Wellness Travel Is Taking the Industry by Storm and Projected to Hit $1.35 Trillion in 2028; Big Bear Taps This Trend With New Wilderness Wellness Focus at 6,700 Ft.

April 16, 2025 at 13:58 PM EDT

Travelers today are switching out the beach hammock for a spin on living longer. Top of the list are transformative experiences in natural settings with the goal of enhancing mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. As the wellness travel trend continues to skyrocket, destinations are quickly retooling to meet this market predicted to be worth around $1.35 trillion in 2028. This marks an increase of more than 100% from 2022, at which time global wellness tourism stood at just over $637 billion. In fact, global wellness tourism now constitutes the fourth largest segment of the behemoth world-wide wellness industry*.

Travel has become today’s fountain of youth. Recent research shows that more than half of American travelers are prioritizing holidays designed to enhance their lifespan and wellbeing. The power of spending time outdoors in nature be it float therapy, labyrinth walking, sound healing and forest bathing are gaining credibility as the call to unplug and reboot from fast-paced lifestyles and stress factors increases. This bodes well for Big Bear, a mountain-rich playground showcasing Mother Nature at her naked best.

Set at 6,752 feet and surrounded by the sweeping San Bernardino National Forest, this alpine escape drops 300 average days of annual sunshine, boasts a 22-mile freshwater lake and delivers a slice of authentic nirvana set to enhance both mind and body. Anchored by a new lineup of programs focused on Wilderness Wellness, this is the spot for a vacation steeped in longevity. https://www.bigbear.com/wilderness-wellness/.

TOP TREKS FOR THE WELLNESS WARRIOR

Wilderness Reboot: Hike, Yoga & Forest Bathing in the Wilds

Tap the inner soul with three new wilderness wellness programs blending hiking, yoga and meditation. Dive into a bespoke tour of the rugged San Bernardino National Forest for a full-body reboot via YogaWild and Big Bear Hiking Adventures. The new three-hour Cougar Crest silent hike combines an optional five-mile roundtrip with a moderate yoga session and optional cardio kick up. Similar two- and one-hour excursions tie in forest bathing, meditation and rocking views of the San Gorgonio Mountain and Wilderness. At elevation 7,710, the famed Pacific Crest Trail kicks in for hikers seeking a more extreme cardio boost. $15-$30 per person; https://bigbearhikingadventures.com/featured-hikes/wilderness-wellness/.

Sound Bathing for the Soul

It’s an auditory orgasm - so to speak - the art of sound bathing to reduce stress, curb anxiety and promote a sense of relaxation. Step away from the urban abyss with a personal session set in the forest or on a private cabin deck with a bust-out backdrop of Big Bear Lake. Instruments including crystal singing bows and chimes designed to create a symphony of calming vibrations and soundscapes every mind can use today. The private session delivers the perfect Rx for a calm and restful stay. $40/60 minutes; https://rosievelasquez.com/#services.

New Wilderness Reboot at Elevations Day Spa

It’s the ultimate mountain high, parking those weary limbs in the magical hands of a massage therapist steeped in sensory energy. Escape the devices and indulge the mind and body with a new two-hour program designed to refresh and refine. A deep dive in the Cold Plunge kicks things off -boosting both circulation and the metabolism - then it’s a jaunt in the Infrared Sauna, known to reduce stress, muscle tension and free radicals before hitting the table for a 45-minute local Lavender and Cedarwood Sugar Body Scrub. Once the body is polished to perfection, a 30-minute Led Red Light Therapy session rounds out the adventure. $225.00; https://elevationswellnesscenter.com/services/spa-packages/.

Pedal & Plunge at Sessions Retreat & Hotel

It’s a combo as solid as a dark ‘n’ stormy, hitting the backwoods or lakeside Alpine Peddle Path on two wheels followed by a cold plunge with mountain views. With over 100 miles of cross-country, single-track and forest service roads catering to riders of all skill levels, as well as two lift-served downhill trails at Snow Summit and Snow Valley Bike Parks, Big Bear delivers riding nirvana. Book a stay at Sessions Retreat & Hotel and add on the Wellness Package to enjoy a two-hour E-Bike rental or three-hour traditional bike rental followed by a cold plunge and Infrared Sauna session for the ultimate detox; prices vary depending upon lodging; https://sessionsretreat.com/booking.

Silence is Golden

Step outside the daily grind for a weekend retreat Big Bear style. From Coming Home to Our Senses, a silent meditation retreat (May 15-20), to Deep Belonging: Connecting with Ourselves, Each Other and the Natural World (June 2-8) the options to make magic in the mountains run large. For those who appreciate a more immersive experience with Mother Nature, the Dharma Dharma: The Unfolding of Nature retreat is staged in the Thai forest tradition. This silent retreat, led in the Vipassana meditation tradition explores being still and open to our hearts while being nestled in the beauty of the San Bernardino National Forest. Cabin and camping accommodations. August 19-23. Prices vary; www.bigbearretreatcenter.org/retreats.

Yogi in the Forest

From tai chi to meditative sound bathing in nature, the annual Big Bear Yoga Festival calls all yogis for the ultimate heart chakra flow. Healing with sound and light, dance workshops and Tantra Yoga will be on tap as well during this immersive mountain experience. Hike and yoga and an add-on paddleboard yoga session round out the adventure set for October 5. All levels welcome; October 4. Prices vary; www.bigbearyogafestival.com.

* https://www.statista.com/statistics/491362/health-wellness-market-value/