I highly recommend Canyon Ranch in Tucson to all of my friends and clients who are looking to spend a week totally focused on fitness and activity - there is plenty to choose from here, and it can feel a lot like bootcamp unless you're already in great shape.   If you're not, don't worry - this is a great place to start changing your life and health.

Located in the lush Southwest desert, Canyon Ranch Health Resort & Spa is a true Destination Spa, with an emphasis on wellness and making a long term committment to your own health and well-being.  Casually elegant and boasting an impressive variety of fitness activities to choose from, including a well-developed outdoor program of hiking, mountain biking, golf, horseback riding, and much more that lets you explore and appreciate the beauty of the Sonoran desert.

The Clubhouse at Canyon Ranch in Tucson is the original ranch house of what used to be the Double U Ranch, a cattle ranch built in the 1930's and operated since the '40s as a dude ranch, before undergoing major renovations and additions in 1979 to become the first Canyon Ranch Health Resort.   Although today the clubhouse and all the facilities and accommodations are elegant and modern, they retain much of the charm of an authentic western ranch.

Beautiful and elegant one-story Southwestern-style accommodations are spread in small groups throughout the grounds, and are designed to blend with the surrounding desert terrain and colors.  All rooms are non-smoking, and feature ultra-comfortable beds, your choice of down or non-down pillows, plush bathrobes, and the exclusive Canyon Ranch bath products.

Click this link for a list of available Canyon Ranch Health Resort Room Types.

Within its 80,000 square-foot Spa Complex you'll find a vast array of offerings, from the active (six gyms; strength training and cardio equipment; racquetball, squash and basketball courts; an indoor cycling room; and plenty of fitness classes) to the relaxing (an enormous menu of spa treatments; a Yoga and Meditation Dome; separate men's and women's saunas, steam rooms, and whirlpools; sunbathing decks) to the consultive (the Health & Fitness Assessment Center; Exercise Physiology; and Program Advising) - there's even a Beauty Salon and Art Gallery.   At Canyon Ranch in Tucson their Spa Complex is the heart of their community, and like a real heart it has its own pulse, but you still set your own pace and plot your path according to the goals you set for yourself.

Please feel free to download the following PDF brochures:
Canyon Ranch Tucson Services Guide - 1.15MB
Canyon Ranch Tucson 2006 Service Fees - 57kb  

Outside the walls of the Canyon Ranch Spa Complex you'll find a world of exploration - whether you want to wander the grounds and surrounding hillsides in peaceful contemplation of the serenity and spirituality of the desert, or head off on a mountain bike or with a group of hikers, you can't help but be moved by the beauty of southwest and its native plants and colors - the red rocks, green fragrant sagebrush, and brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows of the cactus blooms in season.

In addition Canyon Ranch boasts a truly innovative indoor Golf Performance Center, designed to improve the mechanics of your play with personalized instruction from pros on everything from your grip to your stance to your swing - then take what you learn and apply it as you play the Ventana Canyon's Mountain Course (a top-rated 4 and a half star course according to Golf Digest).

After your game take a refreshing dip in the pool and soak up the warm Arizona sun - this is a climate in which you can enjoy the outdoors all year long.

• Accommodations for desired number of nights
• Transportation to/from the Tucson International Airport
• All Meals
• A selection of 45 complimentary fitness classes daily
• Daily selection of talks, workshops, and cooking demonstrations
• Wide variety of guided hikes and biking excursions
• A generous allowance towards spa treatments and sports/wellness services
• All taxes, service charges, and gratuities
• Golf included with some packages

There are a number special packages and personalized programs to choose from, which includes options such as rounds of golf, a personal health assessment, and a selection of over 225 wellness services.   Please ask me about available packages and programs if you are interested in enjoying the full Canyon Ranch experience.

All meals are included in the cost of your stay at the Canyon Ranch Health Resort and Spa which explains why there are no prices listed on their menus - instead you'll find nutritional information for every selection.  And even though the food is fresh, healthy and nutritious, it's also surprisingly delicious and satisfying - you won't go away disappointed or hungry.

You can choose to dine in their main dining room, where solo travelers can opt to be seated at their "captain's tables" (Canyon Ranch's version of a community table), or enjoy more casual dining poolside in the indoor-outdoor Double U Cafe.

You can also learn how to repare healthy meals at home, and to convert your own recipes using low-fat substitutes, in their Demonstration Kitchen, where classes led by their Chefs and Nutritionists are held.

It's important to note, though, that alcohol is neither served nor permitted in any public area and is not available for purchase at Canyon Ranch Resort.