Residential Retreats
Retreats in Nature, Gathered in Community. Big Bear Retreat Center is a restorative space for healing and creativity. We humbly offer a supportive environment to gather in community for movement, stillness and practice, trusting in the power of embodied mindfulness and authentic connection.
Just 2 hours from Los Angeles, a thousand acres of protected land as your home. We offer nourishment, rest and spacious land to hold you. Our buildings are carefully tended, calm and comfortable. Rooms are simple, single or shared. We cook with foods that nourish. Our tranquil land, originally tended by the Yuhaviatam (“People of the Pines”), is nestled in 1,400 acres of ancient Juniper woodland to help you recollect and realign with what matters most.
We are committed to accessibility, omitting none. We offer several scholarship and financial support. Contact us at any time on how we can be support your retreat at BBRC.
Join us for a retreat in Big Bear
Mary & Joseph Retreat Center is located in Rancho Palos Verdes, a 30 minute drive from Los Angeles International Airport. Majestic views include the skyline of Downtown Los Angeles and the entire Los Angeles basin. Nearby are the rocky cliffs of the Pacific, a prime location for whale watching, and several hiking trails open to the public.
With an emphasis on inclusion and accessibility, we provide a refuge for people of all faiths and walks of life.
Read testimonials here.
Mary & Joseph Retreat Center (In-person) Shelter from the Storm: Cultivating a Steady Heart
February 27, 2026
4 days 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center Coming Home to Our Senses
April 22, 2026
5 days 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM PT
Mary & Joseph Retreat Center Metta-Vipassana: Integrating Mindfulness and Metta practices
May 20, 2026
6 days 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center Love and Awareness: The Heart That Knows
June 8, 2026
7 days 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center (Hybrid: In-person) The Original Body Scan: Discovering Freedom within the Body
June 22, 2026
7 days 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM PT
Online (Hybrid: Online) The Original Body Scan: Discovering Freedom within the Body
June 22, 2026
7 days 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM PT
Mary & Joseph Retreat Center Annual Summer Insight Retreat
July 10, 2026
4 days 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center Retiro de Meditación
September 9, 2026
5 days 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center (Hybrid: In-person) The Refuge of the Heart
September 15, 2026
6 days 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM PT
Online (Hybrid: Online) The Refuge of the Heart
September 15, 2026
6 days 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM PT
Big Bear Retreat Center Rest in Simplicity
September 22, 2026
6 days 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM PT
