Austin Salt Cave, Austin

Austin Salt Cave hopes to transport guests back to 19th-century Poland. At least, it hopes to replicate the environment Polish salt miners worked in during the 19th century. That may sound bizarre, but after studying the robust miners, researchers deemed salt to be great for the respiratory system. That conclusion began gaining traction in the European health world after World War II. And now, halotherapy—the practice of using tiny salt particles to improve respiratory and skin conditions—is practiced all over the world.

At Austin Salt Cave, a machine called a halogenerator projects tiny salt particles into the air. Guests breathe in the microscopic particles while reclining in anti-gravity chairs inside the salt cave, which features dim lighting and calming music. The salt also settles onto skin, coating it in a fine dusting of particles that won't be visible to the naked eye but might attract more kisses from your pets.