Sometimes the act of wellness means taking a restorative yoga class and cooking dinner at home with fresh vegetables. Other times, it calls for a little more legwork. And I get it: Now, more than ever, it feels indulgent and frivolous to be thinking about wellness retreats, but a good friend reminded me of the importance of recharging and caring for ourselves in order to be able to be present in a tumultuous world. I’ve been a wellness, beauty, and travel writer for the better part of a decade, which has brought me to over one hundred of the best spas in the world. I’ve also attended many intensive (and not so intensive) wellness retreats. I’ve hiked for hours up mountains fueled by sheer determination, lain on a table for an aura cleansing, acupuncture, and reiki healing session and hot- and cold-plunged like my life depended on it.
Here’s the thing: We all need help taking a break sometimes and a wellness getaway is just the thing to get us to slow down, recalibrate, luxuriate and truly reset. Here are the best places to do it in the U.S.
Blackberry Mountain in Walland, Tennessee
Picture this: rustic treehouse cabins outfitted with wood fireplaces and marble soaking tubs, lush hiking trails, farm-to-table menus and amazing classes like Woodlands Yoga. That’s exactly what’s in store at this luxurious Smoky Mountains resort. The spa is a huge draw, with sought-after facialists and body therapists’ residency pop-ups, but the real magic is the mix of activities you can do. There’s a guided hike to Cat’s Paw Ridge, soothing sound bath meditation completely transported me to another planet, a self-myofascial release class that helps you work out stubborn knots, forest bathing and more. But it doesn’t feel restrictive – you can get smores kits delivered to your room for a post-dinner treat and enjoy blackberry-infused cocktails whenever you like. The Firetower, a restaurant at the top of the mountain, gives you a space to look out for watercolor sunsets over the Smokies. Its other restaurant, Three Sisters, is inside the main lodge and has an always-changing menu based on the season. Either way, I didn’t have a single bad meal.
Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, Texas
As a recent Austin arrival, I’ve been on the hunt for the best wellness has to offer in my new city. And the good news is that there isn’t a shortage of fantastic beauty and wellness spots. But perhaps the one I hear about the most is Lake Austin. It’s only 40 minutes from downtown, but it feels worlds away. Go for a relaxing day-long tune-up or weekend of pampering. There’s a stunning, barn-enclosed warm pool where you can participate in water yoga or, my personal favorite, the AquaStretch™ class for myofascial release to help ease tension and boost mobility. There’s a variety of activities you can participate in, like paddleboarding, endurance nature hikes, and river-based water yoga. But there are also more than 100 services on the spa menu to choose from, ranging from a nourishing standard Swedish massage to Chinese medical cupping treatments. Truly, there’s something for everyone. Post-spa, you can lounge by one of the swimming pools in the large hillside garden or grab lunch at its delicious restaurant.
Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts
Set on a hilltop in the Berkshires, Canyon Ranch is an immersive wellness escape on an expansive 120 acres. Originally the Bellefontaine Mansion, which was built as a private residence during the Gilded Age, it leaves no stone unturned when it comes to comfort and relaxation. Days luxuriating in the 100,000-square-foot spa are a must – there are 12 facials and 17 massages to choose from, as well as bodywork, Eastern therapies, and Ayurvedic treatments. Definitely get the signature full-body massage done with the skin coddling Kate McLeod Body Stone—it melts right in, leaving you with baby soft skin (and at the end of the treatment, you get to take the rest of the Body Stone with you). There’s also a Canyon Ranch outpost in Tucson, Arizona and one coming in the fall in Austin, Texas.
Mii Amo in Sedona, Arizona
Tucked away in the (reputed) powerful energy vortex of Sedona, Mii Amo has been a mecca for restorative and meaningful healing experiences. It offers some of the most gorgeous views of natural red rock, a breathtaking beauty that alone leaves you instantly soothed. Programs are for 3, 4, 7, or 10 days — no more, no less — and visitors follow bespoke programs tailored to them by a guide to address whatever stresses or discomforts that called them here. The treatments aspire to the spiritual and enlightening: past-life regression, aura photography, shiodhara, cranial sacral massage and Reiki healing. There’s also more traditional spa offerings like enzyme wraps and lymphatic facials. Either way, the “journey” as they call it can be emotionally intense, cathartic and freeing.
The Ranch in Hudson Valley, New York
The original Ranch, a luxe, hiking-based boot camp opened, in Malibu in 2010 and this East Coast outpost is the place to go when you need a hard reset for your physical and mental well-being. The program here actually begins before you arrive. Upon reserving your getaway, you’re receive prescriptions for what to cut out of your diet (alcohol, caffeine, etc.) and exercise recommendations, as well as new sleep and breath-work habits to implement before you arrive. It’s intense, but it’s not so restrictive that it’s painful. Best of all, it takes a lot of the decision-making out of what to do, when to do it, and what to eat, so you can just focus on you. You wake up at 5:30 a.m. for stretching and breakfast at 6 a.m. before going out to the trails by 7:30 a.m. The strenuous hikes are based on time (four hours) rather than distance, so both novice and seasoned hikers can set their own pace and hike together or alone. The afternoons are for hot and cold therapy, saunas, and more gentle movement with weights and stretching. Recovery comes with a daily massage (truly the best part) to keep muscles from getting sore. You can add on extras in your downtime to really make the most of the facilities. You’re lookign at an undeniably challenging experience, but the way you’ll feel — energized, rested, toned, stronger mentally and physically — makes it totally worth it.
Surya Spa at The Santa Monica Proper Hotel in Santa Monica, California
There are many reasons to rest and reset at this gorgeous, Kelly Wearstler-designed resort: Calabra, its rooftop restaurant, offers epic views along with delicious fresh cuisine. There’s also an epic recovery suite you can book for a dry sauna, cold plunge and red light therapy, and an Ammortal Chamber that combines the power of PEMF (pulsed electromagnetic field) and oxygen therapies. But the star of the show is the eponymous Spa. Founder Martha Soffer is famous for her profound, transformative results and while there are many indulgent offerings to choose from, the biggest draw is the cleansing Panchakarma detox wellness programs. Ranging from 3 to 28 days, you check in (for up to four hours a day) for your custom program. The detox and healing experiences could include things like private yoga, sound baths, Qigong, breathwork, energetic healing, as well as therapeutic massage, steam and oil treatments, cooking lessons, personalized dosha yoga consultations. Spoiler alert: You’ll leave feeling like a whole new person.
Kohler Waters Spa in Kohler, Wisconsin
When you think of Kohler, you think of really nice bathroom fixtures and toilets, right? But it’s also the brand behind this fantastic getaway (which happens to be the Badger State’s only 5-star spa). Not suprisingly, it’s all about aquatic-based TLC here: inspired by the rejuvenating properties of the mineral-rich waters of neighboring Lake Michigan, this spa is filled with deeply relaxing amenities like cold plunge pools, saunas, steam rooms, and hot tubs that are ideal for water circuits. (Note: it’s a no-electronics zone, so bring a book if you need something to do.) There are also transformative facials and massages from expert aestheticians who are trained in hydrotherapy and oncology. Its signature facial is 80 minutes of cleansing, toning, exfoliating, extracting and massaging (including your back, arm, and hand) that leaves your skin with intensely hydrated, firmed, and toned. Kohler also offers special retreats. Mine included a crystal healing workshop, a soothing sensory hanging cocoon class and an essential oils class, but they change them up, so have a look at their website before booking.
Miraval Arizona in Tucson, Arizona
The place to go when pampering, not physical exertion, is your quest. Nestled into the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Miraval is the kind of oasis where you can sauna, steam and relax all day or try something more intensive for total recalibration, making it ideal for both solo wellness ventures and group trips. You start by setting your intention: do you need self-care and reflection? Reconnection with your purpose? Or just want to try something new? From there, it’s up to you to choose your journey. The activities are plenty: horseback riding, botany tours, hiking, aerial yoga, reiki, and more. And the spa brings the best of the best wellness practitioners, healers, and bodywork therapists to help guide and tailor a program for your goals. There are programs for grief and loss, programs for reconnecting with each other and even programs for culinary and nutrition. Nourishing meals are thoughtfully prepared to refuel and reenergize you (and taste incredible). And the views of the desert are unbeatable and have a way of calming frazzled nerves. The takeaway? A physical-mental equilibrium that’ll leave you composed, refreshed and ready to return to day-to-day life.
