Your Sun Valley, Idaho vacation is sure to be filled with exciting adventures and strenuous activities, but every minute of every day doesn’t have to be, shouldn’t be, filled with all that extra effort. A vacation should offer times to play, to experience, and to relax, and although you will be staying in our Sun Valley, Idaho retreats, where relaxation reigns supreme, there are also Sun Valley activities you can engage in that will help you relax even more. This guide to unwinding in Sun Valley and discovering the best places to relax after your day of adventures will make you wish that your visit to Sun Valley was starting somewhere right about NOW!
You Deserve This
The hardest part of relaxing is convincing yourself that you deserve it, but let us assure you of this: You deserve to relax, and sometimes the best way to do so is by treating yourself to a spa day. The places listed below will offer a beautiful way to relax, coming out of the experience at the end of the day feeling relaxed, glowing, and like an altogether new person—one that deserves to spoil themselves often and well!
The Spa at Sun Valley Resort, 2 Sun Valley Road in Sun Valley
We can’t think of a better way to turn off our brains and engage our peaceful zones than with a spa day and the Spa at Sun Valley Resort is one of the best in the nation. Offering a long list of services, guests can plan on signing up for a variety of massages, offered in 50- and 80-minute phases. (Our personal favorite is the 80-minute Antara CBD Massage, offering the ultimate in relaxation) Treatment enhancements can include body wraps, blanket therapy, and even Healing Mineral Hair Treatment, all services that can be added on to the 50-minute massages, and their bathing rituals could be described as nothing less than hedonistic with the Himalayan Salt Soak being our favorite. Also offering wanderlust rituals, wellness & healing services, skincare and Couple’s Spa Suite Experiences, we can promise that you won’t leave as the same person you walked in as after a visit to the Spa at Sun Valley Resort!
Spa Baleza, 180 1st Street W #214 in Ketchum
Aren’t choices wonderful? The Sun Valley area is smaller than many ski resort towns but we still offer plenty of ways to relax and be spoiled, and if you are chilling in Ketchum, you may want to visit Spa Baleza for your session of peace and tranquility! Offering a laundry list of spa services including body waxing, skin treatments, even cosmetic tattooing and dermaplaning for the skin. Their massage services are truly decadent, offering hot stone massages in addition to the standard one, making every minute you spend in this fantastic business one that you will remember forever and think about fondly when you have to return to real life!
Don’t Just Fill Your Stomach, Feed Your Soul
When you are busy and overwhelmed, meals are just ways to stay alive and that way of thought can be shown in a diet filled with fast food, too many bowls of cereal, and even more frozen pizzas. A truly excellent meal, however, deserves to be eaten slowly, savoring each bite delighting all your senses, not just your still juvenile taste buds. The restaurants below deserve, no, they demand to be taken seriously and the meals you enjoy while at their tables will be ones you dream about for many years to come.
Village Station, 1 Sun Valley Road in Sun Valley
A good meal, excellent service, and a leggy glass of wine are the main ingredients to a meal that feeds your soul as it fills your belly, and the Village Station is one of our favorite places to do both. Offering a menu filled with burgers, sandwiches, and classic Italian pasta dishes, we have to say that their pizzas speak the language of food in all caps and as you sit there, savoring every sip, thrilling over every bite, you may completely forget that you started this vacation feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. Take your time enjoying this wonderful meal, no one expects you to dine and dash out immediately after the last bite, as a matter of fact, the attentive staff enjoys taking care of guests who linger after their last bite has been taken.
Vintage, 231 Leadville Avenue in Ketchum
Relaxing over a special occasion meal gives life a brighter sparkle, Vintage is one of our favorite places to dine when we want to feel spoiled or need to spoil someone else. Housed inside a rustic and historic log cabin, it offers a menu that is filled with New American favorites and an incredible wine list, and although it is a bit pricey it is worth every penny. Offering staff that walk that delicate balance between attentive and you almost think you need a protective order, we love the way they offer a steak of the evening or comfort food, but we warn you, save room for their dessert menu—more specifically, their Delights of a Naked Stranger, a flourless chocolate tarte that needs to eaten slowly, savored greatly, and should be accompanied with a cup of the best coffee ever. Taking your time through your meal, through your dessert, maybe even through one last glass of red wine, will leave you feeling comfortable, relaxed, and ready to see what the rest of the night has to offer.
Lake Life Vibes
Time spent at the lake is never time wasted, and the Sun Valley area is almost as well known for its lakes as it is its mountains. There’s a unique vibe that comes from lake life, one that encourages you to slow down your pace, feel whatever you are feeling, and pay attention to how the peace of this large body of water affects all your senses.
Sun Valley Lake
Offering a large variety of activities, Sun Valley Lake could be seen as the center of it all, but don’t say that too loudly. We don’t want the mountains to feel shunned or ashamed for not bringing their A game. Pull your hair up into a messy bun, toss a coverup over your swimsuit and some flip flops on your feet; today is going to be a lake day that will slow down your pace and rev up your desire to have fun, to play, and to finally be able to relax. Offering sandy shores that are perfect for the volleyball game you are thinking of joining in on, guests can also rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboats, greeting the day with a smile, a little exercise, and a full heart.
Redfish Lake
If Sun Valley Lake is the center of it all, Redfish Lake is the shy cousin who doesn’t realize how absolutely stunning she is, preferring to stand alone with her still waters running deep. This beautiful lake is a quiet one, offering a reflection of the mountains it rests against in its clear, cool waters and although you don’t have to, you may find yourself speaking in hushed whispers, not wanting to shatter the peaceful ambience of the lake and the Sun Valley Countryside. Named for the vibrantly colored sockeye salmon that spawn in great numbers in this glacial lake, and if you find joy in sitting at the other end of fishing pole, the shores of Redfish Lake is sure to be your Nirvana.
Sunsets in the Mountains
No matter what season you decide to visit Sun Valley, you can always count on the sunsets of Sun Valley (and Ketchum!) making you believe in magic. We wouldn’t be surprised if you pretty much ignored sunsets in your real life, driving home too late to see them in the winter months, too early in the summer months, and too irritated to notice when the setting sun burns the retinas out of your heads in real life. But on vacation? There is no sight more romantic, no vision more soul satisfying, and no way you will ever forget the peace and thankfulness you felt every sunset of your stay. The places listed below are some of the best spots in the area to enjoy the experience of watching the sun set over the mountains of Sun Valley.
Knob Hill Natural Area, 811 East Avenue in Ketchum
Knob Hill Natural Area is a quiet park offering extraordinary rewards from the simplest of activities that you will engage in during your visit. Meander around trails that are wheelchair accessible so everyone gets to enjoy a walk in the park, pack a picnic dinner to devour at the tables that dot the landscape, and because the best views of the sunset occur in the spots that are closest to its fiery rays, a climb up Knob Hill will transport you directly to paradise. Panoramic views will make you understand anew why you chose this part of the world for your relaxing vacation, the sounds of birds chirping, the wind whispering in the trees, and the whispered utterances of joy from other guests choosing to watch the sunset from the top of Knob Hill will become memories you will never forget. A single bench at the top of the hill will soon become your obsession, offering a perch that will make you feel like you truly have reached paradise.
Back to Sun Valley Lake
Yes, we know we already mentioned Sun Valley Lake in the lake life portion of our story, but that doesn’t mean it should be automatically eliminated from all other adventures. Offering twice the beauty, twice the excitement, and twice the serenity, whatever the sun will be doing in the sky, will be reflected in the waters of the lake that you will want to return to time and time again. Find a comfy spot at shore’s edge, take your favorite traveling partner’s hand, and lay your head on his or her shoulder, discovering how close you feel to heaven and the person who owns your heart.
For Those in the Know
The Sun Valley Area is what is known as the first Dark Sky Reserve in the country. Light pollution is a no-no, giving the skies the perfect depth for a blanket of stars after dark, and as you sit on that bench at the top of Knob Hill, or paddle the kayak you rented for your Sun Valley Lake experience, you will feel empowered and serene and really not keen on walking away from the most beautiful places in the world!
At Home in Your Abode Sun Valley Sunny Sanctuary
You had to know that there will be many wonderful spots in and around your sunny Abode Sun Valley sanctuary that will offer romance, stunning views, and the best place of all to start in on your relaxation plans.
Starting out Strong
Although every property we offer brings something different to the table, each space will greet you with some sort of front porch or entryway, offering swings, seating options, and the opportunity for seeing the sun set from the best spot on the property.
Looking Out on a World of Beauty
Want to play a game? First of all, make a guess as to how many times over your stay you may find yourself drawn to the window, feeling its magical pull, encouraging you to stare out the glass panes and watch Mother Nature and her favorite creatures live life as it should always have been lived. Full throttle with a full heart!
The Last Word
Multilevel decks furnished with comfy seats will peer out over the mountain, the woods, or any of the natural areas you are near and as you end every day watching the sun set, you will know there is no place else on earth you want to be. Reserve your favorite places to stay in Sun Valley today!
