Wellness Retreats

A vacation for the mind, body and soul

By MARIANNE LEEK

We all know that taking a vacation is good for the soul, but what if someone told you that a vacation could transform your overall health and well-being? A wellness retreat is an alternative to what most American vacations have become - a week or two of overindulgence in food and alcohol and a sabbatical from exercise. Frequently named at the top of a short list of the best wellness retreats in the world, Hilton Head Health and Skyterra offer weeklong, all-inclusive resort stays where jumpstarting a healthier lifestyle is synonymous with fun! From the mountains to the sea, a wellness vacay is the perfect way to relax, reset, and reclaim your health.

Hilton Head Health

Hilton Head Health was first established in 1976 by behavioral psychologist Dr. Peter Miller as a four-week retreat that operated out of Hilton Head’s regional hospital and focused primarily on weight loss. Almost 50 years later, this premiere program ranks as one of the best for a myriad of reasons. With its gorgeous porches and Low Country charm, the Sweetgrass Inn provides each guest with luxurious accommodations close to everything Hilton Head Health has to offer. Guests are treated to a curated menu of gourmet cuisine and have access to the exquisite on-site Indigo Spa services. Each day, you can decide how you want to spend your time. Maybe a morning walk on the beach, followed by yoga. Perhaps a treading, kickboxing or circuit training class followed by a quiet afternoon sitting in the hot tub or enjoying a book poolside. How about a class on re-evaluating your relationship with alcohol or sugar or learning how to stock a healthy pantry? Interested in learning cooking strategies from award-winning chefs? A golf, kayaking, or dolphin cruise excursion? There are a million combinations that make each visit to Hilton Head Health unique. Whether your goal is to lose weight, spend quality time with family or friends, or kickstart a wellness plan, Hilton Head Health provides a comprehensive, individualized, fitness and wellness plan to meet your needs. A couple’s retreat, a girls’ trip, a solitary reset, H3 is a vacation from the ordinary and an extraordinary investment in your overall well-being. There’s a reason why most guests return year after year.

Skyterra

Skyterra Wellness is located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, just minutes from the charming town of Brevard and a short drive from Asheville. Begin your day with a cup of coffee on the porch swing of your cabin or embark on a trail hike to get your body moving and to take in the stunning mountain vistas. Skyterra is the perfect location for those who want to immerse themselves in nature. Much like Hilton Head Health, visitors to Skyterra can choose a daily health and wellness plan unique to their own fitness, mobility, energy, and ability levels. Skyterra recently added pickleball courts and a Natatorium that houses a heated indoor pool, sauna, and outdoor hot tub year-round.

Guests stay in beautiful, well-equipped lodges/cabins with a living room, fireplace, washer and dryer, and full kitchen. With a focus on holistic wellness, guests have access to individual and small-group therapy aimed at prioritizing self-care and stress management. Rather than emphasizing calorie restriction and dieting, visitors are encouraged to rethink their relationship with food and develop a natural inclination to nourish their bodies well with a variety of fresh foods. Guests can even learn basic gardening skills while helping to cultivate the on-site gardens that help supply the kitchen, thereby reimagining “gardening as a source of low-impact movement, a relaxing form of nature therapy, and a way to experience the satisfaction of growing their own food, all while maintaining the balance of nature.” Skyterra is all about enjoying life while finding peace and wellness through movement, recreation, and time spent outdoors. In addition to LoseSmart and Wellness Retreat options for adults, Skyterra offers therapeutic wellness retreats for young adults as well.

If you only have a couple of hours or an afternoon, there are several local health and wellness spas located right here on the plateau including, Canyon Spa, The Spa at Old Edwards Inn, Taylor Spa, Mantra Massage Studio, Cashiers Spa, Cashiers Valley Fusion, and Yoga Highlands. For a unique experience, consider Wake Foot Sanctuary located in the historic Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville. Wake Sanctuary is the ultimate way to de-stress and elevate your self-care routine. Their hour-long aromatic herbal soaks, paired with a 20-minute foot, leg, shoulders, and head massage, and a pot of herbal tea are what dreams are made of. Be sure to ask for the NC local’s discount. Rated one of the best spas in North America, another local favorite is the Spa at the Omni Grove Park Inn. Everything about the Grove Park is pure serenity.  Visitors should also check out Asheville Wellness Tours to book forest bathing nature therapy, goat yoga, or yoga and a hike.

A wellness retreat such as Hilton Head Health or Skyterra is a great way to combine relaxation with movement and education while realigning your wellness routine and goals, but even if you only have an afternoon, you can certainly find plenty of local options for a wellness reset.