The best wellness retreat in the U.S. is located in the Catskills, says new ranking

Between the rapidly increasing rent prices, the city's relentless pace and the general, you know, garbage-fire state of the world, many New Yorkers can feel stuck in a perpetual state of anxiety. (Guilty!) That's where wellness retreats are a godsend, offering some much-welcome rest, relaxation and recentering in our never-endingly busy schedules. And according to a new ranking, New York State is, graciously, home to the best wellness retreat in the entire country. 

Yes, USA Today has recently come out with its Readers' Choice Awards 2025 ranking of the 10 best wellness retreat centers in the United States, places "where tranquility meets transformation, where the serene beauty of nature blends with the nurturing care of wellness experts." And topping the peaceful list this year is New York's own Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing at number one.

Located up in Cragsmoor, NY, Dharmakaya Center was praised by the outlet (each venue was nominated by an expert panel and voted on by readers) for its "range of Buddhish programs," its "residence halls surrounded by 90 acres of forest" and rates that include "three organic vegetarian meals daily." Wellness programming ranges from artistic activities (painting, dancing) to physical pursuits (wood walks, gentle yoga), all set against the stunning and serene surroundings of upstate New York.

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And Dharmakaya Center isn't the only Empire State-based retreat highlighted by the ranking—Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, "a community-minded wellness retreat center in New York's Hudson Valley" (Rhinebeck, to be exact), came in at No. 7 on USA Today's list. "Simple accommodations have no phones or TV; you'll spend your days eating whole-food meals, hiking forest trails, kayaking, playing lawn games, enjoying the sports court, or attending yoga, tai chi, or meditation classes," per the ranking.

Elsewhere on the top 10 list is Skyterra Wellness Retreat in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina; Eupepsia Wellness Resort in Bland, Virginia; and Pritikin Longevity Center in Miami, Florida, among others.