Central Arizona has earned a storied reputation as one of the country’s ultimate wellness getaways. Home to numerous award-winning spas and retreats—with some offering authentic Native American treatments—the area boasts a long history of people traveling to discover a mythic energy found in its stunning landscapes.
Here, nurturing yourself extends beyond the expected and traditional, catering to a holistic experience for mind, body, and soul. These are the best ways to find rejuvenation.
Farm hop
Embark on the Fresh Foodie Trail, a tour of Mesa’s top agricultural highlights, and eat locally sourced ingredients that taste great—and nourish you, too. Along the way you can stock up on organic produce at Steadfast Farm, dig into lunch at Joe’s Farm Grill at Agritopia, a sustainable community surrounded by urban farmland, pick ripe peaches, and learn how to make olive oil at Arizona’s only working olive farm.
Immerse yourself in nature
Kick back and enjoy the pleasure of the great outdoors at Ambiente Sedona, a first of its kind “landscape” hotel opening in February 2023. Designed to blend in with the surrounding red rock buttes, each of the resort’s 40 separate cube-shaped rooms, or Atriums, with floor-to-ceiling windows offer 180 degree views of Coconino National Forest, the massive Brins Mesa mountain range, and a series of ancient waterways running throughout the property. At night, watch the stars from your Atrium’s private rooftop deck.
Castle Hot Springs
Ryan Donnell
Soak in geothermal waters
Treat yourself to a stay at Castle Hot Springs, a stylish retreat with a long history of rest and relaxation. Nestled in the Sonoran desert, Indigenous people once journeyed to these same waters for medicinal purposes. Soak in the naturally warm, mineral-rich oasis to ease muscle soreness and joint pain. While you’re there, don’t miss the property’s award-winning spa, offering a full menu of meditation classes, body rituals, massages, and energy therapies, and make a reservation at Harvest, a true farm-to-table restaurant where ingredients travel mere steps from the on-site garden to your table.
Experience the energy of vortexes
Sedona’s vortexes attract visitors from all over the world. See if you feel their power at the most famous hot spots: Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, and Boynton Canyon. To tap into the feel-good waves, many people do yoga, meditation, and spiritual practices on site. Whether you’re a believer or not, you’re bound to enjoy the dazzling beauty of these red rock formations, so take a deep breath, close your eyes, and embrace nature’s sense of wonder.
Terra Farm + Manor
Visit Arizona
Connect with the land
At Terra Farm + Manor, a working farm and exclusive culinary getaway in Prescott National Forest, guests can attend themed events tailored around epicurean experiences, such as the Wellness Retreat for Wood & Wine Lovers and The Art of Bread. At Locavore’s Taste of the American West, try your hand at wild foraging, interact with farm-raised heritage animals like Spanish Iberian pigs, and cook with seasonal ingredients.
Enjoy Native American spa treatments
It’s no secret that Arizona is one of the top spa destinations in the country with a wide variety of wellness offerings, including authentic Native American remedies. Some of the best are found at Aji Spa at Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass—a Native American-owned spa that’s earned top accolades. Don’t miss the Ancient Shegoi Wrap & Massage, which uses shegoi (also known as creosote bush), one of the oldest living plants in the world and an ingredient that’s sacred to the Gila River Indian Community for its healing properties and medicinal purposes.
In February 2023, Mii amo—a destination spa in Sedona—will reopen. Book a three- to 10-night journey now and look forward to medicine wheel ceremonies, jojoba butter body wraps, and more.
Rancho De Los Caballeros
An Pham
Unwind at a dude ranch
A short drive from Phoenix, Rancho de los Caballeros boasts a sanctuary of 13,300 rideable acres that isn’t just for horses—guests also love the spa, golf, and spacious casitas. Get in touch with the great outdoors and discover your very own home on the range with hot air balloon rides across the Sonoran desert, peaceful hikes, movies under the stars, and cookouts around mesquite bonfire.
Do yoga with a furry friend
Goat yoga may seem chaotic, but for animal lovers, it’s a no-brainer. That’s because many find hanging with the furry creatures to be extra calming. At Arizona Goat Yoga, held on a ranch overlooking the Superstitions Mountains, strike a pose with some adorable kids (the non-human kind) and de-stress while watching the sunset.
