The inspiration for Kathleen Johnson and Emily Woodcock’s mobile, woodfired sauna business, Let’s Sauna, came from the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean. During the Covid pandemic, the two women began cold plunging—taking invigorating dips in the icy sea. “It was a great way to connect with others and feel good in the winter,” says Woodcock, a Beverly resident. “It actually made me dislike winter a lot less.”
Irish Inspiration
Then Woodcock went to her home country of Ireland to visit her sister, and discovered it was common there for mobile saunas to pull up near the water and offer sessions to cold-weather swimmers, allowing them to warm up and relax in yet another way. The alternating sensations were close to euphoric, Woodcock found. “It was amazing to get the cold, then the hot,” she says. “You’re chatting with people you know, or you don’t know them and you make new friends.”
Back in the U.S., she could find no opportunities to recreate the magic she experienced in Ireland. She and Johnson started researching, but the closest similar offering was all the way in Maine. They decided they’d just have to do it themselves.
Trendy and Healthy
Coldwater swimming has surged in popularity in recent years. Devotees claim it offers a wide range of benefits, including improved moods, lower inflammation, boosted immune systems, improved circulation, and stress relief. (It’s important to mention, though, that the shock of the cold water can have physical risks, so always check with a doctor before taking up the practice.)
Meanwhile, studies suggest time spent in a sauna has cardiac benefits, improves recovery from exercise, relieves anxiety, and is good for the skin and lungs. Together, the two experiences are something special and wonderful, Johnson and Woodcock say. So they took action to bring that feeling to the North Shore.
The first step: Acquiring the sauna. After a lot of research, they ended up with a barrel-shaped, 6-foot-by-9-foot model big enough to hold six people, but small enough to be towed by Johnson and Woodcock’s family cars. When the sauna first arrived, however, they didn’t quite have the rest of the business plan mapped out yet. “We figured, if worse comes to worst, we just have our own sauna,” Johnson laughs.
“We believed it would be a success, but we didn’t know if anyone else would,” Woodcock adds. The pair began researching popular cold-plunging spots and the permitting rules in towns across the area. At the same time they were learning how to manage the sauna itself—how to regulate the temperature, how to best stoke the fire, and what kind of wood works best. They did many test runs in the backyard for friends, and spent plenty of time driving the sauna around the block to get used to driving while towing it.
Temperature Roller Coaster
“Reversing was a steep learning curve,” Woodcock says. They launched the business in January 2025 at an event in Beverly. Today, they set up most weekends at a different spot—Hood Pond in Topsfield, Lynch Park in Beverly, Pavilion Beach in Ipswich—announcing their schedule at least four weeks ahead of time. Anyone can book an hour-long slot for $40. The temperature generally hovers between 160 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit, though it can climb closer to 200 on warmer days. Those in the sauna can choose to enjoy a dry heat, or pour water on hot stones to create a steamy atmosphere; eucalyptus oil is available for an aromatherapy experience. All guests wear bathing suits and can borrow an optional sauna cap to keep their head more comfortable.
The temperature roller coaster of immersing in icy winter waters then baking in the sauna is refreshing and exhilarating, Johnson says. “The act of dipping in the cold water, and then experiencing the heat—physically you feel amazing from that,” she says. Some customers plan a visit with their friends or book all six seats for an hour, and then wrangling folks into coming along. Often, though, guests reserve a single seat and find themselves connecting with their fellow sauna-goers, Woodcock says. “When strangers go in, they might be apprehensive,” she says. “But they always ultimately leave as friends.”