Six Tips for Planning a Spring Retreat
1) Start Planning Early
The sooner you can begin planning your retreat, the better. You want to make sure you have time to choose a good date, book your ideal location, and get people to save the date. Additional details you need to have in place as soon as possible include:
- Schedules: The key to scheduling your retreat is striking a balance between downtime and activities. You want to leave room for relaxation and conversations, but not so much space in the schedule that attendees get bored. Planning your retreat early allows you the time you need to tweak your schedule.
- Calendars: Planning your retreat early lets you get it on the calendar for your organization. People’s schedules fill up fast with work, recreation, kids, school, sports, etc. You need to give potential attendees time to save the date.
- Transportation: For some retreats, attendees may drive themselves to the destination. However, if you are planning a retreat for students, you may have to arrange transportation and potentially rent vehicles. Vans are often booked many months in advance, so you want to make sure you have your retreat on the calendar in time to rent vehicles.
- Group Size: Putting your retreat on the calendar early will give you more time to reach your target group size. If you plan for a retreat with thirty people but only have time to recruit ten participants, you could incur unnecessary lodging, facility, and food costs. It is typically better to have to inquire about more space with your facility than the alternative.
- Costs: You want to give your participants time to save money to cover their portion of the retreat. A few dollars a month is more palatable than finding what could be a significant chunk of money in a short time. Also, booking facilities, transportation, food, etc., early can often result in discounts.
It is not out of the question to begin planning your retreat a full year in advance. However, if your group is smaller and has some flexibility, there still might be opportunities to pull something off as soon as this fall or winter.
2) Choose a Location That Has It All
A retreat is only as good as its location. If the location is a dud, then you may find people unhappy with the overall experience. If your location is amazing, you may not get home before people are ready to sign up for the next one.
3) Pick a Good Theme
What are you trying to accomplish with your retreat? Rest and relaxation should be part of the experience; however, that is likely not the reason you are choosing to retreat with a group over just taking a vacation.
Your theme should encourage people to grow. Of course, that is not at the expense of making sure people get to feel rested and appreciated.
4) Make Sure There Is Good Food
If your food is bad, people will remember. For youth retreats, the majority of your participants may not be as concerned about the quality of the meals, but your chaperones will care. Adult small groups, men’s retreats, and women’s retreats could be defined by whether or not there were at least decent food options.
5) Advertise as Soon as Possible
Even if you don’t have all the details ironed out, you want to start advertising your retreat as soon as possible. For church groups, civic groups, and nonprofits, you want to make sure you get plenty of attention in order to fill up spots and meet cost goals.
Calendars fill up quickly, especially for families and youth. You might have a little more leeway with seniors, college students, and young adults.
6) Tell People About Your Next Retreat
The best time to advertise for your next retreat is when people are having a blast on your current one. If at all possible, go ahead and put another retreat on the calendar and provide as much information as possible before your spring retreat.
Spring Retreats in Estes Park, CO at High Peak Camp
High Peak Camp is located in beautiful Estes Park, the perfect location for a spring retreat. We would love to talk with you more about our facilities and how we can help you have a great corporate, church, non-profit, ministry, or youth retreat at High Peak. Contact us today for more information about our Estes Park retreat facilities.