By Angela Caraway-Carlton
As I drive beneath moss-draped tree canopies, a sense of calm washes over me—the kind only Amelia Island can summon. Located just 30 minutes from Jacksonville, this northernmost barrier island is a sanctuary of wild beauty, where forested trails twist like storybook paths and wide beaches stretch out beneath rolling dunes. A rare Florida gem where it’s easy to get in touch with nature, and yourself, as it still feels mostly untouched by mass tourism.
I’m attending a three-day, longevity-themed wellness retreat at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island. The resort is befitting of a serene getaway any time of year, thanks to its prime spot on a secluded beach where glorious morning sunrises are worth rising early for, and where long walks on the beach to scan for dolphins are daily rituals. With wellness getaways trending, the resort is committed to an annual wellness retreat with different themes and speakers, such as longevity guru Kalindi Hoffmann who hosted sessions throughout the weekend.
The first day, our small group was challenged by Hoffmann’s question of what wellness means to us. Almost immediately, our small group collectively agreed: longevity isn’t so much about how long you live, but about living in good health for the time we’re here. One attendee recently received a shocking cancer diagnosis and was working on self-care, while a couple from Boca Raton booked the retreat as part of their commitment to a yearly reset together. Others were struggling with sleep or negative thoughts, which brought me to my intention for the weekend. I wanted help quieting negative or fearful thoughts that seem to dominate my mind and the world’s daily newsfeed.
We’d wake in the mornings for gentle movement like yoga, stretching and “no-talking” beach walks (which proved difficult for a group of mostly women who became fast friends), and huddle up in a quiet conference room for longevity learning sessions. As someone who is sleep-challenged, I gravitated to Hoffmann’s yoga nidra session where we slipped on eye masks and lay on mats curled up with blankets, allowing her soft voice and mediative guidance to lull us into deep relaxation. I alternated somewhere between vivid dreams and awareness. “You all look like babies,” she exclaimed as we emerged from the session, our faces wiped clear of stress. Yoga nidra is meant to prime the body for a good night’s sleep and I slept hard that night. The next day Hoffmann led us through breathing exercises, another pillar of longevity, to showcase the power of breathing on our nervous system and emotional healing; while the final day, our yoga and movement instructor Cassie, bathed us in a vibrational sound bowl session.
There were no salads in sight over the weekend—unless you wanted one, of course—but the first night was filled with a buffet of Blue Zone foods, ranging from nutrient-rich soups to seared local fish, and hearty breakfasts at Coast restaurant that included peanut butter overnight oats, omelets, zucchini bread, bowls and avocado toast. A treat was dinner at the resort’s newly renovated Salt restaurant, where the chef created a special menu for us and turned items like artichokes into delicious works of art.
Part of the retreat focused on pampering treatments at the expansive Spa & Wellness Center, where attendees could choose everything from glow-up hydrafacials to rhythmic bamboo massages and stints in the red-light therapy beds to fight inflammation. While I soaked in the bubbling hot tub and sweated in the sauna, the spa’s private pool is a coveted amenity where you can zone out or connect with friends (there were plenty of girl gangs laughing and sipping bubbly). And you don’t have to wait for the Ritz’ annual wellness retreat: the spa regularly offers personalized wellness journeys and full-day retreats where you can choose a mix of spa services and wellness experiences like forest bathing or nap/sleep therapy, paired with lunch and a take-home gift.
But the true gift of a wellness retreat at the Ritz is the natural good looks and easy tranquility of Amelia Island. The hotel’s knowledgeable naturalists will lead guests on water and land excursions to look for pink spoonbills or dolphins (some of the guests even spotted bunnies and tortoises around the resort), and Amelia Island is one of the few places in Florida where you can ride horses on the beach. It’s easy to escape reality at nearby Boneyard Beach, an otherworldly beach in Big Talbot Island State Park that’s scattered with massive driftwood trees. After a long walk down a tucked-away path, there’s the chance to climb the driftwood giants and marvel at the spectacle as you listen to the surf roll in and out.
On my drive back to Fort Lauderdale after the retreat wrapped, a question that Hoffmann challenged our group to ask ourselves when stressed, floated through my mind: “Is this worth giving up my peace?.” At a time where our minds are constantly bombarded by scary news headlines and FOMO-inducing social media feeds, I vowed to keep that question on daily repeat.
