Getaway Guide 2024: A Directory of Healthy Holiday Destinations
Looking to refresh your mind and body? Escape your busy city life and take some time to heal, recharge, and rejuvenate with authentic Ayurveda treatments. Reconnect with the energy of nature and replenish your reserves.
After 34 years spent servicing the spa industry, Andrea Olivera and her husband Ali decided to escape to the country and settle on a quaint piece of land in Bewdley, Ontario. They now run a sacred healing sanctuary based on Ayurveda concepts, philosophy, and ancient Vedic traditions.
Located in Northumberland County, a 90-minute drive from Toronto, Andrea is offering her guests what they have always wanted – a private healing journey with nourishing meals and time to unwind in her comfortable home in the country.
The country setting provides quality quiet time to do inner work. Andrea’s one-on-one attention creates a customized plan for your healing needs in an environment that naturally heals the soul. Enjoy 8 acres of wild woodlands, a small creek, a local lavender labyrinth, many local antique stores, as well as the local (Rice) lake and beach activities.
Andrea offers private one-on-one Ayurvedic spa treatments that range from all-inclusive 1 to 3 day Healing Escape Packages, to Ayurveda facials, Indian Head Massage, Abhyanga Massage, and Karma Emotional Release. The package also includes Jyotisha Vedic Astrology Karmic Life Readings. Customized Ayurveda meal plans during your stay are also available.
Andrea’s husband Ali offers a sacred fire ceremony with customized yoga therapy that includes problem solving, pranayama, as well as yoga therapy and body alignment work.
To learn more about her treatments and restorative healing packages please visit https://ayurvedaritualsspa.
SUGAR RIDGE RETREAT CENTRE – Midland, Ont.
Escape the city and nurture yourself at Sugar Ridge! A natural experience awaits you just 90 minutes north of Toronto; near Midland, but a world away.
Nourish your body with organic plant-based meals, yoga, forest walks and breathing fresh country air. Nourish your soul with meditation, soothing sounds of nature and star-gazing. Ditch the stress of this past year and nourish your mind. Kick back on the patio and watch the wildlife, smell the flowers! Sleep deeply in a private cabin with stress-free peace and quiet, comfy beds and snugly duvets.
Create your own personal getaway, and take time for yourself to renew. Join a group retreat and make new friends if you prefer some company. We’ve always been clean freaks and you can rest assured we follow all recommended cleaning protocols for Covid. Plenty of space for social distancing and air purifiers in the studio and dining room keep the air fresh and clean.
We offer a full year of retreats and workshops to nourish, educate and provide soul changing experiences. Deepen your yoga or meditation practice, be in silence or bring your drum! Cleanse with a juice retreat, or explore forest bathing. Get your book written, knit a scarf, paint a masterpiece, be silent, or share your stories: do whatever suits you:)
The centre is available for groups of up to 40 people overnight. If you want to have a socially distanced family reunion or meet with friends, we can host you safely! This four-seasons retreat offers peace and tranquility spread over 150 acres of majestic forests, hills, and meadows. The nearest neighbour is 3,000 acres of protected provincial land (Wye Valley) with 25 km of trails to explore nature all year round – hike, ski or bike!
Owners Liz and Kurt Frost are yoga teachers and psychotherapists, offering retreats you can join, corporate mindfulness programs, or individual getaways. Feel the love in all that we offer!
Contact Sugar Ridge at info@sugarridge.ca; toll free 1-866-609-1793 or visit www.sugarridge.ca
THE HIDDEN BUDDHA HEALING CENTER – Rideau Lakes, Ont.
This is a quaint retreat nestled in the beautiful countryside of Rideau Lakes, between Kingston and Ottawa. Located on a 76-acre property beside Bellamy Lake, the retreat centre is a place for guests to rest and rejuvenate in an authentic Canadian cordwood house and enjoy the healing energy emanating from the land, a feeling of ancient wisdom, sacred power, and wholeness.
The retreat’s founding principle is the Honoring of Life. Lidia Kuleshnyk, a High Performance Wellness Coach, has brought together her love of nature, horses, and animals with 24 years of experience helping clients relieve stress and resolve their chronic health conditions. All this takes place within a sanctuary of peaceful forests, hayfields, horses, and crystals growing from the land, assisting you in uncovering and shining forth that sacred gem that glows within you – your Hidden Buddha.
The Center offers private and group retreats, rental space for retreat leaders, cottage rental, and bed and breakfast options, plus one-on-one programs in reiki, macrobiotics, and holistic coaching.
Equine Assisted Therapy and Healing Retreats, both private and group, are available for you to experience the beautiful heart energy and soul connection of horses. Guests enjoy nature trails, biking, hiking, camping, canoeing and cruises on the Rideau Canal, or a Thousand Islands Boat Cruise on the St. Lawrence River.
Whether your calling is for greater self-awareness and connection to soul, relaxation in nature, or healing from serious health conditions, The Hidden Buddha Healing Center provides the perfect environment and services. You are invited to experience this land of high vibration, beautiful sunsets, and midnight wonders where one can feel more alive, more connected, more conscious.
For information, call (416) 912-1721; correspond by email: lidia@AponaHealing.com; or visit our site: www.hiddenbuddhahealingcenter.com and www.AponaHealingRanch.com
THE SACRED GARDENER SCHOOL – Golden Lake, On
Come and be immersed in a world you’ve been missing, where people work in harmony with each other and nature to co-create true culture, where life is honoured from the seed to the table.
The Sacred Gardener School is for those inspired to move into a deeper level of being; to live in a connected, sustainable and soulfully present way with the Earth.
The school will foster your growth over time, enabling you to embody the skills and ceremony needed to engage the larger spirit and ecology of the Earth, so She may bless and redirect our collective and personal path.
Co-founder Steven Martyn has a depth of experience in working with people to connect them with the land and Her ecology. For upcoming programs visit their website www.thesacredgardener.ca
CRYSTAL WOODS HEALING RETREAT – Wilkesport, Ont.
Welcome to a private retreat experience customized just for you, or you and a friend. Sink deeply into a process of renewal, reconnection, and healing.
We offer one guest cabin on 50 acres of wooded land that sings with the crystals planted around the property in geometric patterns.
Enjoy organic sheets and fluoride-filtered water in your cabin, with organic gardens in your backyard. Relax and regenerate in our Finnish sauna, and cool off in the outdoor shower. Prepare your own meals in the cabin kitchen or ask about our gourmet vegan meal options.
We have 5 km of secluded walking trails, and clothing is optional. It is a beautiful experience to walk in the woods with your body open to Nature’s soft embrace, allowing sunlight to touch every part of you.
Many people come to Crystal Woods to have sessions with Kathleen; these are powerfully transformative – combining bodywork with energy work, psychic work, and sound healing, with an emphasis on activating your Ascension path. It’s beyond anything you may have experienced before.
Your retreat can involve languid days to yourself, making your own meals, walking the trails, and enjoying your Soul’s flow… or having treatments, saunas, meditation and Qi Gong sessions, along with vegan meals and guidance around nutrition.
You decide – it’s your Sacred Space, your Soul’s Journey. From our Hearts, we are grateful for the chance to support you. Open from March to November.
Located 3 hours SW of Toronto, 70 min. from London.
For more information, please email: kathleen@kathleenmackay.com; Call (519) 312-4195, visit www.crystalwoodsretreat.com
FELLS MEADOWS FARMS – Castleton, Ont.
Nestled in picturesque Northumberland County just 75 minutes east of Toronto, you will find Fells Meadows Farms. The property comprises over 100 acres of rolling hills and forested areas. We are open year-round and have a variety of charming accommodation options on the property. It is within a short drive of quaint towns, beaches, local attractions, and restaurants.
The farmhouse is the anchor of the property. It is a lovingly restored and decorated 19th century home. It features 6 bedrooms, two ,bathrooms, a professionally equipped kitchen as well as an open fireplace and wood stove. You have the choice of cooking your own meals, having the house stocked with pre-prepared meals or you can do a bit of both.
Other accommodation at the farm includes two small cabins, a safari wall tent, a bunkie, and a 30 foot diameter yurt (an excellent spot for yoga, meditation and ceremony).
Finally, if you are in a contemplative mood you can enjoy time in our unique stone Labyrinth area. It is modelled after the famous labyrinth of Chartres France. You are able to book the entire property if you have a large group or just the accommodation you need subject to availability.
Since its opening, Fells Meadows has provided unforgettable memories to all types of guests and groups. We will work with you to provide the escape that meets and exceeds your needs.
- Solo and couples’ getaways
- Annual/seasonal meetings of old friends
- Group retreats booked by you or a facilitator (e.g. yoga or meditation, creative writing, small corporate teams
- Small intimate weddings and ceremonies
Your host at Fells Meadows is Leslie Fell. Leslie is experienced in mindfulness and various modalities that attend to the mind, body, and spirit.
Contact Fells Meadows by email at info@fellsmeadows.com or call us at 905-344-5014. Please visit our website at www.fellsmeadows.com for more details and to book your stay. Remember to sign up for our newsletter to keep informed about specials and happenings at Fells Meadows.
Our address is 2429 County Road 25, Castleton Ontario K0K 1M0
Do you have a retreat center or healthy getaway destination? If so, feel free to send us the information. Email: editorial@vitalitymagazine.com