The Accidental Tourist

A Visit to Evexia Salt Cave & Spa

By Ann Parenti

On a rainy Sunday afternoon in Chesterton, Indiana, while touring the town and visiting Chesterton High School, my old high school, after celebrating our 50th class reunion the night before, my husband and I agreed to meet a few of my dear friends and fellow classmates for breakfast that morning. After breakfast, we decided to see if anything was open at all in town. We immediately found, right next to the restaurant where we met, a delightful retreat from the rain: Evexia Salt Cave & Spa.

The knowledgeable and kind David Lawson promptly greeted us. He showed us out-of-towners around the spa, gave us a brief history of Evexia and told us they were celebrating their sixth anniversary. I was intrigued by all the services they offered at the spa. In addition to the salt room experience, they offer many levels of service, from facials and massages to sound baths, sound beds and much more. Lawson offered us the opportunity to try out the sound bed, and we accepted his kind offer. I remember choosing "Freedom," which seemed apropos to me. After experiencing the bed, I felt refreshed for the rest of the day.

While waiting for Curtis to finish his sound bed experience, which actually happened faster than it took him to select it, I found out that Lawson also has a big sense of humor and is quite the comedian. He has a bit of a short beard, and he said that he was clean-shaven before Curtis finally picked his choice. Ha! His sense of humor was challenged recently, however, when the power went out for nine days and the spa was not able to function. He, his wife and the staff had a harrowing time getting it back to operational standards after the devastating storms that came through the town and the state recently.

While waiting on Curtis to finish, this is where things get interesting. I had mentioned that we were visiting for the reunion, that we were from Las Vegas and that my husband and I had celebrated our 30th anniversary a few weeks earlier. Lawson and his wife, Jen, who manages the spa, said they met on an airport bus in Las Vegas that was headed for a hotel. He said they will be celebrating their 30th anniversary in late December this year. Life never ceases to amaze me with how we are all connected.

So, if you find yourself on a rainy day, or any kind of day, in Chesterton, Indiana, do yourself a favor and visit Evexia Salt Cave & Spa and try out a few of their offerings.

You won't be disappointed!

For more information, visit evexiasaltcave.net.