If ad-driven travel blogs and pricey, glossy, all-inclusive resorts are killing your vibe, opportunities to channel your (deeply repressed) inner hippie abound. Whether you’re looking for a quirky tree-house getaway, a yoga-centric trek, an immersion in green living or a satisfying and exhausting volunteer vacation on an organic farm, don’t let the man keep you down, man. Ditch the deodorant and drop out by checking in on the perfect spot to escape the noise. When you return, you’ll be reinvigorated with your juju rekindled.
1. Out’n’About Treehouse Treesort
Cave Junction, Oregon
At inception, city ordinances limited the Treesort’s guests to friends of the owners. But, in true freak spirit, prospective guests made reservations and received a T-shirt as a token of friendship. Now, any whimsical adventurer can zip-line, ride horses and raft all day and choose to stay in tree houses like the Cavaltree (fort-style) or the Elementree (perfect for kids). Note: No online reservations. You’ll have to call and talk to a real person … now that’s counterculture.
2. Arcosanti
Mayer, Arizona
Based on Paolo Soleri’s idea of arcology (architecture + ecology), this scenic high-desert oasis runs tours highlighting cutting-edge architecture and exceptional bird-watching opportunities. Check out a silt-casting workshop, which looks at Soleri’s innovative method of using silt to cast clay, plaster and concrete. Modest guest rooms (read: no air-conditioning) boast sunrise views and overlook the Agua Fria National Monument.
3. Desert U Retreat
Multiple Locations
Channel your inner yogi and mix in a dash of upper-crust jetset at Desert U’s workshops on yoga, meditation, movement, and Reiki and Ayurvedic acupressure massage. An upcoming workshop starting out in a classic boho spot—Marrakesh, Morocco—includes a camel ride out into the desert to sleep in a bivouac tent.
4. The Farm
Summertown, Tennessee
The Farm was founded in 1971 by free spirits who realized they couldn’t afford enough land in California. Happily planted in the Southeast, this complex offers yoga and meditation as well as classes on alternative education, starting a small business, vegetarian cooking and even midwifery.
5. EcoVillage at Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The EcoVillage’s 21st-century communal sentiment is reflected in its modern web page, its EPA-supported programs for green building practices, and its focus on farming and food justice activism through its Groundswell Center for Local Foods and Farming. Tours can be general or tailored to your group’s eco-interests, or you can make an overnight visit in one of the in-village bed-and-breakfasts and enjoy community dinners.
6. WWOOF
Multiple Locations
If you need to tailor your experience to your present locale, join the WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) organization. You’ll get hooked up with a host family and be expected to work for your food and board. Your potential chores could include weeding, harvesting, making cheese or shaping mud bricks. Communicate directly with a host family to organize the terms of your stay.
Alison is, depending on the moment at hand: Atlantan. Bohemian. Flexitarian. Amateur comedienne.
