Freehouse Adding Ice Sauna And Heated Sauna On Patio
Just in time for our latest cold spell, The Freehouse is introducing an outdoor Nordic sauna experience this weekend that’s scheduled to last through February.
Parties of up to four people at a time will be able to don swimsuits and work up a sweat inside a wood-fired Finnish sauna on the Freehouse patio and then scurry into an adjacent “ice sauna” to cool off (since there are no frozen lakes to jump into in the North Loop) before going back to the warm sauna, and starting the “hot, cold, rest, rehydrate” cycle again.
The 75-minute guided sessions include a robe, towels, herbal tea & water, charcuterie board and cocktail (or mocktail) for $149 per person. You bring your own flip-flops and swimsuit.
The Freehouse is partnering with a Duluth company, Cedar and Stone, which has operated sauna experiences up north as well as in Excelsior. The ice sauna was put together by Pure & Clear Minnesota Ice.
Another Nordic-inspired sauna option is on the Hewing Hotel’s rooftop on Thursday nights, 6-8pm, where guests have three sessions in and out of the heat/cold, first meditating in the heated sauna with essential oil-infused steam, guided by North Loop instructor Ericka Jones, and then outside into the cold tubs or warm pool with great views of the Minneapolis skyline.
“The rooftop sauna is only open for Hewing guests except for this experience,” said Jones, “so if people want to go there, it’s amazing, it’s incredible.”
By Mike Binkley, North Loop volunteer