4 Popular Types of Retreats for Attendees & Organizers: Find Your Perfect Fit

No matter where you live or how you spend your days, a getaway can be a wonderful thing. A retreat provides a change of pace which can do wonders to clear out mental clutter. There are a variety of different reasons people decide to plan a retreat—to make time for a hobby, to meet up with others, to spend some time alone, and more—and as such there are equally as many types of retreats. To help orient you in the right direction, here are four popular types of retreats that might be up your alley.

Here's a quick overview:

• Wellness retreats, for individuals or groups looking to improve their personal health.
• Family retreats, for groups looking to spend some quality time with loved ones.
• Corporate retreats, for managers and teams looking to grow professionally and strengthen team unity.
• Creative retreats, for inventive minds looking to seek inspiration, grow in their craft, or simply be alone with their work.

This is just a quick sampler of the many types of retreats available. Once you know what type of retreat you want, you can search for retreats in that niche that match your needs—or, if you prefer, you can organize your own retreat. Read on to learn more about each of the four types of retreats mentioned above, some of the forms they can take, and what kinds of activities tend to serve them best.

1: Wellness Retreats

The first type of retreat we’re going to take a look at is the wellness retreat. As you might expect, wellness retreats are focused on pursuing health and wellness, not only on a physical level, but on a mental, emotional, and spiritual level too.

This can be anything from a full schedule of wellness activities to just a few lazy days of fresh air. You can also take advantage of the opportunity to build some healthy habits you can take home with you.

Best for anyone looking to reduce stress, improve their overall wellbeing, and/or build healthier habits through restorative practices such as guided yoga, mindful meditation, nature immersion, and more.

Types of Wellness Retreats

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of some more specific types of wellness retreats:

• Yoga retreats, where you can learn, practice, or teach yoga with others. Those looking to do 200-hour yoga teacher training can also plan or attend a retreat with this focus.
• Psychedelic retreats, which specifically focus on consuming small doses of psychedelic substances, such as ayahuasca retreats. Note that while some report positive wellness benefits from psychedelic experiences, and a retreat can be a good way to try them in a controlled environment, there can also be associated risks. Consult your doctor before planning or signing up for a psychedelic retreat.
• Silent retreats, where attendees go for a structured period of time without speaking. These can be an opportunity to calm the mind, connect with your inner self, and ‘recharge your batteries.’

Activities at Wellness Retreats

Wellness retreat activities can vary from one experience to another. Some might prioritize physical health, while others will put spiritual wellness first. The types of activities you might see on the agenda for a wellness retreat include:

• Scheduled yoga classes or sessions led by a certified yoga instructor.
• Hiking & nature walks.
• Spa or massage sessions.
• Spiritual experiences such as guided meditation, ceremonial grade cacao ceremonies, & sound bathing.

If attending a wellness retreat organized by someone else, look into what types of activities are planned, and think about whether they match your own wellness goals. If you’re not sure, consider contacting the organizer for more information.

If planning your own wellness retreat, set clear goals for what you want yourself and other attendees to be able to accomplish during the retreat. Plan activities that align with those goals, and be intentional about order and timing.

2: Family Retreats

Some retreats can be a great way to get alone time or meet new people, but some made to help you spend more time with your loved ones. Daily life doesn’t always accommodate for family in the way we would like it to. The benefit of family retreats is getting everyone away from a busy schedule so you can truly spend some quality time together.

Best for anyone looking to spend time with loved ones, from couples seeking a romantic experience to large family reunions, strengthening family bonds through fun and relaxing group experiences.

Types of Family Retreats

Just as there are many different kinds of families, there are also plenty of different kinds of family retreats.

• Family reunions, allowing loved ones who live far apart to meet up and stay in touch.
• Couples retreats, an opportunity to enjoy a private getaway with your significant other. Some couples retreats might also give you the opportunity to get to know other couples in your peer group.
• Family bonding retreats, which focus specifically on strengthening the trust and rapport between the whole family.

Activities at Family Retreats

The types of activities you find at a family retreat will vary, but most will emphasize relationship dynamics based on the size of your group. Plenty of retreat activities can be enjoyed by families, but the best activities are those which make everyone feel included and foster a stronger dynamic between family members.

Family retreat activities could include:

• Collaborative games like relay races, obstacle courses, trivia, etc.
• Group dance lessons.
• Sunset viewing.
• Swimming, playing, & relaxing at the beach or pool.

If attending a family retreat organized by someone else, make sure you know what the recommended age group and family size is. Some may have age-limited activities that would exclude infants or toddlers, while others might be intended for families with younger children and could be less fun for tweens and teenagers.

If planning your own family retreat, talk to everyone who will be going and gather ideas for what activities to include in the plan. Try to make sure everyone has something to be excited about.

3: Corporate Retreats

Some might see the concept of a work retreat as counterintuitive, but there can be a great many benefit to bringing your team on a corporate retreat. Not only can the change of environment can help participants feel more relaxed and at ease, but it can help them return to work afterward with renewed energy. Better yet, you can structure the retreat with activities designed to strengthen your team and work towards long-term professional goals.

Best for business leaders or corporate teams looking to develop stronger professional skills and/or strengthen trust and communication between team members, in a setting that encourages learning and growth.

Types of Corporate Retreats

Much like families, every team is different, and you likely have specific objectives in planning a corporate retreat. It’s important to make sure your retreat will match your needs. There are a few different kinds of corporate retreats, each designed to serve different functions. These include:

• Team-building retreats, which help build trust and cooperation between team members. You may want to pair up groups who work together regularly, pair up employees and managers to bridge the gap between them, or aim to strengthen the entire team dynamic with large group activities and random small groups.
• Leadership training retreats, ideal for groups of managers or managerial candidates. Focus points may include decisiveness, delegation, and communication skills.
• Brainstorming retreats, where you can make use of the retreat environment to spark creative ideas from your team. You may focus your brainstorming sessions on a specific project, or open the floor to bigger-picture ideas.

Activities at Corporate Retreats

Corporate retreat activities are at their best when tailored to your specific goals. For team-building, you’ll want activities that emphasize trust, teamwork, and equal contribution. For brainstorming retreats, your ideal activities will be those which foster innovation and creative thinking. Meanwhile, leadership retreats can benefit from a healthy balance of both.

Some activities that may be included in a corporate retreat include:

• Group strategy sessions.
• Professional development workshops.
• Collaborative games, outdoor adventures, cooking classes, & more team-building activities.
• Cultural or natural immersion experiences to invigorate the mind & spark inspiration.

If attending a corporate retreat organized by someone else, consider reaching out to the organizer to discuss what your goals are and see if they believe the experience is a good fit for your team.

If planning your own corporate retreat, gather feedback from your team members before making definitive plans—think of it as the first collaborative exercise for the retreat. It’s a great opportunity to pick your team member’s brains about locations, activities, and other company retreat ideas they may have to offer.

4: Creative Retreats

The goal of this type of retreat is to lean into your creative side, whether simply to come up with ideas or to get some serious work done on a personal project. However, you don’t have to be a practiced artist to participate in a creative retreat. You can also use it as an opportunity to unlock a creative side that you don’t get to tap into very often, and even to try out various creative pursuits.

Best for writers, visual artists, musicians, and anybody else looking for a dedicated time to practice their craft or flex their creative muscles.

Types of Creative Retreats

There are essentially as many kinds of possible creative retreats as there are creative pursuits in the world. We’ll list a few more common examples, but note that it is far from an exhaustive list.

• Writer's retreats.
• Visual artist's retreats.
• Music retreats.

Note also that the categories above are quite broad. If desired, you can probably find retreats for specific genres that match your passions. You can also go on a private retreat to focus on your craft by yourself, if that’s more your style.

Activities at Creative Retreats

Some creative retreats may allot most of your time to creating. If your goal is to find a space and time to work on a project away from the busyness and noise of everyday life, then you may not want to spend time on anything else.

However, many retreat activities can be a great way to find inspiration and get creative juices flowing. If there are others on the retreat, it can also help you network with other creatives and workshop your ideas together. Here are some activities you could find on a creative retreat:

• Inspiration walks in nature & forest bathing for creative clarity.
• Group creative sessions or workshops.
• Classes on historical & modern works in your medium or genre.
• Sound healing & ecstatic dance sessions to engage your creative mind.

If attending a creative retreat organized by someone else, make sure you know how many activities to expect, and consider whether you think the environment will be conducive to your creative process.

If planning your own creative retreat, set realistic goals for what you want to accomplish. In addition, make sure to find a space for your retreat that will allow you to focus on your creative process—if necessary, speak with venue owners about possible environmental distractions.

A Costa Rica Retreat Center for All Your Needs

For any retreat, no matter which of the many different types of retreats, the proper setting is absolutely crucial. Your environment sets the tone for your experience, facilitating a relaxed mind, engaging activities, and a restful stay.

Vajra Jahra: The Perfect Place to Attend a Retreat

Looking to attend a retreat? Even once you know what type of retreat you want to attend, it can be hard to sift through the many retreats available. To narrow down your search, we suggest by finding a quality retreat center. At Vajra Jahra, we provide the setting for a variety of different kinds of retreats which are hosted throughout the year at our stunning property in the heart of Costa Rica.

Our gorgeous space doesn’t just offer stunning rainforest views, it also offers comfortable, flexible indoor and outdoor facilities which can support all kinds of retreats, whether you’re looking for a restorative wellness escape, a team bonding experience. Find a Costa Rica retreat today and start looking forward to a transformative escape.

Vajra Jahra: Helping You Host the Retreat of Your Dreams

Venue is an important consideration even when attending a retreat organized by somebody else. But if you’re planning your own retreat, it can become even more important. Planning, coordinating, and managing a retreat all on your own is a herculean task, and it can be easy for things to get overlooked. That’s why it’s important to find a retreat center that can not only provide the perfect environment for your retreat, but also assist you with planning and operations.

Vajra Jahra does both. With comfortable yet practical facilities located in the center of Costa Rica’s stunning jungle, we offer a premier experience, and offer attentive coordinative support to organizers to help keep your retreat running smoothly while you relax and enjoy the fruits of your hard work. We also offer a wide variety of experiences & excursions to help fit every group’s unique needs. Looking to host a retreat to remember in Costa Rica? Look no further than Vajra Jahra.