The best wellness retreats and destinations in the USA

Wellness is ingrained in Saratoga Springs’ core. There's Saratoga Spa State Park, which has miles of hiking trails and natural mineral springs. And the belief that Saratoga’s water has “healing powers,” eventually giving the small upstate New York town the nickname “The Queen of Spas.” Hotels in town are taking it a step further, like Saratoga Arms Hotel, which offers a reconnection retreat for couples to meet with the hotel’s in-house sex and relationship therapist. Focus areas are tantra, mindfulness, trauma, and couples therapy, and guests who partake in the package will receive a virtual intention-setting session and a three-hour in-person reconnection session with the therapist, plus welcome champagne, an intimacy kit, a $200 spa credit, and more.

Where to stay: Saratoga Arms Hotel not only offers a couples package but sleep packages, too, where you’ll be given a weighted eye mask, pillow menu, diffuser, sound machine, weighted blanket, and more to ensure you’re getting the best shuteye, no partner required.

When it comes to wellness destinations in the U.S., it’s hard to argue that anywhere will dissipate any feeling of being unwell more so than beautiful Hawaii. While it’s hard to go wrong when choosing a Hawaiian island, Kauai is a prime one to kick back and relax. Home to 50 miles of a sand-lined coast, the beaches of Kauai are some of the best in the state, even more so because they come without the crowds of Oahu and Maui. Check out some of the best beaches on the island with Kē’ē Beach, try surfing at Keālia Beach Park, and catch the sunset at Hā’ena Beach Park. We have a feeling you’ll return home feeling completely refreshed.

Where to stay: For a perfectly relaxing retreat, start your mornings off with sunrise yoga right on the beach at Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach Resort, and later in the afternoon, take advantage of their free bike rentals available to guests.

No, this is not a typo, but in fact, the real name of a town in New Mexico. Truth or Consequences is known as the southwestern state’s designated hot springs town. The natural hot springs of Truth or Consequences were originally referred to as a “place to pray” by the Chiricahua Apache people and later referred to as Ojo Caliente de Las Palomas (“hot springs of the doves”) by the Spanish. Today, it’s estimated that the springs produce 2.5 million gallons of hot mineral water per day, made up of gold, lithium, iodide, magnesium, silver, and more.

Where to stay: To fully immerse yourself in the quirky nature of this town, head to Riverbend Hot Springs, which is located alongside the Rio Grande. You can sleep directly on the property, either in an RV or in one of their hotel rooms, reserve a property pass, or rent a private pool (but note that the maximum capacity is two persons).

Wellness means something different for everyone, and it’s not all sitting by the water with a good book or early morning yoga; sometimes, it’s going completely off the grid. In a dog-eat-dog world where hustle culture continuously prevails, there’s something quite freeing about being completely unreachable. Not too far from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is Darwin Ranch, an all-inclusive (sans alcohol, though you are free to BYOB) remote guest ranch with zero WiFi and zero cell service. With a maximum capacity of only 18 guests at a time and a required week-long commitment, let your work anxieties disappear into the Wyoming prairie as you partake in activities like horseback riding, fishing, and skiing.

If going completely off the grid is too far a stretch out of your comfort zone, you could head to The Virginian Lodge by Outbound Hotels instead. Here, you can still enjoy the adventurous side of Jackson Hole but unwind afterward with one of the hotel’s hot tubs, cozy up by the fire pit with a warm drink in hand, and take a dip in the year-round open pool.

Where to stay: If disconnecting from the outside world and connecting with nature really is the goal, Darwin Ranch is guaranteed to help you achieve it.

Many flock to Florida for its cities, whether for the nonstop parties in Miami or the family-friendly ventures of Orlando. However, wellness junkies, especially those who love the great outdoors and a breath of fresh air, will want to head to Sebring, located just two hours from both Orlando and Tampa. Just because Sebring isn’t on the coast doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the water: Sebring is home to numerous lakes, with over 100 in the general area. The small rejuvenating town also has a historic downtown area, so much so that Sebring's entire downtown is a designated 1920s Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. Speaking of historic happenings, Sebring is also home to Highlands Hammock State Park, the oldest state park in the Sunshine State.

Where to stay: Wake up on the water every day at Inn on the Lakes, located directly on Lake Jackson.

When it comes to wellness destinations, cities are often the last places we think of, but city folks have to get well, too, you know. If you’re looking to up your fitness game this year, head to Philadelphia, more specifically, to The Sporting Club at The Bellevue. As Philly’s largest fitness space at over 100,000 square feet, enjoy an indoor track, pickleball and squash courts, club spaces with bars and lounges, coworking areas, an outdoor terrace, and a pool.

Beyond fitness, Philadelphia has a plethora of spas to work out knots and kinks for those stressed-out city slickers. To feel like you’re traveling abroad, head to Formation Sauna + Wellness and sweat it all out at the Nordic sauna. The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center has 700 pounds of healing crystals embedded into the walls with unique services like energy healing.

Where to stay: The Bellevue is not only home to The Sporting Club but recently underwent a massive renovation. It now has 84 rooms and 39 suites, each featuring detailed millwork, classical fireplace mantles in the suites, and honed marble floor tiles.

French Lick, Indiana, is home to something called “Pluto Water,” which, legend has it, are miracle waters. In the 1800s, sulfur springs in the small Indiana town were allegedly discovered by settlers and were highly praised for their healing and medicinal powers. By the early 1900s, guests from all over would flock to French Lick to drink and bathe in Pluto Water. You can still get a whiff of Pluto Water when visiting the town today, with a distinctive odor attributed to sulfur. While drinking water with sulfur isn’t entirely encouraged, bathing in these miracle waters has been known to help with anxiety, lower swelling in joints, and get rid of acne, to name a few of its healing properties. So, were the settlers in the 1800s onto something when they called the water of French Lick miracle waters? Put the theory to the test and head to one of the most underrated wellness destinations in the country (with a great name to tout).

Where to stay: Take a dip in the magical healing waters at French Lick Resort. The resort's spa offers “The Historic Signature Pluto Bath,” where you can soak in these miracle waters in a private tub.

Forest bathing has been around since the 1980s in Japan (where it’s known as shinrin-yoku), and in recent years, Americans have finally begun to catch onto the mindfulness and serenity getting lost in the forest can bring. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, forest bathing means simply enjoying peace and quiet amongst the trees, with the hopes of leaving you in a relaxed state. With 265 acres of rolling hills, an onsite creek and pond, Goodstone Inn and Restaurant, a boutique luxury countryside resort in Middleburg, Virginia, is a great place to try the Japanese wellness method out. Offering guided nature hikes, guests can immerse themselves in nature and reconnect to the great outdoors.

If you want to get your heart rate pumping while immersing yourself in the trees, Middleburg offers some great hiking options. Leopold’s Preserve is an easy jaunt filled with flowing creeks and tree stumps. Bear's Den Overlook, while not technically in Middleburg but about a 30-minute drive away, is known for its scenic views, which are even more magical at sunset.

Where to stay: Goodstone Inn and Restaurant is our top choice here, but not only because of the forest bathing options. Guests can also practice Tai Chi and meditation while enjoying a matcha and green tea experience.

One could argue that being surrounded by the mountains could make anyone instantly feel better about life, but it’s understandable that some folks simply still want access to the convenience of a city. The solution to this conundrum is Seattle. With the serene location of being right on the Pacific Ocean, Seattle is arguably the most picturesque city in the country. Get your wellness fix out on the water while still having fun with Lake Union Hot Tub Boats, where guests can cruise along in a wood fire-heated hot tub while taking in the stellar Seattle skyline views. Or how about a floating sauna on Lake Washington with Von Sauna? Here, visitors can enjoy the balance of Lake Washington’s natural beauty while still enjoying a luxurious, restorative experience. You could also simply float at Float Seattle, in 1000 lbs. of Epsom salt, that is. Doing so offers an experience of weightlessness while in a deprivation tank, designed to reduce external stimuli, increase deep relaxation, and bring you straight to meditative bliss.

Where to stay: While on the subject of water, unwind after a long day at the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle, home to the city’s only outdoor infinity pool.

Sleep tourism, napcations, whatever you want to call it–more and more are getting on board with the goal to do one thing and one thing only: to rest. Between the stress of the news, politics, global warming, increased living costs, it can all really get to you if you don’t get a proper eight hours of sleep a night. Luckily, the solution, at least a temporary one, to all of those sleep-deprived problems are at the Sleep Spa Suite at The Peninsula Beverly Hills. Catch up on sleep in pure opulence, the true Beverly Hills way. In collaboration with Hästens Beds, the luxurious property has created a special Sleep Spa Suite, offering a 60-minute customized massage, a chauffeured Rolls Royce ride to a private sleep consultation at the Hästens LA Sleep Spa, wellness amenities from the Peninsula Beverly Hills Spa’s Dream Bar, as well as in-room Hästens accessories like satin sleep masks, aromatherapy sleep candles, and more.

The wellness doesn’t stop at the Sleep Spa Suite at The Peninsula, however; Beverly Hills is also having its first-ever Spa Week, which will take place from January 6-19, 2025. Participating spas include but are not limited to Tomoko Japanese Spa, Skin Rehab Beverly Hills, Head Spa EN, and more. Should you book an appointment at one of the participating spas during the designated dates for Spa Week, you will be treated to complimentary gifts, treatment enhancements, access to luxurious spa facilities, and more.

Where to stay: The Peninsula Beverly Hills is obviously a prime choice if you’re seeking shuteye, but it’s also a prime choice if you’re interested in Spa Week. The onsite spa, The Peninsula Spa at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, is running various specials for those who book a 60-minute Peninsula Signature Massage, with optional add-ons including a complimentary Plunge Experience or a 15-minute Therabody Compression Boots enhancement.