50 States of Relaxing Destinations

Whether your version of relaxation involves silence, solitude, or breaking a sweat, there are beautiful places all over the United States to help you find your peace. From tiny coastal towns to yoga retreats out in the middle of nowhere, this country isn't lacking in providing peaceful places to escape your busy work life or home life and take some time for yourself.

01
Alabama — Gulf Shores
Flickr user nola_agent

Alabama — Gulf Shores

On Alabama's Gulf Shores, you can find a little bit of everything, including a bit of relaxation. Take a snooze under an umbrella on the 32 miles of white sand beaches if you're looking for a bit of a getaway.

02
Alaska — Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Flickr user randompix

Alaska — Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska is a peaceful place to camp among the state's most beautiful wildlife.

03
Arizona — Miraval Resort & Spa
Flickr user joshfriendmantravel

Arizona — Miraval Resort & Spa

Choose from the many options at Miraval's Life in Balance Spa, including Ayurveda treatments, facials, and pedicures.

04
Arkansas — Lake Ouachita
Flickr user Antrell Williams

Arkansas — Lake Ouachita

Whether you want to camp or take a boat out on the water, Lake Ouachita has a multitude of relaxing options.

05
California — Enderts Beach
Flickr user adombrowski

California — Enderts Beach

Enderts Beach is a part of California's Redwood National Park. After a hike through the trees, you'll find yourself on this peaceful, scenic beach overlooking the Pacific.

06
Colorado — Shambhala Mountain Center
Flickr user mehrensvard

Colorado — Shambhala Mountain Center

At Shambhala Mountain Center in Red Feather Lakes, CO, you can take part in relaxing meditation among nature atop the Rocky Mountains.

07
Connecticut — Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
Flickr user laurenmanning

Connecticut — Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library

Snag one of the rare books at Yale University's Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library and tuck yourself away in a corner to escape the real world.

08
Delaware — Lewes
Flickr user leecannon

Delaware — Lewes

The sleepy, coastal town of Lewes, DE, is rich with history and all walkable. You can be sure to find a quaint bed and breakfast here for a quiet weekend.

09
Florida — Boca Beach Club
Boca Beach Club

Florida — Boca Beach Club

The Waldorf Astoria spa at Boca Beach Club and Boca Resort is one of the most luxurious experiences you'll find in the US. The huge facility is a great place to relax, especially in the Turkish baths.

10
Georgia — The Cloister at Sea Island
Flickr user George Creal

Georgia — The Cloister at Sea Island

At this Sea Island resort, you'll have your own private beach so you won't have to deal with any of the chaos of your daily life.

11
Hawaii — Kalani
Flickr user thtbln

Hawaii — Kalani

From massages to yoga under the Hawaiian sun, you can do it all — while relaxing — at Kalani on Hawaii's big island.

12
Idaho — Hailey
Flickr user usdagov

Idaho — Hailey

There are miles of hiking trails right outside this tiny Idaho town where you can go to clear your mind.

13
Illinois — Waldorf Astoria Chicago
Waldorf Astoria Chicago

Illinois — Waldorf Astoria Chicago

Not only is the spa at the Waldorf Astoria Chicago one of the best in the country, but you can also have your spa services taken care of right in your room so you don't have to go anywhere.

15
Iowa — Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
Flickr user Richard Swearinger

Iowa — Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden

This little oasis in the middle of Des Moines has practically endless foliage to enjoy, and the garden even has art shows from time to time.

16
Kansas — Horsethief Canyon Trails
Flickr user garettgabriel

Kansas — Horsethief Canyon Trails

In Kanopolis State Park, you can find Horsethief Canyon Trails, which cover canyons, grasslands, and even a lake.

17
Kentucky — Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn
Bourbon Manor

Kentucky — Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn

Kentucky's Bourbon Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn is not only just for adults, but all the rooms are spirits themed. The bed and breakfast also provides the perfectly located hideaway in bourbon country.

18
Louisiana — The Roosevelt New Orleans
The Roosevelt New Orleans

Louisiana — The Roosevelt New Orleans

You can forget all about the madness of Bourbon Street when you step inside The Roosevelt New Orleans and into the spa. You'll feel your worries fade away while you're enjoying a reflexology massage or a hydrafacial.

19
Maine — Brassua Lake Camps
Flickr user dana_moos

Maine — Brassua Lake Camps

Rent a little cabin on the lake at Maine's Brassua Lake and splash around in the water to your heart's content.

20
Maryland — Assateague Island National Seashore
Flickr user dougtone

Maryland — Assateague Island National Seashore

You could spend hours on the trails on the Assateague Island National Seashore, and when you need a getaway, that's more than fine.

21
Massachusetts — Edgartown
Flickr user mcgrayjr

Massachusetts — Edgartown

This picturesque little town is right on the water and in Martha's Vineyard. Take a boat out on the water for some chill time before coming back to a quaint bed and breakfast.

22
Michigan — Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Flickr user noaaphotolib

Michigan — Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Nestled on Lake Superior, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore has such beautiful scenery that it's almost hard to believe. The sheer beauty of it will relax your mind instantly.

23
Minnesota — Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Flickr user usfwsmidwest

Minnesota — Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge

You can hike through Minnesota's 14,000 acres at this wildlife refuge and see how many types of birds you can spot.

24
Mississippi — Devereaux Shields House B&B
Devereaux Shields House B&B Natchez MS

Mississippi — Devereaux Shields House B&B

This beautiful bed and breakfast in Natchez, MS, is the perfect place to relax with a glass of wine and a good book.

25
Missouri — Missouri Botanical Garden
Flickr user jblewitt

Missouri — Missouri Botanical Garden

St. Louis's Missouri Botanical Garden is one of the oldest botanical gardens in the US and will provide you with endless stretches of foliage to get lost in.

26
Montana — Glacier National Park
Flickr user mpwillis

Montana — Glacier National Park

There are more than 700 miles of hiking trails in Glacier National Park, spanning across Montana's Rocky Mountains.

27
Nebraska — Indian Cave State Park
Flickr user Dick Clark

Nebraska — Indian Cave State Park

Camp among the wildlife at Indian Cave State Park in Shubert, NE, before taking a boat out on the water.

29
New Hampshire — Phillips Exeter Academy Library
Flickr user gnrklk

New Hampshire — Phillips Exeter Academy Library

This beautiful library in Exeter, NH, will put your mind at ease as soon as you walk through the door and among all the books.

30
New Jersey — Lakota Wolf Preserve
Flickr user rowens27

New Jersey — Lakota Wolf Preserve

Take a tour with these beautiful animals in Columbia, NJ, at the Lakota Wolf Preserve. While you can't pet the wolves, just being among these wild animals in nature is rewarding enough.

31
New Mexico — Taos
Flickr user larry1732

New Mexico — Taos

Experience the culture and beauty of nature in this little New Mexico town. Lose yourself in the bevy of art it has to offer, or go for a solo ski in one of the town's ski areas.

32
New York — Omega Institute
Flickr user rwkphotography

New York — Omega Institute

A holistic center in Rhinebeck, NY, Omega Institute offers a place for you to go to practice yoga and set your mind at ease.

33
North Carolina — Outer Banks
Flickr user blakespot

North Carolina — Outer Banks

There are definitely touristy areas of Outer Banks on North Carolina's coast, but you can find peace and tranquility if you look for it. Stroll the quiet stretch of beach and let the sound of the crashing waves calm you.

34
North Dakota — Erlenbusch Waterfowl Production Area
Flickr user usfwsmtnprairie

North Dakota — Erlenbusch Waterfowl Production Area

The Erlenbusch Waterfowl Production Area is a great place to get lost birdwatching in North Dakota's open space.

36
Oklahoma — Turkey Mountain
Flickr user oakleyoriginals

Oklahoma — Turkey Mountain

Experienced hikers and bikers will enjoy the challenging terrains of Turkey Mountain in Oklahoma, because who says a little challenge won't set your mind at ease?

37
Oregon — Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat
Flickr user mrlunch

Oregon — Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat

You can take part in group relaxation or solo ventures at Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat, a safe space for spiritual renewal in Detroit, OR.

38
Pennsylvania — The Lodge at Woodloch
The Lodge at Woodloch

Pennsylvania — The Lodge at Woodloch

Situated in the Poconos is this luxurious, award-winning spa resort that is as beautiful as it is relaxing.

39
Rhode Island — Jamestown
Flickr user davidwilson

Rhode Island — Jamestown

Take a boat out on the water off the coast of Jamestown, RI, and watch your worries fade away.

40
South Carolina — Beaufort
Flickr user bionicteaching

South Carolina — Beaufort

Get away for a weekend to this sleepy coastal town and enjoy the quiet ocean breeze.

41
South Dakota — Badlands National Park
Flickr user alwaysshooting

South Dakota — Badlands National Park

The scenery at this national park is so beautiful it's almost unreal.

42
Tennessee — The Gentle Barn
The Gentle Barn

Tennessee — The Gentle Barn

This Knoxville animal sanctuary rescues animals and nurses them back to health. What better way to set your mind at ease than to spend time giving these animals love and belly rubs?

43
Texas — Big Bend National Park
Flickr user atbaker

Texas — Big Bend National Park

If silence is what you seek, you can find a lot of it in Big Bend National Park's desert.

44
Utah — Moab Glamping Retreat
Flickr user Emilio Labrador

Utah — Moab Glamping Retreat

Have the ultimate relaxing adventure with a glamping retreat in the Moab desert.

45
Vermont — Stowe
Flickr user richardaustin

Vermont — Stowe

The tiny town of Stowe, VT, has a variety of relaxing options to choose from, so you can be sure to find whatever meets your needs for peace.

46
Virginia — Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Flickr user donwest48

Virginia — Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is one of the nation's best — and most beautiful.

47
Washington — Millersylvania State Park
Flickr user danox

Washington — Millersylvania State Park

Let yourself feel small and insignificant (in a good way!) among the trees at this Washington state park.

48
West Virginia — Hillbrook Inn
Hillbrook Inn

West Virginia — Hillbrook Inn

Tucked away in Charles Town, WV, Hillbrook Inn is the perfect place to escape for a relaxing solo trip among nature.

50
Wyoming — Granite Hot Springs
Flickr user bridgerteton

Wyoming — Granite Hot Springs

Wyoming's own little version of Iceland's blue lagoon is a beautiful naturally occurring hot spring in the Gros Ventre Mountains.