Calling all gal pals, best buddies, couples, and mom-daughter duos. Looking for a getaway that you can gab about with excitement? One that will foster fun memories? A real escape from life’s ho-hum or go-go-go pace?

You’re in luck. From “skinny boot camps” that reveal how to indulge guilt-free to adult-only camps designed to bring out your childlike nature, the hottest spa trend in the Coachella Valley focuses on desirable destinations where you gladly stay for a long weekend or up to two weeks.

Pack your luggage and prepare for mind-and-body tuneups that aim to make you feel healthier, calmer, and happier.

We scouted the spa scene and share with you five destination opportunities that illustrate the distinct offerings available in the desert.

At The Well at Miramonte Resort and Spa, women can learn how to indulge without gaining weight.

THE REAL SKINNY
Nationally acclaimed food writer Melissa Clark makes a living nibbling on life's delicious dishes. Yet, somehow, she slips easily into her size 2 little black dress. What's her secret?

Answers will be revealed to those enrolled in the new Skinny Boot Camp on June 8-10 and repeated on a fall date to be announced at The Well at Miramonte Resort and Spa in Indian Wells. Clark and Robin Aronson, coauthors of The Skinny, will teach women insider secrets on how to indulge without getting fat.

"Life should not he about counting calories," Clark says. "As a food writer, it’s my job to eat out five nights a week, but I never finish anything put in front of me. I eat a few bites and enjoy them. I tell other women that no meal is eaten in isolation. If you indulge at a gala dinner, then eat a big bowl of fresh fruit for breakfast and a salad for lunch the next day.”

In an entertaining but educational way, Clark plans to teach attendees how to look fabulous in a black dress, drink wine like a snob, pick an exercise routine they will stick with, and defend themselves against the sneaky weight-gaining creep registered on the scales.

"When you exit the doors at the end of Skinny Boot Camp, you will take home a healthy lifestyle change you can embrace for the rest of your life,” Clark vows.

This spa package is available starting from $364 per person per night with a minimum two night stay. The price includes room, food, and beverages. Information: 568-4082, www.miramonteresort.com

NURTURING MIND AND BODY
For those seeking a traditional mind-body cleansing, the five-day Freedom Retreat at Nurturing Nest Mineral Hot Springs Retreat and Spa in Desert Hot Springs may be the perfect destination.

"Our goal is to help our clients reclaim their optimum health," says Ramesh Gune, a psychotherapist who co-directs the program with his wife, Dr. Sandra Gune, a holistic-minded chiropractor. "We do this retreat once a month. It is our signature retreat."

This very personalized getaway is limited to seven people. Couples are asked to book separate times to maximize the benefits — and minimize family spats.

"A lot of emotional garbage comes out during the retreat, so we discourage couples from coming together to avoid any fighting," says Ramesh Gune. "The aim is to clean and detoxify and help people jump-start their lives to be healthier."

You will be in good company. The Freedom Retreat attracts people looking for de-stress solutions from all over the globe, including CEOs and film producers.

So leave your laptop at home, turn off your cell phone, and tune into your body and mind through meditation, yoga, detoxifying and cleansing drinks, one-on-one therapy sessions, scenic hikes, mineral baths, and something called bioenergetic synchronization technique.

The all-inclusive rate for the five day Freedom Retreat is $2,300. Information: 409-1988, www.nurturingnest.com

CAST OFF THE STRESS
Take the grump out of being a grown-up by enrolling in Camp PSYC (Palm Springs Yacht Club) at the anything but typical Parker Palm Springs.

"At the Parker, it is all about the good life,” declares Thomas Meding, general manager. "We like being known as the anti-Zen spa, the spa that takes itself less seriously. Camp PSYC offers adult entertainment done the Parker way."

Picture yourself enjoying a therapeutic massage while you sip a martini. Make s'mores over an open fire with a few friends. Play croquet like an Englishman on a finely manicured lawn. Do nothing or do everything — that's the attraction of this spa camp for adults.

At PSYC at Parker Palm Springs, martinis trump the Zen atmosphere, which focuses on fun in the sun.

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“We are redefining spa luxury to be fun, approachable, and comfortable, not stiff or intimidating,” says Meding of the 13-acre resort.

The four-day, four-night, all-inclusive package covers all food, drink, room rates, three spa treatments, and all on-site activities for $2,150 for double occupancy.
Information: 883-1979

DETOX LIKE CELEBRITIES
Alanis Morissette and Chaka Khan. Forest Whitaker and Matt Damon. Vidal Sassoon and Rue MeClanahan. These diverse but well-known celebrities share a common link (and we’re not referring to Kevin Bacon): All have enjoyed refreshing, rejuvenating, and recharging three- or five-day juice-fasting retreats at We Care, a holistic health spa in Desert Hot Springs.

So can you. These holistic fasting and spiritual retreat packages have been popular at this spa for 20 years. Those ready to be transformed can sign up for Friday-to-Sunday or Sunday-to-Friday packages.

“The benefits of our spa package are incredible,” says co-owner Susy Lombardi. “Our guests leave here with clear minds, glowing skin, and revived energy that they haven't felt since they were 19. A lot of stars come here after working hard on a movie, and they only have a week or two to recuperate and detoxify before they must be ready to start their next movie."

Celebrities, locals, and tourists enjoy the privacy and tranquility at red-hot We Care Holistic Health Center in Desert Hot Springs.

The 17-room resort’s signature program features an all-natural liquid diet, lymphatic massages, yoga, meditation, desert walks, body scrubs, stone massage, raindrop therapy, spiritual dance, and more.

“Our program is designed to cleanse and get rid of toxins in the body so that you no longer feel old, sluggish, and achy,” Lombardi says. “You get great results in a short period of time. You get to truly break away by staying at our resort getaway. People have told us that they arrived here at a crossroad in their lives and leave here spiritually, physically and mentally better.”

This spa destination package ranges in price from $944 to $1,700. Information: 251-2261, www.wecarespa.com.

Celebrities, locals, and tourists enjoy the privacy and tranquility at the legendary Two Bunch Palms Resort and Spa in Desert Hot Springs.

DO NOTHING AT ALL
Everything sounds better in Italian. Take, for example, the new five-night, all-inclusive retreat offered May 20-25 at Two Bunch Palms Resort & Spa in Desert Hot Springs.

Let the retreat’s Italian name, Bel Far Niente, roll off your tongue. Let your mind rejoice by the translation — and purpose: “The Beauty of Doing Nothing.”

“With 50-hour work-weeks becoming more the norm and the American dream proving to be more grueling than gratifying, we invite visitors to take a timeout from life’s pauseless pace,” declares Charles Crellin, spokesman for this resort tucked away off the beaten path.

The adult-only retreat’s daily schedule starts with a mind-body class in the healing art known as kiva, followed by a buffet breakfast. Guests can then explore the spa’s lush, 56-acre desert oasis until lunch and then dip in the mineral springs grotto in the afternoon for a spa treatment. After dinner, sessions on yoga, qigong, shamanic journeying, and even the science of breath are offered.

By the end of your stay you should possess the tools you need to engage in regular reflection, inspired creativity and mindfulness about what really matters in life.

The retreat costs $2,900 per person and includes room, gourmet meals, daily mind-body classes, spa treatments, focus sessions, and a gift basket. Information: 329-8791, www.twobunchpalms.com.