Do you ever feel like you need a vacation to recover from your vacation? When you’re traveling with kids, it can be especially exhausting. I’ve always dreamt of a getaway where I could truly relax and unplug. But I didn’t know that place existed until I went to Wisconsin Dells.
Yes, Wisconsin Dells!
I know what you’re thinking, “Isn’t that the waterpark capital of the world?”
It is, but hidden among the waterpark resorts is a hidden gem, Sundara Inn & Spa. It’s tucked in the pines near Lake Delton, and it is a true oasis.
To celebrate our anniversary, my husband and I stayed at Sundara Inn & Spa. One of the first things that attracted us to Sundara was that it is an adults-only retreat. We love to travel with our kids (and have a big road trip coming up soon), but it’s much easier to unplug my mom brain without any kids cannonballing into the pool while I’m reading—or napping—by the pool.
Spa Treatments
Now I’ve had a massage before, but I’ve never spent a full day at a spa with hot soaking tubs, steam rooms, and the whole works. So I was pretty excited to try it all out.
In fact, I had a pretty full schedule planned for myself: massage, salt therapy room, yoga, lunch on the patio, purifying bath ritual. My husband wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as I was, but he was looking forward to sleeping in and checking out the Wild Rock Golf Club next door.
Starting the day with a massage was a great way to get my muscles loosened up. I was very impressed with my massage therapist, Mel, who had been with Sundara for more than 15 years.
Yoga Class
As guests at Sundara, we had access to several free classes and activities. I signed up for yoga, and it was one of my favorite parts of the day. It was a gentle yoga practice in a window-lined room facing tall pine trees. Tucked in the woods we could see a young deer munching on leaves. It was an idyllic setting.
Lunch
My husband and I reunited for lunch at the spa’s Nava restaurant. We sat on the patio with views of a water feature, fire pits, and the woods beyond. I had a refreshing salad, and Darren enjoyed spicy beef dumplings. But we both had food envy when we saw a group of ladies order a charcuterie board and a bottle of wine.
Relaxing Together
At lunch, I convinced my husband he couldn’t spend a day at a spa and not try out some of the spa amenities, so he threw on his swimming trunks and met me at the purifying bath ritual. It’s a 5-step (DIY) process that takes you through an exfoliating shower, hydrating mist, steam room, hot soak infused with essential oils, and cold plunge. We went back and forth between the hot soak and cold plunge several times. After that, hubs was totally onboard with the relaxing spa experience. We put on our robes and decided to try out more of the hot soak tubs.
Last year Sundara remodeled and added on the Cambrian Oasis. This indoor-outdoor area has the look of a sandstone cave with saltwater hot soak tubs. There’s also an indoor-outdoor pool and swim-up bar, which we definitely visited.
Luxurious Rooms
Normally I don’t sleep well in hotel rooms, but after a full day of relaxing, I melted into the pillow-clad king bed in our suite. It felt more like an apartment than a hotel room. Our suite had a vaulted ceiling with stunning two-story windows overlooking the infinity-edge pool area. There was a second bedroom upstairs and a pullout couch in the sunken living room area, making it a great option for a girls weekend. (I keep telling my husband I’m coming back without him!)
As a former kitchen and bath magazine editor, one of my favorite features was the shower. It had a rainfall showerhead and wall-mounted body sprays with digital temperature controls. It was like having a private spa in our room.
Mom Approved
If I found a genie in a lamp, I’d wish for all moms to get to have a day of relaxation at Sundara. Moms are constantly caring for others. It’s physically exhausting carrying babies, car seats, backpacks, and toddlers. It’s mentally exhausting when you’re sleep deprived and trying to remember details and schedules for everyone in your home.
Every mom deserves to be pampered. A visit to Sundara is an unprecedented break from caring for others to just be and to care for yourself.
Whether you make it a couples getaway or grab your mom friends and make it a girls weekend, for an XL dose of self-care I highly recommend a head-clearing trip to Sundara. And if you do go with the girls, call me!
Connect with Sundara Inn and Spa
920 Canyon Rd
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
YOU can win a variety of AMAZING prizes from Sundara Inn & Spa:
- Prize 1 – Sundara Cookbook, a hardcover cookbook loaded with color photos and favorite recipes from the culinary team at Sundara plus tips for cooking with the seasons
- Prize 2 – Sundara Signature Revival Collection, the original three products in the Sundara signature collection and today still the most popular, including the Sandstone Body Polish, Hydrating Mist and Nourishing Body Milk, all drawing ingredients indigenous to the area
- Prize 3 – Unplug Gear, including a t-shirt (winner provides size preference) and pouch to stow electronics, since Sundara is electronics-free in the common areas, here’s your chance to practice that same digital detox philosophy at home
- Prize 4 – Sundara Robe, the most plush spa robe you can imagine plus a cute spa duck to put you in a Sundara state of mind (size: one size fits most)
- Prize 5 – Grand Prize: Two Night Midweek Overnight Visit for Two, you’ll stay in a richly appointed suite with king featherbed, chic spa bathroom and cozy fireplace; enjoy breakfast for two; and have unlimited access to indoor and outdoor pools and all wellness classes and activities
Click here to ENTER
Winners will be chosen Friday July 26 and contacted via email.
