New Year's resolutions often involve self-improvement: Losing weight, reducing stress, or simply resolving to relax. One way to jump-start a "new you" is to take a spa vacation.

If you're a spa lover, you're familiar with the amazing benefits. If you've never been to a spa, basically guests are pampered, prodded, and primped, and in the end, not only are they transformed externally, but internally — emotionally — as well. They're less stressed and more relaxed.

Amelia Island Plantation (ENLARGE)

Hydrotherapy is one of the options for guests at the spa at Amelia Island Plantation on Amelia Island, Fla. The spa is considered to be ideal for a self-improvement or family vacation.

Courtesy of Charleston Place (ENLARGE)

The Charleston Place Hotel's recent $1.4 million renovation includes a 40,000-gallon, 50-foot heated swimming pool with a retractable glass roof.

RELATED LINKS: • Photos: See inside these spas • Read more Travel stories

The ideal spa for you should be in a locale you'll enjoy. After all, you won't be primped or prodded the entire time. So whether you prefer the beach or mountains, or somewhere in between, we've got a spa for you.

Here are seven within driving distance of Atlanta.

The Spa at the Grove Park Inn, Asheville, N.C.

If you love the mountains, visit the Grove Park Inn in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the resort opened in 1913, and the $44 million, 40,000-square-foot spa was added in 2001.

Guests enter the spa under the Main Inn to the sound of a lush waterfall plunging into one of the spa's many water centers. (There are lap-swimming and mineral pools, and an outdoor whirlpool with heated deck, as well.) The spa houses 26 treatment rooms, offering everything from Vichy showers to basic facials.

Beware: Spa treatments aren't cheap. Although considering the spa's list of recent awards (see below), many guests disregard price.

The Grove Park offers a myriad of treatments for women and quite a few for men, too, including whole body or the Gentleman's facial. Or he can relax in front of one of the spa's three lounge fireplaces, or work out in the onsite fitness facility, or the resort's 50,000-square-foot Sports Complex, which includes tennis and racquetball. January's average high temperature in Asheville is a mild 46 degrees, os he can also golf at one of the 18-hole championship golf courses at the resort.

Recently the spa was named a Reader's Choice from SpaFinders.com for Best Spa for Men. It also won that Web site's Best Spa - Interior Design; Fodor's Travel Wire: One of Top 10 Luxury Resorts; and No. 17 on Travel+Leisure magazine's Top 25 Hotel Spas (Continental U.S. & Canada).

Get there: 3 hours, 35 minutes from Atlanta.

Details: 1-877-772-0747; www.groveparkinn.com

Spa hours: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. daily (may vary by season)

Treatment examples:

• Swedish Massage ($140/50 minutes; $200/80 minutes)

• Custom Blend Facial; an esthetician designs a guest's specialized treatment ($175/80 minutes)

• Grove Park Spa Manicure & Walk-in-the-Clouds Pedicure ($80/60 minutes each). Both include a glass of champagne and chocolates.

(Note: There is no hair salon at the spa.)

Extras:

• Carolina Mud Pie Wrap ($250/80 minutes) includes exfoliation with warm mud, body wrap, gift and half-hour massage.

• Aura Imaging Photo ($35, before or after; $60, before and after) — specialized camera takes your image and displays via colors the wavelengths of your energy fields. A professional interprets findings.

Wintergarden Spa at Wintergreen Resort, Wintergreen, Va.

Another resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains is Wintergreen, an 11,000-acre, four-season facility slightly southwest of Charlottesville, Va. It's known for its world-class skiing, snowboarding and golfing.

In 2006, Wintergreen Resort was given a Reader's Choice Award by WashingtonPost.com as the best place to golf and ski. If you enjoy either sport, you can play after your treatment sessions from Wintergreen's full-service spa, Wintergarden.

In January 2006, the resort completed a $4 million expansion of the spa, which doubled its size to 12,000 square feet. Today there are 13 treatment rooms, two of which have Vichy showers.

In addition to its traditional spa, the resort includes the Mountaintop Aquatics and Fitness Center, which offers personal trainers, fitness classes and swimming.

Generally, the spa is restricted to those 16 years and older, but parents with adolescents can opt for a special Youth Spa & Salon program for teens. The spa also offers an extensive list of men's treatments. Check out the Guy's Guy Package below. Although somewhat expensive, it gives male guests complete "make-overs."

Wintergarden is one of the few spas where guests can opt for a Kur (a course of treatment that usually includes mineral water, mud baths, algae, and herbs); these specialized packages cost $175/90 minutes. See the spa's Web site for its three Kurs: Lavender Reveries, Thalasso Ritual and Ying and Yang.

Due to its popularity, the spa recommends making treatment reservations two to three weeks ahead.

Get there: 7 hours, 40 minutes from Atlanta.

Details: 434-325-8562; www.wintergreenresort.com/spa

Spa hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.

Treatment examples:

• Swedish Massage ($70/30 minutes; $105/60 minutes; $145/90 minutes)

• Signature Facial ($120/60 minutes; $150/90 minutes)

• Haircut and Style – Women's $55; Men's $32; Youth (4-14 years old) $25; Toddler (up to age 3) $12

• Signature Manicure ($60/60 minutes) and Sole Sundae Pedicure ($75/60 minutes)

Extras:

• A Guy's Guy Package ($265/3.5 hours): Sports Massage, Hand Detail, & Facial

• Youth Spa & Salon program

• Customized Teen Makeup Lesson ($40/45 minutes)

• Teen Start Facial ($90/60 minutes)

• Rub My Back and Feet for teens ($95/45 minutes)

• Princess Package for ages 6-12 ($55/ 50 minutes); includes manicure and pedicure

The Spa at Grandover, Greensboro, N.C.

Opened in 1999, this four-diamond AAA Grandover Resort exists mainly as a large conference center with two 18-hole championship golf courses. But the spa, located within the European-style hotel, provides basic treatments for guests. And it's the least expensive of our seven spas.

Despite only five treatment rooms and a small, 1,800-square-foot fitness facility, the size of the spa at Grandover is adequate if you prefer a cozy environment. For men who think spas are for women, there's golf, tennis, a fitness facility, and several restaurants on site at the resort, including the pricey Di Valletta. (A smaller café has cheaper fare.)

Don't come to Grandover expecting the latest new-age spa treatment; it performs the basics only. No Kurs or Vichy showers. Even so, the spa does offer an inexpensive all-day classic package for $155, whereby day or resort guests receive a 50-minute Swedish massage and a 50-minute European facial, and can then spend the remainder of the day using the resort's indoor/outdoor pool, sauna, steam room, hot tub, and fitness room, all without paying extra. Even a basic 25-minute manicure or pedicure will only set guests back $35 and $45, respectively.

Note, however, that the spa is for adults only; children under age 16 are not permitted. If you're thinking of a spa vacation for the entire family, you might choose another resort. If you do travel with the kids, the spa's six-hour cancellation policy can be a money saver to parents whose plans are apt to change depending on their children's needs.

Get there: 5 hours, 15 minutes from Atlanta.

Details: 336-834-4889; www.grandoverresort.com

Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

• Swedish Massage ($75/50 min; $125/80 minutes)

• European Facial ($85/50 minutes)

(Note: There is no hair salon.)

Extras:

• New treatment beginning Jan. 1: Signature Organic Pumpkin Cream Wrap ($150/80 min)

• Valentine's Day Packages. Guests should call after Jan. 1 for a list of Valentine's Day Specials for couples.

Spa at Charleston Place Hotel, Charleston, S.C.

History buffs should visit Charleston. When you've completed your spa treatments at the Charleston Place Hotel, there's plenty to do in town.

For the past 10 years, Charleston Place Hotel has appeared on Travel+Leisure magazine's "World's Best Places to Stay;" it's also been named one of AAA's four-diamond hotels for 14 years straight. Past hotel guests have included Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Bolton and Kevin Costner.

If you're traveling with children, one of the great things about the spa at the hotel is that it's quite kid-friendly. (See Extras for a list of children's treatments.)

Recently the hotel completed a $1.4 million renovation including the installation of a 40,000 gallon, 50-by-25 foot heated swimming pool with retractable glass roof.

Guests can work out at the fitness center by enrolling in aerobics ($15 per class) or using the on-site personal trainers ($30/30 min; $65/1 hour; $100/1 hour for a couple). For tennis lovers, there are two rooftop courts.

The spa at Charleston Place offers the most flexible cancellation policy; guests only need cancel treatment within four hours to keep from being charged. Again, that means more flexibility for parents whose plans might change.

Get there: 5 hours from Atlanta.

Details: 843-937-8522; www.charlestonplacespa.com

Spa hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays.

Treatment examples:

• Swedish Massage ($115/50 minutes; $175/80 minutes)

• Charleston Place Facial ($115/50 minutes)

• Spa Manicure ($38/30 minutes) and Pedicure ($55/40 minutes)

(Note: No hair salon.)

Extras:

• Special programs for kids (12 years old and younger) include: Lollipop Manicure ($30/25 minutes) and Pedicure ($30/30 minutes); Cinderella Facial ($70/50 min) includes Lollipop Manicure; Boys About Face ($40/25 minutes) is a boys' facial; Fit Kids ($50/30 minutes) for 3- to 5-year olds, combines games and exercises.

• Soon the spa is introducing a luxurious treatment called the 24 Karat Gold Facial ($350/80 minutes), which uses a new Japanese technology and gold for skin.

Relache Spa at Gaylord Opryland Resort, Nashville

Country music fans will enjoy the Gaylord Opryland Resort and its onsite spa, Relache. Although many fans come specifically to visit the Grand Ole Opry, the spa offers guests a complete menu of services.

Spa director Yolanda Harris-Jackson says, "We're a European-inspired luxury spa. We are also known as the largest resort spa in the state of Tennessee."

Relache is equipped with 12 rooms in which guests can choose from among many different types of traditional spa treatments: 11 kinds of massages, nine types of facials, three styles of body wrap and a long list of manicures and pedicures. And the salon offers a full-selection of hair services, including basic shampoo, cut and color.

Guests can work out in the facility's 3,400-square-foot, 24-hour fitness room. The gym offers clients many services; however, there are separate charges for using the facility. Local guests must pay $30 for full access, while resort guests are charged separately for personal training ($75/50 minutes), body composition analysis ($50/30 minutes), weight loss analysis ($125/50 minutes), swimming lessons ($25/25 minutes; $50/50 minutes), water aerobics ($10/50 minutes), a stroke clinic ($75/50 minutes), and a wellness lecture and group class ($100/30 minutes).

Relache's awards include Best Spa from At Home Tennessee magazine (2007). The resort was named a Southern Living magazine Readers' Choice Award – Top Overall Destination (1999-2005).

Spa guests must be 18 years or older. Users of the fitness center are required to be 16 years or older, and pool guests under 16 have to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Get there: 4 hours from Atlanta.

Details: 615-458-1772; www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylordopryland/spa

Spa hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily.

Treatment examples:

• Swedish Massage ($130/50 min; $185/80 min)

• Signature Facial ($135/50 minutes)

• Women's Shampoo and Haircut (from $75)

• Classique Manicure ($45/30 minutes) and Classique Pedicure ($65/50 minutes)

Extras:

• Here Comes the Bride Package ($425) includes 80- minute Swedish Massage, Tropical Paradise Manicure and Pedicure, up-do hairstyling, and make-up application.

• The Escape ($260) lets guests choose two 50-minute treatments from these: Swedish or Aromatherapy massage, and Organic Oxygen or Aromatherapy Radiance Facial.

The Spa at Amelia Island Plantation, Amelia Island, Fla.

Looking for complete self-improvement and a family vacation? Then head to the spa at Amelia Island Plantation. If you're looking for traditional spa treatments but also want to lose weight or stop smoking, the spa offers a host of wellness choices in addition to spa basics.

Not only is the warm location wonderful, but the entire family can enjoy a long list of amenities, including a massage for the family dog during the spa's monthly Dog Day Afternoon administered under the Gazebo. (Check with the resort's accommodations for pet policies.)

The 1,350-acre Amelia Island Plantation resort opened in 1971, and the spa was added in 2001. According to spa director Bill Di Stanisloa, the spa offers only organic treatments. "That's what is unique about this spa — the focus is on pure and simple [using organic products]. We believe in a holistic approach — no fancy chemical-laden products that irritate and dry the skin. We're not here to compete, but to nurture."

The spa offers classes to help those with Weight Control ($380 for a four-week series) and Smoking Cessation ($95/120 minutes). It provides Yoga ($20 per class) and Wealth Management classes, including 10 Steps to Wealth ($35). It even offers yoga weddings.

Accolades for Amelia Island Plantation resort are many. It's been named an AAA four-diamond resort for 27 consecutive years. Water's Edge magazine gave the spa at Amelia Island its Editor's Choice Award for Favorite Spa in 2004 and 2005.

Get there: 5 hours, 40 minutes from Atlanta.

Details: 1-877-843-7722; www.spaamelia.com

Spa hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays.

Treatment examples:

• Relaxing Massage ($115/50 minutes; $145/80 minutes)

• Pure Facial ($115/50 minutes; $145/80 minutes, includes hand and foot treatments)

• Shampoo, Cut & Style – Women's $55+; Men's $35; Children's (under 12 years old) $35+

• Mini Palms Manicure ($40/25 minutes) & Polynesian Pampered Soles Pedicure ($70/50 minutes)

Extras:

• Tropical Island Wrap ($145/80 minutes) includes dry skin brush exfoliation followed by wrap and scalp treatment with coconut oil. Finishes with cocoa butter.

• Aromatic Salts Bath ($55/25 minutes) includes natural mineral salts to relieve aches and soothe tense muscles.

Sand & Sea Spa at Wild Dunes Resort, Isle of Palms, S.C.

The Sand & Sea Spa at Wild Dunes Resort is another kid-friendly facility. In 2006, Travel+Leisure magazine named Wild Dunes to its list of "Top 50 Family Resorts in the U.S."

The spa will be moving into a new space at the resort this spring, but the current location will continue operating until the new facility is ready.

It's never too early to start children on the benefits of proper skin care, and the spa offers several treatments for kids, including the Small Fry Facial (see Extras) for those 9 and younger.

As far as adult services, Gina Hummel, director of spa services, says the spa is known for its massage. "The massage therapists in our boutique spa are some of the best in the world, which is a continuous compliment we receive from our celebrity clientele ... We have introduced a pre-natal massage session in which we train the daddy-to-be the proper way to massage his wife, an experience the couple will be able to enjoy long after the vacation is over."

And if you want in and out quickly so you can hit the beach, the spa offers an innovative Express Menu. (See Extras.)

Visit the Web site for a list of specials, including "New Year, New You," a $450-a-night package (based on two people for two nights) that includes accommodations, 80-minute nutrition counseling and training per person, one-hour group yoga class, 50-minute facial per person, and make-up color analysis with gift of Bare Escentuals starter kit per person.

There's also the "Mind + Body Retreat": For $470 a night, it includes accommodations, breakfast, one-hour group yoga class per person, one 50-minute massage per person, and one-day bike rentalper person. For $95 you can add the 80-minute nutrition counseling session.

Get there: 5 hours, 15 minutes from Atlanta.

Details: 843-886-2555; www.wilddunes.com/south-carolina-spa-resorts.php

Spa hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays.

Treatment examples:

• Swedish Massage ($55/25 minutes; $80/50 minutes; $135/80 minutes)

• Women's Haircut & Style $50; men's cut $25

• "Out the Door" Manicure & Pedicure ($70/50 minutes)

Extras:

• Kid-friendly Treatments: Child's Haircut for age 9 and under ($20); Little Miss Manicure ($25) & Princess Pedicure ($35);

• Express Menu (adults):

• Chair Massage ($2/minute; 10-minute max.)

• Express Foot Reflexology ($65/25 minutes)

• Eyelash Tint ($30)

• Glycolic Face Peel ($40)

• Shampoo & Blow Dry ($40+)

Nearer to you

If the idea of a spa treatment sounds appealing, but you can't spare the time for a two-day or more getaway, plenty of day spas in Atlanta offer one-hour to all-day treatments. And some metro hotels and nearby resorts — including Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation near Lake Oconee; Chateau Élan Winery & Resort near Braselton; Lake Lanier Islands Resort, and Callaway Gardens near Pine Mountain — also offer an assortment of spa services.