If you’re looking to add more fun and adventure to your life, we’ve got some great ideas for how to make that happen this year. Case in point: There are a number of retreats taking place both here in the U.S. and around the world where you can try new-to-you activities that help you get out of your comfort zone (cold plunging in the ocean? wildlife tracking?) as well as find that renewed sense of self that often comes when visiting a new place.
To that end, here’s are three retreats between now and the end of March to book asap:
1. Immerse Yourself in Winter Wellness in Iceland
If morning yoga on the beach is what comes to mind when you think of a wellness retreat, this Live Well Retreat in Iceland will have you rethinking the whole concept. Taking place at Eleven Deplar Farm on the Troll Peninsula—that’s about a 4.5-hour drive from Reykjavik—the 5-day retreat, which runs from January 29 through February 2, includes everything from cross-country skiing to horseback riding to Atlantic Ocean cold plunges.
You’ll also get some insight into local experiences with a cacao ceremony, Viking sauna ritual, and of course, at this time of year, spotting the Northern Lights. Plus, you will be doing some of the more traditional wellness activities, like yoga, meditation, and sound healing—as well having time at the 10,000-square-foot spa. (Here, that means a Tata Harper treatment that “designed specifically for the local climate, accompanied by kinetic face mapping and sound practices.”)
The hotel itself is located on a former sheep farm, which boasts a geothermal heated pool and helipad, with both king and queen suites available.
Can’t make the retreat? The hotel offers tons of included activities, like snowmobiling, horseback riding, ice fishing, and more, along with use of the spa and facilities, to regular guests as well.
2. Shift Your Mindset in California
Focused on some big goals for 2024? Then the Mindset Matters retreat at Cal-A-Vie Health Spa just outside San Diego could be a great place to dig deeper. Running from February 18 through 24, the retreat offers various classes and activities that will “help improve motivation, effort and approach to challenges,” as they explain.
And the all-inclusive, 500-acre resort itself, with its suites and villas, is the perfect backdrop in which to do that. Along with amenities like pickleball courts, a golf course, and a cool observatory (you can take what’s called a “solar walk”), there are over 160 fitness classes and meals included—not to mention an incredible spa.
Looking for something further out? Consider their expert-led “Staying Youthful While Aging” experience from May 26 through June 1, which focuses on health and lifestyle—from reducing inflammation to incorporating fitness.
3. Learn More About Wildlife in Montana
Sometimes wellness focuses on expanding our horizons as much as it does focusing on our inner selves. That’s where the Wine and Wildlife Weekend, which runs from March 7 to 10, at The Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana comes in. With viniculture and zoology experts on hand, activities include everything from wildlife tracking to a ‘primitive skills course’ to dinners with wine pairings. As they explain, “Guests will spend the weekend drinking deep from the natural bounty of the landscape and leaving with a better understanding of the world around them.”
The resort, which sits on over 6,000-acres, has a rustic luxury vibe, with accommodations including luxury cabins and private homes (log cabins, too!) and more unique stays, like a renovated horse stable and a barn. The all-inclusive resort includes meals, as well as activities like snowmobiling, snowshoeing, hiking, and more.
Love horses over other types of wildlife? If so, then the Revel & Ride Weekend from May 16 through the 20th offers lots of insight into these majestic animals, with activities including a ranch rodeo and more.
