Sonoma Redwoods Spring Retreat
April 23-27, 2026
Guerneville, CA
Sorry, this retreat has been canceled.
Join us for our winter retreat in the Sonoma coastal redwoods. Located minutes from the Russian River, Armstrong Woods, and the Pacific Ocean, this majestic location offers oodles of opportunity for quiet reflection. The home of Jack London, it's no wonder you can find inspiration at very turn in the nearby colorful towns of Monte Rio, Duncans Mills, and Jenner.
You'll experience five days and four nights of writing, learning, and making memories and friendships you'll carry with you forever. You'll participate in daily field trips, family-style dinners, and participant-led workshops and discussions. Take it upon yourself to share your work with your fellow participants, or opt for a more focused experience. The choice is yours!
Registration Details
Applicants
Max capacity: 10 people
Authors of all genres are welcome!
Ages 21+
On-Site Registration
Includes five days, four nights shared lodging at Bluebird Burrow, all meals, snacks, beverages, and full access to the retreat experience.
$1,850
Spaces are limited to 4.
Off-Site Registration
Includes all meals, snacks, beverages, and daytime access to the retreat experience. Off-site accommodations are up to you.
$1,150
Spaces are limited to 6.
What's Included for all Attendees
A non-refundable deposit of 50% is required to register with the balance due one month prior to the retreat start. Travel expenses and transportation to and from the retreat location are not included.
Sorry, this retreat has been canceled.
Accommodations
Bluebird Burrow is a modern farmhouse-style retreat space located in Guerneville and comes complete with game room, hot tub, fire pit, BBQ, and gym.
Write from the 2-tiered sundeck, sun-lit Great Room, or any of the other locations on the property under the redwood canopy. It features fast wifi and an electric car charging port. It's near to Northwood Golf Club, a tennis court, kitschy dinosaur-themed mini golf, and the Rio Nido Roadhouse where we have the option of popping over for drinks and/or live music on Friday night.
All on-site guests have their own private bedroom with either a king or queen-sized bed. Bathrooms are shared except for the primary bedroom. Room assignments will be decided upon our arrival.
Extras
We will set up a few different workstations throughout the property that will feature external monitors and Bluetooth keyboards and will be available for use by any of the participants. There will be a printer available for workshops or sample pages (no printing full manuscripts, please!) and a small library of books on craft.
You'll also receive a writer's toolkit that comes with essentials like a notebook, pens, sticky notes, and other goodies!
Itinerary
Our specific itinerary will be largely based on what each participant expresses that they want to get out of the experience. In your initial questionnaire, we'll ask you some key questions about your writing goals and activity preferences and your retreat host will plan a curated experience based on the group's responses. This is a unique feature that other retreats don't offer!
Sample Schedule
Our itinerary might resemble something like this.
Thursday, Day 1: Arrival and Welcome
Afternoon: Check-in
Evening: Welcome dinner (your host does the cooking!), ice-breaker activity, and beverages!
Friday, Day 2: Nature Exploration and Workshops
Morning: Grab and go breakfast, free writing time
Afternoon: Lunch on us. Nature exploration—hike in Armstrong Woods. Writing time in the park. We'll bring chairs!
Evening: Participant-made dinner and workshops. Live music in Rio Nido.
Saturday, Day 3: Winery Tour and Writing Prompts
Morning: Grab and go breakfast, introduction of an optional writing prompt to spark creativity, free writing.
Afternoon: Tasting, tour, and lunch at a nearby winery
Evening: Participant-made dinner and workshops.
Sunday, Day 4: Salon and Workshops
Morning: Grab and go breakfast, share any works in progress.
Afternoon: River float
Evening: Participant-made dinner and free share
Monday, Day 5: Reflections and Farewell
Morning: Farewell breakfast and mimosas