The Costco Connection

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© SHU T TERSTOCK/MARIDAV; ILLUS TRATION: © SHU T TERSTOCK/MILOJE

By Heather Larson

A FEW YEARS ago, Laureen Lund, a Costco member living in Gig Harbor, Washington, realized she needed to move her body more every day to feel better. On a cruise to Greece, celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, Lund and her husband tried a six-mile hike suggested in their guidebook. ;e trek invigorated her, and she found it so much fun that she continued hiking when she got home. She also began to see vacations as ;tness and wellness opportunities. ;is July, she’s embarking on a Women’s Transformational Kayak Journey for a weekend of kayaking, hiking, meditation, yoga and healthy meals.

Lund is not alone in wanting to use her
time away to embrace a healthy lifestyle.
According to a study done by the Global
Wellness Institute, wellness travel in 2013
accounted for about 14 percent of all tourism
expenditures and is expected to climb to 23
percent by 2017. Wellness travel encompasses
health and well-being through a variety of
activities, such as yoga retreats, boot camps,
fitness adventures, hiking, kayaking and
cycling tours, weight-loss programs that focus
on developing new relationships with food
and retreats that o;er reboots for the body,
mind and soul.

Why take a wellness trip?

What’s the driving force behind wellness vacations? Wellness travel expert Anne Dimon, the editor of traveltowellness.com, says more people have realized the key to good health and longevity lies in their hands, and the adoption of a wellness lifestyle while traveling makes them feel better. ;ey also come home relaxed, content and refreshed.

In this fast-paced, high-stress world, it’s vitally important to take time o; to let your body and brain rest, says Costco member John Ayo, author of Travel Balance: A Unique Health Guide for Your Journey (AyoLifeBalance, 2014; not available at Costco).

He advises that for a true wellness retreat “get away physically and mentally, learn about healthy food, do yoga, meditate and bring all you’ve learned back with you.”

Wellness retreats
bring balance to life

for your health

Decompression travel

Wellness retreats can incorporate a variety of physical activities, such as yoga, sailing and hiking, as well as meditation, massage and a focus on healthful eating.

A genuine wellness vacation planned with intention and purpose is one of the few types of travel that can truly keep on giving even a;er you’ve returned home, says Dimon, a Costco member. A proactive approach to health is a good investment of both your time and money, she adds.

Finding the right fit

To locate the ideal place for your healthy vacation, Dimon suggests you ;rst decide on the kind of lodging that sounds best and the type of food that appeals to you, and then focus on what you’d like to do during the day. Do you want to rest and relax, engage in physical and recreational activities, take part in educational programs, shop and sightsee or try di;erent spa treatments?

Options include participating in Wine & Align yoga classes at the Hyatt Regency Orlando in Orlando, Florida, which treat you to a casual wine tasting a;er a gentle ;ow yoga practice. For one week each month, the Lake Austin Spa Resort, a Costco member in Austin, Texas, shares its secrets of preparing healthful cuisine in fun, interactive classes for guests. Costco members Jimmy and Kathleen LeSage offer a wellness-retreat experience at their New Life Hiking Spa in Killington, Vermont, including three levels of hikes every day; Zumba, water aerobics, Pilates, ;t ball classes and one massage for every three-night stay.

;e schooner Zodiac, a 160-foot sailboat, departs from Bellingham, Washington. Passengers are asked to help raise and maneuver the large sails; cruises include hiking, kayaking and using crab pots to catch Dungeness crabs, which are then cooked on the deck.