Catch your breath on a wellness retreat in an Alaskan forest. Meet unsung African American heroes from history via augmented reality in Kentucky. Ensconce yourself in a full-on “Hocus Pocus-themed” sanctuary, replete with caldrons and crystals, spells and spook vibes, in Salem, Massachusetts.

Here are three new immersive experiences worth putting in your travel planner for 2025.

Breathe Alaska Wellness Retreat, www.breathe-alaska.com

A life-changing breathwork class inspired Cindee Brown-Mills to create A Moment to Breathe, a three-day immersive wellness retreat that will take place amid towering evergreens in the heart of Alaska’s pristine wilderness in Juneau.

“Our breath is something we carry with us everywhere and it is so powerful and underutilized,” said Brown-Mills, a Juneau resident and founder of Breathe Alaska. “If we can teach people how to use their breath for self-healing emotionally, physically and spiritually—what a powerful way to help.”

The retreat is scheduled for March 3-5 and includes daily breathwork classes designed to release stuck emotions such as stress, anxiety, grief and trauma. Gourmet meals, featuring local Alaska delicacies and prepared by some of Juneau’s finest chefs and the chance to engage with local experts about Alaskan culture and natural healing practices Alaska-style are also part of the package.

Retreat accommodations are in the Jubilee Cabin located at the National Shrine of St. Therese, featuring spectacular views of the Inside Passage and Shrine Island.

“The shrine is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places on the planet,” said Brown-Mills. “It’s 22 miles from downtown Juneau, out in the forest and right on the water. It is a magical place, with trails, beautiful cabins and lodges, a labyrinth for meditation walks—so much to explore.”

On the daily agenda is a breathwork class, nutritious and thoughtfully prepared meals, a workshop and time for individual discovery—wandering the grounds, photographing the scenery and enjoying quiet moments. Highlights include a chance to cook with the chef; visiting Sealaska Heritage Institute to learn about the traditions, customs and values that have shaped cultural and spiritual values for generations; and participating in a traditional talking circle.

The retreat concludes with a guided mindfulness session with Juneau’s Mendenhall Glacier as the backdrop and a gourmet dinner prepared in an outdoor kitchen.

“We’re going to show up as strangers and leave as friends and I’m really looking forward to that, for folks to really have a place to relax, disconnect, be present and do whatever healing or recharging that needs to be done,” said Brown-Mills.

For more information about the retreat, costs and reservations, visit www.breathe-alaska.com. In addition to the breathwork sessions, accommodations and meals, transportation to and from the airport and to all group activities is included as well as immersive workshops on topics including the benefits of fermentation and healthy cooking.

Kentucky Black Trailblazers, www.kentuckyblacktrailblazers.com

At the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville, meet an African American jockey who was the first winner of the event known round the world as the greatest two minutes in sports—the famed Kentucky Derby.

In 1875, Oliver Lewis charged into the history books when he rode his horse, Aristides, to victory in the inaugural Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs. Not only that, but Lewis and Aristides set a new American record time for a mile-and-a-half race.

Lewis is one of the 19 historical figures found on the Kentucky Black Trailblazers trail, a new augmented reality experience that winds through six different Kentucky communities and brings to life the stories of the struggles and challenges of Black activists, unsung heroes and everyday people who overcame, persevered and inspired.

Each stop features a storyboard that presents a brief background of the subject, and the technology needed to access their narratives

“The technology used to deliver the experiences is one-of-a-kind and has never been implemented before on this scale,” said Mason Warren, director of marketing and public relations at ShelbyKY Tourism. (Kentucky Black Trailblazers was the brainchild of Janette Marson, ShelbyKY Tourism’s president, who also spearheaded the project.)

Visitors scan the storyboard’s QR code on their phone, which pulls up a web app and, in turn, opens a view of the particular historical figure, their story and scene appearing within the larger context of the live setting.

For instance, on the grounds of the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, the experience opens to a scene of Ali’s childhood barber discussing Ali with a child, also from Louisville. At Calvary Cemetery in nearby Shelbyville, the scene emerges with the Harlem Hellfighters, a renowned infantry group from World War I, marching in place as one soldier recounts the racism they faced in the U.S. Army.

The storyboards are located in some of Kentucky’s most cherished attractions, including My Old Kentucky Home State Park in Bardstown, where Mack Rowan, who was born into slavery in 1820, discusses his journey to becoming a master boot and shoemaker—a vocation inspired by his own infirmity.

The storyboards are also tucked into lesser-known places, like Simpsonville’s Fred Wiche Park, where key civil rights figure Whitney M. Young, a close ally of Martin Luther King Jr., and one who helped organize the 1963 March on Washington, discusses the fight for racial equality. (Simpsonville landmarks related to Young, including his birthplace, are among Kentucky landmarks also included on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, www.civilrightstrail.com.)

The Warlock House/Salem Séances, www.warlockhouse.com, www.salemseance.com

Edgar Allan Poe meets Harry Potter in Witch City, USA, at one of the newest, most unusual (and popular) vacation rentals in Salem, Massachusetts. The Warlock House is a full-on immersive experience that “combines the whimsical fun of Halloween with the deep-rooted mysteries of Salem Witchcraft.”

Step into this three-bedroom condo and into a world of enchantments, where every room plays up the magical, mystical motif to the hilt — from the Haunted Hallway aglow in candlelight to the Witch’s Kitchen equipped with Halloween-themed dishes to each uniquely designed bedroom.

The Gothic-inspired Raven’s Nest intrigues with lamps casting shadows of skulls on the walls. The Pumpkin Patch is an indulgent nod to Halloween past, enhanced by the flickering faces of jack-o’-lanterns. Twinkling with fairy lights, the Herbarium — a celebration of the witch as healer — is filled with herbs “both baneful and benevolent.”

“The Warlock House is steeped in all things Salem and Halloween, but it also includes the Salem of fantasy—a dark and whimsical wonderland that plays into the expectations of our city’s visitors,” said owner Christian Day. “That combination of fantasy and reality, meeting at the crossroads of whimsy, gives such a great jumping point for our guests to then explore Salem because it really sets such a magical tone.”

The house is also well located, within strolling distance of many of Salem’s key attractions: the Salem Witch Museum, Salem Witch Trials Memorial, Old Burying Point Cemetery, House of the Seven Gables and the Witch House—the only remaining structure in Salem that has a direct connection to the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692-1693.

A perfect add-on experience to a stay at the Warlock House is a séance.

“Attending a séance really connects to the witchy side of Salem in a more serious and solemn way,” said Day, who also owns the Séances at Omen. “We’ve been offering séances for about a decade now and they continue to be very popular, especially as everyday people are learning the importance of relating to our ancestors, something earlier cultures, and some non-Western ones as well, take very seriously.”

A true spirit medium leads the séances, a gifted psychic in possession of a rare ability to connect with loved ones on the other side.

“The witches who conduct our seances approach this role with both pride and reverence for we know that the spirits we call must be respected and honored,” said Day.

For more information on each experience, visit the individual websites noted above as well as these: www.travelalaska.com, www.kentuckytourism.com, www.salem.org.