At Devon Hiking Spa, our goal is for you to enjoy a fun, healthy vacation. Our five-night health retreats combine hiking and fitness classes with spa services and informative lectures. Whether you are interested in getting a great workout on the trails, taking a relaxing break from everyday life, learning how to incorporate healthy practices into your daily schedule, or managing your weight, we meet your needs.
Our program is unique because we mesh the spa experience with the “real world.” We suggest gradual changes you can stick with for the rest of your life. Instead of serving a restrictive diet, which may offer short-term weight loss, we eat at real restaurants where you learn to make decisions for the long-term. Instead of using bulky gym equipment in our fitness classes, we work with portable resistance bands and show you exercises you can easily continue at home.
Our fitness philosophy is simple: we want you to "move more." We realize most people do not have an hour to spend at the gym each day. You can still incorporate more activity into your daily routine. How? Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park farther away from the store, stand up from your chair and do ten jumping jacks each hour, contract your abdominal muscles while you sit in front of the computer, throw a few punches (jab, hook, uppercut) at your reflection when you look in the mirror, listen to your favorite song and dance around the house, mop the floor, vacuum the carpet, mow the lawn, and choose non-sedentary social activities, like bowling or miniature golf. In addition to "moving more", we focus on flexibility and resistance training.
Unlike most spas, we run programs with fixed dates at a resort hotel. Each five-night hiking and health spa package is limited to 15 participants and includes deluxe accommodations, all meals and snacks, daily guided hikes, fitness classes, interesting lectures, relaxing massages, and/or individual nutrition and fitness consultations.
A typical day at Devon Hiking Spa starts with a 30 minute stretch class. After breakfast and a morning lecture on a health-related topic, you choose to participate in a beginner, intermediate, or advanced hiking experience. You eat lunch on the trail and return to the hotel in the late afternoon for a fitness class and/or massage before dinner. All activities, meals, and lectures are optional, so you are always free to lounge at the pool, workout in the gym, or play tennis or golf at the resort.
Devon Hiking Spa provides an extraordinary level of service and personal attention. In addition, the gimmick-free nutrition and fitness program is based on sound science. Whether you are already fit or motivated to get there, traveling on your own or with a friend or spouse, you will find Devon Hiking Spa to be a fun, valuable experience.
Devon Hiking Spa was founded by Devon Metz, M.S., R.D., a registered dietitian with a Master of Science degree in clinical nutrition. Devon spent six years working in the spa industry at New Life Hiking Spa, Miraval Resort and Spa, and Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires. Throughout the years, Devon filled the roles of nutritionist, hiking guide, fitness instructor, and program coordinator. In addition, she listened to spa-goers’ likes and dislikes, researched the spa industry, and developed the concepts that led to the creation of Devon Hiking Spa.