Located between First Avenue and Avenue A, The Baths have been an institution in lower Manhattan since 1892. It's a place that every man who lives in or visits New York should put on the top of his priority list.

It's old, it's falling apart a little, and it's filled with old men. Are you sold yet? You will be. Hanging out at The Baths is like being transported to old Manhattan, full of ancient fat Russian dudes chilling out and being awesome.

There's a Russian sauna that is filled nightly with over 20,000 lbs. of hot rocks, which cook overnight. When it gets too hot, there's an ice sink where you can pour a bucket of water over your head to cool off. It might sound weird, but spending some time in a rock sauna in the middle of the summer can really make you feel better about the gritty city heat. It also makes you feel pretty tough.

Russian/Turkish Baths
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Other services at The Baths include Swedish, Russian, Thai and sports massage, something called "platzka" (where a "specialist" beats you with a broom made of fresh oak leaves soaked in soap?), and a Dead Sea salt scrub and black mud treatment, which sounds pretty tight, to be honest. We're not ashamed about loving our bodies.

Here's a weird thing: The place is owned by two dudes named Boris and David. If you buy an admission ticket or a gift card, you either get a Boris pass or a David pass, and each can only be used on their respective shifts. Huh? There's a calendar on the website, should you be confused. What a weird friendship.

One day admission costs $35, and monthly passes are available at a discount. Check out their hours and visitor information right here. Check it out, because if you learn anything in New York, it's to always trust the opinion of a dude who looks like this:

Russian/Turkish Baths
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