How to Host a Retreat That Actually Retreats (Even in Summer)
The best retreat I ever attended started at 5:30 AM and ended by noon.
Not because the facilitator ran out of material, but because they understood something most event planners miss: sometimes the most powerful thing you can do for a group is give them permission to rest.
This is especially true in summer, when the Ojai heat becomes a natural boundary that forces you to work with nature's rhythm instead of against it. At Las Palmas, we've learned that summer retreats aren't about powering through—they're about tuning in.
Start Before the World Wakes Up
There's something almost sacred about beginning your day before the heat sets in. The estate feels different at sunrise—cooler, quieter, more spacious. Your participants aren't checking phones or thinking about traffic. They're just... present.
Morning yoga in the olive grove while the air is still cool. Intention-setting circles under the pergola with coffee and fresh fruit. Deep work sessions that wrap before lunch, when energy naturally starts to shift.
By starting early, you're not fighting the environment—you're partnering with it.
Design for the Siesta
American culture has trained us to push through afternoon sluggishness, but summer in Ojai invites a different approach. Build rest into your schedule. Plan for it. Honor it.
After lunch, instead of forcing another workshop, create space for:
Individual reflection time
Journaling in the shaded corners of the estate
Naps (yes, actual naps)
Solo walks through the gardens
Optional one-on-one check-ins
When you reconvene for your evening session, your group will be refreshed, recharged, and ready to go deeper than they could have at 2 PM in the heat.
Intimate Numbers, Infinite Impact
Summer retreats work best with smaller groups—8 to 20 people maximum. Not because the space can't handle more, but because the season invites intimacy. With fewer participants, you can:
Truly connect with everyone from their story to their experience
Have real, deeper conversations instead of surface-level networking
Adapt the schedule based on what the group needs in real time
Create those magical unplanned moments that people remember years later
The quieter energy of off-season Ojai amplifies this intimacy. Your participants aren't competing with other events, other groups, or other distractions. They're just there, with each other, in the moment.
Who This Serves
Summer retreats at Las Palmas are perfect for:
Coaches and facilitators who want to go deeper with fewer people rather than broader with more
Creative professionals who need focused time away from the noise and rush of peak season
Corporate teams ready to try something radically different from the typical conference room experience
Healing practitioners whose work benefits from the slower, more intentional pace that summer naturally provides
The Invitation
Summer retreats aren't about enduring the heat—they're about embracing a different rhythm. One that honors rest as much as productivity. One that makes space for reflection as well as action.
If you're planning a retreat that's actually designed to help people slow down, summer at Las Palmas might be exactly what you're looking for.
Click HERE to fnd out more or email us directly at Info@LasPalmasOjai.com