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What if your next vacation didn’t just compel you to unwind, but inspired you to rethink how and where you live? That’s the innovative shift happening in communities known as agrihoods, where wellness, art, and community converge to create something with lasting impact, beyond a weekend escape.
The growing numbers of agrihoods and biophilic developments throughout the U.S. merge vacation with holistic living. Think organic farms in place of golf courses, cooking lessons instead of buffet dining, and labyrinth meditation walks rather than state-of-the-art gyms. Here are just a few destinations that allow vacationers to get a glimpse of what a more intentional lifestyle could look like — and why it’s not only good for us, but also for the planet.
Serenbe
Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia
Serenbe, about 30 miles southwest of Atlanta, features New Urbanism design that is a blueprint for future neighborhoods to be built with sustainability, creativity, and togetherness in mind. Its distinct neighborhoods provide everything from bespoke medical care and high-end thrift shops to juice bars and a full-service spa. Serenbe’s mission is to foster a culture of curiosity, engagement, and a shared belief in a better way of living, or vacationing.
Here, farm-to-table meals come straight from the community garden, art is seamlessly woven into public spaces, neighbors gather at community mailboxes, and electric golf carts are used in place of cars. Start your day with a walk through the animal village, take a wooded path to get your morning coffee, stop to bounce on an in-ground trampoline, go horseback riding at sunset, and end with a nourishing meal with locally sourced ingredients. Guests can stay at the bucolic Inn at Serenbe or in a vacation rental immersed in the community…