A few months before my birthday, I wanted to do something big, I mean, I was turning 22, 22 is a Taylor Swift song, this is like a milestone. I thought I wanted a nice birthday dinner with my friends, but planning things for a group, even if it’s for your birthday, can get a little stressful. So I decided to look up some self care options for my birthday, and a lot of them were at home, but that’s not what I wanted to do, I still wanted to do something fun and go out and have an experience.
Then, during a late night scroll on Instagram, I came across an ad for Civana Wellness Resort, which is a wellness resort in Arizona. Needless to say, I was sold, I scratched my previous plans and traded my group birthday celebration for a self care trip to Arizona. Did I mention that Civana is located in CAREFREE Arizona???? I didn’t even know that Arizona had a city called Carefree, but it sounded like the perfect place to relax and unwind.
So two months later, I hopped on a flight to Arizona, excited to spend my birthday at a wellness resort. Civana has lots of different wellness classes that you can take during your stay (classes are included in the room fee). Once you book your stay and it is confirmed, you will get an email that allows you to schedule your classes ahead of time. I learned the hard way that the classes fill up pretty quickly. They have a class called Floating Guided Relaxation that I was dying to take, I mean, you get to be rocked in an aerial hammock, that sounds like the ultimate relaxation class to me. They also had classes about Feng Shui, yoga, meditation, aqua therapy, and more! They offer classes for an extra fee that allow you to go off property as well, some of these classes include kayaking and nature hikes, but they also have classes on property like mixology classes where you can make your own cocktails and art classes where you can design your own coasters.
DISTANCE FROM AIRPORT
Civana Wellness Resort is about 45 minutes away from the Phoenix airport. So my boyfriend and I flew into Phoenix and rented a car to drive to Carefree, AZ. The drive was scenic, filled with cactuses and other wildlife. The first night of our stay, we drove back out to Phoenix to explore the city, and it was definitely worth the drive!
CHECK-IN
When we arrived to Civana, we were about 2 hours early, the resort’s check-in was at 4:00pm. They have a secured room where they store luggage so that guests can leave the property or walk around without their bags. They also gave us a map of the property so that we can explore and see where everything is. A staff member was kind enough to give us a small tour while we waited for our room to be ready. During our tour we saw the spa, the gym, the pool, and their fine dining restaurant: Terras. We had booked a class around 4:45PM, but by the time we got to our room, we were too exhausted to leave.
ROOM
We stayed in the double queen room with a balcony. They provided us reusable water bottles, a bag of meditation rocks, and other amenities like bathrobes, organic skincare products, and a coffee maker with an assortment of teas and coffee. They even had a fresh pitcher of water to start us off!
The bathroom was WAY bigger than I thought it would be. The shower was a huge walk-in shower and it even came with an extra showerhead attachment that you can take off and use. They provided beauty products like make-up remover wipes, q-tips, shower caps, and a sewing kit.
CIVANA CLASSES
In the mornings, Civana has “Intention Ceremonies”, where you can set your intentions and goals for the day. This class doesn’t have to be scheduled, it is open to all Civana guests, so there’s no need to RSVP. At the end of the day, they have a “Gratitude Circle”, where you can reflect on your day with other resort guests before winding down for the evening. Along with these classes, my boyfriend and I also signed up for Civana’s Guided Labyrinth Meditation, which sounded pretty interesting. We met up on the yoga lawn before walking to the labyrinth. They gave everyone a rock to hold while you walk through the labyrinth. And it was so nice to just hear nothing but nature. Our class was full, and throughout the walking experience, everyone was so quiet. I could really focus on feeling the ground beneath my feet, hearing the wind blow and the birds chirp, and just being one with myself.
SPA
For my birthday, my boyfriend and I booked a Swedish massage at the spa on property. Civana’s Spa has an outdoor pool with a viewing deck, as well as a set of hot/cold therapy pools. They recommend you arrive early so that you can enjoy all of the things that the spa has to offer before your service. The women’s locker room had a eucalyptus sauna that was attached to an outside waiting area, it was so peaceful. We spent time in the therapy pools and saunas both before and after the massages.
DINING
Civana has two dining spots on the property: Terras and Seed. Terras is the resort’s main restaurant for dinner, while Seed is more of a café, providing quick treats for breakfast and lunch. Civana’s dining seemed very “health-focused”, which wasn’t really my kind of food (because I am a pasta and carbs JUNKIE), so we found a nice restaurant in Phoenix to have my birthday dinner at.
Civana was the ultimate relaxation resort. I would love to come back and visit! Next time, I will book my classes WAY ahead of time, lol.
Is this somewhere that you would visit?
