Design the Wellness Experience You Need
Here, you can shape your wellness vacation your way — whether it’s a solo retreat, a couple’s reset or cherished time with family, friends or coworkers that focuses on everyone’s wellbeing. Many of these suggestions are offered year-round and other seasonal opportunities will come along, too. Please find the time to take care of yourself and those you love. It will happen here.
Create your wellness vacation with these refreshers:
Forest Bathing & Stargazing
Southwest Michigan has many parks and nature preserves. Walk or bike along trails and soak up the peace created by hardwood and pine trees, still ponds, flowing streams and rivers, colorful wildflowers, fluttering butterflies and the playlists of songbirds. Research shows that spending only 10 to 20 minutes in the woods, or forest bathing, can lower blood pressure, heart rate and stress-elevated hormones. Here are some soothing choices:
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Fernwood Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve
Galien River County Park
Love Creek County Park & Nature Center
Paw Paw River County Park
Fred Russ Forest Park
Warren Woods State Park
Watch the Stars and Incredible Sunsets
One of the hottest vacation trends, stargazing, can also help improve your mental health. Seeing a dark sky blanketed in stars and planets will fill you with a sense of awe that can make you feel better. We are lucky in Southwest Michigan to have one of Michigan’s three officially designated International Dark Sky Parks — unmatched for nights under the stars. Bring a chair or spread a blanket and gaze with wonder.
Another awe-inspiring moment that happens every day of the year is the sun setting below Lake Michigan’s western horizon. Watching sunsets is a ritual along the lakeshore. No two are alike, but on clear evenings the swaths of scarlet, orange, lavender and yellow painting the sky will leave you speechless. Below are some favorite places to pause and relax so you can sleep well at night.
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Dr. T. K. Lawless Park | International Dark Sky Park
The Ultimate Guide to Sunset Views
Find Freedom Outdoors
One of the best things you can do for your well-being is simply to get moving. Beyond hiking and biking through our scenic forests, try these outdoor wellness experiences that blend energizing activity with the healing power of nature:
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Disc Golf Courses
Harbor Shores Nature Trail
The Woods Fitness Park
Kayaking, Canoeing & Paddleboarding
How to Plan the Best Pickleball Vacation
Morning Yoga | River St. Joe Brewery
Yoga on the Beach
Trails & Hiking
Discover Immersive Art Experiences
For centuries, artists, musicians, writers and performers have drawn inspiration from the natural beauty and creative spirit of Southwest Michigan. Today, that legacy lives on in galleries, studios, theaters and museums that invite you to both experience and create. Whether you want to be stirred by a live performance, inspired by visual art, sharpen your culinary skills or express your imagination, Southwest Michigan offers enriching opportunities for all ages and abilities. If you’re seeking a spark for your creativity, this is the place to find it.
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Benton Harbor Arts District
Creative Connections
Murals Challenge
Try Familiar and Unconventional Wellness Activities
Looking to keep up your fitness routine, try something new or just let go of everyday stress? In Southwest Michigan, you’ll find plenty of ways to move, breathe and feel your best. These welcoming spots offer guest passes — so start where you’re at.
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Best Spas
Maddog 5/1 Revolutionary Fitness
Renaissance Athletic Center
South Shore Health & Racquet Club
Redbud Fitness & Lifestyle Center
River of Life Yoga
The Collective
The Salt Haven
Yoga Life Studio
Enjoy Mindful Eating
One of the best ways to maintain your wellness is to choose healthy foods and beverages. You can easily find chefs who offer organic, locally sourced meals and seasonal, fresh-from-the-farm flavors. There are also juices, smoothies and herbal teas at our wellness cafes. We have suggested a few delicious destinations below.
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Base Bowls & Company
Granor Farm
Grateful Pie Company at Fernwood
Mason Jar Cafe
Renaissance Cafe
River St. Joe Brewery
Verde Juice Box