I had checked into Racho La Puerta following an emotional trip home to Australia, where my brother had been diagnosed with brain cancer. In many ways arriving at the retreat felt like stepping into a protective bubble. But that kind of calm can only last so long before real life returns. After leaving the resort the emotional avoidance caught up with me and I struggled to transition back to reality. My therapist encouraged me to take a beat and find a new activity that wasn’t doomscrolling. And there it was. In the corner of my bedroom sat the unfinished, 12th attempt of one very misshapen glasses case.
Lucky 13 had to be the charm. So I took it apart, scrapped the idea of making a case, and found a YouTube tutorial for a crocheted coaster. Surprising myself, I finished it. That one attempt (which in hindsight yielded a pretty mediocre coaster) led to many more coasters, a beanie, and even a baby blanket. Buried in that repetition and the constant temptation to permanently put down the crochet hook, a lightbulb went off. The glasses case was never about perfection or even completion. It was about how the act of making and creating can transport you to a calmer state and a place that feels grounded and familiar, whether you’re at a lovely spa in Baja California or in your own bedroom.
Most of the benefits of visiting a wellness resort or a spa—the treatments and the massages, that absolutely have their place—are fleeting. Yes, you feel more relaxed, but once you roll off that table, the overflowing inbox that is real life returns. But leaving a resort with a skill is different. It’s a way to return to your everyday world with a tangible tool for relaxation, with a lasting way to remind yourself to slow down and bring you back to yourself, even if only for a moment.
While craft-led trips are on the rise, the “skillcation” (as it’s dubbed) remains a relatively new concept. More and more resorts are starting to offer guests creative outlets that will outlast their stays. At Canyon Ranch and Enchantment Resort, guests can try activities from mixed-media art to jewelry making, while Miraval Resorts & Spas embed creative practices into the rhythm of the day. They offer traditional art classes as well as more niche ones like photography and candle-making.