Brooklyn's oldest bathhouse is a social hub for Russian families.

by Katie Heffernan

In Short
This Brighton Beach wet spa is a geographic and cultural trip. The glassed-in entryway acts as a smoking atrium for jolly shirtless men, and leads into a covered beer garden and hockey-themed cafe. Inside, the main, fluorescent-lit pool room fills with sounds of splashing and socializing from crowds of Eastern European families. Saunas and steam rooms are also coed, and massages and platza (a traditional Russian sauna treatment) can be tacked onto the experience.