Vacations for mind, body, and soul.

"Breathe deeply," yoga instructors are always saying. What an unappealing notion when you're inhaling the musky scent of sweat within the dreary confines of a gym class yoga studio. Instead, stretch your boundaries and sample a marriage of aquatic sightseeing and out-of-the-box physical exercise in gay-popular St. Petersburg, near Tampa. Check into downtown's ultra-elegant, seashell-pink Renaissance Vinoy Resort (727-8944000, from $199), a gem of 1920s Mediterranean Revival architecture, then head over to Central Ave Fitness (727-895-9593). The gay-popular training gym offers "Ka-Yoga," a three-hour round-trip kayak excursion through the barrier islands along Florida's western coastline, with a stop midway for a customized outdoor yoga class or a full-body "boot camp" workout on the white sand beaches ($40 per person, minimum of five people). Or customize your own gay Ka-Yoga experience: For an additional fee gym owner Tim Ganley will even pack a gourmet picnic of your choosing, to celebrate completion of your downward dog.

Liberated yogis can also break free of walls-and throw off their clothes-for outdoor revelry on New York City-based Aaron Star's Hot Nude Yoga retreats, which average about $1,200 per person for out-of-state trips, including food, lodging, and yoga sessions. You can finally find real meaning in your sun salutation during one of the group's upcoming trips to the southeastern coast of Hawaii's Big Island: October 27 to November 3 for the more experienced yoga practitioner, November 3-10 for those just getting used to this stripped-down approach. In between poses you can bask in the Kalani Oceanside Resort's breathtaking vistas, taking advantage of the 120-acre property's tidal pools, along with its hot tubs, sauna, and access to a black sand beach. If tropical views aren't enough, HNY is also offering a pilgrimage to the ultimate Zen heartland: the Indian Himalayas. Kick off the tour with a night at the Great Ganga hotel in Rishikesh, which boasts the panoramic sight of the holy Ganges and Chandrabhaga rivers.

Those who are more modest, but no less desirous of mind-altering scenery, can fasten their kilts and head to Scotland's Dhanakosa Buddhist meditation and yoga retreat center (011-44-1877-384-213; $300-600 suggested donation for a week) for a gay men's gathering September 7-14. Serenity is merely a theoretical concept until you've found inner peace on the tranquil shores of Loch Voil in the Balquhidder Valley, with its misty air rolling off the majestic mountains and lush forests of the southern Scottish highlands. Namaste.

IN WINE, THERE IS YOUTH

Found: the fountain of youth. Its restorative liquid flows within the rolling hills of the Finger Lakes wine country in western New York State. Research has shown that, thanks to higher humidity in the Northeast, red wines from the Empire State have the highest levels of resveratrol in the country--50% higher on average than California reds. The naturally occurring substance found in the skin of grapes seems to fight the plaques that cause Alzheimer's, according to a 2005 study. To savor local wine and fall foliage, check into Hillcrest Manor (607-936-4548 or 607-654-9136, cell; from $145), a stately gay-owned and operated B&B in Corning, N.Y., during the Crystal City Jazz and Wine Festival (September 21-22). The five-bedroom neoclassical Victorian mansion built in 1890 is filled with antiques and Western art, making it a perfect base camp for turning back time.--B.R.

HEALING WATERS

A popular San Francisco Bay area group that organizes white-water rafting weekends for people living with HIV/AIDS calls itself Healing Waters (415-552-1190) and has the data to prove it. According to a 2005 University of Rochester study of participants, a two-day trip produced a 53% decrease in depression symptoms, a 27% increase in vitality, and a 27% in perceived mental health. Healing Waters welcomes all poz guys, including those with special health challenges. Weekends throughout August feature rafting excursions on the South Fork of California's American River. Other trips on the organization's fall roster include day hikes in Muir Woods National Monument, picnicking in the Marin Headlands, and canoeing, kayaking, and sailing on the San Fran Bay.--B.R.

Travel Advice From a Gay Nurse

"Whether you're going to the beach, on a European rendezvous, or a trip to the mountains, the most important thing to carry with you is a current list of all of your medications or supplements-including any nonprescription medicines, vitamins, or minerals. Should you face an accident or illness, the list will be providing crucial information about your health status at the disposal of the health care practitioner caring for you. Keep a copy in your wallet with your ID."

--Johnny O. Wyatt, a Nashville registered nurse and subscriber