How To Use a Health Spa

I've been thinking about how different people use the destination spa experience since I got back from my trip to Miraval in Tucson. A lot of people still don't know the term "destination spa" - they think it's a spa in a beautiful place, or an overnight spa (called a resort spa).

But a destination spa IS different. It is essentially a health spa that serves healthy spa cuisine and offers lots of exercise classes (which range from kick-ass cardio to yoga and meditation), hiking, wellness lectures, cooking classes, adventure activities and of course, spa treatments.

I tend to do a little bit of everything, so I can report back to you. Still, I tend to gravitate to certain activities that I love, especially hiking (that's me in the beautiful Catalina Mountains behind Miraval.) I love to learn, so I always go to lectures. (In fact, I tend to spend a little too much time in lectures and too little time relaxing.)

I have a yoga practice at home, so I always do some yoga and meditation. And I like to do anything that a particular spa is known for, like Miraval's Equine Experience or Rancho La Puerta's early morning breakfast hike to its gorgeous cooking school and organic farm.

But some people go to spa with a particular focus. One woman I met at Miraval was spending most of her day in the yoga and meditation classes. Some of the extended hikes at Rancho La Puerta take half the day. People who go to Canyon Ranch, which has the strongest medical program of any spa as well as the most depth in its activities and services, can tackle serious health issues. It all depends what you want to do.

It's worth spending some time really thinking about what you want most out of your spa experience, because at the best-known destination spas like Canyon Ranch, Rancho La Puerta and Miraval there will be more than you can possibly do.

The big difference between a destination spa and a resort spa is the camaraderie. You tend to find friends at destination spas because there are so many shared activities. Resort spas are where people go to be with people they already know. That's one reason destination spas are great for the solo traveler.

Photo of Anitra Brown by a fellow hiker at Miraval in Tucson.