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THE 10 BEST Moscow Spas & Wellness Centers

Spas & wellness centers in moscow.

• Health/Fitness Clubs & Gyms
• Yoga & Pilates
• Hammams & Turkish Baths
• Roman Baths
• Thermal Spas
• Hair & Nail Salons
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3rd Transport Ring (TTK)
• District Central (TsAO)
• Garden Ring
• Good for a Rainy Day
• Good for Couples
• Budget-friendly
• Good for Big Groups
• Good for Kids
• Good for Adrenaline Seekers
• Honeymoon spot
• Adventurous
• Hidden Gems
• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Moreon Aquapark

2. Feedback Massazhnaya

3. Sanduny Bath Houses

4. Feedback Massazhnaya

5. Andreyevskiye Bani

6. The Carlton Spa

7. Flotarium Tsentralny

8. Krasnopresnenskie Baths

9. Chill SPA

10. ThaiBeautySpa

11. Thai Pattara Center

12. Vorontsovskie Bani

13. Health Club Laguna SPA

14. SaltGrot

15. Limestone

16. Swimming Pool Chaika

17. Royal Thai Pokrovka

18. Lay Back Massage Club

19. Tochki Tela

20. Le'Thai Thai massage & SPA

21. Wai Thai Michurino

22. Cosmos Spa

23. SPA - club Orient Express

24. ThaiLab

26. Wellcure & Float

27. Le 'THAI Massage & Spa

28. Centre of Ayurveda and Yoga Kerala

29. Varshavskiye Bani

30. Fitness Club Miltronic

What travelers are saying

• Casa Picassa Anticafe
• Feedback Massazhnaya
• Sanduny Bath Houses
• Andreyevskiye Bani
• Moreon Aquapark
• VITASPORT Wellness Club
• Galotsentr Solyanaya Peshhera
• Enjoy Luxury Spa & Beauty Studio
• Thai Pattara Center
• ThaiBeautySpa
• The Carlton Spa
• Vorontsovskie Bani
• Tsaritsynskiye Baths
• Varshavskiye Bani
• Lay Back Massage Club
• THAI-SPA 7 KRASOK on Partiarshiye prudy
• Rzhevskiye Sauna

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Spa & Wellness Tours

Wellness Tour of Bali (10 Days) Ubud, Candidasa

Spa & Wellness Tour of China (10 Days) Shanghai & environs, Suzhou, Hangzhou

Resorts of Southern France (10 Days) Provence, Cote d'Azur (Saint-Tropez & Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat)

Greece In Style (11 Days) Santorini, Athens, Porto Heli

Geothermal Spas of Iceland (7 Days) Blue Lagoon, Husafell, South Iceland, Reykjavik

Ayurveda Highlights of India (8 Days) Delhi, Himalayas & Rishikesh

Indulgent Tuscany (9 Days) Florence, Tuscan hills, Tuscan coast

Culture & Wellness Tour of Mexico (11 Days) Mexico City, Merida, Riviera Maya (Maroma, Playa del Carmen or Tulum)

Traditional Culture & Wellness of Nepal (6 Days) Kathmandu & Kathmandu Valley, Dhulikhel

Wellness Tour of Thailand (11 Days) Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Phuket or Koh Samui

Exclusive Japan: Amans, Art & Onsen (15 Days) Tokyo, Naoshima, Kyoto, Ise-Shima region

Multi-country Tours

Hiking & Wellness Tour of Bhutan & India (14 Days) Delhi, Thimphu, Punakha, Paro, Himalayas & Rishikesh

Spa & Wellness Tour of Germany & Switzerland (10 Days) Munich, Baden-Baden & Alsace, Lake Geneva

Active & Wellness Tour of Iceland & Norway (12 Days) Blue Lagoon, Husafell & Langjokull Glacier, South Iceland, Reykjavik , Oslo, Bergen & Sognefjord

The Best of the Inland Sea & Beyond (12 Days) Tokyo, Naoshima, Seto Inland Sea cruise & Kurashiki, Kyoto

Travel is your time to get away, relax and recharge. Whether you want to fill your days with invigorating activities, relaxing spa treatments or a perfect balance of both, we'll customize an itinerary for you that features the most luxurious and unforgettable activities and experiences in the world's leading spa and wellness destinations.

• Learning about Ayurvedic lifestyle in India and Nepal
• Private meditation with local monks in Bhutan
• Soaking in private outdoor hot springs in Japan
• State-of-the-art beauty treatments and anti-aging programs overlooking the Swiss Alps
• Indulging in a sumptuous hammam in Morocco
• Relaxing by an infinity pool overlooking the Aegean Sea in Greece
• In-water treatments in a private geothermal pool in Iceland
• Comprehensive customized wellness programs at a renowned medical spa at the edge of the Black Forest in Germany
• Practicing new yoga techniques with master yogis in the Himalayas
• Learning to prepare Ayurvedic cuisine in southern India
• Customized fitness retreats and detox programs in Thailand
• Lavender-infused relaxation treatments in Provence
• DNA screenings at a top anti-aging institute in Seoul
• Tai Chi classes followed by a Zen Tea Ceremony in China
• The best combination of prestigious wine and holistic therapies in Tuscany
• Learning about the therapeutic properties of local medicinal plants in destinations like Peru, Vietnam and South Korea
• A luxurious wellness-focused cruise on Halong Bay in Vietnam
• A unique spa safari in Indonesia
• Vinotherapy treatments in renowned wine destinations, including Italy, France and Argentina
• Guided forest bathing and meditation in Japan
• Attending a traditional fire blessing in Bali

Our in-house spa and wellness experts constantly travel the world, visiting favorite spas and discovering new ones, attending fitness retreats, finding the most rewarding wellness experiences and meeting the most qualified local guides and health and beauty experts— all so we can create for you a private luxury tour that reawakens and refreshes every cell in your body. From private classes with master yogis to Ayurvedic retreats and customized fitness and detox programs, our luxury spa and wellness tours feature the best local wellness traditions of each destination.

Artisans of Leisure luxury spa and wellness tours feature:

• Pre-arranged appointments at leading spas
• Hotels and resorts with state-of-the-art fitness centers and ultra-luxury spas
• Exclusive access to local wellness experts in yoga, fitness, nutrition and healing
• Private classes in local cooking and well-being philosophies

In addition, Artisans of Leisure tours feature:

• Deluxe rooms in the world's best luxury hotels and resorts
• Your own private guide and driver for flexible touring based on your interests
• Highly personalized itinerary planning
• Expert advice from our travel specialists who have lived or traveled extensively in all of the destinations we offer
• Local contacts at our associate offices throughout each region
• Private airport and train station transfers
• Restaurant reservations, shopping recommendations, tickets to cultural events and exclusive access to local activities

All tours are private, depart daily and can be customized to suit individual interests and schedules.

Please contact us at (800) 214-8144 to begin designing your perfect spa and active vacation.

Booking Information >

All Artisans of Leisure tours are private and depart daily.

Please Contact Us for more information regarding the above tour, or to begin customizing your own itinerary.

The Artisans of Leisure Style of Travel:

Testimonials

We have a long list of rave reviews from our travelers.

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In the Press

Recommended by:

Departures Conde Nast Traveler The New York Times Wall Street Journal Travel + Leisure Town & Country

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Hot Springs, Culture & Luxury in Baden-Baden, Germany

Experiencing K-Beauty in Seoul, South Korea

Three of Our Favorite Luxury Resorts in Thailand

Private Luxury Spa Tours & Wellness Tours Around the World

Just Back: The Guntu and Other Inland Sea Highlights in Japan

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A Hot Stone Bath in Bhutan

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The Future of Press Trips: Top Global Travel PR Agency Shares Insights

As COVID-19 continues to radically reshape the travel and hospitality industry, one of the most important tactics in elevating the profile of leading hotels and resorts through earned media and socially driven coverage – the press trip – is an area of great debate. While it goes by many names and can take many shapes – press trips, familiarization tours or “FAMs”, visiting journalist programs or “VJPs”; group trips and individual visits – in the pre-COVID era, this tactic was one of the most impactful tools in the travel PR tool kit. 

As we say at The Brandman Agency, seeing is truly believing and we know the power that firsthand experiences can bring to our media contacts and trusted influencers. Resulting coverage from press trips tends to be more robust and personal. Nuances and unique points of view are crafted as our media friends touch, taste, smell and experience everything our hotel, resort, destination, or airline clients have to offer. And no amount of smart pitching, media relations for hotels , or artfully crafted press materials can replicate that feeling of interacting with that perfectly attentive General Manager or server. The conversations our media and influencer friends have with the hotel mixologists that leads them to see the cocktail program with fresh eyes – and the taste of that perfectly balanced margarita or old fashioned that is the end result – can’t be conveyed in an image or pitch sent via email. Lastly, when public relations firms curate the perfect group press trip, new industry contacts and lifelong friendships between attendees (and PR hosts!) can be formed, further enhancing the press trip experience for all involved. 

“So many of our media contacts and influencer friends - and us, frankly, as PR professionals - are feeling the whiplash from being on the road exploring destinations, hotels, and resorts multiple times a month to just a handful of trips, if any. The how, where, when, and why of when we get back to hosting in-person press trips for our clients is changing moment to moment.”

But today, faced with border closures, lopsided testing capacity from state to state, and varying degrees of social distancing and mask wearing enforcement, the future of press trips is very much up in the air.

“So many of our media contacts and influencer friends – and us, frankly, as PR professionals – are feeling the whiplash from being on the road exploring destinations, hotels, and resorts multiple times a month to just a handful of trips, if any,” says Melanie Brandman, Founder and CEO of The Brandman Agency. “While our wanderlust may be pent up, there’s not a lot of FOMO to be had with the second wave of COVID-19 bringing new closures and restrictions. The how, where, when, and why of when we get back to hosting in-person press trips for our clients is changing moment to moment.”

To help advise our tourism PR clients on the path forward with this vital tactic – in an ever changing landscape – The Brandman Agency conducted a travel sentiment survey in July 2020, polling approximately 100 of our closest and most trusted editors and freelancers. Even amongst the most passionate globetrotters, we sensed that COVID-19 had brought up mixed feelings and opinions when it came to when, where and how we’ll travel in the foreseeable future. The short survey was designed to help us advise our travel PR clients on the “new normal” of press trips and tailor our approach to invites, protocols, itinerary development, and communication with these trusted contacts. The results of The Brandman Agency’s Travel Sentiment Survey – shared anonymously and with aggregated findings – offers a glimpse into the future of press trips.

A Highly Personal Decision

Not surprisingly, the results of our survey showed that comfort in taking press trips in the coming months was a highly personal decision. Over half of survey participants (53.5%) said they were ready to travel with the remainder being hesitant or reluctant.  Of those, 23.3% said their bags are packed and are ready to go hit the road for a trip in the next 1-2 weeks and 30.2% said they are ready to travel and are in the process of planning their trip within the next 1-2 months. 25.6% said they are still hesitant and are waiting to see more developments/progress with COVID and the remaining 20% either answered other or indicated they would not be traveling this year. 

Roadtrip Nation

86% of survey respondents are planning to use a car for their main source of transportation for the foreseeable future, while 45% are open to using air travel. 76% said that private ground transfers (no public transportation) would also be best. In this category, media were able to select multiple answers from a list of options.

Domestic vs. International Press Trips

Of participating media contacts , the top five domestic locations media are most ready to visit, once deemed safe and in order of preference include: Sonoma, CA; San Francisco, CA; Puerto Rico; Chicago, IL; and New York City, NY. For those ready to put stamps in their passports, Japan emerged as the leading international destination media are ready to visit followed by France, Australia, Caribbean/Bahamas, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Of those interested in taking a trip, 71% are open to both domestic and international destinations. 

Group vs. Individual Press Trips

For future trips, 81% said that individual itineraries that help to avoid large crowds and groups of people would make them most comfortable; 52% of media said they are not comfortable with group press trips this year; and the same amount said they would be comfortable with an individual trip.

The Way Forward: COVID-19 Press Trips

These findings point to the reality that there is no simple answer when it comes to the future of press trips. Mirroring the travel industry and consumer patterns at-large, media’s comfort level in regards to if and how they travel – and with whom – will vary from journalist to journalist. As always, one size or solution won’t fit all, but some clear patterns emerged from our survey that are worth noting.

First, smaller groups and more individual press visits with modified itineraries will be key in the immediate future. While press trips of the past were often groups of 4-6 media, flown in from target media markets, we’re advising our hotel and resort clients to narrow their media and influencer target list to those within a reasonable driving distance – defined here as approximately 3-4 hours away. Many regional writers contribute to A-list national outlets and regional publications can help drive the critical drive-to market. We’re also suggesting that our client reallocate the budget once used for flight support to offer mileage reimbursement for media, hosted parking, and other creative touches like small farewell gifts and water or snacks for their drive home. 

While once +1’s were examined on a case-by-case basis for individual media visits, travel PR companies now see these traveling companions as critical to our media and influencer friends being able to enjoy their on-property experience comfortably. With schools and daycare centers closed, public relations firms are also putting a focus on families traveling together and positioning several of our hotel and resort clients as ideal home bases to “work and learn” remotely – a growing trend that we anticipate will accelerate in the fall. For tourism PR clients hoping to host group press trips, we’re also looking at “tribes” of media from the same geographic area, who we know to be friends or acquaintances, and extending invitations for them to experience our client’s properties together.

Next, hotel public relations companies are re-examining what constitutes a press trip itinerary. While we often would anchor trips with large-scale events or destination-specific news hooks – such as the opening of a new museum in a hotel or resort’s backyard, a major art show such as ArtBasel, or annual festivals such as Coachella – we’re now focusing on a more hotel and resort-centric experience and the ‘COVID comfort’ these properties can provide to a range of guests.  

We’re advising our clients with stand-alone bungalows and villas – such as Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, CA –  to showcase this product front and center and showcase the private, in-room experiences guests can experience with their “bubbles” – whether it be families or small groups of trusted friends. For our resort clients set on acres of sprawling land and larger scale hotels – such as the properties within the Gaylord Hotels portfolio with upwards of 1,000 rooms per hotel – we’re crafting messaging and press trip itineraries around the luxury of space – how these properties naturally lend themselves to social distancing due to their size. 

At the end of the day, it is our job to have our fingers on the pulse of media sentiment; our hotel/resort/destination’s offerings and goals; and the state of the pandemic in each destination, each day, to synergize all three and help advise our clients and media on how and when to extend press trip invitations. This is no small feat, which is why – in today’s climate – our travel PR clients find comfort in the agency’s 20 years of expertise as a top global travel PR agency and our commitment to providing consistent senior-level counsel . 

In short, press trips are not a relic of the travel PR past, but do need to be re-examined with fresh eyes. When organizing a post-COVID press trip – one of The Brandman Agency’s areas of specialization – we must recognize the need to anticipate those who remain hesitant today, so they can start to gain confidence and make their choices to opt-in to the new style of industry press trips that are clearly needed. Demonstrating to the concerned sub-set how our hotel and resort clients can meet new needs may also prove to be the key to inspiring post-COVID travelers – who will also be much more discerning and will demand the highest personal safety standards – to do the same. 

For a fresh perspective on how, when, and why to host a press trip to your hotel, resort, or destination, please drop us a line here . We’re ready to help you curate a smart, of-the-moment press trip strategy to help generate awareness and business. Our bags – and masks – are packed and ready to go.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Veranda editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

The 21 Best Spa Weekend Getaways in the U.S.

Because who couldn’t use a vacay dedicated to self-care and relaxation?

The Spa at Wynn: Las Vegas, Nevada

Unwind with a bespoke treatment at The Spa at Wynn , the only spa in Las Vegas to receive a Forbes Five-Star Award. In true Vegas fashion, the spa offers a "Good Luck Ritual," based on the five Chinese elements. The treatment is said to promote happiness, luck and prosperity through bodywork, scalp massage, an invigorating peppermint foot treatment, hand therapy, and a botanical scalp treatment. Jackpot!

The Spa at Sea Island: Sea Island, Georgia

Sea Island is beloved for its historical architecture, private beaches, well-appointed rooms, and five-star service. But we think that the resort's expansive 65,000-square-foot, Forbes Five-Star spa is another compelling reason to make the trip to this beautiful barrier island. The Spa at Sea Island's biophilic design boasts features like a sunny atrium, babbling brook, mineral pool baths, waterfall showers, cedar dry saunas, eucalyptus steam rooms, and a peaceful grass labyrinth.

Book Your Getaway: The Cloister at Sea Island

St. Regis Spa Atlanta: Atlanta, Georgia

The St. Regis Spa Atlanta is a beautiful way to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. Each St. Regis spa has a unique selection of "Caroline's Collection" treatments named after Caroline Astor, one of the most notable tastemakers of the late 19th century. Opt for "Rose Quartz Radiance," a treatment designed exclusively for the St. Regis Spa Atlanta, which starts with back exfoliation and warm oil rubbed with rose quartz stones. Next, you'll be treated with a botanical facial, Hungarian facial massage, and a floral-scented mask. We have a feeling Mrs. Astor would approve.

Book Your Getaway: The St. Regis Atlanta

The Allison Inn & Spa: Newberg, Oregon

The Allison Inn & Spa is inspired by its surrounding Willamette Valley landscape. The 15,000-square-foot facility features 12 treatment rooms, two outdoor treatment spaces, a swimming pool, whirlpool, sun terrace, two eucalyptus-infused steam rooms and two stone-heated saunas. With treatments offerings like infused sugar wraps, scalp treatments, hydrafacials, and massage, you're sure to find the perfect pampering experience.

Book Your Getaway: The Allison Inn & Spa

Tree Spa at Hidden Pond Resort Hotel: Kennebunkport, Maine

Nestled high among the birch trees, the Tree Spa really lives up to its name. Step into a tree house-inspired room for treatments like an Espresso Mud Back Scrub, an Oxygenating S'mores Facial, or Wild Lime Scalp Oil Treatment. Therapists can also incorporate rosemary, lavender, mint, and other fresh ingredients from one of Hidden Pond’s organic gardens.

Book Your Getaway: Hidden Pond Resort & Tree Spa

Aman Spa at Amangiri: Big Water, Utah

For a one-of-a-kind weekend destination, head to the Aman Spa at Amangiri . This 25,000-square-foot desert spa looks over America’s Canyon Country, allowing you to connect with nature. The holistic spa menu draws on Navajo healing traditions, with spa journeys designed to restore hozho , Navajo for ‘beauty, harmony, balance and health.’ The serene spa also boasts with two outdoor treatment terraces, a water and flotation pavilion, a pilates and yoga studio, and a gym.

Book Your Getaway: Amangiri

The Spa at Chatham Bars Inn: Chatham, Massachusetts

At The Spa at Chatham Bars Inn , you'll get a boutique spa experience while still enjoying treatments like seaweed body wraps, mani-pedis, and massages in a private cabana in the hotel's zen garden. Amenities such as an adults-only pool, a dry sauna, and steam showers will help you immediately unwind.

Book Your Getaway: Chatham Bars Inn

Korakia Pensione: Palm Springs, California

Korakia Pensione is a sexy and transportive Moroccan- and Mediterranean-inspired hotel in Palm Springs. The indoor-outdoor spa offers traditional treatments like their signature massage, as well as some more spiritual offerings like crystal chakra balancing massages, vibrational scalp treatments, and meditation sound baths. We feel zen just looking at the property's lush gardens, pools, and fire bowls.

Book Your Getaway: Korakia Pensione

The Guerlain Spa at Raffles Boston: Boston, Massachusetts

The Guerlain Spa at Raffles Boston exudes quiet luxury at every turn. With a 20-meter pool, vitality pool, hydrotherapy baths, ice showers, a sauna, steam room, and fitness center, your wellbeing is prioritized before you even begin your spa treatments. Services—from sculpting facials to relaxing massages—use Guerlain products to pamper and rejuvenate.

Book Your Getaway: Raffles Boston

Old Edwards Inn & Spa: Highlands, North Carolina

Surround yourself with the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Old Edwards Inn & Spa . Whether you opt for a customized facial, acupuncture, or an Ashiatsu massage where therapists use their feet to work knots from your back, you're sure to find the perfect service for your individual needs. There's also a full-service hair, nail, and waxing salon, so you can look and feel totally rejuvenated after this spa weekend getaway.

Book Your Getway: Old Edwards Inn & Spa

The Wellhouse at Blackberry Farm: Walland, Tennessee

Blackberry Farm's wellness philosophy is rooted in nature. Just like how the resort is known for their farm-to-table dining, Wellhouse uses flowers, herbs, vegetables and other healing elements in all of their treaments. With bespoke experiences like the Appalachian Body Purification—which uses ground coffee beans, sarsaparilla, honey, tobacco and black silt clay to stimulate the lymphatic system—or an in-room Himalayan Salt Stone massage, you're sure to find the perfect way to unwind.

Book Your Getaway: Blackberry Farm

The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Amelia Island: Fernandina Beach, Florida

The 25,000-square-foot spa just underwent a complete redesign and now offers new fitness and wellness programming with a more holistic approach. From red light body therapy to an Awakening Bamboo Massage to mindful meditation classes, there's a personalized package or service for every type of spa-goer. The stunning ocean views are a beautiful bonus, too.

Book Your Getaway: The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island

Kilolani Spa at Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort: Maui

The Kilolani Spa , named after the Kilolani or stargazers of ancient Hawaiʻi, looks like it could be from another planet. Treatments are inspired by the grounding energy of nature and the kaulana mahina (Hawaiian moon calendar) to restore, heal and restore your mind, body and spirit. Try a lomilomi massage with heated lava stones or a honey macadamia wrap for a locally inspired treatment.

Book Your Getaway: Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort

Valmont for The Spa at The Setai Miami: Miami Beach, Fl

The Setai's spa exclusively features Valmont spa products, which are known for their cellular-level anti-aging benefits. Choose from treatments like body-toning massages, contouring facials, and Thai foot reflexology to help you look and feel your best. Treatment rooms boast panoramic ocean and city views, so you can soak in the beauty of Miami Beach. The spa also features a sleek, 24-hour, state-of-the-art fitness center with private lessons or guided sessions, and there's complimentary beach yoga on the weekends.

Book Your Getaway: The Setai Miami

Aman New York: New York, New York

You'd never know that this zen, 25,000-square-foot spa was situated in the middle of bustling Manhattan. This city retreat has unmatched facilities, including two luxurious spa houses with a hammam or banya, a yoga and pilates studio, a cryotherapy chamber, a 65-foot heated swimming pool, and more. You can choose from traditional offerings like massages and facials, opt for functional medicine treatments (think: IV drips, chiropractic work, and traditional Chinese medicine), or even try out medical aesthetic treatments such as microneedling.

Book Your Getaway: Aman New York

Thistle Spa at Wildflower Farms, Auberge: Gardiner, New York

Thistle, an Auberge Spa combines time-honored wellness traditions and therapeutic bodywork with the healing powers of nature. The spa menu changes to mirror the current season, and small-batch oils, scrubs, ointments, and floral remedies are constantly evolving to reflect the local harvest. Choose from treatments like massages with river stones, herbal scalp massages, and customized facials.

Book Your Getaway: Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection

Little Nell Spa: Aspen, Colorado

Everyone deserves a trip to The Spa at The Little Nell after a day skiing, biking, or hiking in Aspen. Targeted remedies like a high-altitude adjustment ritual, healing bodywork using an infrared blanket and medicinal herbs, and salt-infused sauna sessions will have you ready to hit the ground running again tomorrow.

Book Your Getaway: The Little Nell

Kohler Waters Spa at Destination Kohler: Kohler, Wisconsin

Did you know that Kohler (yes, as in your favorite faucet and shower fixture brand) has a super luxe spa in Wisconsin that's focused on the restorative power of earth's mineral-rich waters? The spa is currently under renovation until September, but is offering express services like massages, facials, body wraps, and manicures until then.

Book Your Getaway: The American Club

Shou Sugi Ban House: Water Mill, New York

This luxury spa , which is inspired by the Japanese principle of wabi-sabi, is a delightful surprise to experience in the Hamptons. With amenities like hydrotherapy (think: a eucalyptus steam room or an ice flake fountain), as well as bespoke bodywork and body treatments, there's something for every type of spa-goer. Spiritual rituals—from sound healing to energy work to shamanic healing—as well as robust wellness offerings will have you feeling your best.

Book Your Getaway: Shou Sugi Ban House

Mii Amo: Sedona, Arizona

Mii Amo embodies Sedona at its finest—relaxing, luxe, tied to beautiful nature, and of course, downright mystical. At this spa, you'll find one-of-a-kind treatments like ancestral stone massage, lymphatic drainage, cupping, chakra balancing, Ayurvedic body wraps, reiki, hypnosis, past life regression, and more. Whether you want to keep it chill or dive into the spiritual side of things, there's a treatment for you.

Book Your Getaway: Mii Amo

Jaime Milan (she/her) is the deputy digital editor for VERANDA, where she writes about design, architecture, gardens, jewelry, fashion, travel, wine, news and trends. In her spare time, she can be found shopping at the antique store, cooking, gardening, or teaching her mini Australian Shepherd, Gumbo, new tricks. Follow her on Instagram at @jaimemmilan. 

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How to Land Press Trips and Fam Tours

By Roy Stevenson

Most beginning travel writers don’t know they can parlay their writing assignments into free or low-cost travel.  Books about travel writing might mention that press trips are available to travel writers, but they fall short when it comes to telling writers how to get invitations. How to Land Press Trips and Fam Tours will tell you exactly what you need to do to get invitations for Press Trips and FAM tours. When I started my travel writing career in 2007, I had no clue how to go about getting invited on press trips.  But, I knew that I couldn’t afford to pay full price for my trips on a travel writer’s salary. At conferences I’d hear other travel writers boasting about trips they had scored in the U.S. and around the world:  luxury wine cruises, signature spa treatments, gourmet meals, and adventure tours down the Amazon.  I was envious! After a lot of trial and error, discussions with more experienced travel writers, and by getting to know people in the travel industry, I eventually learned how it’s done. Since then, I’ve been on dozens of Press Trips and FAM (familiarization) Tours.  I’ve made several trips to Europe on assignment and visited sixteen countries.  I’ve been on tours to seventeen U.S. destinations and have spent hundreds of days on the road, in exciting and exotic destinations. With all this experience I've learned something important:  there is an art to requesting travel perks.  

That’s what How to Land Press Trips and Fam Tours is all about.  I created this resource for travel writers wanting to find their way through the maze. You will learn where to find press trip listings, how to use your travel assignments to make the most of each trip, and how to request travel perks to help defray the costs of your assignments, and a lot more! How to Land Press Trips and Fam Tours will save you a lot of time and frustration trying to figure it out yourself, by giving you the resources, sample request letters and a step-by-step process so you know exactly how to do it. 

And it can save you large sums of money in travel expenses by knowing what to do and how to request travel perks when you're on assignment. This is the most comprehensive resource you will find anywhere on this topic. You will learn:

• The single most important thing you need to do to get your first invitation.
• Three easy and fast ways to build your writing portfolio.
• How to find different types of Press Trips.
• How to invite yourself on FAM tours in your region.
• How to qualify for international press trips
• Thirteen places to find leads for national and international press trips
• How to put together a self-guided FAM tour and make it worthwhile for you and your hosts
• The six steps for organizing a successful self-guided FAM tour
• The best season to plan self-guided tours
• How to organize an overseas tour
• Sample request letters for practically every kind of press trip and travel perk
• … and much more!

How to Land Press Trips and Fam Tours will show you how to use your travel writing skills and credentials so you can request free or discounted travel, meals, tours, accommodations, and entry into museums and tourist attractions. Whether you’re just starting out in travel writing, or have some experience and want to land more press trips, you will find valuable resources to help you do that in this 75-page, comprehensive guide .  View the Table of Contents

BUY NOW! How to Land Press Trips and Fam Tours

Downloadable PDF:  $49

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‘Vampire facials’ were linked to cases of HIV. Here’s what to know about the beauty treatment

FILE - This electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health shows a human T cell, in blue, under attack by HIV, in yellow, the virus that causes AIDS. Three women who were diagnosed with HIV after getting “vampire facial” procedures at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa are the first believed to have contracted the virus through a cosmetic procedure using needles, according to federal health officials. (Seth Pincus, Elizabeth Fischer, Austin Athman/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH via AP, File)

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Three women were diagnosed with HIV after getting “vampire facial” procedures at an unlicensed New Mexico medical spa, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report last week, marking the first documented cases of people contracting the virus through cosmetic services using needles.

Federal health officials said in a new report that an investigation from 2018 through 2023 into the clinic in Albuquerque, VIP Spa, found it apparently reused disposable equipment intended for one-time use, transmitting HIV to clients through its services via contaminated blood.

WHAT IS A VAMPIRE FACIAL? IS IT SAFE?

Vampire facials, formally known as platelet-rich plasma microneedling facials, are cosmetic procedures intended to rejuvenate one’s skin, making it more youthful-looking and reducing acne scars and wrinkles, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

After a client’s blood is drawn, a machine separates the blood into platelets and cells.

The plasma is then injected into the client’s face, either through single-use disposable or multiuse sterile needles.

Vampire facials have gained popularity in recent years as celebrities such as Kim Kardashian have publicized receiving the procedure.

HIV transmission via unsterile injection is a known risk of beauty treatments and other services, officials say.

Despite this, the Academy says vampire facials are generally safe.

Health officials say spa facilities that offer cosmetic injection services should practice proper infection control and maintain client records to help prevent the transmission of bloodborne pathogens such as HIV.

IS THIS PROCESS USED IN OTHER PROCEDURES?

Platelet-rich plasma injections were initially most used medically for bone grafting and osteoarthritis, and then became popular in cosmetic treatments.

Other services, such as Botox and lip fillers, are also delivered with needles, as are tattoos.

Though this procedure works for hair growth, its use for rejuvenation purposes is not Food and Drug Administration-approved, said Zakia Rahman, a clinical professor of dermatology at Stanford University.

But as such procedures grow in popularity, she said, it is “important for people to know and understand a medical procedure should be done in a medical setting.”

HOW WERE THE HIV CASES LINKED TO THE SPA?

The New Mexico Department of Health was notified during summer 2018 that a woman with no known HIV risk factors was diagnosed with an HIV infection after receiving the spa’s vampire facial services that spring.

During the investigation, similar HIV strains were found among three women, all former clients of the spa. Evidence suggested that contamination from services at the spa resulted in the positive HIV infection tests for these three patients, according to the CDC report.

Another woman, who also received services at the spa, and her male sexual partner, who did not go to the spa, were both found to have a close HIV strain as well, but the HIV diagnoses for these two patients “were likely attributed to exposures before receipt of cosmetic injection services,” the CDC said.

Health officials found equipment containing blood on a kitchen counter, unlabeled tubes of blood and injectables in the refrigerator alongside food and unwrapped syringes not properly disposed of. The CDC report said that a steam sterilizer, known as an autoclave — which is necessary for cleaning equipment that is reused — was not found at the spa.

ARE ANY OTHER PATIENTS AT RISK?

Through the New Mexico Department of Health’s investigation, nearly 200 former clients of the spa, and their sexual partners, were tested for HIV, and no additional infections were found.

According to the CDC, free testing remains available for those who previously frequented the spa.

“Having a medical procedure in a nonmedical setting, I think is the biggest danger of all,” Rahman said. “Having that discount or the lower cost is not worth potentially putting your life at risk.”

“There are a number of procedures and processes in place to make sure that these treatments are done safely and in medical settings,” she said. “All of these things are in place to really reduce that risk, and when done safely, the risks are extraordinarily low.”

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SPA OWNER?

The former owner of VIP Spa, Maria de Lourdes Ramos de Ruiz, pleaded guilty in 2022 to five felony counts of practicing medicine without a license, including conducting the unlicensed vampire facials.

The New Mexico Attorney General’s office said Ramos de Ruiz also did illegal plasma and Botox-injection procedures.

According to prosecutors , inspections by state health and regulation and licensing departments found the code violations, and the spa closed in fall 2018 after the investigation was launched.

Ramos de Ruiz was sentenced to 7 1/2 years, with four years being suspended on supervised probation, 3 1/2 years time in prison and parole, according to court documents.

Raul A. Lopez, attorney for Ramos de Ruiz, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate solutions reporter. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @alexa_stjohn . Reach her at [email protected] .

Jerry Seinfeld Roasts His Excessive ‘Unfrosted’ Press Tour on ‘SNL’: I Used to Be ‘Funny’ and ‘Good Looking’ Like ‘Ryan Gosling’

By Jordan Moreau

Jordan Moreau

• ‘The Strangers’ Bets Big: Why a 3-Film Horror ‘Odyssey’ Is Dropping in One Year, Plans for a 4-Hour Cut and What’s Next in ‘Chapter 2’ (EXCLUSIVE) 17 hours ago
• Jerry Seinfeld Roasts His Excessive ‘Unfrosted’ Press Tour on ‘SNL’: I Used to Be ‘Funny’ and ‘Good Looking’ Like ‘Ryan Gosling’ 2 days ago
• Dua Lipa Explains the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar Rap Beef on ‘SNL’ 2 days ago

Jerry Seinfeld joined “Saturday Night Live’s” Weekend Update to make fun of his press tour for his Netflix movie, “Unfrosted,” which chronicles the origin story of the Pop-Tart.

Colin Jost introduced Seinfeld as a “man who did too much press” for his Netflix movie, which also marked Seinfeld’s directorial debut. When Seinfeld joined the show, he pretended to be unsure of where he was.

“Where am I exactly? Is this a podcast?” he asked Jost.

Popular on Variety

The skit ended when Seinfeld accepted a call from Univision and began another round of press, telling Jost to look for him on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”

“Unfrosted” began streaming on Netflix on Thursday and has received mostly mixed to negative reviews. In addition to directing, Seinfeld co-wrote, produced and stars in “Unfrosted” as a Kellogg’s employee who created the Pop-Tart. The movie also stars Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Hugh Grant, Amy Schumer and more.

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Three women likely contracted HIV from 'vampire facials' at closed New Mexico Spa: CDC

The vip beauty salon and spa was shut down in 2018, but health officials have continued to investigate former clients' exposure to blood-borne illnesses..

A defunct New Mexico spa previously under investigation for potentially exposing clients to HIV through "vampire facials" has been linked to at least three cases, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Thursday.

In July of last year, the New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) advised former clients of VIP Beauty Salon and Spa (VIP Spa), located in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, to get tested after an initial HIV case was confirmed.

According to the DOH at the time, customers who received "injection-related service,” including a vampire facial or Botox injections, may have been exposed to blood-borne illness.

While the salon was shut down on September 7, 2018, following a state inspection, testing on 100 former clients continued through 2019 after investigators found practices at the salon could have potentially spread blood-borne infections, such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

During the initial testing in 2019, it was determined that two HIV cases could be linked back to procedures provided at the spa.  

HIV at New Mexico spa: New HIV case linked to 'vampire facial' at defunct spa, New Mexico health department says

Five patients identified, three linked to 'vampire facials'

The health department's Infectious Disease Bureau then received a report in 2023 associating another HIV case with the injection services the business offered. The case was traced back specifically to a treatment the spa offered known as “vampire facial” or “PRP facial,” which combined microneedling and the topical application of plasma taken from the customer’s own blood.

The DOH opened free testing sites following this revelation. In 2023, five HIV patients were identified, including four women who had received treatments at the spa and one man who was a sexual partner of one of the four patients, said the CDC.

All four female patients had received at least one PRP with microneedling at the spa. Two of the patients had more advanced infections, indicating their cases were likely a result of exposure before receiving treatment at the spa. The other three patients did not have any other known HIV risk factors, no known social contact with one another, and no specific mechanism for transmission among these patients was confirmed, said the CDC.

"Evidence suggests that contamination from an undetermined source at the spa during spring and summer 2018 resulted in HIV-1 transmission to these three patients," it concluded.

In total, the investigative team identified 59 clients at risk for exposure and tested 198 spa clients and their sexual partners between 2018-2023. Luckily, no additional HIV infections were identified, nor were any hepatitis B or hepatitis C infections detected. However, free testing is still available, as the investigation remains ongoing.

Unlabeled blood, used needles found at spa

The CDC noted that while transmission of HIV via unsterile needles and injection practices is a well-known risk, transmission through cosmetic injection services via contaminated blood has not been previously documented, making this the first investigation to associate HIV transmission with nonsterile cosmetic injection services.

Analysis of the evidence suggested that the HIV transmission most likely occurred via the receipt of PRP with microneedling or "vampire facial" procedures specifically, though the source of contamination remains unknown. The CDC believes the transmission can be attributed to poor infection control practices found at the spa during the fall 2018 inspection.

These conditions discovered by inspectors included unlabeled tubes of blood and medical injectables stored in the kitchen refrigerator along with food; unwrapped syringes in drawers, on counters, and discarded in regular trash cans; unlabeled blood tubes sitting on a kitchen counter alongside a centrifuge and heating dry bath; and improper cleaning practices, including a lack of required sterilizing tools, equipment and chemicals.

Free testing remains available for former clients of the spa, and the investigation and public health response are continuing, said the CDC.

What is a 'vampire facial'?

A vampire facial or PRP facial is a procedure to rejuvenate skin using your own blood. It entails using plasma and platelets from your blood applied to your face via microneedling or ordinary injections.

A traditional vampire facial starts with a provider taking a small amount of your blood, spinning it in a centrifuge to extract protein-rich plasma, extracting platelets and then concentrating the sample to create platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

This can then be applied to the face topically, followed by microneedling, or the use of many tiny sterile needs to create superficial punctures in the skin. The procedure benefits the skin by encouraging cell turnover, increasing the production of collagen and elastin and creating a smoother, younger and tighter appearance.

Patients with deeper wrinkles, volume loss or other skin concerns may opt for a vampire facelift or PRP facelift, which uses the same PRP in tandem with dermal fillers injected directly into the face.

People considering these procedures are advised to seek out an experienced, board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon to consult on and perform the treatment. When not performed by a licensed provider in a properly sterilized environment, PRP treatments can easily pose a serious health hazard.

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Madonna Brings Massive Free Concert to Rio, Capping Celebration Tour

The pop superstar performed a final date on her global trek marking four decades of hits: a set on Copacabana Beach before the largest live crowd of her career.

By Flávia Milhorance and Julia Jacobs

Reporting from Rio de Janeiro and New York

When Madonna stepped out onto the mammoth stage constructed on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach on Saturday night in a gleaming halo headpiece and black kimono, she was greeted by the largest live crowd of her four-decade career.

The free show, announced in late March, was a grand finale to the pop superstar’s latest world tour, which has delivered 80 performances since last October . Without ticket data, concert crowd sizes can be difficult to gauge; Riotur, the municipality’s tourism department, estimated that 1.6 million people flooded onto the 2.4-mile stretch of sand on Saturday that had been turned into a roughly $12 million playground surrounding the 8,700-square-foot stage.

It was the culmination of days of Madonna-mania in the city, where talk of the singer, 65, was inescapable. Her songs spilled out of stores and car stereos. Fans assembled outside her hotel and shouted her name. Updates about the concert, which was broadcast on the network Globo TV, dominated local media reports.

The spectacle in Rio was a milestone in Madonna’s career: the victory lap for her first stage retrospective, called the Celebration Tour , in which she chronicled her rise to stardom, performing hits like “Into the Groove,” “Like a Prayer” and “Ray of Light” with a cadre of dancers, four of her six children, and a wardrobe of elaborate costuming that recalled some of her most memorable looks.

“Here we are, the most beautiful place in the world,” Madonna announced early in the concert, indicating the ocean and the mountains around her. “This is magic.” Later, she expounded on her gratitude for her Brazilian fans. “You have always been there for me,” she said. “That flag: that green-and-yellow flag, I see it everywhere. I feel it in my heart.”

The two-plus-hour Rio show hewed closely to the Celebration show, with a few exceptions: Madonna added her 2000 track “Music” to the set list, rearranged as a samba with live drummers and a special guest, the Brazilian drag star Pabllo Vittar. “Live to Tell,” staged as a tribute to victims of AIDS , included photographs of the Brazilian musicians Cazuza and Renato Russo, and the actress Sandra Bréa. For “Vogue,” Madonna appeared in a sparkly dress in the colors of the Brazilian flag and was joined by the pop sensation Anitta , who helped “judge” the competitors strutting down the runway.

The show had lifelong Madonna fans — many of whom came dressed in homage to their heroine in cone bras and lace gloves — screaming and dancing along. Ernesto Magalhães, 42, adorned in the style of Madonna’s “Material Girl” era in a gown and boa while balancing on stilts, epitomized the exuberant spirit of the occasion: “I’ve been a Madonna fan since I was 8; I couldn’t miss this.” Surya Rossi, a 31-year-old illustrator, decided on a last-minute trip from Rio Claro, São Paulo, after coordinating with her cousin, and stayed with friends. “Madonna has been a tremendous influence on me, both as a feminist and an artist,” she said. “Her empowering history and approach inspire me.”

It was also something of a landmark moment for live concerts globally. At a time of astronomical ticket prices and rising production costs for major shows, a free concert attracting a crowd of this scale is exceedingly rare, especially in the United States. California’s Coachella festival, where a three-day general admission pass starts at about $500, draws up to 125,000 attendees a day. Musikfest, a mostly free music festival in Pennsylvania, welcomed about 1.3 million visitors over 11 days last year.

“To have a free show like that in recent years is relatively unheard-of,” Katelyn Yount, the director of festivals at AEG Presents, said of Madonna’s closing show. Hangout, an upcoming music festival on Alabama’s Gulf Coast that is among the annual events AEG produces, is capped each day at about 40,000 attendees, who pay more than $300 for a three-day pass.

If a performance of this magnitude was going to be held anywhere in 2024, it would probably be in Rio, where officials have experience with enormous crowds. In 2006, about 1.5 million people attended a free Rolling Stones concert at Copacabana Beach, Brazilian police and other authorities said at the time. An even larger crowd was said to have gathered for a Rod Stewart show there on New Year’s Eve in 1994.

The idea for the sprawling event was first planted two years ago, when Luiz Oscar Niemeyer, an executive with Bonus Track, a live entertainment company based in Rio de Janeiro, approached Madonna’s managers after hearing about plans for the tour. The Rolling Stones concert in 2006 helped convince him that something like this was possible, he said.

Negotiations stalled until last year, when a Madonna show in Mexico City was announced — ticketed dates for the Celebration Tour ended up wrapping with five nights there at the Palacio de los Deportes — and Niemeyer resumed his efforts to convince the pop star’s representatives and secure funding.

“It was an ambitious project for everyone, aiming to attract the largest audience of her career, and I thought this would help me persuade her,” Niemeyer said in an interview last week.

The concert’s corporate backers include the Brazilian bank Itaú and Heineken, and the government has made a significant investment as well.

Preparation for Madonna-palooza had consumed a segment of the city in recent days. A week ago, cargo planes carried about 270 tons of concert material to the city, including costumes and gym equipment. Eighteen sound and video towers were built across the beach, and last Wednesday, 4,000 workers prepared the stage in scorching heat.

Because this was the only Celebration concert in South America — Madonna last toured there in 2012 — fans congregated from all over the continent. In the days leading up to the event, a Madonna impersonator, Izelene Cristina, danced to “La Isla Bonita” at a bus station as she welcomed travelers. She would not be attending the concert because excitement over the superstar’s performance had led to a flood of bookings.

“Such is the life of an artist,” she said. “You work to move and entertain people.”

On Monday, Madonna and her touring team of about 200 arrived in Rio, heading directly to the French Riviera-inspired Copacabana Palace, the luxury hotel near where the stage was built. Later in the week, crowds gathered as close to the stage as possible, as the pop star crossed a specially built footbridge from the hotel to the stage to rehearse with some of her dancers.

Social media was flooded with clips of Madonna running through songs including the opener, “Nothing Really Matters.” “Are you happy? Are you ready?” she asked the assembled crowd at one point . The response: wild cheering. “OK, just checking,” she replied.

At a press briefing ahead of the concert, officials discussed the safety concerns that can accompany an audience of that size and unpredictable weather on the shore. Last year, the Brazilian D.J. Alok scheduled what had been billed as the “concert of the century” on Copacabana Beach, but a storm led part of the crowd to scatter, and concertgoers were faced with rampant pickpocketing , a problem at least some faced on Saturday night as well.

Marco Andrade, a spokesman for the Rio police, told reporters that the department planned to deploy 3,200 officers at the Madonna concert, compared with about 900 for Alok’s event. He said that facial recognition technology would be used at inspection areas, in addition to drones to monitor the crowd. In the end, the audience stretched into the ocean as well — a collection of boats anchored in the waters near the venue.

The atmosphere on the ground Saturday night was like a World Cup event, street carnival and New Year’s Eve celebration combined. Street vendors offered shirts, hats, cups and fans adorned with Madonna’s face and rainbow colors, and a plethora of barbecue, grilled cheese, empanadas and the Brazilian cocktail caipirinhas were available. To fight the heat, a firefighter atop a fire truck sprayed a jet of water on the crowd.

As the show ended with a remix of her 2009 track “Celebration,” Madonna addressed the audience for a final time: “Thank you, Rio,” adding “obrigada,” the equivalent in Portuguese. She smiled and let go of a Brazilian flag, flipped a white veil over her head and descended beneath the stage.

An earlier version of this article misstated the name of the Bonus Track executive who approached Madonna’s team about the Brazil show. He is Luiz Oscar Niemeyer, not Luiz Guilherme Niemeyer.

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Julia Jacobs is an arts and culture reporter who often covers legal issues for The Times. More about Julia Jacobs

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Kamala Harris visits Detroit to tout Biden administration's economic policies

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Detroit on Monday to tout the Biden administration's economic agenda, casting it as a transformational investment to help Americans prosper, onshore supply chains and close racial disparities on a range of fronts from business lending to homeownership.

The stop — part of the vice president's nationwide economic opportunity tour — drew pro-Palestinian protesters nearby who decried the Biden administration's Gaza policies.

In Detroit, Harris announced more than $100 million in U.S. Department of Energy grant programs for supporting small- and medium-size auto parts manufacturers to convert their facilities to make parts for electric vehicles and boost their productivity.

"This investment will help to keep our auto supply chains here in America ... and keep those jobs here in Detroit," Harris said at the event held at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History under an American flag and blue signs declaring "economic opportunity for all" in big block letters. She also announced the launch of a new program to help small- and mid-size auto suppliers by matching government-backed loans with private equity capital.

President Joe Biden has largely campaigned on preserving American democracy and abortion rights while his likely GOP opponent this fall, former President Donald Trump, has tried to tap into anti-immigrant and economic grievances on the campaign trail. But Harris' stop in the Motor City represented an election-year push by the administration in a key battleground state to tout its economic policies.

"So, Michigan, you know I believe that America’s economy is powered by the ambition and aspiration of our people … to innovate, to create and to prosper therefore to grow our economy, we must invest in that ambition and those aspirations. I believe every person in our country then must have access to the opportunity to compete to succeed and to thrive," Harris said to kick off her remarks.

A primarily Black crowd of supporters stood on their feet and greeted her with loud applause while the Cass Tech marching band bid farewell to Harris with a booming number that reverberated loudly throughout the museum's atrium.

U.S. Energy Secretary and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm joined Harris for the event, where she touted electric vehicle-related factory and job announcements. "People will start to see cranes going up, and that is in fact happening in many places," Granholm said.

Outside the venue beforehand, Harris' visit was met with dozens of protesters calling for a cease-fire, but Detroit Police officers lined up along Woodward Avenue to prevent them from approaching the Wright Museum.

Protesters loudly vocalized that the Biden administration is on a "killing spree" of Palestinians, chanting phrases like "VP of apartheid … leaders of genocide" and "Bloody Harris, Genocide Joe, both of you have got to go" as they marched toward the museum.

"You can't come to our city in our communities and continue to disregard our demands, which is calling for an immediate and permanent cease-fire and ensuring that we're halting all military aid to Israel," said cease-fire activist Lexis Zeidan, 31. After Hamas announced Monday it accepted a proposed cease-fire deal, Israel responded by saying it would keep moving forward with its military operation plans in Rafah in southern Gaza, according to reporting from USA Today . 

The Biden campaign delivered its own message outside the venue too. Earlier in the day and a couple of blocks away, a truck displayed a Biden campaign ad featuring a photo of Harris and Biden smiling, declaring Black unemployment reaching "record lows" under their watch.

Harris' visit marks the first this year by either the White House or Biden-Harris campaign to Detroit, Michigan's largest city and a majority-Black Democratic stronghold . With standing room only in the hot room, one attendee collapsed. Those nearby fanned her to try to cool her down before security personnel took her out of the room in a wheelchair.

Biden will make his own appearance in the city later this month at the Detroit NAACP's Fight for Freedom Fund dinner . Biden spoke in Michigan this year at a UAW union hall in Warren, a stop that also drew pro-Palestinian demonstrators, and visited Saginaw as well.

2024 Election in Michigan: Important swing state for Biden, Trump in presidential contest

Harris' visit comes less than a week after Trump visited Michigan. During a campaign rally, Trump blamed Biden for inflation that has hit American households with cost increases for routine expenses such as gas and groceries.

"On day one we’ll throw out Bidenomics and we will reinstate a thing call MAGAnomics," Trump told his supporters during a campaign rally near Saginaw last week, referring to his campaign promise to "Make America Great Again." Trump blasted Biden's push to encourage electric vehicle production and sales as an economic disaster for autoworkers and drivers.

Michigan — a key swing state in the upcoming election — could decide the presidential contest this fall. In 2016, Trump won Michigan by nearly 11,000 votes or 0.2 percentage points, the tightest margin of victory of any state. Biden defeated Trump in the state in 2020 by more than 154,000 votes or just under 2.8 percentage points.

Contact Clara Hendrickson: [email protected] or 313-296-5743. Follow her on X, previously called Twitter, @clarajanehen .

Looking for more on Michigan’s elections this year? Check out our voter guide , subscribe to our elections newsletter and always feel free to share your thoughts in a letter to the editor .