Solo Female Travel USA Wellness Retreats

A Solar Eclipse and Self-Reflection Weekend at Miraval Austin

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If you asked my friends to describe me, you may hear some seemingly contradictory things. She’s bougie, likes the finer things in life, but also loves a good deal. Andrea’s adventurous, traveling places alone and can stay in swanky resorts but also can live out of a backpack hiking on the trail. She’s into “interesting” spiritual things, like that time she visited a sweat lodge, but also very practical and grounded.

In hearing this, some may conclude oh, she must be a Miraval frequent flier. But they’d be wrong. In all my time and all my travels, I’ve done meditation retreats and visited several spas and a spa resort, but nothing at the level of this this all-inclusive, fully immersed focus on your own body/mind/spirit wellness. I’ve been tempted more times than I can count, but always talked myself out of it. It’s too expensive, I’d think. I can do those things individually, elsewhere. And on and on about why I would pass.

For my full guide to solo travel for women over 35, start here →

Packing for a Reset Should Feel Calm

Not chaotic. My free custom packing checklist strips it down to just what you need for a restorative weekend away. 

Reason for Going

This was true until a friend teased the idea of a girl’s weekend. Time for us to connect, get out

of our day-to-day craziness, and tap into the healthy exercise, nutrition and pampering we love

but don’t always prioritize. We talked about it for years (five, I think), and the idea slowly grew on me. But where to go, and when? So, the occasional research continued. And when she heard the solar eclipse was going to be seen in Austin in April 2024, our where and when were decided. Miraval Austin, here we come.

What I Wanted Out of It

The good part was I didn’t have many expectations beyond the basics. Then I saw their array of classes, experiences, and treatments. The fact that you could combine them to focus on different aspects – want adventure and excitement? Cocktail making and ropes courses are for you (not together, of course). Want introspection – meditation, private sessions, and classes like Letting Go could be a good fit. Want to restart your health and fitness routine? Boot camps, hikes, nutrition classes await. Want pure relaxed bliss? Line up your schedule with massages, meditation, and pool time. Once I got over being overwhelmed, I asked myself what I wanted? And, like the dichotomy I am, of course I wanted a little sampler platter of everything. Which took me to planning. 

Pre-Travel Prep

As you know from this blog, I love to plan. The research, the itineraries, how to fit in all the things but still have some balance. So, I was in heaven looking, planning (and replanning) my

4-day itinerary at Miraval Austin. An important tip is that things can often book up, so you have the best shot at getting what you want by booking things early. Luckily my friend was on it, checking the site 12 weeks before to see if any classes opened up. As they opened, we were adding things to the agenda. And as new things popped up, we’d rethink our plans and reshuffle the deck. This definitely allowed us to get what we wanted out of the trip, but there was some extra work as things got cancelled, added, or moved. For me, that was all part of the fun, and I’d rather have things planned vs showing up hoping for the best. But there’s something for every traveler out there, so you do what works best for you!

Arrival

Part of this ‘making the most’ mentality I have is maximizing my time at the resort. So, I arrived in Austin the night before check-in and stayed at a hotel right near the airport. This did a couple of things – it ensured if there were any travel delays, I’d still likely make it in time for my first day; and I could take the first free shuttle from the airport to the resort in the morning to get nearly a full day of classes in!

Airport pickup was seamless, as they were waiting right at baggage claim at 10am. Given many others had the same eclipse idea we did, the shuttle was full but at the resort, they did a great job checking all of us on the eclipse express in swiftly. We also received a lovely tote bag, water bottle, and updated list of classes for our stay, along with a golf cart tour of the property.

Part of the experience at Miraval is ‘devices-down’, so along with our welcome goodies was a little sleeping bag for your phone. As hard as it was, I put the little guy on airplane mode and tucked him away so I could be fully present for this experience I was about to have.

What I Loved

It’s hard to pull out one highlight, because there were so many.

My room was like a little oasis, looking out over a bluebonnet field, very representative of Austin. My Miraval bed was like floating in heaven, and I’m still eyeing those bedding deals they run occasionally. That made for a great base from which to try out so many different experiences.

Give the eclipse of it all, I wanted to learn more about the stars, and my star chart. A Wine and Sign event paired wine with the different elements and came with a custom reading of your astral chart. Lynn, the astrologer was so fantastic, I joined a Tarot Workshop with her which came with instruction and our own set of cards to take home. She helped cap the weekend with a Solar Eclipse dinner under the stars, where the chef prepared each course to match the energy of the eclipse. And during the actual eclipse, she was out there with us providing so much interesting knowledge about eclipses in general and what this one would bring.

I meditated every day, and the variety of meditations, from floating meditation where you’re suspended in silk in the air, to crystal sound bowl meditation where you select a crystal that calls to you, were great for remaining present.

Wanting to balance the mind, body, and spirit, I found myself pushing my boundaries up high above the treetops on a ropes course, even climbing my way across the Miraval sign. It was an adventure and a workout! Morning hikes and some cardio drumming also kept my body moving while my mind was slowing down.

I was excited to tap into introspection, and the unique horseback Riding and Rhythm class and Miraval Equine Experience were great ways to be in nature and learn more about yourself at the same time. My final day I did a private intuitive reading with Steven that really made a positive impact and resonates with me to this day.

What I Would Change

Because there were so many great class options, I found myself wanting a little extra downtime. Next time I may try to fit more of that in.

Overall, the resort grounds and amenities were lovely. If I had a magic wand, I would extend the meal hours as a few times I didn’t have time to make it to/from a treatment in time for a meal, so had to grab things to go. On the other hand, see lack of free time mentioned above.

Departure

Just like on the day of arrival, you can stay all day on your day of departure to make the most of your time. I may consider a later flight, so I have the extra time, as some items they only offer on certain days. I had a noon departure, so had time for a meditation, a nature walks, and breakfast before departing for home, relaxed, refreshed, and ready for what life has in store next.

Post-Trip Reflection

Now that I’m home and back in the day to day, I can look back objectively. Was it a splurge? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

The offerings were unique, the specialized instructors were so talented, and the ‘devices down’ mentality allowed you to be more present and take in the full experience. We enjoyed it so much; we’re already planning our next one at Miraval Arizona. An annual spa get-away sounds like a worthy tradition to me!

Inspired to Make Your Own Visit?

Sign up for Miraval’s email newsletter, as they’re often offering deals, and have unique weeks here and there with focused topics that may resonate with you. Want to see how Miraval compares to other similar resorts out there? Stay tuned as I’ll do a comparison as I visit more locales.

Still feel like this vacation is too much of a stretch for you? Take a look at hotels in your area – many have day passes to their spas and may even have locals’ discounts. You can make your own get-away for the day.

Whatever you do, I hope you find the rest, relaxation, and enjoyment I did!

Happy travels, kindreds!

Ready to Relax?

There are a few ways to keep going from here. If you want the full playbook on traveling solo as a woman, start with my Solo Female Travel guide, it’s everything I wish I’d known before my first trip alone.

If you’re going on a girls trip weekend, my Girls Trip Guide has everything you need to plan a carefree getaway.

And if you’re ready to go and want someone to handle the where, the how, and the details while you sit back and relax, that’s what I do. Reach out here and let’s plan the one that’s entirely yours.

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