TLDR: Choose a retreat venue that fits your vision both practically (location, accommodations) and creatively (your dream retreat is possible there). Bonus points for choosing a venue that offers something you’ve never experienced before. 

At Glorieta Adventure Camps, we’ve hosted nearly every type of retreat you can think of: beauty pageants, adventure races, pastoral banquets, family reunions, etc. Our team works with each retreat to help bring their unique retreat vision to life. We’ve seen A LOT of different goals for a lot of different groups! But something that each retreat has in common is venue. (Namely, Glorieta!) So without further ado, here are my top 4 considerations for choosing the right retreat venue for you.

 

#1 It Has What You Need 

Not every venue will meet your specific retreat needs. Some don’t have comfortable indoor meeting spaces. Some aren’t in a particularly nature-heavy setting. If you have your retreat goals mapped out already (and if you need help on that front, check out this post), use those goals as your guide when selecting your venue. It’s easy to get swept away by ease of location or unique features and end up with a venue that doesn’t quite give you what you need. 

#2 It’s Convenient 

Now, I work at an adventure camp. Convenience isn’t my top consideration for most things. We like challenge and stretch goals over here! That’s often where the adventure is.

But landing on a decision for your venue needs to be practical and exciting in equal parts. And on the practical side, your venue needs to be convenient. What does that mean? That answer will look different for everyone, but here are a few places to start: 

Location.

Is the venue a comfortable distance for your retreat guests? You don’t have to host a retreat in the city (or even state) you live in, but make sure to deliver big if you ask your attendees to travel more than a couple hours.

Friendly and accommodating staff.

This is a biggie. In your early interactions with the venue, how accommodating were the staff? You’re going to be needing a lot from them in the coming weeks and months — make sure they’re on board with your vision. Venue staff who fully believe in your vision will help bring it to life in ways you would never have thought to ask.

Meals and lodging are on-site.

No one wants to coordinate an entire retreat, make a schedule, decide how to welcome guests, plan an unforgettable weekend, AND still need to figure out where everyone’s going to stay and what they’re going to eat. Venues that offer on-site meals and lodging make your life WAY easier. 

Multiple lodging options.

This might not be a deal breaker for everybody, but in many cases, having multiple lodging options is VERY convenient. Does your venue just offer upscale hotel rooms? (Or just rustic cabins?) Or can you choose the lodging that best fits your retreats’ vibe? At Glorieta, we offer hotel-style rooms, dorm rooms with bunk beds, lodges, an upscale lodge, and an RV park … just saying. Make sure your venue not only offers lodging, but the kind of lodging that would make your retreat that much more special.

#3 It Excites You

Now we shift from the practical side of the venue checklist and move into the fun/creative side. Does the venue you’re considering excite you?? If it checks off all the boxes on the practical end but just doesn’t have that zing for you, you can still have a retreat. A good retreat, even. 

But the X factor that makes a retreat exceptional is your own enthusiasm. 

If you have the option, choose the venue that excites you. The option that practically forces you to stay up past your bedtime thinking and dreaming about your retreat. The option that keeps inspiring more and more ideas for your retreat and makes you count down the days like a kid waiting for Christmas.

Life is too short to not follow that spark when it comes to big, exciting things like retreats.

#4 It Offers Something You’ve Never Experienced Before

Let’s call this one creative and practical. 

In nearly 90% of retreats, I’ve found that no matter what the group’s main purpose at Glorieta is, they are almost always delighted by experiencing something new.

Your guests have sat in big meeting rooms before. They’ve gone on hikes before. They’ve had great meals. But have they gone skiing or ziplining? Have they seen that view at the top of the trail? Have they danced at a foam party or seen the Milky Way while roasting marshmallows for s’mores? If you can find a venue that offers something new, you’ve just created a special new memory for every one of your guests. And that’s unbeatable.

Bring Your Vision to Life 

Choosing a retreat venue is a very personal decision! I hope this post gives you the practical guidance you need and permission to dream a little. If you have a retreat idea you have big dreams for, reach out to us at Glorieta. We love bringing retreat visions to life. Let’s talk.