The Dreamiest Winter Wellness Escapes — From Beach to Desert to Mountains

Desert Escape: Scottsdale, AZ

My best friend and I live on opposite coasts and have spent the last decade deep in parenting mode. This year, we finally decided to take a trip just for us — destination: Scottsdale, Arizona, a place long known for its restorative desert energy (and the highest number of resort spas per capita in the U.S.). The Sonoran Desert’s healing powers and medicinal plants have been lauded for centuries by Native American communities.

We landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and headed straight to CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa, a serene desert escape that feels both luxurious and down-to-earth, think of it as comfort wellness: the kind of place where you can sip a hot chocolate or cocktail and still feel like you’re doing something good for yourself.

Whether you’re all about yoga and hiking or just need to unplug by the pool, this place lets you do wellness your way. Most of the classes are included the price of the hotel, making this an affordable option that's deeply rejuvenating. Think chakra-balancing meditation, floating sound baths (this was my favorite!), and an Uplift Aromatherapy Massage that smells like pure joy.

Meals here are as nourishing as the vibe, from colorful, veggie-forward dinners at Terras by a roaring fire to smoothie bowls and plant-powered lunches at Seed Café + Market. Everything feels light, intentional, and yes, incredibly Instagrammable.

Off the property, head to Kierland Commons shopping district for dinner at one of Arizona’s favorite French restaurants, Zinc Bistro, known for its nostalgic Parisian cafe vibes. Chef Matt Carter’s menu combines classic French dishes with an inventive twist and it did not disappoint. It was one of the best meals we both had ever, including in France!

Start your morning exploring the magic of Scottsdale. Hot Air Expeditions offers sunrise balloon rides that make you feel like you’re floating above another planet (bonus: it’s family-owned and woman-led). Expect breakfast and a Champagne toast among Saguaro cacti (which you'll only find in Arizona) once you land.

Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright’s desert masterpiece, is a must for design lovers — grab headphones for the self-guided audio tour through this stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mix things up for a little downtown luxury by checking into The Scott Resort & Spa in Old Town Scottsdale. With its Havana-meets-California style, sand-bottom pool, and the dreamy La Vidorra Spa, it’s the perfect mix of playful and serene.

At the spa, book the Havana Herbal Hot Stone Massage — I melted right into the table, it was that good. No notes!

Follow it up with a meal at the iconic Canal Club — trust me, it’s delicious. The hotel’s lobby bar and restaurant blend a classic American menu with a bold Caribbean flair. You can eat outside by the pool and firepits, inside the retro Havana-inspired restaurant or in this open-air lobby. The breakfast and cocktails were sabrosos!

Spend the day exploring Old Town’s shops, hop on an e-bike tour with Cliff Creek Outfitters along Scottsdale’s Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt, a multi-use path winding through golf courses, parks, and lakes, and melt into a mind-altering sound bath at Shanti Sound, where the 60-minute vibrations led by owner Cary Ballou feel like therapy for your nervous system. We felt transformed!

Lunch at The Herb Box is a must for seasonal, flavor-packed plates like Grapefruit and Sugar Charred Salmon or Butternut Squash and Corn Enchiladas. If you love wine, stop by Los Milics Vineyards’ tasting room for their award-winning wines. Southern Arizona is becoming one of the fastest wine-growing regions in the country.

End the night at FnB, a cozy downtown gem where James Beard Award–winning chef Charleen Badman serves up Arizona’s best farm-to-table fare with a side of exceptional local wine. Order whatever sounds good — you honestly can’t go wrong. The menu changes every day, but we devoured the roasted rutabaga with ginger crème fraîche, roasted chicken with mustard-crisped spätzle, and fresh pasta with sausage and winter squash, proving why this cozy spot continues to define creative Arizona cuisine.

After, call The Scott for a ride back to your desert oasis in a vintage car and toast to finally taking that long-overdue girls’ trip before you head back home.

Mountain Escape: Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada

Turquoise waters framed by towering peaks and a glacier that feeds the lake is what makes Lake Louise a picture postcard-perfect escape. (Fun fact: its vibrant color comes from “rock flour,” fine mineral particles suspended in the water.) In the warmer months, a canoe dock welcomes paddlers, while in winter, the frozen lake transforms into a picturesque skating rink.

Winter snow transforms Lake Louise into an enchanting wonderland of outdoor adventure — from skiing and guided snowshoe treks to ice skating around a glittering ice castle or gliding through the forest on a horse-drawn sleigh ride. Right on the lake’s edge sits the historic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, originally built in the 1890s as a railway chalet and the only hotel on the lake. To get to Lake Louise, you could book the incredible Vancouver to Banff train route on the Rocky Mountaineer come spring. It's definitely a beautiful way to see the wildlife and scenery of the Canadian Rockies and slow travel your way into wellness. Here's my review of the route.

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise recently debuted BASIN Glacial Waters, a thermal bathing experience like no other I've experienced in North America. With views of Lake Louise’s stunning landscape, BASIN invites wellness seekers to reconnect with nature via a series of varying-temperature pools, saunas, and glacial-water therapies. The Nordic-style spa blends hydrotherapy, sustainability, and beautiful modern design into a multisensory journey that will leave you feeling restored and rejuventated. Try the Aufguss ceremony — a heat-infused, essential-oil sauna ritual accompanied by music — for the ultimate reset.

Enjoy lunch at the Fairview Bar & Restaurant, known for its Art Deco elegance and where every meal comes with a view — arched windows frame the turquoise sweep of Lake Louise while you savor regional fare like bison ribeye and Brant Lake wagyu. Elegant Art Deco interiors, local wines, and mountain-inspired cocktails make it the perfect spot to toast your alpine escape.

At the spa, indulge in the 2.5-hour Glacier Lake Body Treatment, which begins with a gentle dry brushing ritual to exfoliate the skin. A luxe full-body scrub, deeply hydrating wrap, and soothing scalp massage melt away tension before the experience concludes with an amazing and restorative full-body massage.

Just an hour away, Banff is a charming mountain town and UNESCO World Heritage Site to shop and explore. Visit the grand Fairmont Banff Springs, often called the “Castle in the Rockies,” with easy access to hiking, skiing, golf, and its own world-class spa. Feel the soothing rush of waterfalls and the warmth of mineral pools calling you in for a restorative soak. Breathe in the crisp mountain air in the hot tub outside — that high-altitude energy clears your mind and leaves you feeling refreshed and re-centered.

Grab a croque madame or steak frites at the French-inspired Vermillion Room, and don’t miss a ride up the Banff Gondola, a stop at the Whyte Museum, Bow Falls, or Lake Minnewanka. With charming shops, glacier tours, horseback rides, and skiing in winter, Banff is a year-round destination for wellness and wonder.

Beach Escape: The Ranch Malibu

Tucked in the Santa Monica Mountains, The Ranch Malibu offers a coastal escape that reconnects you with nature and yourself. Designed for all fitness levels, this holistic retreat blends physical challenges like coastal hikes with restorative calm in an environment that feels both luxe and grounding.

Days begin softly, with the gentle ring of Tibetan chimes and a morning stretch beneath the California sun. Guests then set out on guided hikes that wind along coastal ridges and offer breathtaking ocean views. Afternoons bring a mix of fitness classes, restorative yoga, or meditation, followed by a soothing daily massage.

Meals here are organic, plant-forward, and made to both detox and nourish. Between classes, you can chill by the heated outdoor pool, recharge in the infrared sauna, or take the ultimate refresh-in-the-moment cold plunge. Evenings bring optional wellness talks, sound baths, and cooking demos — all designed to help you find a little more balance (and maybe a new favorite ritual).

Beyond the ranch, you can explore Malibu beaches like El Matador State Beach for sunset coastline views as well as Malibu Country Mart for local (and bougie) shopping. Here's our guide to Malibu too!