities, views, food, and treatments as SoJo Spa does.
Now, let me walk you through what your experience will look like and what you can expect there.
Arrival at SoJo Spa
Once you arrive within your reservation window (one-hour time slot), you’ll check in at the counter, show your ID and sign the necessary waivers. You’ll receive a bracelet that will be both, your key to your lockers, as well as your method of payment. Upon check-out, you will use a service kiosk to pay for whatever you purchased on your bracelet during your visit.
You’ll walk over to the shoe lockers where you’ll leave your outside shoes and then take the elevator to the 4th floor to the Female or Male locker rooms. In the locker rooms, you’ll be given a robe, towel, and your own personal locker. You can change by the lockers or if you prefer privacy in one of the changing rooms.
The gender-separated Bath Houses give you the privacy for a shower and the ability to go into clothes-optional soak baths and steam rooms. The steam room in the bathhouse is one of my favorites as it really makes you get your sweat on and breathe in some hot steam to clear your lungs!
Infinity Pool and Rooftop Lounge
Let’s just jump to the eye-catching amenity of SoJo Spa Club, its infinity pool with breathtaking views of Manhattan. I LOVE this viewpoint as there aren’t that many (if any to be honest) places offering this kind of view along with swimming in an infinity pool.
Pro Tip: If you arrive at the opening, the pool will be such an oasis as it’s the least crowded time of the day. However, if you cannot do the opening time, I also suggest an early evening slot that will give you an amazing golden hour or sunset view!
Don’t forget the Rooftop Lounge located a floor above the Infinity Pool from which not only will you have amazing views, but where you can also snag a quiet space to get your tan on or nap in 🙂
Foot Massage Path and Hydrotherapy Pool
Back on the 4th floor, you’ll find the Foot Massage Path which is a short walk and a perfect way to get your senses going. Take your time as you can certainly feel the rocks against your feet 🙂 After the path, you’ll find the Hydrotherapy Pool which consists of many stations to hydromassage various parts of your body with very powerful jets. If you’re like me and are holding some tension in your back and shoulders, don’t miss the back massager jets. It will get rid of all your stress in less than a minute!
Outdoor Baths at SoJo Spa
Having been to a handful of spas in the area, the baths alone at SoJo, put this spa in the best New Jersey spas category. Again, there is really nothing like this around and I always make sure to spend a good amount of time getting my soak on. They’re located on the 4th floor, right around the corner from the Hydrotherapy Pools and the Foot Massage Path.
The Silk Bath is a micro-bubble bath with the goal to improve skin elasticity. The Carbon-Rich Bath has a high concentration of CO2 which is supposed to increase circulation. Don’t panic when your skins turn a little pink as it’s just increased blood flow to your skin. Lastly, tucked away in a perfect peaceful corner, you’ll find the Hinoki Bath, which is a unique bath on a smooth cedar wood surface. Since these baths are pretty hot, you might need a quick cool reset which can be done in the Waterfall wall right in the back.
Saunas at SoJo Spa
I love saunas so I’m happy that SoJo Spa has quite an abundance of them. You can choose from Himalayan Salt, Charcoal, Red Clay, White Clay, Infrared, Dry, or Steam Room Saunas. They’re outside, inside, and in the bathhouses. Personally, I really like the Himalayan Salt one and the Steam Room in the Bath House but having tried ALL the saunas, they’re all pretty great. After you sweat out all the stress from your body, don’t forget to close off your pores in the Ice Room!
I also recommend trying the Ganbanyoku Sauna which is a hot bedrock guaranteed to put your body in a state of relaxation. Its warm surface, dim lighting, and peaceful silence made me want to instantly nap. Similarly to that, there are also Hot Stone Beds with bright views of the Hudson.
Food at SoJo Spa
Do not forget to try the food at SoJo Spa! Not only is it very reasonably priced, but it is also super tasty! You have a variety of choices ranging from sandwiches, ramen, salads, pizzas, smoothies, and an outdoor grill in the summer. I ordered a little bit of everything to try and was certainly not disappointed. The meats were perfectly seasoned, the salad was super fresh and the smoothies gave me the exact boost I needed.
Seriously, do not pass on eating at SoJo Spa. You will not be disappointed! And you will need to refuel as the day goes on.
Additional amenities
In addition to all the pools, baths, and saunas, SoJo Spa offers a co-working space for all those who cannot escape their careers (but seriously, take your PTO people!), a fitness center to squeeze in a quick workout, and a relaxation room to rest your mind away from the daily stress.
SoJo also has a hotel on site which is open Friday through Sunday. A nightly rate includes a spa pass!
Treatments
Last but not least, if you’re in it to treat yourself, book a massage, a Volcanic Sand Bath Treatment, or a classic Korean Body Scrub that will have your skin feeling like a newborn baby. SoJo offers top-notch treatments only elevating your experience even more.
Is the SoJo Spa experience really worth it?
Having visited SoJo on 5 different occasions, they have yet to fail me. Not to mention, they have over 10k Google Reviews with 4.5 stars so they haven’t failed many either. That repeated quality certainly gets them my vote for being one of if not the best New Jersey spas. I love coming back because of all the amenities they offer, the excellent food they serve, and just the overall relaxation experience that I can find without having to travel far.
I hope you enjoyed this virtual tour of SoJo Spa through my eyes and that you will have your Perfect Day at SoJo Spa very soon 🙂
Disclaimer: I want to thank SoJo for hosting me and my guest during my most recent visit. However, I visited them on four other occasions and the quality has been consistent during each visit!
