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Side Trips

A little you time

By JANET K. KEELER
Published January 1, 2006

	Canyon Ranch, Tucson, Ariz.
	Regency House Natural Health Spa, Hallandale
	Green Mountain at Fox Run, Ludlow, Vt.

For weeks now, shopping, decorating, cooking, partying, plus swarming relatives and over-excited kids, have been our relentless focus.

Talk about toxic buildup.

Today is the day to flip over the new leaf, you know, the one that magically makes you slimmer and healthier, body and soul. This will be especially important if you chased out 2005 like a wild animal. Forget the hair of the dog: This morning you could use a hot stone massage. Or a sweat lodge.

It's time to dream about a spa vacation in 2006. Pamper yourself for a long weekend or a week with chemical peels, yoga sessions, mud wraps and oxygen facials. Not to mention lots of fruits and vegetables, sorely missing from the December diet.

There are dozens of spa-resorts in the United States, and www.spafinder.com can locate one that offers what you need. Or what you can afford. The famous Golden Door in Escondido, Calif., charges $6,750 for a minimum one-week stay. You can find special treatment for less, and keep in mind that package prices include all meals.

Closer to home, the Safety Harbor Spa, 105 N Bayshore Drive, in Safety Harbor, has many rejuvenation packages. For more information, call toll-free 1-866-436-7634 or go to www.safetyharborspa.com

The following are among Destination Spa Vacations magazine's top spas in the United States. To read more about palaces of pampering, go to www.destinationspas.com

- JANET K. KEELER, Times staff writer

Nothing chintzy about this place. It'll set you back more than $2,000 for three nights of special treatment. You can get a Mango Sugar Glo massage, a sexuality consultation, take a Pilates class and enjoy gourmet spa cuisine. Canyon Ranch has been luring people to the Sonoran Desert for more than 25 years to rub off the stress of the city. Call toll-free 1-800-742-9000 or go to www.canyonranch.com

Green Mountain, on 26 secluded acres overlooking Okemo Mountain, focuses on weight loss for women only. Hiking and aerobics water and land, plus snowshoeing and cross country skiing, are available. Workshops address a variety of eating issues. Value season continues through April 1, during which a week's stay is $2,640. Call toll-free 1-800-448-8106 or go to www.fitwoman.com

Get close to nature in the Catskill Forest Preserve by taking part in bald eagle watches, kite flying and hiking. Get close to yourself with yoga, meditation and supervised juice fasts. Vegetarian and vegan-friendly menus available. Rooms range from $290 to $379 a night. Call toll-free 1-800-682-4348 or go to www.newagehealthspa.com

Learn tai chi or Middle Eastern dancing while you get fit in the hilly woods of middle Tennessee. Activities and classes are optional, but the spa cuisine, which is 1,200 to 1,400 calories a day, is sure to peel off pounds put on by cookies and fudge. The weekly rate for a deluxe double is $900 a person. The spa is closed until March 5. Call toll-free 1-800-235-8365 or go to www.tfspa.com

A private nutritional consultation kicks off your stay at Regency House on the Atlantic Ocean. Daily health lectures, massages, facials, manicures, pedicures and makeup lessons plus swimming, swimming and more swimming all conspire to make you as fit as a South Beach hottie. A seven-night stay in winter is $1,495 for a single room. Call toll-free 1-800-454-0003 or go to www.regencyhealthspa.com

[Last modified December 30, 2005, 09:10:05]