Entry No. 109 — the Chicago file — filed under: floating-sauna
Kiln Floating Sauna
A cedar-walled sauna built onto a boat, docked at Navy Pier Marina each winter, heating to 185-205°F before guests step straight off the deck into Lake Michigan for the plunge — skyline views included. It debuted December 12, 2025 and runs through early spring, then the whole vessel relocates to Gordon Lodge in Door County, Wisconsin for summer.
The story
The concept started as a sketch on a train in Norway by founder Zoe Lake: take the Nordic ritual of thermic cycling—baking in a cedar room before dropping into open water—and mount it on a floating houseboat hull. Kiln debuted in December 2025 as Chicago's first floating sauna, mooring at Navy Pier’s North Side Marina through early spring before migrating up to Gordon Lodge in Door County, Wisconsin, for the summer.
While Navy Pier usually means crowded corridors and ferris wheel lines, the North Side Marina slip feels tucked away from the main tourist strip. Inside the black-hulled boat, twin electric heaters push the cedar chamber between 185°F and 205°F as host-guided steam fills the air. Outside the glass, de-icing bubblers keep a patch of harbor water open and fluid while the rest of Lake Michigan freezes around the hull.
What it's like
You’ll walk down to the marina dock, slip into your swimsuit, and enter a quiet cedar room wrapped in skyline views. After fifteen minutes of dry heat and aromatherapeutic steam, you step straight onto the frost-coated wooden deck and drop down the ladder into near-freezing lake water. The shock is immediate, but you hop right back into the heat to repeat the loop. Bring slip-on sandals so your feet don't stick to the icy deck between plunges, pack heavy layers for the walk back, and double-check whether the boat is currently docked in Chicago or Wisconsin before you head out.
The move: A guided 45-minute heat/cold cycle for up to six, alternating sauna heat with a lake plunge — best as a winter date since the Chicago dock is seasonal (closed roughly May-November); check kilnfloatingsauna.com for the current dock location before planning.
- 📍 Navy Pier
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoor or outdoor
Where: 797 E Grand Ave, Navy Pier Marina, Chicago, IL 60611
Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Three Dots and a Dash — Thaw out your sub-zero lake plunge by heading underground in River North for warm-climate tiki cocktails.
- The Drifter — Trade the open winter air of the marina for a subterranean speakeasy hidden under one of Chicago's oldest wooden structures.
- Eastland Disaster Site & Memorial Marker — Anchor your waterfront outing with a brief walk west along the Chicago River to visit a quiet piece of maritime history.
- International Museum of Surgical Science — Pair your extreme hot-and-cold shock therapy with a stroll through North America's premier collection of historical medical oddities.
Good to know
Where is Kiln Floating Sauna located?
During winter and early spring (roughly December through April), it is docked at Navy Pier Marina (797 E Grand Ave) in Chicago. For the summer months, the entire vessel is hauled north to Gordon Lodge in Baileys Harbor, Door County, Wisconsin.
How hot does the sauna get?
The cedar cabin heats to between 185°F and 205°F using electric heaters, with hosts pouring aromatherapy-infused water over hot stones for steam rounds.
How do you cold plunge in winter?
You step directly off the floating deck into Lake Michigan via a swim ladder. De-icing bubblers around the boat keep the harbor water liquid even when surrounding surface water freezes over.
What should I bring for a session?
Bring a swimsuit, a water bottle, warm clothes to change into afterward, and slip-on sandals or slides to protect your feet on the cold deck.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: chicago.suntimes.com · Official site · doorcountypulse.com
last checked: 2026-07-19