“Getting your head screwed on straight,” as CVL Publisher Ben Malkin so poetically puts it, is essential for living our best life. Whether you get a massage, spend time in nature or attend a wellness retreat, taking time out to focus on your well-being yields countless returns. Schedule some quality retreat time with yourself (significant others optional) this year to relax, rejuvenate and remember what’s most important for your health and happiness.
Here, we feature a few favorite getaways that are not too far away for an easy retreat—may they inspire you to discover your own little slice of heaven.
Two Bunch Palms Resort & Spa, Desert Hot Springs
Time it right and in just a 2.5-hour drive from the Conejo Valley, you can find yourself in Desert Hot Springs, where wellness reigns and spas like the beloved Two Bunch Palms beckon you to immerse yourself into their healing waters. Feel the stress slip away as you soak up the therapeutic benefits of mineral waters flowing from a 600-year-old natural spring. Well-known for its low-sulfur, lithium-rich 100-degree natural hot springs, Two Bunch Palms invites guests to experience the restorative power of healing waters in their grotto mineral pool. Explore what wellness means to you by choosing from an array of treatments tailored to your specific wants and needs or simply taking it easy and relaxing in the lush, intimate setting.
A Day in the Life
AM:
Outdoor Sunrise Salutations
Tranquil Morning Mineral Water Float
Breakfast Acai Bowl and Fresh Young Coconut
Afternoon:
Superfood Facial
Sage Cleansing Workshop
Mezze Platter Lunch by The Pool
Adaptogen Body Wrap
PM:
CBD-Infused Deep Tissue Massage
Dinner at Twine Bar
Fireside S'mores and Spiked Hot Chocolate
Night Float and Stargazing
Two Bunch Palms
67425 Two Bunch Palms Trail
Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240
TwoBunchPalms.com | 760.676.5000
The Ranch, Malibu
Malibu provides the perfect setting to unplug from the daily grind and replenish your mojo. Geared toward guests looking to focus on both mental health and fitness goals, The Ranch offers weeklong, 9-day and personalized private nature retreats on a 200-acre historic working ranch. Enjoy nutritious plant-based meals from the certified organic garden, swim in the luxurious pool and jacuzzi, unwind at the Buddha Barn and massage “village” and recalibrate your mind and body through an immersive fitness program, including daily nature hikes, yoga, strength training and more. Unique health services and treatments aimed to increase your well-being include IV Therapy, cholesterol testing, a cold plunge pool and cryotherapy saunas. Serenity awaits sans televisions and cell service with limited wi-fi to promote mental detoxification. Their knowledgeable staff strives to support and nurture guests while guiding them to achieve personal program goals.
A Day in the Life
AM:
Wake Up & Stretch
Plant-Based Breakfast
Mountain Hike
Afternoon:
Organic Lunch
Naptime
Yoga, Strength & Meditation Classes
Garden Tour
PM:
Soothing Massage
Cooking Demonstration
Healthy Dinner
Nutrition & Wellness Workshop
The Ranch Malibu
12220 Cotharin Road
Malibu, CA 90265
TheRanchMalibu.com
Golden Door, San Marcos
Golden Door’s 5- and 7-day stays are designed to help you reconnect “to yourself, to the bigger picture, to the joy of laughing out loud.” With a focus on transforming mind, body and spirit, Golden Door exists to change lives so that guests leave feeling renewed, energized and excited about life. Set on 600 picturesque acres with mountains, meadows, sweeping vistas, a bamboo forest, a labyrinth, pools, bio-intensive gardens and more, Golden Door offers an extensive selection of spa services and mind and body wellness classes. From skincare to massages, herbal wraps and mani/pedis, guests can luxuriate in the healing oasis. An added bonus: A Golden Door stay not only yields benefits to guests, but to charitable causes as well, as the resort donates 100% of their net profits to organizations that effect powerful change in people’s lives.
A Day in the Life
AM:
Courtyard Meditation
Bamboo Forest Guided Hike
Breakfast & Tea
Morning Watsu Therapy
Afternoon:
Tai Chi in the Meadow
Japanese Garden Stroll
Haiku Writing Workshop
Soothing Facial
PM:
Guided Labyrinth Walk
Massage
Twilight Group Dinner
Golden Door
777 Deer Springs Road
San Marcos, CA 92069
GoldenDoor.com
Esalen Institute, Big Sur
Perched on a majestic mountaintop overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Esalen is a holistic retreat and educational institute in Big Sur. Nature-loving, mind-expanding seekers of all ages have been flocking to this magical epicenter of the Human Potential Movement since 1962 to explore and attend leading-edge workshops on a wide range of topics, including creativity, bodywork, spirituality, leadership, Gestalt, plant medicine, citizen diplomacy, superhumanism and more. This heavenly 100 acres boasts cliffside natural hot springs, an organic farm and garden, serene guest suites and more. Esalen offers visitors several opportunities to experience its tranquil, calming and heart-opening beauty.
A Day in the Life
AM:
Oceanfront Hike
Otter Watching
Yoga in the Garden
Healthy Breakfast
Afternoon:
Microdosing Workshop
Oceanfront Meditation
Organic Lunch
PM:
Shiatsu Massage
Shamanic Healing Workshop
Community Dinner
Stargazing in Cliffside Hot Springs
Esalen Institute
55000 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
Esalen.org