Spa Resort Vacations and Getaways
Start Planning Now for a Rejuvenating Holiday at a Spa
Vacation spa resorts are the perfect destination with facilities available for singles, couples, adults-only and families, with a wide range of activities and treatments
With spring in the air, it’s time to start planning your spring spa resort vacation or summer getaway. Today, there are more spa destinations that ever before to choose from. The offerings include spas that accommodate families such as the Beaches Negril resort in Jamaica, which offers story time and shell collecting activities for toddlers to teens, as well as tours of the area.
And there are spas designed exclusively for adults and couples such as the Crown Paradise Resorts in Puerto Vallarta and Cancun Mexico and the Emerson Resort and Spa in Mount Tremper, New York. The Lodge at Woodloch in the Poconos mountains and the Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, North Carolina are the perfect girlfriends’ getaways, while the California Health and Longevity Institute in Westlake Village, California is considered one of the best spas for singles.
Vacations can also be arranged that include visits to one or more day spas or hot springs. For instance, the Pikes Peak region of Colorado offers a wealth of hot springs and spas. Or consider taking a break from pounding the pavement in large cities like San Francisco, Chicago, and New York and schedule a foot massage or a full-body massage at one of the area’s local spas to relax tightened muscles.
Activities
Many spas offer unique outdoor activities, including year-round golf and snorkeling at the Crown Paradise Resorts. The Emerson Resort and Spa offers winter skiing at Belleayre Mountain and summer tubing and water rafting in Esopus Creek as well as ballooning, horseback riding, skydiving and kayaking and a fitness center wit yoga, Pilates and tai chi classes.
The Lodge at Woodloch offers rowing, kayaking, and fishing on site and in the area, golfing, river rafting and hiking opportunities are available. Beaches Negril offers horseback riding sessions, beach activities and jungle tours. Guests at the Umstead hotel can bike, hike or boat to nearby Umstead State Park. Many spa resorts also arrange outings and exercise classes as well as presentations on health and nutrition. At the California Health and Longevity Institute, luxury meets preventive medicine and activities are available throughout the Los Angeles area.
Spa Treatments
Spa treatments vary depending on the location you choose although most spas offer a minimum of massage, exfoliating treatments, hot stone facials and hydrotherapy sessions and fitness centers. The Emerson resort is well known for its ayurvedic treatments, which range from the four-handed massage known as abhyanga to shirodhara, in which a stream of oil is poured onto your third eye to help balance doshas. Treatment rooms at the Umstead resort can accommodate up to eight people and treatments include a five-hour Do it Wright extravaganza that includes a sugar scrub, massage, and thermal-water facial. Treatments at the California Health and Long Institute include shiatsu, herbal baths, reiki, aromatherapy wraps, mud treatments and acupuncture treatments performed by staff physicians.
Dining
Most spa resorts feature American and Asian dishes with an emphasis on healthy dining. At the Emerson, Chef Ross Fraser prepares American dishes such as New York strip steak as well as Asian fusion and spa cuisine, including seared house-smoked, dry-rubbed ahi tuna. The Emerson is also close to the artsy towns of Rhinebeck and Woodstock where regional fare can be found. The Lodge at Woodloch, one of the country's top luxury spas, offers organic food and hosts cooking demonstrations.
Choosing
There are numerous spa resorts to choose from in all corners of the world. Start planning now for the perfect vacation.
- Beaches Negril Resort, Negril, Jamaica
- California Health and Longevity Institute, Westlake Village, CA 888-575-1114
- Crown Paradise Resort, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Emerson Resort and Spa, Mount Tremper, New York 877-688-2828
- The Lodge at Woodloch, Hawley, PA 866-953-8500
- Umstead Hotel and Spa, Cary, NC 866-877-4141
