Unplug in Southern California’s Best Wellness Retreats
With 284 days of sunshine every year, clinquant deserts, scintillating pools, natural hot springs, organic workouts, and unwinds fit for the stars, Southern California is the ideal location to disconnect from the chaos of daily life.
Even the urban megalopolis of LA has wellness interwoven into its very fabric; rugged hiking trails are just miles from downtown, along with an array of oases inside the city. Think legendary Korean spas and rock star-level pampering. Southern California serves as the paradigmatic destination to rest and reset. Below are our top picks for SoCal places where you can escape the daily grind.
San Diego
With an average temperature of 72 degrees, San Diego is a year-round outdoor haven known for its spectacular beaches and world-famous zoo. Visitors will find quaint mountain towns, historic mining districts, and stunning desert resort communities that provide a refreshing change of scenery. It’s an ideal locale for those wanting to step away from the hustle and bustle.
Tucked away in Escondido, The Golden Door Spa has been spoiling celebrities from Elizabeth Taylor to Rooney Mara since 1963. This luxurious yoga, fitness, health retreat, and spa boasts a Japanese theme set over 600 acres. It features a forest, a labyrinth, four courtyards, and a sand garden. Programs like art therapy, forest bathing, and dance challenge both your body and spirit. Meals consist of produce sourced from five acres of gardens, chosen for their health benefits. The Golden Door is acclaimed for donating 100 percent of its net profit to select charities across the US.
The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, founded by guru Dr. Deepak Chopra, offers spiritual and meditation classes, along with Ayurveda treatments and holistic massages. Ayurveda utilizes a 5,000-year-old study of the mind-body connection to create customized relaxation and balance experiences through herbal-infused oils, aromas, and various massage techniques. The three-day Rest and Restore program includes yoga, Ayurveda, and spiritual lectures aimed at revitalization and balance.
Palm Springs
De-stressing is particularly effortless in Palm Springs. Located just 100 miles from Los Angeles, this desert oasis offers a distinctive climate and the soul-soothing symmetry of mid-century architecture combined with a star-studded history.
Experience the 600-year-old natural mineral-rich hot springs at Two Bunch Palms, with waters heated to a perfect 99 degrees. The spa and chic resort, surrounded by ancient palms and tamarisk trees, offer wellness programs and holistic dining. Notably, it is the first carbon-neutral wellness resort in the country and provides hydrotherapy, shaman journey sessions, Watsu water sessions, hypnotherapy, and spiritual counseling classes.
For a unique experience, consider fasting at We Care Spa in Desert Hot Springs. This mother-daughter-run spiritual fasting retreat offers teas, supplements, scrubs, and wraps that leave you feeling refreshed and light.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles is a hub for wellness. Healthy, organic, raw, and vegan food options are readily available, with numerous fitness opportunities ranging from weight training at Venice Beach to the latest bespoke fitness fusion trends. The Pacific Ocean serves as an instant zen fix, making it ideal for jogging, surfing, or yoga, while nearby trails provide essential nature retreats.
As always, innovative fitness classes abound to cater to your wellness needs. Check out OUE Skyspace L.A., where R&B yoga, Pilates, and spiritual meditation are hosted alongside breathtaking 360-degree views, capped with a thrilling ride down a transparent “Skyslide” that launches participants 1,000 feet above the city.
If relaxation is what you seek, Korean spas have been soothing Angelenos for years, and Wi Spa stands out for its around-the-clock comfort. Featuring four levels and five sauna rooms open 24/7, guests can indulge in acupressure, mineral and salt massages. Must-try treatments include Korean-specific services, such as slimming massages that use exfoliating pads along with a milk body scrub. This is followed by a Swedish massage with aromatherapy oils and topped off with a gold powder and serum wrap.
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is renowned as the American Riviera, and for good reason. Its Mediterranean climate, world-class wine country, and stunning gardens foster a relaxed coastal lifestyle marked by yoga, organic living, and overall zen focus.
The White Lotus Foundation operates a mountain retreat center offering stunning views of Santa Barbara, the Pacific Ocean, and the Channel Islands. Founded in 1967 by master yogis Ganga White and Tracey Rich, the foundation continues to provide yoga teacher training. Participants may stay in yurts, private cabins, or pitch tents on a plateau overlooking the ocean. Yearly retreats focus on deepening pranayama, asana, and meditation practice and include gourmet vegetarian meals, hikes, dance, ceremonies, and yoga philosophy classes.
If time is limited but you’re seeking tranquility, Salt is the largest underground salt cave in North America. Filled with pink Himalayan salt imported from Pakistan, it offers immediate relaxation and serves as a venue for drop-in yoga and shamanic sound healing sessions. Additionally, Salt is known for its boutique, featuring take-home crystals, edible salts, and homemade essential oils.
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, affectionately nicknamed SLOtown, lies centrally in California but offers a wealth of wellness opportunities appealing enough to be treated as SLOCal.
Engage in “butterfly therapy” at Monarch Butterfly Grove in Pismo Beach. This sanctuary hosts an average of 25,000 butterflies each winter, making it one of the largest in the nation. Volunteer docents provide twice-daily discussions to share the science and beauty of this ocean-side butterfly grove, where black and orange Monarchs gather in eucalyptus trees.
For a truly soothing experience, indulge in the naturally warm mineral waters at Sycamore Springs Resort & Spa. Nestled on over 100 wooded acres in the pristine Avila Valley, the resort features 23 open-air mineral hot tubs hidden along the hillside, available for hourly rental. Whether you’re enjoying yoga, Pilates, or tai chi in the Healing Arts dome or relaxing under the oasis waterfall lagoon, every aspect is designed for pure relaxation.
