5 Couples Retreats In The USA To Rest & Reignite Intimacy
“The partner truly best suited to us is not the one who miraculously happens to share every taste, but the one who can negotiate differences in taste with intelligence and grace.”
You don’t have to be married to enjoy the benefits of a couples retreat; neither do you need to be experiencing problems or hardships. Taking a retreat with our significant other can be beneficial no matter the stage of the relationship. By spending intentional time with our partners in unique and intimate settings, we can foster our communication skills, develop deeper connections, and reawaken lost intimacy.
There are endless retreat options for couples happening worldwide; the ones listed below are only a few of our personal favorites. Some are guided and in group settings, others allow for you and your partner to select the workshops and activities that best meet your needs. Whether you are longing to play, learn, reconnect, or just spend uninterrupted time together, check out these unique resorts for a truly engaging couples retreat.
1. Esalen Institute
Location | Big Sur, California
Best For | Couples seeking transformation and relationship tools; tailored workshops
Investment | Starting at $420 per person for weekend retreats
Escape with your partner to Big Sur’s rugged coastline and embark on a transformative journey at the Esalen Institute. A magical retreat center, it offers more than six hundred workshops throughout the year, including workshops specifically designed for couples.
At Esalen, couples can enjoy cliffside hot springs, a bookstore and massage center, and an art barn with supplies. Accommodations vary from budget-friendly bunk-bed rooms to private houses with balconies overlooking the Pacific, and all workshop rates are inclusive of food and board. For meals, anticipate local and organic menus served in the institute’s lodge. A place pulsating with history and sensory details, the lodge predates the institute and was once a gathering spot for the Big Sur community. For couples with dietary restrictions, the kitchen staff is happy to accommodate.
Esalen is also a sustainable retreat center, and this goes beyond the widespread definition of being environmentally-conscious or “green.” While the institute is a Certified Green Business and adheres to an impressive Sustainability Action Plan, Esalen believes that to embrace truly sustainable living is to approach each aspect of life with holistic and regenerative ethics.
Learn more about Esalen
2. Red Mountain Resort
Location | St. George, Utah
Best For | Active and adventurous couples needing time together in the outdoors
Investment | Starting at $670 per night for the Essential Retreat
For active couples looking to rekindle their love in nature, Red Mountain Resort is renowned for its customized health & wellness retreats. Nestled among Utah’s picturesque cliffs and canyons, the award-winning resort has been an oasis for singles, couples, and families alike for twenty years.
Days at this retreat center are designed to offer you and your partner experiences grounded in nature and physical activities. Biking through the nearby national parks (Zion and Bryce Canyon are at the resort’s doorstep), hiking under the full moon, and chakra balancing and music healing sessions are only a few of the exciting activities available to guests. The resort also has pools, a massage center, cooking classes, and wellness lectures.
Retreat packages at this resort are also all-inclusive, and accommodations at Red Mountain vary from bright and airy rooms to elaborate villas.
Learn more about Red Mountain Resort
3. Lake Austin Spa Resort
Location | Lake Austin, Texas
Best For | Couples who want to divide their time between nature-inspired activities and spa treatments
Investment | Inquire for rates
Lake Austin Spa Resort is an oasis in the heart of Texas. Only a thirty-minute water taxi from bustling Austin, the all-inclusive luxury spa invites couples to reconnect with nature, with self, and with one another.
At Lake Austin, guests can customize retreat packages, selecting everything from accommodations to wellness activities and spa treatments. Live music, paddle boarding, boxing classes, and morning sound baths are only a few options on the long list of offerings. The onsite spa is also ranked among the best in the United States—it’s the perfect place to unwind alongside your loved one after a day of outdoor adventures!
We also love the small details at Lake Austin Spa Resort. Fresh-cut flowers in guest rooms, lavender bath amenities (with the option for unscented products), and a gourmet menu made with conscientious and locally-sourced ingredients are all indicators that time at this retreat center will be truly memorable.
Learn more about Lake Austin Spa Resort
4. Firelight Camp Retreats
Location | Ithaca, New York
Best For | Yogi couples (all levels welcome) in need of a digital detox and time in nature with their partner
Investment | Starting at $1,006 per retreat for a private tent with king bed
Attention NYC couples: are you longing to reconnect with SO away from the city? Buttermilk Falls State Park is beckoning. An event co-hosted by Firelight Camps and local yoga instructors and studios, these weekend yoga retreats—happening a few times throughout the year—are some of the most unique and restorative getaways out there. While not solely for couples, we can’t envision a more perfect way to reconnect with your partner.
Schedules vary depending on the facilitator, but attendees can anticipate daily yoga, locally-sourced meals, foraging hikes, on-site massages, workshops, and nightly campfires. There is even a bathhouse on the property with a sauna and steam room—fluffy bathrobes are provided.
Couples will also love the eco-conscious glamping tents for accommodations, complete with king-sized beds, sustainable bath products, and lanterns with USB ports (tents with electricity are available for an additional cost).
Learn more about Firelight Camps
5. Hotel Joaquin
Location | Laguna Beach, California
Best For | A hidden retreat space for couples in need of sun and sea water
Investment | Starting at $269 per night
A petite oasis hidden in the chaos that can be Southern California, Hotel Joaquin is a place for lovers, for couples longing to rest their souls and pour fresh life into their relationships. Designed to honor the Spanish heritage of Laguna Beach, what was once a rundown roadside motel is now a luxurious refuge—a seaside sanctuary overlooking Pacific waters.
Although the hotel is not exclusive to couples, Hotel Joaquin is sexy and chic, making it an ideal destination for lovers in need of some r&r. Rooms are cozy, brimming with light, and have balconies overlooking the waves. Curated artwork, vintage furniture, and handcrafted tiles alluding to the era of the coastal craftsman also compliment each space. A fun and quirky touch, guests also have access to the hotel’s vintage vinyl collection, and each room is fitted with a record player.
Hotel Joaquin is an adventure-inclusive resort, so rates include a handcrafted breakfast as well as morning yoga and access to gear for exploring the local area and cove. Whether you and your partner want to play in the water or cruise around Laguna Beach on bikes, the hotel has sea and land equipment to meet your needs. Other amenities include an onsite spa with couples massages, a pool with double daybeds, and a fantastic restaurant where ‘seasonal menus are inspired by feminine ocean archetypes.’
Learn more about Hotel Joaquin
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Kayti Christian (she/her) is a Senior Editor at The Good Trade. She has a Master’s in Nonfiction Writing from the University of London and is the creator of Feelings Not Aside, a newsletter for enneagram 4s and other sensitive-identifying people. Outside of writing, she loves hiking, reading memoir, and the Oxford comma.