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The words “sensory deprivation tank”—or the mere idea of floating alone in a pitch-dark, silent chamber—might unsettle you.
Fair enough.
But Margaret Atwood wisely called February the “month of despair.” Which is to say, if you’re already feeling anxious (and sick of the cold), why not try a new antidote?
Although it might sound scary at first, floating can actually be serene—or even sublime. Your body, effortlessly supported by 10 inches of 95-degree water and about half a ton of Epsom salts (exact numbers vary by shop), gets a break from doing just about everything but breathing. The darkness and silence let “the ‘constantly-make-sure-you’re-not-dying’ part of your brain…chill out for a second,” as the minds behind Float On, Portland’s largest float tank center, put it, “allowing the creative, relaxed part of your brain to come out to play.”
For some, the process induces a hypnagogic state—that semi-psychedelic space you might experience just before sleep takes over. And for all bodies, “it’s really nice to just be zero gravity for a while,” Float Shoppe float facilitator Chaz Wallace says.
Ready to take the (shallow) dive? Here’s where to head in Portland—which, bless, of course, has multiple options.
Float On
4530 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 503-384-2620, floatoncoop.com. 8 am–midnight Tuesday–Sunday, 5:30 pm–midnight Monday.
A space of respite in one of the busiest walking districts in town, Float On has been around since October 2010—and is the only float studio in Portland that’s a worker-owned cooperative, a shift made in August 2024.
“When you’re coming in here,” manager Steve Wegner says, “you’re going to talk to people who are knowledgeable about floating, are floaters themselves, and are very passionate about it.”
With tanks that include spacier cabin-style units and open pools, Float On is beginner-friendly. Once you’re a pro, you can even choose a light color preference so the mood is set ahead of time—think cool and bright, not quite neon or pastel. (This reporter chose magenta.)
Float On is also committed to making floating accessible. Its 90-minute floats cost $77, which is the lowest price per hour in town. But it also offers steeply discounted monthly membership ($54 for 90 minutes, and members can buy additional floats for themselves and others at that price) and bulk-purchase options ($1,820 for a year of floats—which works out to $35 per float if you float weekly).
“It’s not the cheapest thing in the world,” Wegner admits.
Though the organization hasn’t raised prices since 2017, it will soon—to, you know, stay afloat. You can also trade volunteer hours with approved partner organizations for free floats.
The Float Shoppe
1515 NW 23rd Ave., 503-719-4743, floatshoppe.com. 10 am–9:30 pm Monday and Wednesday–Friday, noon–9:30 pm Tuesday, 8 am–9:30 pm Saturday–Sunday.
Along with floats in two different kinds of private pods—some of which feature twinkling, starlike lights in the lid—The Float Shoppe also offers massage therapy.
While you can enjoy these modalities in either order, Wallace says he prefers the massage first. That way, “you’re all loosened up,” he says. You might even fall asleep. (Don’t worry about your own possible slumber—the water is so salty you’ll just keep floating.) If you can’t decide, you can always opt for the Float Sandwich: $285 for two 60-minute floats bookending a 90-minute massage.
While you’re on the table, choose from a relaxing Swedish massage or more advanced techniques like trigger point therapy, myofascial release, and even energy work.
Or just stick to one modality at a time. Either way, you’ll walk out noodlier than when you walked in.
Float North
1617 NE 17th Ave., 503-659-1212, floatnorthpdx.com. 10 am–6 pm Wednesday–Thursday, 10 am–7:30 pm Friday–Sunday.
Float North ups the ante by offering floating, massage therapy and an additional modality called SomaWave—a type of sound therapy that uses “low-frequency sine waves to bring the body into deep relaxation.” (Basically, speakerlike transducers pump good vibes into your body, a process that blisses you out and “teaches your nervous system how to relax,” owner Dana Highfill says. Yes, please.)
Doing all three therapies in one day is known as the trifecta—but you’ll get plenty of benefits with any single one. The studio offers an introductory deal: three 60-minute floats at $60 each (instead of the regular $88), since you’ll likely spend your first float getting acclimated. Once you do, the floats can reduce anxiety and depression, Highfill says—not to mention bring clarity, creativity and joy, the “things that everybody seeks but doesn’t always know how to find.”
Float North is also the only float studio in Portland that offers couples the option to float together in the studio’s larger open tank—which is also wheelchair accessible. “Floating’s for everyone,” Wallace says.