6 Best Wellness Retreats in Pennsylvania, From Poconos Spas to Quiet Retreat Centers

The best wellness retreats in Pennsylvania split cleanly into two kinds, and knowing which you want saves a lot of browsing. On one side are three big resort spas, in the Poconos, the Alleghenies and the Laurel Highlands, where the pampering is the point. On the other are three nonprofit retreat centers, a yoga ashram, a Quaker study center and a ridge-top house of reflection, where the point is quiet, practice and time to think. All six are within a half-day drive of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or New York City.

Here they are, grouped by style, with what each one is actually like and who it suits. For more options across the region, see our East Coast retreat picks.

Resort spas

The Lodge at Woodloch, Hawley

The closest thing Pennsylvania has to a classic destination spa, and the best pick if you want everything taken care of. The Lodge at Woodloch sits in the Pocono Mountains and runs as an adults-only, all-inclusive spa resort: stays include three gourmet meals for each night, and there are more than 50 daily activities, from group fitness and mind-body classes to cooking demonstrations, creative arts and guided outdoor excursions.

The wet areas are the draw on a cold weekend, with an indoor pool, whirlpools, steam rooms, saunas, a Himalayan salt sauna, a snow room and hydromassage water walls, plus a 3,000 square foot fitness studio. Its restaurant, TREE, cooks with produce from the property's own gardens and local farms.

Best for: couples and friends who want a structured, all-inclusive spa break. Price level: splurge.

Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa, Bedford

History with a spa attached. Omni Bedford Springs sits on a 2,200-acre estate in the Allegheny Mountains of southern Pennsylvania, around 90 minutes from Pittsburgh, and it was built around mineral springs that the resort notes were first used by Native Americans. It also claims the country's first indoor swimming pool and one of its first golf courses.

The spa, the Bedford Baths, draws on that springs heritage, with treatments and a spa lounge, and there are indoor and outdoor pools, golf and walking distance to downtown Bedford. It is a hotel first rather than a program-led retreat, which suits people who want to set their own pace.

Best for: a slower, history-rich weekend with golf and spa. Price level: splurge.

Woodlands Spa at Nemacolin, Farmington

The largest spa on this list. Nemacolin is a sprawling resort in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania, and its Woodlands Spa occupies a three-story, 32,000 square foot building with 40 treatment rooms and close to 100 services, including massage, hydrotherapy and body treatments, along with an indoor pool, sauna and whirlpools, a salon and a fitness center.

The resort around it has a great deal else going on, so this works best for travelers who want a spa day or two inside a bigger luxury trip, rather than a quiet retreat.

Best for: maximum treatment choice. Price level: splurge.

Retreat centers

Himalayan Institute, Honesdale

Pennsylvania's best-known yoga retreat center. The Himalayan Institute was founded in 1971 by Swami Rama, and its world headquarters is a 400-acre campus in the rolling hills of the Poconos near Honesdale. Programs cover yoga in the broad, traditional sense: asana, meditation, mantra, study of sacred texts and what the institute calls the art of joyful living, alongside teacher trainings and personal retreats.

The campus has five practice spaces and modern guest amenities. Expect a spiritual, practice-based setting rather than a spa; our guide to yoga, meditation and silent retreats can help you decide whether that is what you want.

Best for: serious yoga and meditation practice, including beginners who want depth. Price level: moderate.

Pendle Hill, Wallingford

A Quaker study, retreat and conference center on 24 acres just outside Philadelphia, which began in 1930 as an experiment in spiritual learning community. Pendle Hill welcomes people of all backgrounds, and you do not need to be a Quaker to stay. It offers personal retreats, where you book a room to rest, work on a project or keep a silent retreat, alongside scheduled programs and workshops.

The grounds have a mile-long woodchip trail and 140 species of trees and shrubs, and the center is reachable by train as well as car, which makes it one of the easiest retreats in the country to reach without driving.

Best for: a self-directed, quiet personal retreat near a big city. Price level: budget to moderate.

Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center, Bangor

A retreat house on the Kittatinny Ridge in the Pocono Mountains, the ridge the Appalachian Trail follows through this part of Pennsylvania. Kirkridge describes itself as a place for anyone seeking to live humanly in a violent world, and its programs run from spiritual and personal growth to writing and the creative arts, healing and wholeness, and social justice and activism. Individuals and groups can both book.

Best for: reflective, writing or justice-focused retreats with walking on your doorstep. Price level: budget to moderate.

How the six compare

Retreat	Region	Style	Price level
The Lodge at Woodloch	Poconos	All-inclusive adults-only spa	Splurge
Omni Bedford Springs	Alleghenies	Historic resort spa	Splurge
Nemacolin, Woodlands Spa	Laurel Highlands	Large resort spa	Splurge
Himalayan Institute	Poconos	Yoga and meditation center	Moderate
Pendle Hill	Philadelphia suburbs	Quaker retreat and study center	Budget to moderate
Kirkridge	Poconos	Retreat and study center	Budget to moderate

Price levels are our relative guide, not quoted rates; prices change by season and program, so check each property directly. Our breakdown of what a wellness retreat costs explains what drives the difference.

Planning tips

• Season matters. The Poconos and Laurel Highlands are at their best in fall color; winter suits the spa resorts with strong indoor facilities.
• Check what is included. An all-inclusive rate at Woodloch covers meals and activities; a resort hotel rate usually does not include treatments.
• Book programs early. Retreat center workshops and teacher trainings have fixed dates and limited places.
• Pack for walking. All three retreat centers have trails or woodland on site; our packing list covers the rest.

Heading north instead? Our picks for New York include options just over the state line.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best wellness retreat in Pennsylvania?

For an all-inclusive spa break, The Lodge at Woodloch in Hawley is the strongest pick. For yoga and meditation, the Himalayan Institute's 400-acre campus in Honesdale is the best-known retreat center in the state.

Are there all-inclusive spa retreats in Pennsylvania?

Yes. The Lodge at Woodloch in the Poconos is an adults-only, all-inclusive spa resort, with three meals for each night of your stay and more than 50 daily activities.

Where can I do a silent or personal retreat in Pennsylvania?

Pendle Hill in Wallingford, a Quaker retreat center near Philadelphia, offers personal retreats where you can rest, work on a project or keep a silent retreat. Kirkridge in Bangor also welcomes individuals.

Do you need to be religious to stay at Pendle Hill or the Himalayan Institute?

No. Pendle Hill is a Quaker center that welcomes all, and the Himalayan Institute hosts seekers from many backgrounds. Both are rooted in a spiritual tradition, so expect that to shape the atmosphere and programs.

Which Pennsylvania spa retreat is closest to Pittsburgh?

Omni Bedford Springs is about 90 minutes from Pittsburgh, and Nemacolin in Farmington is also in southwestern Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands.

When is the best time to visit a retreat in the Poconos?

Fall, for the foliage and walking weather. Winter works well at resorts with strong indoor spa facilities, while summer is best for trails and outdoor programs.

Sources

• The Lodge at Woodloch, for the adults-only all-inclusive format, meals, daily activities and facilities
• Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa, for the 2,200-acre estate, the springs heritage, the indoor pool claim and the Bedford Baths
• Forbes Travel Guide: Woodlands Spa at Nemacolin, for the spa building, treatment rooms and facilities
• Himalayan Institute, for the 1971 founding by Swami Rama, the 400-acre Honesdale campus and programs
• Pendle Hill, for the 24 acres, the 1930 founding and personal retreats
• Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center, for the Kittatinny Ridge setting and program themes

Checked against each property's own site on September 15, 2026. Rates, seasons and programs change; confirm with the property before you book.