There’s a World of Wellness To Explore

Wellness travel has exploded in the last few years, but you wouldn’t be alone in wondering: What exactly is it? It might be a week at a spa, a wellness clinic, or a fitness-focused getaway like a bike tour or yoga retreat.

If you’re looking for inspiration for a wellness travel adventure, you’ve come to the right place. Here are five current wellness travel trends and where to experience them next.

Sleep Tourism

Hoteliers have always known the value of sleep, but some are taking it a step further with full-fledged sleep packages. Some properties employ in-house sleep experts, while others offer extensive pillow menus and sleep tracker devices to help you troubleshoot your sleep issues. Others stock rooms with sleep-inducing aromatherapy, melatonin or relaxing teas.

The creme de la creme of wellness travel programs for insomniacs include:

• Rest and Renew Program at The Benjamin Royal Sonesta in New York. This package features rest-enhancing amenities, including a pillow menu, weighted blanket and science-backed sleep tips.
• Sleep Well Retreat at Carillon Miami Wellness Resort in Florida. This four-night retreat uses a sleep-optimizing smart bed and artificial intelligence to teach guests how to improve their sleep habits.
• Sleep Enhancement Program at Ananda in the Himalayas of India. These customized 7-, 14- or 21-night retreats are designed to help improve sleep problems, including erratic sleep patterns, interrupted sleep and even sleep apnea.

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Hormone Resets: Dedicated Menopause Retreats

Yes, you read that right. One of the most significant wellness travel trends of the past few years has been an intense focus on women’s wellness, particularly during significant life transitions such as postpartum and menopause. Wellness properties around the world have invested extensive time and resources into developing programs to help women reset and rebalance as they navigate menopause.

Top destinations for menopause retreats include:

• Canyon Ranch Lenox health resort in the Berkshires of Massachusetts now offers several three-night menopause and perimenopause retreats called M/Power. These intimate retreats connect women with health experts who can help craft personalized plans for managing menopause.
• The Retreat in Costa Rica offers seven-night, menopause-focused packages called “The Big M,” which include twice-daily yoga and meditation, eight spa therapies and meals designed to support healthy hormone balance.
• Six Senses Vana in India offers a 10-night Mindful Menopause program that includes 10 guided wellness sessions, 10 spa treatments and additional benefits, all designed to alleviate menopause symptoms and enhance mental and emotional well-being.

Wellness on the Water: Health-Themed Cruises

Bored of buffets and tiki cocktails? Several cruise companies have begun offering nutritious menus, hydrotherapy circuits, onboard group fitness and even dedicated health-themed sailings. 

If you want to dip your toes into the world of wellness cruises, we recommend asking your AAA travel advisor about one of these trendsetting voyages:

• Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours also offers spa voyages featuring daily group fitness sessions, nutritious cooking classes and, of course, access to state-of-the-art spa facilities.
• AmaWaterways incorporates physical activity into its river cruises with an array of bicycling excursions. Bicycle along some of Europe’s iconic rivers, through charming villages or past tangled grapevines on your way to a wine tasting.

Healthier Together: Wellness Programs for Couples

A strong social connection isn’t just good for your marriage, it also reduces your individual risk of chronic disease and serious illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Top wellness travel destinations and hotels have taken note, offering immersive health and spa programs specifically designed for couples. These retreat activities foster connection as participants learn how to support each other’s health goals and try new activities like yoga or cooking together.

If you and your partner are interested in getting healthier as a team, check out some of these incredible programs:

• Banyan Tree Connections, which the brand calls “a private holistic well-being journey for two,” is available as a supplement to any booked stay at the luxury brand’s resorts in Thailand, the Maldives, Mexico and China. Program inclusions vary by location. In Mexico, you’ll bond over a cacao ceremony and traditional sweat lodge experience, while in Thailand, you’ll kayak through a lush lagoon and relax together in a sound healing session.
• The Couple’s Retreat at the AAA Four Diamond designated The Lodge at Woodloch features a relaxing itinerary designed to help rekindle the romance. Partner yoga, sunset drinks and couple’s spa treatments are the perfect antidote to the unromantic frenzy of daily life.
• Canyon Ranch (with locations in Lenox, Massachusetts; Tucson, Arizona; Woodside, California; and soon, Austin, Texas, is an icon in the wellness space, so it’s no surprise the brand offers an all-inclusive couple’s wellness retreat with therapies to help you relax, reconnect and even boost libido.

Plan you next wellness getaway with a AAA travel advisor. AAA travel services are just one of the free perks of your membership.

Which of these retreats would you try? Tell us in the comments.