From the relaxation terrace at The Spa at Terranea Resort, I watch a fiery sun sink behind the Pacific, painting the waves and horizon in brilliant shades of red and orange. A cool evening breeze begins to blow in over the ocean, and I can’t remember the last time I felt this relaxed. This grounded. This calm.
In a world that’s often rushed and filled with a minute-to-minute daily agenda –– especially this time of year –– it feels like a gift to escape from it all for a few days at Terranea Resort, a luxurious 102-acre oceanfront resort nestled atop Southern California’s scenic Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Perched on golden coastal bluffs and surrounded by 270-degree ocean views, Terranea has become one of my favorite resorts in the country. It sits just 30 minutes from both Los Angeles International and Long Beach airports, which can each be reached on a nonstop flight from Austin, yet it feels a world away. While the urban clamor of L.A. hums just a half hour away, at this hidden gem, guests can soak in the quiet stillness, unparallelled Pacific panoramas, and, if they’re lucky (usually from December to April), the breathtaking sights of migrating blue, gray, humpback, minke and orca whales just offshore.
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This is my second time visiting Terranea Resort, where my personal dream effortlessly takes shape: a five-mile morning trail run skirting the dramatic coastline followed by seaside yoga and some pampering at the oceanfront spa. Even if this is a dream, I think to myself, I don’t want to wake up.
Blues stacked on blues and breathtaking views from Terranea Resort’s Discovery Nature trail. Photo by Travis Albrecht
A seaside sanctuary: The Spa at Terranea Resort
As my husband and I check into Terranea Resort, we’re pleasantly surprised to be upgraded from a standard guestroom to a spacious bungalow, featuring a beautiful window-wrapped master bedroom, main and guest bathrooms, an expansive living space and full kitchen, and outdoor patios. But the biggest perk is the bungalow’s prime location –– mere steps away from the resort’s award-winning 50,000-square-foot oceanfront spa boasting 25 treatment rooms, fitness and wellness classes, a dry sauna, steam room, cold plunge, Jacuzzi, spa pool and wellness café.
Earlier this year, The Spa at Terranea unveiled a $4.5 million top-to-bottom refresh, elevating the oceanfront oasis to a new level of luxury. Surrounded by panoramic ocean views, The Spa features treatments and therapies carefully curated to reflect the rhythm and beauty of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
“The spa has the best real estate of the resort,” says spa director Cynthia Howell. “It’s located as close to the ocean as you can get here on property, and we incorporate the true spirit of our location into each of our spa treatments.”
Offering a full slate of immersive treatments and wellness packages inspired by the natural elements of earth, ocean, fire and air, The Spa at Terranea can accommodate up to 200 appointments per day –– with each treatment designed to rejuvenate the senses, restore the body and relax the mind.
The Spa at Terranea features 25 treatment rooms and separate men’s and women’s relaxation areas, all featuring ocean views. Courtesy of Terranea Resort
Rejuvenate and reset with unique treatments
During my recent visit, I booked the Harmonic Aura Awakening followed by a HydraFacial –– two custom treatments unlike any I’ve experienced.
The Harmonic Aura Awakening is a signature 60-minute bodywork treatment that combines Himalayan singing bowl therapy with a restorative marma point body and facial massage.
“Marma point massage is a specific Ayurvedic-style massage that’s very soothing, grounding and can really open up the energy points in the body,” my therapist, Angelina, explains before we begin.
Infused with Ayurvedic plant extracts and healing oils, the intended result of this sound therapy bodywork treatment is to promote energy flow, soothe the mind and leave guests deeply relaxed and balanced.
“This really focuses on grounding that nervous system,” says Angelina. “It gets you out of that activated, rushed sensation, and gets you down into your parasympathetic nervous system, so you are going to feel very, very relaxed.”
Throughout the treatment, I could feel the vibrations permeating through me on a cellular level. At one point, I was so relaxed that it felt as if I was floating above my body, drifting off into a sequence of microdreams, one after another. I don’t know exactly how to describe the sensation, but I do know that I’ve never felt this level of relaxation in my entire life.
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Following the Harmonic Aura Awakening, I had a HydraFacial –– a 60-minute, results-driven facial that deeply cleanses the skin through hydra-dermabrasion and a gentle peel, extracting impurities while infusing potent antioxidants and hydration.
Intended to enhance skin texture and radiance and deliver a refreshed, glowing complexion, the HydraFacial also incorporates anti-aging red light therapy to promote skin rejuvenation and help rebuild collagen.
Afterward, my skin was truly glowing –– and I was able to pare down my normal makeup routine to just mascara and lipstick for the rest of the weekend.
This time of year, sample some of the seasonal signature wellness treatments on offer, such as the Crimson Revival, an immersive wellness journey that revitalizes circulation and awakens the senses through the practice of contrast therapy.
Slip into spa bliss
Pre- or post-spa treatments –– or, if you just want to chill at the spa for the day (resort guests can purchase a day pass for $95) –– there’s plenty of relaxation and wellness on offer. My husband and I spent an entire day together at the spa, lounging at the oceanfront spa pool and braving the cold plunge for the first time, warming ourselves before and after by alternating between the Jacuzzi and sauna. We lunched poolside while soaking in ocean views at solviva, the spa café serving health-inspired menu items made with locally grown and procured ingredients.
Writer Mauri Elbel starts her day with a seaside yoga class at Terranea Resort.
Terranea’s fitness and wellness center offers a variety of programs and classes ranging from seaside yoga and cycling to aqua conditioning and Zumba, all of which take place inside the oceanfront movement studio or on the outdoor terrace overlooking the ocean. My personal favorite is seaside yoga, where the Pacific serves as the backdrop, the crashing waves as the playlist, and the ocean breezes as the fans.
After stepping off the mat, it becomes clear to me why moments of stillness matter. In the midst of the busiest season of the year, sometimes the best gift is to escape to a place like Terranea, which invites us to slow down, breathe deep, and reset.
If You Go
Getting there:
Terranea Resort is conveniently located 30 minutes from Los Angeles International and Long Beach airports, both of which have nonstop flights from Austin.
Stay:
Terranea Resort’s 102-acre property features 582 guestrooms and suites, including spacious bungalows, casitas and villas.
Do:
Walk or jog along Terranea’s Discovery Trail that runs along the property and down to its secluded beach cove. Take a seaside yoga or cycle class at the fitness center. Spend the day lounging at one of the four heated swimming pools, playing golf at the nine-hole, par-3 golf course, getting pampered at the 50,000-square-foot spa, or dabbling in painting classes, surfing lessons or ocean kayaking. Overnight guests can take advantage of the resort’s Destinations by Lexus program –– we took a white Lexus convertible for a spin one morning, stopping off at nearby Redondo Beach for beach strolling and brunch.
Eat + Drink:
Terranea Resort boasts eight distinctive dining venues, serving everything from gourmet to casual fare. Don’t miss the coastal cuisine and views at Nelson’s, where highlights included the warm, buttery (and enormous) Bavarian pretzel and Maine lobster roll. Craving sushi? Reserve a seat at Bashi, which also serves inventive Asian-inspired wok-style dishes and an expansive sake and cocktail list.
