Want to try something different? Me too! A girlfriend of mine recently told me that I need to go check out a salt cave near Ft. Benjamin Harrison State Park in Indianapolis. They don’t have massage therapy but they have a huge cave covered in salt! Eager to check out the cave, I googled the facility and easily found their website. Might I add that the pictures on their website made me more excited to go. I made the appointment for my bo and I and reserved a spot for a specific day and time; they also required me to pay when booking. After I booked the appointment, the booking part of the website automatically exited. Not sure what happened but thankfully I took a screenshot of my confirmation so I can add it to my calendar. And glad I did that because I didn’t receive an appointment reminder via phone, text, or email.
We drove to Post Road like our Waze app instructed. Overall, it’s pretty easy to get to. It’s a cute small brick one story building with limited parking. But there’s a sign on the main entrance so we knew we were at the right place. As we walked in, the ladies behind the desk asked if we had an appointment. I said “yes” and was handed a waiver; all first-time clients must sign. As I was signing the document, I noticed quite a few people walking around the lobby; all had cloth booties over their feet. And as soon as we finished signing the waiver, the employee instructed us to take off our shoes and put on the cloth booties, too. Then it dawned on me. We are not the only two people going into the salt cave. I was expecting it to be a little more intimate to then discover that we will be in the salt cave for 30 minutes or so with five other people. Uh…. I wish I had known that earlier. But whatevs. When in Rome, right?
An employee gathered all seven of us to the door and asked that we grab a salt rock on the counter behind us. We were instructed to hold it the entire time while in the cave. Then door opened and wow! The cave was so cool. It really was a salt cave with salt everywhere, even the ground. No wonder why we had to wear the clothe booties. Each client picked out their own reclining chair while the employee introduced herself and informed us of the brief history of Salt Caves, including the benefits and how the salt will be dispersed in the room. Then we reclined and relaxed while listening to the soft music and water dripping.
45 minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Boy, does time fly! I was a little out of it from dozing off. The employee walked by with a bin to collect the salt rocks from all of us and escorted us out of the cave. We helped ourselves to some tea and walked back towards the lobby to put our shoes back on. And because we already paid when we scheduled online, we didn’t have to stay in line. We decided to stay a while longer anyways to check out the products in the lobby while enjoying our tea… and wake back up.
My take-a-way:
- Indianapolis Salt Cave: catchy! The name alone had me curious and wanted to check it out. Who needed a website? Just sign me up!
- The website was easy to maneuver. I enjoyed reading about the history and benefits of salt. I was a little questionable as to why a cave had seven chairs in it and why anyone else would want to sit in a room with strangers at the same time, especially if the goal is to relax. Was there not a cave for two people?
- When scheduling my session, I “booked” my session for my boyfriend and me. After clicking the button, the website took me to another booking site. That was also easy to maneuver; scheduled the both of us at the same time in seconds. Only thing I wish was different is that the booking site also informs me about the possibility of being in a room with five other people. Because when I scheduled it, I assumed I was scheduling a session for only my boyfriend and I to be in a cave with only us in it. It was confusing to see a group of five other people standing next to me waiting to get in the cave at the same time.
- I am glad that I put the date/time in my phone. I don’t think it’s their protocol to call or text for appointment reminders because I didn’t receive either one. So when booking your session, don’t forget to create an account with their scheduling software (booker) and write down the date/time. You definitely need to be responsible and arrive 10 minutes early. Because if you arrive late, you cannot go into the room. You will have to reschedule.
- The experience was awesome. I appreciated the introduction from the employee; she talked about the history of a salt cave, the benefits of being in one, and how it operates. As I was looking around, I saw everyone else had a blanket… Did I miss something? I don’t remember reading anything about a blanket. Thank God I kept my jacket on because within a few minutes, I started to feel cold. Noted! Next time, bring a blanket. And even if you don’t think you’ll need it, bring one anyways. You never know.
- I’m also glad that I could pay my session online when booking. I appreciated the fact that I can take my time afterwards and not go stand in a line to check out and pay. Instead, I can grab some tea, walk around the lobby, sit in a chair and recollect myself before driving home. Very grateful for that feature.
Overall, this was a great feature for Indianapolis! Who would’ve known that a once old firehouse can be a small quaint salt cave?!?! It was so rad. I loved the concept. And loved the experience even more! It’s a cute and creative place. And I felt the benefits of the salt within hours. When it comes to scheduling, I will ensure that I write the appointment on my phone and not rely on a phone or text reminder from them. And now that I know that the cave can be cold, I will make sure to bring a blanket. Can’t wait for my next appointment.
