A wellness retreat at Canyon Ranch...

Hi everyone! Emily here - and I just got back from an amazing long weekend at Canyon Ranch in Tuscon, Arizona! I thought it would be fun to do a recap blog detailing my time on the property since it is such a fun and complex retreat + resort! Let’s dive in!!!

Canyon Ranch is an all inclusive wellness retreat and resort located in Tuscon AZ, Lenox MA, Woodside CA, + Las Vegas NV! The Tuscon location is their “headquarters”, if you will. It was designed to be more than a place to escape and reset/relax, but to be the catalyst that jump starts a whole new way of life for you - a life of healthy living. Healthy lifestyle embodies many different aspects: mental, spiritual, and physical health are all taken into consideration during your time here!

You can meet with dietitians, nutritionists, personal trainers, doctors, specialists, spa specialists, and more. It’s truly up to you what you get out of it, but I guarantee you will walk away with new perspectives and plans to conquer and achieve your health goals!

If you have never been, you can choose a “pathway” when booking that custom creates and entire itinerary for you to achieve that specific goal. You can also create your own itinerary if you have specific needs + wants, which is what I did!

On arrival, you check in, and are given your scheduled services, a tote and water bottle (definitely remember to hydrate in the desert!), and your weekly guidebook. The guidebook contains additional activities and lectures that you can attend that are complimentary! Think Yoga, Barre, Boot Camp, Morning Walks, Tabata, H2O workouts, lectures, and more! Then, you check into you room and get started!

DAY ONE:

After I checked in to my room, I met up with our fabulous partners that are on the grounds day in and day out, and took a tour of the property to better understand where everything was! It’s a big property, with the rooms scattered in desert bungalows throughout, so it’s important to orient yourself! After the tour, we had dinner at the poolside cafe, Double U Cafe - amazing! All the food here is very healthy - nothing processed or sugary. So, you never have to worry about eating healthy - it all is! After dinner we played Bingo in their Pavillion room where every game you could win a gift card to their boutique - talk about incentive!!!

DAY TWO:

On day 2, I woke up, got some work done, then headed over to the pickle ball courts for a Pickle Ball Clinic! We learned the rules, and how to play - and it’s safe to say, I get the hype… it was so fun! After that I headed over to the yoga studio for a Gentle Vinyasa flow - so good! It’s fun you can pick out classes that are your speed - and even make modifications if necessary!

That afternoon I met with a personal trainer for a session and wow… this may have been my favorite part! We chatted for a few minutes about my history, goals, and where I am stuck, and not only did we get a killer workout in, but by the end of our session we had a 12 week training program developed to help me reach my goals… Katia was phenomenal and I would definitely recommend meeting with her on your visit to Canyon Ranch!

Later that night I found myself reading a book by the fire with a mocktail and appetizer in hand (that they serve every night in the Clubhouse), then went for a great dinner at their Canyon Ranch Grill! That’s a wrap on day two!

DAY THREE:

Day three started out with a great breakfast in the Double U Cafe before meeting with a nutritionist to come up with a 12 week plan to pair with my workout plan - and she was so knowledgable and helped me wade through the million things we hear about health and wellness on social media daily - it was a really cool experience!

After that I went to a stretch class because I was so sore from the day before that my body was in PAIN! The class was so good, and a definite must if you plan on doing lots of the workout classes!

Okay - we need a moment of silence for the spa……………. When you check in on your first day here, you can get your spa locker, that you keep throughout your entire stay, and have access to all spa facilities every day from 6am to 9pm… incredible. Hot tubs, cold plunge, sauna, steam room, showers, relaxation room, sunning terrace - you name it! I definitely took advantage of it every day!

While the facilities are incredible - it is only heightened by the unique and flawless spa treatments they offer. I scheduled the Desert Ritual and it was 100 minutes of heaven, I am convinced. It starts out with a hot shower, followed by fully body masks and exfoliation, then you hop back in the shower, rinse, and into an herbal bath for 10 or so minutes, and finish it off with a full body massage…. told you it was heaven. Don’t leave without trying this!

We finished the trip with a lecture by a Pelvic Floor Therapist - which was incredibly interesting, then had dinner with the chef in the demo kitchen! Every day the demo kitchen serves lunch open to the public, while demonstrating how to make it! Take home the recipe and impress your friends and family with all you learned! So - for dinner on our last night we did a Demo Dinner with the Chef - which was definitely the best meal we had!

Canyon Ranch is the perfect place for a rest and reset. Meet with specialists and make a plan of action, or just simply escape reality and rest! You truly can make it whatever you need it to be!