Menopause retreats are one of the latest travel trends, according to the industry experts at Condé Nast Traveler.1 With so many new retreat and vacation options becoming available, women are feeling more comfortable about taking the time off and focusing on their self-care during this transitional period.
Menopause vacations give women the chance to get pampered, while learning strategies to help manage their specific menopause symptoms, like hot flashes and vaginal dryness.2 Travel can also improve mental health, decreasing stress, so it's an excellent option if you're one of the 69% of menopausal women who experience anxiety or depressed moods.3,4
Ready to pack your bags, but not quite sure where to go? Here are our favorite destinations to keep in mind for your trip planning.
Ananda in the Himalayas, India
Consider heading to the Himalayas to participate in Ananda's Hormonal Rebalance program.5 This inclusive retreat for both menopausal women, and men with age-related hormonal concerns, incorporates traditional therapies that work to help improve energy flow throughout the body.
During your stay, you can enjoy personalized wellness consultations, yoga and meditation sessions, and exclusive access to resort features, such as the sauna and chill plunge pool. The program is available with a seven-, 14-, or 21-night stay.
Preidlhof's Wellness Hotel, Italy
The Italian luxury resort of Preidlhof offers a safe space exclusively for women within its South Tyrol Wellness Hotel.6 Designed with your menopausal needs in mind, this location’s women's healing retreat offers an engaging range of holistic classes, wellness sessions, and massage and body treatments to help you feel pampered and rejuvenated. You can stay as long as you like, but Preidlhof recommends booking at least seven nights for your menopause vacation.
Combe Grove, England
Metabolism tends to slow down during menopause, causing some women to gain around 1.5 pounds, on average, through their 50s.7 While weight gain isn’t uncommon during the menopausal transition, it's also not inevitable if you pay careful attention to diet and exercise.
Combe Grove's Metabolic Health Menopause Retreat in England aims to provide you with helpful tools to better understand and rebalance your changing body.8 The six-night experience, located at a manor house estate, features information sessions from healthcare providers, in addition to specialized movement classes, and full use of its fitness facilities. Nutritious meals with seasonal ingredients aim to nourish and inspire your cooking. You'll also get a year of online support to inform your menopause journey.
The Raj, Iowa
You don't need to travel overseas to enjoy a menopause vacation. Closer to home, The Raj at Fairfield, Iowa, offers an Ayurvedic Menopause Program designed to cleanse the body's tissues to aid in alleviating menopause symptoms.9 One of the few menopause retreats in the U.S., it only accepts 15 guests at a time, so you'll enjoy incredibly personalized service. The resort's staff will work with you to create a customized program specifically for addressing and managing your symptoms.
O2 Beach Club & Spa, Barbados
The O2 Beach Club & Spa's beachside location and traditional resort facilities will make your time away feel like a classic coastal getaway. While the cocktail bars, pools, and fine dining restaurants are all enticing, the Acqua Spa Women's Wellness program is a real drawcard for menopausal women.10 Here, you can enjoy a wide range of offerings designed to ease your symptoms, including antioxidant-rich smoothies, yoga, reflexology, and the Hamman treatment room, created to draw out toxins. If you want a menopause retreat that lets you indulge a little, the O2 Beach Club & Spa in Barbados is the ideal choice.
Book Your Menopause Vacation Now
With menopause vacations becoming more popular, there are many getaway options to choose from. Preparing for travel can be daunting, but following a few simple travel tips can help. Whether you’re looking for an international retreat or a local wellness program, it’s now easier than ever to plan a vacation with a focus on your self-care and well-being during menopause and beyond.
Resources
- https://www.cntraveler.com/story/wellness-travel-trends-2024
- https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/06/menopause-retreats-why-people-pay-over-15000-for-them.html
- https://travelhub.wttc.org/blog/9-reasons-travel-is-good-for-your-mental-health
- https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jan/12/not-just-hot-flushes-how-menopause-can-destroy-mental-health
- https://www.anandaspa.com/en/programmes/hormonal-rebalance/112-9/
- https://www.preidlhof.it/en/spa-wellness/transformational-wellness/menopause/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/menopause-weight-gain/art-20046058
- https://combegrove.com/the-metabolic-health-retreat-menopause-focus/
- https://theraj.com/menopause/
- https://www.o2beachclubbarbados.com/womens-wellness
- https://journeywoman.com/solo-travel-advice/sex-romance/embracing-menopause-travel-midlife/
