Tucked into an unsuspecting patch of woods on Detroit’s east side, a new Nordic-style escape is warming up one of the city’s most industrial blocks.
Islandview Sauna Club, hidden at 1000 Beaufait between Lafayette and St. Paul, has finished a major overhaul of its rustic outdoor sauna camp — complete with multiple wood-fired saunas, open-air cold plunges and a wilderness vibe that feels far from the roar of nearby factories.
“We wanted to make sure that when guests cross into the sauna grounds, they feel like they are in a northern Michigan camp with wood smoke in the air, a fire crackling at the entrance and heat rising from our handcrafted saunas,” said Jacques Driscoll, co-owner of Islandview Sauna Club.
The club operates on Fridays from 4-8 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5 p.m. Visits require an appointment made through www.islandviewsauna.com, and the rate is $25 per hour with limited capacity.
Co-owner Christine Driscoll recommends arriving 15 minutes early to settle in, change, and hear safety guidelines. Visitors should pack a robe or towel to wrap in, a bathing suit, a towel for sitting, flip-flops or slides, a water bottle and ‒ if they’re feeling extra Nordic ‒ an optional sauna hat. After steaming and plunging, guests are free to linger in the basecamp tent or around the bonfire as long as they like.
The grounds feature three wood-burning saunas of varying sizes and intensities, a cold plunge tub (with a larger shared plunge on the way), and a canvas tent that doubles as a changing area and gathering lounge. Unlike indoor spa-style saunas, Islandview leans into the season, sending guests outside between rounds to embrace the chill rather than hide from it.
The saunas were built in Minneapolis after the owners immersed themselves in the Midwest’s growing sauna culture and its Nordic traditions. The result is a Detroit-meets-Northwoods sanctuary that blends industrial grit with the rising trend of outdoor winter rituals.
Jacques and Christine Driscoll, who also run Green Dot Stables, Johnny Noodle King, Kiesling Detroit and two Yellow Light Coffee and Donuts locations, plan to expand hours, programming and amenities gradually. Updates will roll out on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: New Nordic-style outdoor sauna club opens on Detroit’s east side
Reporting by Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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