This Is the Most Relaxing Destination in North America — With Crystal-clear Lakes, Northern Lights, and Untouched Wilderness

It's high time you took a break that's just for you — a trip to unwind, be present, and savor every moment. According to a new report by retreat booking site BookRetreats, that perfect vacation destination may be a lot closer than you think.

In early December, BookRetreats released its Holiday Relaxation Report, which unveiled the best destinations around the world where travelers can find total peace and quiet. To determine its rankings, the team evaluated 76 places across five metrics: safety, solitude, serenity, nature, and wellness. The folks at BookRetreats then further analyzed each place by nine data points, including the percentage of protected areas in the country, forest coverage, crowd density, noise and light pollution, peacefulness, and total wellness experiences. The team then gave each destination a score of one out of 100 to reveal its top picks.

BookRetreats then named Canada the most relaxing destination in all of North America and the second best worldwide. As BookRetreats noted, it's also the only North American destination in the top 25.

"Nature defines the Canadian travel experience. Home to the world’s largest collection of lakes and the mesmerizing aurora borealis, Canada’s untouched wilderness is the place for peace seekers," BookRetreats said in a statement obtained by Travel + Leisure. "According to the Natural History Museum, Canada — alongside Finland, Sweden, and Norway — have an average Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII) of above 90 percent, with 90 percent or more indicating resilient, functioning ecosystems."

While Canada came in second to Australia on the list of the best nations in the world for relaxation, BookRetreats did note that the Great topped Australia in wellness experiences, offering 4,724 wellness-related activities nationwide. "From thermal springs nestled in the Rocky Mountains to lake-side silent retreats in Eastern Ontario, Canada combines sprawling spaces with unique opportunities to relax in nature,” it said.

And for those seeking solitude, they’ll be able to find all they need here. BookRetreats notes there’s an average of just 3.9 people per square kilometer in Canada. As a result, it ranked as the fifth-best nation for solitude (behind Iceland, Namibia, Australia, and Mongolia at number one), ninth for safety, and sixth overall for wellness.

Other top spots on the overall relaxation list include Iceland in second, with Finland, New Zealand, Austria, Sweden, Estonia, Norway, and Portugal rounding out the top 10. And while those top choices are very Euro-centric, there are still relaxing spots sprinkled across the globe for wellness travelers to enjoy, including Botswana, which came in at No. 11, Japan at No. 15, Malaysia at No. 20, and Namibia at No. 23. 

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