There’s a lot of talk in the travel industry about “revenge travel” - travel that is bucket-list, no-expense-spared, take-that-pandemic type of adventures. But there is another way to respond to what we’ve all been through, this surreal, collective trauma. That’s to tailor a profoundly personal and refreshing trip that will help you recover the bits of yourself that feel lost.

Canyon Ranch is a leader in the wellness travel sector and always has been.

Mel and Enid Zuckerman and Jerry Cohen founded Canyon Ranch in 1979 in Tucson, Arizona. They were originally inspired to start a health resort after Mel Zuckerman experienced his own success with improving his health when he stepped outside of his life. Following the financial success of the Tucson location, the Lenox resort opened in 1989.

For me, the fall is always a time to pick up a book. So as we celebrate Labor Day, this 21 for 2021 Series post offers a list of books through which you can promote wellness and boost your health from your own home, now and until we can travel safely. 

Whether you prefer city sophistication or rustic bliss, here’s where to soak up some major TLC.

While DIY meditation and at-home manicures can do in a pinch, many travelers are craving the kind of transformational, full-body experiences only found at the best spas: seaweed mud wraps to reduce quarantine inflammation, Nordic hydrotherapy baths to cleanse and reinvigorate weary bodies, and massages relaxing enough to let your mind wander but deep enough to relieve pent-up tension.

Let's face it: we all love vacationing on cruises because they're luxurious, pleasurable, and convenient for exploring multiple destinations in a limited timespan. Luckily, there is a way you can experience all these things and minimize the risks of spreading germs with strangers: micro-cruises. They cover a more limited distance, follow a more in-depth itinerary with fewer yet equally exciting sites, and carry up to 4, 20, or 100 passengers. YES PLEASE!

I’m so excited to share with you that Belmond is offering a very extraordinary 7-night package. You can pick 2 or more of their luxury destinations for a guaranteed rate at your hotel of choice. And they don’t have to be consecutive nights either. See what’s possible still this year!

I’ve got some exciting news for you. You can still enjoy a safe summer holiday in the Meditteranean. And you only have to unpack once. I have not been one to seek out a cruise. I’ve never been and hadn’t been interested. At all. But Atlas Ocean Voyages is a very distinct type of experience. They are launching their first ship this month and doing everything differently. For me, it’s where luxe style meets adventure and it’s all very exciting.

Last February, before the pandemic caused a shutdown, I learned about an exciting new entry into the cruise industry. I have never been on a cruise. And had no interest even in the slightest. But Atlas Ocean Voyages is not your typical cruise line. The founders saw an opening and unmet need in the market and stepped elegantly into that space. They marry that small-ship luxury experience with adventures and expeditions. And I am very excited to share with you what makes Atlas so different.

Take a summer of the road trip! No matter where you live, there’s likely a scenic drive nearby, be it a forest-lined highway or a sunny, shore-hugging route. Leave the logistics to your Virtuoso travel advisor, and your itinerary can include chic (socially distanced) overnights at Virtuoso hotels, foolproof directions, and expert insight on the best roadside seafood shacks, uncrowded parks, and more.

As we finish up National Poetry Month, you have to know of W.S. Merwin and the Merwin Conservancy which is an extraordinary place—a lush and rare, 19-acre palm forest that two-time Pulitzer prize winning poet W.S. Merwin create from land wasteland. It conserves the sense of wonder that brought forth both Merwin’s poetry and his garden. There are now nearly 3,000 individual trees of more than 400 different species, and you can visit today!

It all began when…I was working hard in my dream job as an attorney at PBS Headquarters. Meanwhile, at night I studied for a masters in creative writing at Johns Hopkin. And I was biking over 10 miles back and forth to work, rowing in the Potomac, and training to run my first 10K. And I’d purchased a house and was looking for a partner to build a life & family with. Life was humming along, just like I expected it to. I had ambitious plans. But then, something broke inside my body.

We love podcasts on travel! And we’ve curated the best of the best here. They are equal parts entertaining, inspiring, and informative. Discussing travel through a primarily auditory medium is actually (and ironically) visually stimulating because travel topics evoke exotic places in our mind’s eye. Furthermore, travel podcasts are so treasured now because they are form of escape during a time when travel is still constrained.