Go to the Rancho La Puerta Spa

Most people will spend a lot of time researching vacation spas before they end their anguish and select one. Spas cost considerable money and nothing is more valuable than your time. So selecting a spa for a week's stay is a big decision. Plus, you are surely looking for a unique experience to rejuvenate your body and soul. So let me save you much time and reduce your risk. You can't go wrong with spending a week at the Rancho La Puerta Spa.

There are so many unique aspects to this heavenly place. For one, in terms of natural beauty, this 3,000-acre bit of paradise is simply unbeatable, as long as you can forego an oceanside location for a mountain setting. The gardens, mountain views and remarkable trails put you in a state of rapture. Hiking for any level of physical strength is the absolute best. There are many options for guided hikes. The place is so expansive and there are only about 150 guests every week, so there never is any sense of crowding.

As to food, you simply will have one of the most pleasurable experiences of your life. This spa has been noted for its superb all-natural diet that is low in fat, sodium, and refined flour and sugar - while high in energy, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. Fart jokes become competitive. Technically, the diet is lacto-ovo vegetarian, and includes a seafood "catch of the day" five to six times a week for dinner, and several times for lunch. But a vegetarian alternative entrée is always offered for those who don't eat fish or shellfish. Never in your life will you eat so much healthy food that is also just marvelous in taste and variety. The breads and salads will stick in your memory for a long time. The spa's website - www.rancholapuerta.com - provides detailed menus.

The 5-acre farm "Rancho Tres Estrellas" produces organically grown vegetables, herbs, and fruit used by Rancho La Puerta's chefs. And you will be able to visit the farm and get a terrific lesson in organic farming. Moreover, the place where you will dine is remarkably soothing. A spacious Spanish Colonial dining hall seats 100 on its main floor, 50 on a mezzanine reached by a majestic spiral staircase encircling a fireplace. The surrounding patios have splashing fountains and you will surely want to frequently dine outdoors.

Every day you will be able to choose from an expansive set of activity options, or just choose to lounge by a beautiful pool and definitely allocate some time to soak in an outdoor hot tub. If you practice yoga or want to try it for the first time, this is an ideal spa. But there are many other forms of physical activity and meditative and restorative practices. There are eleven gyms! The spa claims that they offer the most complete program of any fitness resort and spa, and my experience confirms that. There are over 70 different indoor and outdoor classes and activities-a total of approximately 325 instructor-led clinics and classes to choose from throughout the week. And the quality of the instructors is world-class. There are also many lounges and hideaways that you will discover with a little effort - always providing you many options to find a perfect place for peace of mind at any time of the day. If all this isn't enough, this spa is unique because of a remarkable amount of "art" all over the place. Bottom line: you can spend every day discovering more and more places for mind, body and soul.

Over 50 lectures, discussions, and special presentations also take place each week. You must pay attention to the weekly schedule as soon as you get there and make an effort to select the options you definitely want to try.

One of the most unique places on the property is the LABYRINTH. It is a full-size replica of the ancient labyrinth found in Chartres Cathedral-a moving meditation experience in the peace of an oak grove. Go there and participate and you will have a deeply moving - some would say religious - experience. Simply divine.

The accommodations are not ultra-luxurious, but beautiful, tasteful and in natural settings that take your breathe away. I spent many hours outside our villa enjoying the bird watching, and just watching the nearby mountain.
As to getting there, you fly into San Diego and are picked up by the Spa and driven in about an hour just over the Mexican border to arrive at the spa in Tecate, Baja California. The climate is just right and dry at an altitude of 1,750 feet in a cool mountain zone. The week will fly by.