The art of traveling has long been tied to rejuvenation, whether it’s indulging in the discoveries of a new city or simply winding down and relaxing in a stunning destination. But in recent years, there’s been a rising focus on using our valuable time off to truly reset and calibrate by focusing on both mental and physical well-being on a wellness retreat.
As travelers have grown more mindful about choosing these getaways, the global wellness tourism industry has been on the rise. Now a $651 billion industry, it’s set to still grow 16.6 percent each year through 2027, according to the Global Wellness Institute.
Whereas traditionally, these types of retreats tended to focus on yoga and meditation, these days, wellness retreats encompass everything from digital detoxes and sleep therapies to health evaluations and even art and cultural immersions.
In fact, wellness offerings of all kinds are springing up. Boston’s Release Well-Being, a 9000-sq-ft advanced wellness center that opened in May, offers personalized coaching and advanced therapies through its Lifestyle Medicine program. Palm Springs’ The Spa at Séc-he, which was opened last year by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, follows its healing traditions with treatments using water from local hot springs. New York City’s Park Terrace Hotel even has a restorative sleep suite with AI-powered beds from Bryte to encourage deep sleep for the ultimate rest and relaxation.
While those programs can be strung together into a la carte options, the US is also filled with resorts with various programs to allow visitors to choose their own wellness adventures. After all, there’s nothing more personal than your own well-being. Here, we highlight some of the best in the nation.
1. Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health
Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Best for a first-timer
Located in the Berkshire Mountains, about 2.5 hours north of New York City or west of Boston, Kripalu Center For Yoga and Health attracts a steady stream of those looking for a hard reset on daily life, ever since it opened in 1983. When I visited a few years ago, a fellow traveler from Australia teared up during the introductions since he had dreamed of visiting for decades. At its heart, the more than 100-acre campus is all about mindfulness-based education to inspire personal transformation. While yoga is at the heart of the experience, it’s not a requirement.
Themed programming centers around everything from writing and dancing to exploring spirituality, overcoming grief or experiencing silence, many led by famous names like Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert, The Artist’s Way author Julia Cameron, and well-known yoga instructor Seane Corn. For those who’d like to find their own way, the Retreat & Renewal program allows guests to pick and choose their own bespoke itineraries, from sessions on meditation, yoga, dance, intention-setting, kayaking, hiking, Ayurveda and more.
2. Canyon Ranch
Tucson, Arizona; Lenox, Massachusetts; Woodside, California
Best for holistic health
In 1978, real estate developer Mel Zuckerman had a major epiphany when his father died of lung cancer and decided to turn his life around, prioritizing health above all else. A year later, he opened Canyon Ranch in Tucson, putting holistic, integrative health at the forefront of the experience, a ground-breaking concept at the time.
Thanks to a celebrity following and a continued growth and expansion of its offerings, Canyon Ranch has long held the bar of wellness treats with its upscale accommodations and spas, top-notch cuisines, and an overall dedication to hospitality and service, adding on its Massachusetts resort in 1989, as well as a more intimate retreat location in California in 2019. The Canyon Ranch brand has also expanded to Spa + Fitness day spas in Las Vegas, as well as offerings on cruise lines, plus an Austin location in the works in the Texas Hill Country.
Throughout all of Canyon Ranch’s iterations, the focus is on self-growth through its five core pillars: health and performance; mind and spirit; fitness and movement; nutrition and food; and spa and beauty.
3. Sensei
Lanai City, Hawai’i; Rancho Creek, California
Best for a scientifically backed approach
A relative newcomer to the space, Sensei has quickly established itself within the upper echelon of retreats, opening its debut location Sensei Lānaʻi in Hawai’i in partnership with Four Seasons in 2019, followed by its newest location Sensei Porcupine Creek on a 230-acre estate outside of Palm Springs in 2022.
Every element of the program here is elevated, from the dining partnerships through Nobu to the sophisticatedly built accommodations designed to elicit a simpler way of life. Trained guides lead guests in activities through three pathways: move, nourish and rest, all based on data-driven knowledge and technology.
After all, the brand was founded by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and noted physician Dr. David Agus, who combined their expertise into a multi-disciplinary program surrounding the idea that “Well-being is not a destination but a journey with knowledge at its core.”
4. The Art of Living Retreat Center
Boone, North Carolina
Best for lifestyle resets
Rooted in Shankara Ayurveda Wellness, which is meant to elicit nourishment of the body, mind and spirit, The Art of Living Retreat Center invites guests in through its signature meditation retreats designed to inspire inner peace; a two-night stay with Ayurvedic treatment and classes; rest and relaxation retreats; and specialized programming through featured presenters.
With the calming backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the 380-acre retreat, which opened in 2012, also features vegan buffets with three meals a day and a range of accommodation options – from shared rooms to furnished apartments with kitchenettes.
5. The Ranch
Malibu, California; Sloatsburg; New York
Best for those who love routine
With the belief that improving your health will improve your quality of life, The Ranch Malibu, which has been running since 2010, has a reputation of being a bit of a wellness boot camp, but in the most effective of ways. This year, a second Hudson Valley location revved up, also amassing a dedicated following.
With structured days, guests typically start with morning stretches and vegan and organic breakfasts before setting out on a morning hike. A refresh is followed by lunch, a nap, and afternoon fitness classes before dinner. A daily yoga or meditation class and a daily massage are also included, along with a body composition analysis. Groups are limited to 25 people, with the intimate setting and scheduled days believed to offer maximum results.
6. Miraval
Lenox, Massachusetts; Austin, Texas; Tucson, Arizona
Best for personalized mindfulness
Born out of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, Miraval Arizona opened in 1995 as a wellness destination, so effective that it joined the Hyatt Hotels family in 2017, with its principles incorporated at locations globally. A second Miraval Austin opened in Texas in 2019, followed by Miraval Berkshires in Lenox (yes, Arizona and Massachusetts have become America’s wellness hubs!) a year later. There’s also a Miraval Life in Balance Spa Aviara in Carlsbad, California.
Focused on helping guests find balance in their lives through living more purposefully, Miraval calls mindfulness its North Star, guiding guests along their individual pathways to that goal through a luxury experience, including spa treatments, digital detoxes and strengthening the mind-body connection.
7. Nemacolin
Farmington, Pennsylvania
Best for leisure lovers
Wellness is what you make of it, and so is a getaway to Nemacolin, a striking wonderland tucked away in a 2200-acre resort in the Allegheny Mountains’ Laurel Highlands, about 70 miles south of Pittsburgh. A private playground of the Hardy family, a stay here tests the bounds of realities – on my June visit during its Summer Solstice celebration, I found myself running into Neil Patrick Harris in the gym, talking Grand Slams with John McEnroe on the tennis courts; and at an intimate Lady Gaga show. The most unimaginable of luxuries are melded together in every suite of newly renovated The Chateau, like Kohler smart toilets and whirlpool bathtubs to Molton Brown toiletries and butler service around the clock.
But the true star attraction is its curated wellness packages in its Holistic Healing Center, which offers therapies ranging from float tanks and infrared light to cryotherapy. There’s even an apothecary that prescribes Chinese herbs to help restore Yin and Yang. Also on site is the Woodlands Spa and Salon, with treatments like CBD-infused pedicures and vitamin C scrubs. Pair that with outdoor fun, from golfing in the summer to skiing in the winter at The Peak, and even the chance to go on a safari tour to see the wildlife that resides on its 2200 acres, and it truly is the Disneyland of wellness retreats.
This article was first published Dec 2, 2019 and updated Aug 9, 2024.