Discover Spaces Where Rest is the Destination
When was the last time you took a trip that truly nourished your mind, body, and spirit? Not a vacation packed with sightseeing and a long to-do list, but a journey centered solely on you. When resilience is no longer enough, consider booking a wellness retreat stay to recharge your batteries and gain a better understanding of yourself.
We often hear the phrase, “She’s a strong Black woman.” Historically, our ancestors had to be strong, resilient, and weather many storms. The idea was that despite the pain, suffering, and stress, you had to buckle down, handle the business, and fake it until you make it. We were taught to prioritize everyone’s needs except our own. Well, times are changing, and Black women are realizing that the train of thought handed down for generations is no longer sustainable.
Black Travelers Spending on Travel
Women over 50 are entering a new season of intentional self-care, wellness, and travel. The wellness travel market is growing leaps and bounds. According to a recent survey, MMGY Global’s Black Traveler: Insights, Opportunities & Priorities research estimated that U.S. Black travelers spent $129.6 billion on domestic and international leisure travel in 2019, including $109.4 billion domestically. Subsequently, a recent Journey Woman survey found that women in North America over 50 spend approximately $250 billion dollars on travel.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find data on travel spending by Black women over 50. However, they are booking trips and traveling the world. They are also not just looking for vacations; they are also looking for wellness retreats.
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What is a Wellness Retreat
You may ask, what is the difference between a vacation and a wellness retreat? Let’s compare and contrast. Take a look at the chart below.
| Type of Trip | Purpose | Schedule & Activities | Food & Environment | Results |
| Vacation | Aimed at fun and a break from work responsibilities | Flexible days filled with tours, sightseeing, dining, lounging, and shopping | Indulgent local foods, restaurants, and dynamic destinations or busy resorts. | Great memories and fun, but sometimes requires “recovering” at home. |
| Wellness Retreat | Aimed at healing, self-reflection, and mental and physical reset | Guided schedules with set classes, workshops, fitness, and spa time | Clean, organic, nourishing meals in quiet, nature-heavy settings. | New habits, deep rest, and long-term well-being tools to use at home. |
A wellness retreat offers the following experiences.
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Spa treatments
- Nutrition
- Hiking
- Coaching
- Journaling
- Mindfulness
- Healing circles
- Curated wellness experiences and activities
As Black Americans spend billions on travel and enter the wellness travel space, let’s take a look at Black women entrepreneurs in the wellness retreat industry. If you’re ready to unplug, breathe deeply, and reconnect with yourselves, these Black woman-owned wellness retreats offer more than relaxation; they offer transformation.
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Why Black Women-Owned Retreats Matter
Wellness looks different for everyone, and retreats often create environments where women feel seen and supported. Two things that Black women look for are cultural understanding and community. We want people to understand what we’re going through, our cultural dynamics, and everyday struggles. Relatability is essential, as is a sense of community.
Along with community, psychological safety and representation are also very important to Black women. We want to see people who look like us in wellness retreat spaces. Spaces designed with Black women’s wellness in mind are a catalyst for the growth of Black women-owned wellness retreat businesses.
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10 Black Women-Owned Retreats to Explore
Black Women’s Yoga Collective
https://www.blackwomensyogaco.com
What Makes It Unique: The Black Women’s Yoga Collective was founded in 2022. They began hosting yoga and wellness retreats for Black & Brown women. The retreats are all about beautiful experiences, sisterhood, connection to self, rest, and recharging. Retreats have been held in domestic destinations like Joshua Tree, Temecula – Wine Country, Sedona, the Catskill Mountains, as well as international destinations like Tulum, Mexico, and Bali, Indonesia.BWYC retreats are all about Black & Brown women coming together to cultivate collective healing energy.
The Black Women’s Yoga Collective focuses on holding space for Black and Brown women to create true, lasting connections – both within and with others. You are welcome if you’re beginning a yoga practice, curious about meditation, or simply looking to feel better. They currently offer programming online and in the New York and Los Angeles areas, with plans to expand to new locations in the future!
The Jenesis Wellness Estate
https://www.thejenesishouse.com
What Makes It Unique: The Jenesis House is located in Sedona, AZ. It is a modern sanctuary for travelers seeking intentional living, meaningful rest, and elevated wellness experiences. The mission is “to inspire, rejuvenate, and elevate every person who chooses to journey with us.” They create spaces and journeys that invite you to slow down, reconnect, and care for your mind, body, and spirit.
The Jenesis House Estate is the flagship wellness property. They also offer luxury residences in Arcadia and Scottsdale, AZ. All are designed to create and offer calm, beauty, and a sense of belonging. The Jenesis House owners also host international retreats for groups to explore culture and healing, and to weave experiences of community, mindfulness, and travel.
The Annual Sweet Life Retreat
What Makes It Unique: The Annual Sweet Life Retreat is held at a different destination each year. The promise is an experience with a gentle balance of:
Intentional stillness and soulful conversation. You will enjoy spaces to exhale fully and be truly heard. Experience curated adventures and cultural immersion to meet your curiosity. The Annual Sweet Life Retreat offers ritual, reflection, and practices that reconnect you to your own rhythm. Also, enjoy the companionship of the sacred sisterhood, a circle of women who understand the weight you carry.
Santee & Redwood Wellbeing Studio – Reclaimed
What Makes It Unique: Reclaimed is a retreat created for Black and Brown women ready to reclaim their energy, their time, and their sense of self; to finally pause, let go of the pressure to perform, and step into restoration alongside women who understand the weight of holding everything together. So you can finally break free from the cycle of depletion and performance. Every retreat is guided by intention and Spirit, with room to flow. Activities and practices include meditation & breathwork, workshops for discovery & reflection, and rituals designed for real life.
The expectation and hope are that one won’t leave with a version of oneself one has to maintain. Leave clearer, more grounded, and better able to live your life without running yourself into the ground.
Asha’s Place
https://www.ashasplacelisbon.com
What Makes It Unique: Asha’s Place is located in Lisbon, Portugal. It is a space offering a private ancestral healing retreat designed specifically for Black women and women of the diaspora. Asha’s Place recognizes the heavy weight carried by Black women who put others’ needs first and have slowly drifted away from their own truth.
The ancestral healing retreats are held over four days. Women move through a curated, guided healing experience that blends intuitive wisdom, nervous system regulation, and restorative rest. Experiences are curated based on one’s energy,
emotional needs, and spiritual guidance.
Natolie Warren
What Makes It Unique: Natolie Warren says her wellness retreats are sacred experiences designed to you pause, breathe, and return to who you truly are. Each experience is curated to support your healing and growth from the inside out. The retreats are located in destinations where you will be surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty. You will get the experience of nourishing food, like-minded women, and powerful practices to awaken your mind, body, and spirit.
What Makes It Unique: The Black Women Healing Retreat is in Costa Rica. Here you will enjoy daily yoga, meditation, journaling, hiking, waterfall visits, rest and leisure, and beautiful beaches. Their workshops explore self-care, spirituality, and liberation. Every moment is designed to restore balance.
The Black Woman Healing retreat is for all Black women across the diaspora. Retreats are based on the practice of softness and strength, inner peace, and community
Camp Yoshi
What Makes It Unique: Camp Yoshi was founded in 2020 and is based in Oregon. If you are an outdoorsy woman, this experience is written for you. Their motto is shaped by a simple idea: people need more time outside, with less to manage. Camp Yoshi offers outdoor experiences while curating and handling all of the details so people can simply arrive. They map out routes, set up campsites, cook meals over a fire, and let you explore the natural world.
OmNoire Retreats
What Makes It Unique: OMNoire was founded in 2016 as an online marketplace that connects women of color with luxury retreat opportunities worldwide. They host international retreats around the world, bringing together groups of like-minded travelers to explore culture, healing, and ceremony in breathtaking destinations.
These experiences weave community, mindfulness, and travel into life-changing moments. Since being founded, OMNoire has established a network of over 70,000 worldwide.
Ujima Retreat Center
https://www.ujimaretreatcenter.com
What Makes It Unique: Ujima Retreat Center is a Black-owned sanctuary just outside Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. It was founded in 2022, and Ujima was born out of a desire to create a healing space that feels warm, grounding, and deeply human—never cold or clinical. Offerings include an immersive retreat experience where individuals, families, and groups can pause, breathe, and reconnect.
Ujima Retreat Center is a 7.5-acre retreat space designed to support restoration, growth, and meaningful connection in a natural environment. Rooted in the principles of collective care and intentional living, Ujima offers a setting where individuals, families, and organizations can step away from daily distractions and reconnect with wellness, purpose, and community.
HURU Spaces
What Makes It Unique: HURU offers a unique sanctuary for deep renewal, where rest becomes a sacred act. One can book one of their curated spaces for a solo weekend, day, or moment of rest.
HURU Spaces is inspired by the ancient concept of *eremos*, meaning a quiet, deserted place. HURU homes offer a refuge from the distractions of daily life. Located and nestled in the city, desert, and beach, the spaces provide an environment for deep reflection, solitude, and renewal.
The homes and interiors are designed to create a sacred atmosphere where you can detach from the noise and reconnect with stillness. Whether you’re seeking personal restoration or a moment to pause, these tranquil retreats are spaces where you can find balance and clarity.
How to Choose the Right Wellness Retreat
It’s great to have so many options for wellness retreats. The aim is to choose the one that most fits your needs and expectations. Before booking a stay, do your due diligence and thoroughly research what is offered. Here are some others to consider.
- Budget Amount – What is your budget? How much can you comfortably spend? Are the offerings within your budget?
- Group Size – Are you going solo or with a group? How many persons can the retreat accommodate? Oftentimes, group sizes are no more than 10-12 persons.
- Retreat Length – How many days is the retreat? Is it four or five days? Is it a weekend or a week? You want to have the time needed to receive the services and get your desired results.
- Fitness Level – You want to know the fitness level of the activities that are offered. Are you able to hike five miles comfortably? Is your fitness level beginner, intermediate, or advanced? Does the retreat offer various levels of fitness activities?
- Travel Distance – How far do you want to travel? Do you want to stay close to home or take an international journey? Also, what is the cost of the travel, and does it fit into your budget?
- Accommodations: What accommodations are available during the retreat? Are spaces available for solo travelers? Are rooms for double occupancy only? Is it rustic or luxury? Get full descriptions of the accommodations before booking the retreat.
- Meals: Are meals included, and what is the menu? Can they handle special dietary restrictions? How many meals are served each day?
- Airport transfers: If you’re flying into the area, is there transportation to and from the retreat space? If not, what transportation options are available for arrival and departure?
- Cancellation Policy: Ask for the written cancellation policy. We all know emergencies arise, and you may have to cancel. So, make sure that you fully understand the cancellation and refund policies.
- Free time vs. structured time: Ask if retreat participants will have free time from activities and expectations. You will need time to reflect and some me time during your stay.
Tips for Making the Most Out of Your Retreat
As women travelers over 50, our expectations are high, and we want what we want. Therefore, it’s essential that we do our research and homework before booking a retreat. It’s also essential that we put in a considerable effort to make the most of our stay. Here are a few suggestions to help you have a successful and memorable time.
- Arrive with an open mind
- Unplug from work and social media
- Keep a journal
- Stay hydrated
- Participate in activities outside your comfort zone
- Give yourself permission to rest
- Continue one new wellness practice after returning home
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Why Wellness Travel is an Investment
Wellness travel is not just an indulgence; it is an investment in yourself. Women over 50 often find themselves balancing caregiving, career transitions, retirement, and the search for the next phase of life. Attending a wellness retreat can foster long-term healthy habits and help reduce stress. Your sleep may improve. You may gain renewed creativity, mental clarity, and confidence. New friendships may begin during your retreat stay. The benefits are well worth the experience.
Conclusion
A wellness retreat is a special experience that many rave about. Remember that rest is the destination. Your passport can take you to many beautiful destinations; however, the right wellness retreat can bring you back to yourself. Whether you are seeking healing, rest, adventure, time for reflection, or permission to slow down, these Black women-owned retreats remind us that there are spaces for us and that wellness is not a luxury. Wellness is a lifelong journey.
*Please note that this list is not comprehensive. Many more Black women-owned wellness retreats exist. We will continue to extend the list as we research more possibilities.
