Virginia's most significant hot springs are anchored by The Omni Homestead in Bath County, the oldest continuously operating hot springs resort in the United States (soaked in since 1766, when Thomas Jefferson visited), and by the historic Jefferson Pools at Warm Springs (currently closed for restoration, so check status). These sites are not yet on our site and our Virginia listings page will be updated as they are added. In Virginia, a still-operating hot springs resort was reviewed and endorsed in the writings of a Founding Father, giving the state's soaking scene an unmatched documentary trail. Springs cluster in Bath and Alleghany counties in the western Allegheny Highlands: The Homestead, Jefferson Pools at Warm Springs, and the town of Hot Springs itself are the historic anchors. Virginia's thermal activity is meteoric groundwater rising through faulted and folded Paleozoic strata of the Appalachian valley-and-ridge, producing warm-to-hot mineral water (temperatures 95 to 104°F). Land ownership is private resort (The Homestead) and Bath County (Jefferson Pools). Access is drive-up. Best season is year-round; winter soaks in the Alleghenies are the classic experience. Gateway airport is Roanoke (ROA), roughly 1.5 hours away and Washington DC is roughly 4 hours. Swimwear is required at all sites. Reviewed and updated June 2026.
