If you’re in need of some serious self care, head to one of these destinations focused on wellness and pampering. Create your own adventure with a mix of yoga, healthy meals and walks in the snowy woods, or sign up for a retreat to meditate, stretch or bliss out in a comfy robe. If you don’t have time for an overnight, several day spas in the region offer body treatments, heated pools and sauna rooms to make your skin glow and relax your mind. Here are 10 places to find some “you” time in 2024.
Balian Springs
Drive time from Arlington: 20 minutes
This massive spa complex has multiple treatment rooms, saunas, restaurants, lounges, a fitness center and hydrotherapy pools spread across 100,000 square feet. A day pass ($130 Monday-Thursday and $165 Friday-Sunday and holidays) or membership grants you access to all general spaces and daily workshops including yoga, Pilates and meditation. You can also add spa treatments, drinks and food to your day of pampering. Balian features “mindful drinking” options including CBD-infused tropical drinks and adaptogenic (mushroom and herb based) elixirs. Sip away on the year-round pool deck next to the heated infinity hydrotherapy pool—a great way to end a snowy spa day. //6432 General Green Way, Alexandria
Eupepsia Wellness Resort
Drive time from Arlington: 5 hours
Eupepsia welcomes solo travelers and groups looking to immerse themselves in Ayurvedic therapies such as herbal treatments, yoga, massage and acupuncture. The resort’s spa treatments (offered in both indoor and outdoor spaces) include an infrared ozone sauna, hydrotherapy pool and Himalayan salt chalet. You can also take a guided hike or go biking on scenic nature trails. The farm-to-table dining menu features ingredients sourced from the resort’s own gardens, greenhouses and dairy farm. Baked goods are made from the on-site field of einkorn, an ancient grain with a higher protein and vitamin level than most modern wheats. Create your own experience or sign up for a curated retreat focused on fitness and recovery, stress management or detoxification. Ask about discounts for early bookings for spring visits. //12940 West Blue Grass Trail, Bland, Virginia
Farmhouse at Veritas
Drive time from Arlington: 2 ½ hours
This bed-and-breakfast destination is next to Veritas Winery in Virginia’s Monticello American Viticulture Area. The farmhouse hosts 4-day wellness retreats several times a year, from April to November, featuring yoga, hiking excursions (the property is only minutes from popular trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway) and curated food and wine experiences (Note: the April 2024 event already has a waitlist). Overnight stays include breakfast made with local produce, a wine happy hour and in-room Veritas vino service. Top off your day with a four-course, farm-to-table dinner at Veritas Restaurant. The Farmhouse offers discounted mid-week stays through February and is part of a cluster of three other vineyards—Afton Mountain, Valley Road and Flying Fox—if your idea of wellness includes local grapes. //72 Saddleback Farm, Afton, Virginia
Fox Haven Farm and Learning Center
Drive time from : 1 hour
This ecological reserve and meeting space near Frederick, Maryland, includes an organic vegetable farm, fruit and nut orchard, apiary and herb farm. Fox Haven hosts classes and retreats year-round. You can set up a small group event with classes on foraging, forest bathing (an immersive way to connect with nature) and meditation. In winter find group classes on herbs, yoga and even fire building. The farm also offers a CSA program across several Maryland locations. //3630 Poffenberger Road, Jefferson, Maryland
Keswick Hall
Drive time from Arlington: 2 hours
If you’re looking for active winter pursuits, the heated, adults-only Horizon Pool at Keswick Hall is open year-round and offers wide views of the nearby Southwest Mountains. The fitness center has Peloton bikes and classes. Guests can reserve tee times at the resort’s course year-round, and the tennis facility is also open in the colder months with play on all-weather European Red Clay surfaces. Keswick Hall’s recently renovated spa offers treatments ranging from massages designed to improve your sleep, to immune-boosting breath-and-body treatments. Cap off your spa time sipping herbal teas and looking out through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the serenity room. Winter packages include free breakfast. Need a February getaway? The posh Valentine’s Day package includes caviar, truffles and breakfast at the resort’s premium restaurant, Marigold, led by acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Local wine tasting is a must, as Keswick is close to dozens of wineries and nearby Charlottesville, named by Wine Enthusiast as the 2023 Wine Region of the Year. //701 Club Drive, Keswick, Virginia
King Spa Virginia
Drive time from Arlington: 40 minutes
Virginia’s first Korean day spa is open 365 days a year and open late, with indoor and outdoor pools, multiple saunas and therapy rooms. Day passes are $60 during the week and $70 for weekends and holidays, and you can add treatments like foot massages, Korean body scrubs and facials. Unique to King Spa is the Bul Han Jing Mak Dome Sauna, a Korean “hot room” that is heated to 390 degrees for detoxification and muscle pain. Korean dishes such as Yukgaejang—a spicy beef soup—and Bibimbap are offered alongside American fare, drinks and snacks. //25330 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly, Virginia
Primland Resort
Drive time from Arlington: 5 hours
Enjoy the scenic drive to this luxury resort tucked deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia and spread out across 12,000 acres. Get outside for a guided nature hike, practice yoga on one of the resort’s scenic meditation decks, or visit the spa to banish dull winter skin with scrubs infused with seasonal scents and herbs. End the day with complimentary s’mores by the fire, or book a star gazing session at Primland’s on-site observatory. New for 2024: In-room body treatments are now offered in all of the lodging options, including in the treehouses—luxury cabins perched in the mountain treetops. //2000 Busted Rock Road, Meadows of Dan, Virginia
Salamander Resort & Spa
Drive time from Arlington: 1 hour, 15 minutes
This English manor set on 340 acres in the heat of Northern Virginia’s wine country offers restaurants, pools, a fitness center, golf and tennis facilities, plus a sprawling, 23,000-square-foot luxury spa. A winter wellness package includes a $200 spa credit, daily breakfast and a welcome gift with a minimum 2-night stay, though you don’t need to be an overnight guest to enjoy the treatment space. Perfect for winter, try the hydrating Antara Ritual—a shea butter wrap infused with CBD, followed by a full body massage. Salamander also has a luxury hotel and spa in the District (occupying the former Mandarin Oriental Hotel), but the spa floor is currently under renovation and treatments are limited. //500 N. Pendleton St., Middleburg, Virginia
Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville
Drive time from Arlington: 3 hours
It’s all in the name at this peaceful, interfaith retreat in the Blue Ridge mountains. The ashram (a spiritual dwelling) is set on 750 acres, where guests can explore, study and practice the yoga teachings of Sri Swami Satchidananda while partaking in vegetarian meals from Yogaville’s onsite organic farm. Guests can create their own personalized itineraries year-round, with opportunities for meditation, discussion and practice, or sign up for events led by senior yoga staff. Discounts are available for retreats through March 15, 2024. //108 Yogaville Way, Buckingham, Virginia
Westin Washington DC, Downtown
Drive time from Arlington: 20 minutes
Westin recently completed an $80 million renovation of this former Renaissance property near City Center DC, with a focus on wellness. The hotel is now home to the city’s largest fitness center, with free classes for guests, a TRX setup and plenty of Peloton machines (some of which are included in guest rooms). Additional amenities include bedside lavender balm for relaxing sleep, bike rentals, and a food and beverage credit that can be used for house-made juices or wellness-driven cocktails. Each room includes a complimentary pair of reusable water bottles that you can fill at the “water bar” in the lobby and take home after your staycation. //999 9th Street NW, Washington, D.C.