COME RETREAT WITH ME!
For information on specific retreats currently offered, click on these buttons:
“Truly everything about the retreat was shocking in how incredible it was. Location, people, food, the love and sincerity of everyone there. I would go again in a second and recommend it to anyone.“
2022 Retreat Participant
For general info and frequently asked questions, read on!
FAQ
What retreats are you booking now?
- JULY 27-AUGUST 3, 2025: MEDITERRANEAN Cruise Retreat, NOW BOOKING
- APRIL 4-7, 2025: OREGON RESPITE RETREAT Weekend, NOW BOOKING
Will I be welcomed and included?
OUR INCLUSION POLICY: We welcome all adult humans (who are welcoming of all humans) to all of our retreats. We are LGBTQ+ friendly and an inclusive space. We’d love to have you attend!
If you’re neurodivergent, experience disabilities, have allergies, or have other concerns that need accommodation, we’d love to work with you. Although some of what we can offer is dependent on cruiseline facilities, we’ve found them to be very understanding and helpful. *DO NOTE* that accessible cabins tend to sell out quickly, so it’s best to book early if you need one. If you have any questions about accommodations, please contact me directly at beth@bethwoolsey.com.
Should I come if I’m not an experienced traveler? Should I come solo?
Yes and yes! Travelers of all experience levels are welcome, and you should feel free to bring friends or come on your own. Two of the biggest reasons I LOVE to host retreats is to open up the world to folks who would like to travel but don’t necessarily know how or have a readily available friend to come along. We are here to assist and embrace! And if you’re looking to share expenses with a roommate, we can connect you there, too.
How active are the cruise retreats? You say “relaxing” but what does that mean? And how social will I be expected to be?
We have ONE RULE for retreat participants, and it’s this: YOU do what’s best for YOU. If that’s attending all planned activities and meals, great! If that’s skipping out for alone time, also great! We want you to travel guilt- and worry-free.
Confession: I love relaxation time and am not interested in a go-go-go itinerary. Like, I like to do one thing in a port city. An e-bike tour. A sailboat trip. A foodie tour. Something to get the flavor of a place. And then I get back onboard and sit my butt by the pool. BUT, my friend, Adina, who attends all my retreats with me, LOVES to GO and DO and SEE. So we both share our plans for the day so you can pick and choose how much activity you want. We always meet at the end of the day for dinner, but that’s optional for you, too!
How many people attend each retreat?
Groups sizes vary widely, but I prefer smaller groups and always cap attendance. Each retreat will list the cap.
How much experience do you actually have with travel and retreat-planning?
I grew up in Southeast Asia–Indonesia and the Philippines–and have traveled solo internationally on multi-day trips since I was 13-years-old. Yeah, the 1980s was a wild time to grow up. 😉 Now, I’m 50, and I’ve lived on 3 continents, traveled to 5, and visited over 30 countries (airports don’t count…there are RULES, folks.) Travel is an embedded part of who I am. It’s changed my life, my perspective, and opened my brain and my heart.
My first job out of college was as a guest coordinator at a retreat center where we both hosted independent groups and held programmed retreats we planned. I followed that by working as an event coordinator, and then worked in the admissions office of a university as the assistant director for visits and events. My last job for over a decade was in international humanitarian aid as the executive assistant to the CEO, which included planning myriad board and executive retreats. And then I started planning my own!
So, lots is the answer. Lots.
What’s your why? Why do you spend your time hosting retreats? It’s probably a real money-maker, right?
So far, I’ve made approximately zero dollars holding retreats. In fact, they usually cost me money. I’m very terrible at money-making, and that’s not why I do this work anyway, although I am working on finding ways to offset the cost because I want to keep doing this and make it sustainable. Wish me luck.
Why, then?
One of my very, very favorite things to do is hang out with members of our incredible, worldwide community and offer rest and respite from our regular lives. We are overwhelmed simply trying to keep up, aren’t we? So tired that we forget, sometimes, to look up. To see. To be part of a gentle community. To experience joy. And to be delighted by the world and the people in it.
Click these buttons for more information on specific retreats!