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.
To offer or join a carpool, click Ride-Share Sign-Up on the retreat's event page.

Big Bear Retreat Center (In-person) Cultivating Kindness: A Women’s Retreat of Mindfulness and Self-Compassion through Practice, Writing, and Movement
September 25, 2025
4 days 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Big Bear Retreat Center (In-person) Awakening Mindfulness and Compassion
September 29, 2025
6 days 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Big Bear Retreat Center (Hybrid: In-person) In Wisdom We Walk, In Liberation We Rise: A Women’s Retreat
October 5, 2025
8 days 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Big Bear Retreat Center (In-person) Sacred Refuge: An Embodied Devotional Retreat in Nature
October 13, 2025
6 days 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Big Bear Retreat Center (In-person) Loving Nature and Finding Joy
October 18, 2025
5 days 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Big Bear Retreat Center (In-person) Mindfulness for Everyone
October 23, 2025
4 days 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Big Bear Retreat Center (In-person) Embodying The Heart of Listening: A Relational Leadership Retreat for Facilitators, Guides, SpaceHolders, and Therapists
October 26, 2025
6 days 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Big Bear Retreat Center (In-person) Luminous Darkness: The Power of Embracing the Unknown
October 31, 2025
3 days 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Big Bear Retreat Center (In-person) Befriending Mortality: Living An Awakened Life Through Mindfulness of Death (Maranasati)
November 2, 2025
5 days 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Big Bear Retreat Center (In-person) Resting in Metta: Cultivating an Awakened Heart
November 11, 2025
8 days 2:00 PM - 2:00 PM PT