How Cal-a-Vie Keeps Getting Better

If you live in Vista, California, you may not know of the oasis up Spa Havens Way. In the San Diego County suburb, a 30-minute drive inland from Oceanside, the sign for this crown jewel is only “yay big,” as co-owner Terri Havens describes it. Cal-a-Vie Health Spa (cal-a-vie.com) isn’t new; Houston-based Havens and husband John purchased the destination spa in 2000, and have kept their sprawling property purposely discreet. Those who need to know about it, know. “We’re on 300 acres; the adjacent golf course is another 200 acres, so you’ve got 500 acres and 30 people,” says Terri, referencing the spa’s notably small guest count on any given week. Over the years, the hilltop setting remains distinctly California (Cal-a-Vie derives from the words “California” and “living”) as much as it has gained a European affect. The Havens brought an entire 17th-century chapel here from France and reconstructed it as a meditation center in 2006. They’ve planted vineyards and lavender, installed European antiques throughout, and added a windmill to heat the pool. That no solution here is cookie-cutter or chosen for convenience sets the tone for how guests feel throughout their stay.

Size, essentially a school classroom number of people, is a key component, one that has sustained decades of repeat business. Whether traveling alone, as couples, or in groups, everyone here connects with someone new. Quite the opposite of a typical technology-driven, phone-in-hand 2020s day, the Cal-a-Vie version begins with an early stretching session and then a hike. Walking and talking through the fog or the sunshine, depending on the time of year, raises everyone’s spirits. Even introverts want to come back, for this is quality-over-quantity connection. If size matters at Cal-a-Vie, so does quality of content and character. Practitioners at the top of their fields with bestselling books and nationwide programs lead annual retreats and train staff. There’s a tone of curiosity and exchange of ideas among the owners, guests, and practitioners that keep offerings fresh and high quality. New for 2024 is a Functional Food for Longevity course teaching biohacking best practices to protect cells, reduce inflammation, and use foods as medicine. The new Complete Fix Facial evens skin tones for fuller, more radiant skin.

Days follow a set rhythm from breakfast to active pursuits, lunch, spa treatments, dinner, and maybe an a capella concert in the French chapel. Theme weeks range from Pilates to pickleball, from Staying Youthful While Aging to Summer Beauty Week, with programming to enhance the usual offerings such as dance yoga classes and TRX. “Everything is meant to be overdone in a good way, more exercise and more spa treatments than you would have in a regular day, and you sleep better,” says Terri of the three-, four-, and seven-day programs. “You get your body and mind recharged before going back into the real world.” This summer, Cal-a-Vie will introduce three six-bedroom villas to better accommodate small groups traveling together; some of whom met each other during previous stays.