Page 14 - The Magazine of AAA Ohio Auto Club – November 2021

Continued from page 10
Most cabins and lodges in the Hocking Hills offer a private hot tub. Soaking in a bubbling hot spa under a sea of stars at the end of the day has benefits well beyond simply providing a magical experience.
High Rock Adventures recently launched Nature Therapy, a three-hour guided experience for groups of six or fewer. While availability is dependent on weather, trained guides help guests use all of their senses to connect more deeply with the forest. Based on the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, Nature Therapy is based on the belief that humans
are part of the web of life and their psyches are not independent of their environment. Building a relationship
LarryKnupp / iStock
with nature has been shown to have both mental and physical benefits, including helping with anxiety, depression, burnout and stress. As it quiets the mind, Nature Therapy is proven to restore attention capacity, lower blood pressure, calm pulse rates and lower production of cortisol, the stress hormone. Not bathing in the traditional sense, forest bathing immerses practitioners in nature and is well documented to create lasting benefits for the mind, body and spirit. Travelers who are unable to book guided Nature Therapy can take a self-guided hike through any of the Hocking Hills’ miles and miles of trails and natural areas marked by soaring cliffs, craggy caves and gorgeous waterfalls,
all of which are at their most spectacular with the frozen sparkle of winter.
For complete travel planning assistance, talk to your AAA Travel agent or visit AAA.com/Travel. Additional activities and lodging opportunities are outlined at ExploreHockingHills.com.
12 | AAA MAGAZINE
Unless noted, images coutesy of High Rock Adventures.
Amy Weirick runs her own travel-focused public relations agency, Weirick Communications, in Columbus, Ohio.