The 7 best wellness retreats in the US

The art of traveling has long been tied to rejuvenation, whether it's discovering a new region or simply winding down in stunning surroundings. Alongside a rising focus on using our valuable time off to truly reset and recalibrate, interest is sharpening around both mental and physical well-being at wellness retreats.

As travelers grow more mindful about choosing these getaways, the global wellness tourism industry has responded. Now a US$651 billion industry, it's set to grow another 16.6 percent each year through 2027, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Traditionally, these retreats centered around yoga and meditation, but these days, wellness retreats encompass everything from digital detoxes and sleep therapies to health evaluations and even art and cultural immersions.

Boston's 9000-sq-ft Release Well-Being Center offers advanced therapies through its wellness coaching. In Palm Springs, California, The Spa at Séc-he, which was opened 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 suite with AI-powered beds from Bryte to encourage deep sleep for the ultimate rest and relaxation.

While those options can be strung together à la carte, the US is also filled with resorts with dedicated programs that 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 wellness retreats across the US.

1. Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Massachusetts

Best for a first-timer

Located in the Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts, the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health has attracted 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 because 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 core of the experience, it's not a requirement.

Themed programming includes everything from writing and dancing to exploring spirituality, overcoming grief or experiencing silence, with many sessions 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 create a bespoke itinerary from selections on meditation, yoga, dance, intention setting, kayaking, hiking and Ayurveda.

2. Canyon Ranch

Best for holistic health

In 1978, real estate developer Mel Zuckerman had an epiphany after his father died of lung cancer: he decided to turn his life around and prioritize health above all else. A year later, he opened Canyon Ranch in Tucson, putting holistic, integrative health at the forefront of the experience, a groundbreaking concept at the time.

Thanks to a celebrity following and continued expansion, Canyon Ranch has long set the bar for wellness retreats, with upscale accommodations and spas, top-notch cuisine and an overall dedication to hospitality and service. It has since added a Berkshires resort (in 1989), a more intimate retreat in San Mateo County in California (in 2019), day spas in Las Vegas and Fort Worth, and offerings on cruise lines, and an Austin location is in the works in the Texas Hill Country.

Throughout all of Canyon Ranch's iterations, the focus remains 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 in Hawaiʻi and Southern California

Best for a scientifically backed approach

A relative newcomer to the wellness space, Sensei has established itself within the upper echelon, opening its debut location, Sensei Lanai in Hawaiʻi, in partnership with Four Seasons in 2019, followed by 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 sophisticated 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.

The brand was cofounded by Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison and physician David Agus, who combined their expertise into a multidisciplinary program surrounding the maxim that "Well-being is not a destination but a journey with knowledge at its core."

4. The Art of Living Retreat Center in North Carolina

Best for a reset

Meant to nourish the body, mind and spirit, The Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina, invites guests to its signature meditation retreats, designed to inspire inner peace; for a 2-night stay with Ayurvedic treatment and classes; on rest and relaxation retreats; and for special programs by featured presenters.

With the calming backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the 380-acre retreat, which opened in 2012, also provides three meals a day at a buffet with plant-based options and a range of accommodations – from shared rooms to furnished apartments with kitchenettes.

5. The Ranch in New York and California

Best for a 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. In 2024, a second location revved up in New York's Hudson Valley, also amassing a dedicated following.

Guests typically start their structured days with 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

Best for mindfulness

Born out of the Sonoran Desert, Miraval Arizona opened in 1995 in Tucson as a wellness destination; the response was so effective that it joined the Hyatt Hotels group in 2017, with its principles incorporated at locations globally. Miraval Austin opened in Texas in 2019, followed a year later by Miraval Berkshires in Lenox, Massachusetts – yes, Arizona and Massachusetts have become wellness hubs in the US! 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 through a luxury experience, including spa treatments, digital detoxes and strengthening the mind-body connection.

7. Nemacolin in Pennsylvania

Best for leisure

Wellness is what you make of it, and so is a getaway to Nemacolin, a striking wonderland tucked away in the Allegheny Mountains' Laurel Highlands, about 70 miles south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Once the private playground of the Hardy family, Nemacolin now tests the bounds of reality for its guests – on my visit during a summer solstice celebration, I ran into Neil Patrick Harris in the gym, talked Grand Slams with John McEnroe on the tennis courts and attended an intimate Lady Gaga show. The most unimaginable of luxuries are melded together in every suite of The Chateau, from 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 the Holistic Healing Center, which offers therapies ranging from float tanks and infrared light to cryotherapy. There's even an apothecary that prescribes Chinese herbs. Also on-site is the Woodlands Spa, 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, and even the chance to go on a wildlife tour of the 2200 acres, and it truly is the Disneyland of wellness retreats.