Look around Cavallo Point today and you’d be forgiven for likening the extensive horseshoe-shaped compound to one of the Adirondack resorts renowned for Dirty Dancing-style revelry. But in fact this enclave of isolation directly underneath the Golden Gate Bridge was once Fort Baker, a military installation dating back to 1902. One of the best spas in the Bay Area is the beautiful Healing Arts Center & Spa at Cavallo Point Lodge, situated in the serene park-like setting opened its doors in the summer of 2008 to much national acclaim and anticipation after nearly a decade in the making. The lodge also offers an interesting mix of classes and activities, from cooking school to sunrise yoga sessions. Their Signature Massage, and blend of several massage techniques, is 90 minutes of bliss. Rooms in the historic officers’ quarters are reminiscent of a Greek revival mansion, with wide front porches and turn-of-the-century woodwork, while rooms in the new wings feature radiant heat floors and plate-glass windows, some with stellar views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Dogs living their best lives frolic on the property’s expansive front lawn and are arguably just as pampered as two-legged guests.