Whether you need to decompress or simply want to focus on your health, experiences that center around emotional and physical well-being can be deeply restorative. From forest bathing and meditation to Nordic sauna traditions and soaking pools, there are Washington wellness retreats for everyone.
Spend a long weekend cross-country skiing and practicing yoga in the Methow Valley, or immerse yourself in a peaceful mud bath in the Yakima Valley. Here are just a few ways to unwind and reconnect in Washington.
Washington Wellness Retreats and Experiences
Soak and Spa
Soak and Sage, Renton
Near Seattle, Soak and Sage invites guests to relax in a social setting. The bathhouse features an onsen-inspired soaking pool, a Scandinavian-style cold plunge, and an adobe clay sauna. Guests will find sage bundles and incense throughout the property. Soak and Sage also offers bodywork, sound healing, and Aufguss ceremonies. In this Nordic tradition, essential oil-infused snowballs are placed on the sauna rocks while a sauna master performs rhythmic towel waving to circulate the fragrant air.
Ummelina, Yakima
East of the Cascades in Yakima, Ummelina is an oasis of relaxation and indulgence. While this day spa offers traditional services like massages and facials, the real stars are the wellness rituals. Try the Body Renewal, which includes a body mud mask, infrared crystal mats, a multi-jetted shower, and a massage. Bonus: Owner Nina Ummelina creates her own line of organic aromatherapy, tea blends, and skincare line. Afterward, relax even further with a visit to one of Wine Country’s many nearby vineyards and tasting rooms.
Posthotel, Leavenworth
Nestled next to the Wenatchee River, Posthotel is the epitome of mountain luxury. This Washington wellness retreat looks akin to an exclusive Roman bathhouse, with elegant archways and a swim-out saltwater pool with massage nooks overlooking the mountains and river. Saltwater hydrotherapy pools, steam baths, and saunas are maintained to a variety of temperatures, while the plunge and stepping pools provide invigorating cold to stimulate circulation. Don’t miss exploring the Bavarian town of Leavenworth or hiking in the foothills of the nearby Cascade Mountains.
Hot Spring Resorts
The Columbia River Gorge area is home to a handful of soaking-focused properties perfect for relaxing in nature. Soak in a gorgeous indoor-outdoor bathhouse with expansive windows at the Society Hotel. Take a dip before exploring nearby trails at Bonneville Hot Springs Resort & Spa. Or seek solitude at adults-only TenZen Springs & Cabins.
Also See: Unwind at these Washington Spas
Forest bathing
Mindfully immersing yourself in nature can be a transformative experience. Forest bathing, or shinrin yoku, is the Japanese practice of finding calm and quiet among the trees. The practice emphasizes observation and deep breathing. Every month, the University of Washington in Seattle partners with Cascadia Forest Therapy to offer forest bathing sessions in the university’s arboretum. The organization also offers private forest bathing sessions.
For an immersive multi-day forest bathing experience, consider Holman Health Connections’ annual Olympic Park backpacking and camping retreat. Tour waterfalls, rivers, and beaches of this rugged national park. Guides integrate yoga, meditation, and forest bathing within the majestic old-growth temperate rain forests. Elsewhere in the state, Skamania Lodge in the Columbia River Gorge offers a self-guided loop trail for forest bathing.
Yoga
Unroll your yoga mat in a studio overlooking the Orcas Island shoreline at Doe Bay Resort and Retreat in the San Juans. The 38-acre resort holds yoga retreats throughout the year, and the property boasts plenty of amenities to enhance relaxation. The sauna and hot tubs are ensconced along a craggy bluff among towering trees, and the organic garden provides produce for the cafe.
Yoga instructor Joanna Dunn offers retreats around the state, including at Doe Bay. Her day-long retreats in locations like Leavenworth are open to all levels and abilities. No matter the season, these yoga-focused wellness retreats are sure to be memorable.
Meditation and Mindfulness
Embedded in the forests of southwest Washington near Castle Rock, Cloud Mountain Retreat Center hosts non-sectarian Buddhist residential retreats year-round. Their retreats include a diversity of approaches to mindfulness and meditation and last from three to 13 days. Gravel paths wind past ponds and a creek, weaving through the 15 forested acres. This wellness retreat in Washington is ideal for quieting the mind, simplifying daily life, and focusing inwardly. Most retreats adhere to “noble silence,” which provides a break from the noise of everyday life. Guests can enjoy vegetarian meals and a light-filled meditation and yoga space.
Outdoor Adventure
For those looking to embrace wellness through physical activity, a number of outdoor guides take the stress out of planning an excursion. She Moves Mountains leads all-women climbing retreats. In Washington, their beginner’s retreat includes a yoga component at Mount Erie on Fidalgo Island. On San Juan Island, Sea Quest’s multi-day kayaking trips are an excellent way to disconnect in the beauty of nature. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for orca whales.
Alternatively, hit the trail with Washington-based Holman Health Connections. Their instructors combine backpacking and hiking retreats with yoga and meditation. Join meditation-focused day hikes or immerse yourself in longer getaways. Their Whidbey Island yoga and meditation retreat at Aldermarsh Retreat Center is a popular option.
About the Author
Ellee Thalheimer is a freelance writer and guidebook author based in the Pacific Northwest. She has contributed to publications like Lonely Planet Guidebooks, Alaska Airlines Magazine, and Adventure Cyclist Magazine. When she can’t get outside, she writes fiction, drinks local IPAs, and perfects her handstands.