Family Retreat 2025

Our very popular annual retreat for families to join monastics and other practitioners in the Plum Village tradition.

We know many of you love and value the annual Family Retreat and this brings us much joy. We are also aware that our capacity is not able to accommodate all those who wish to attend. Therefore, in order to offer a fair and stress-free registration experience, we will be holding a lottery for the available spots. Folks who entered the lottery will be chosen at random to attend. Those who are chosen will be contacted to make a registration payment. No payments will be accepted to enter the lottery or to join the waiting list.

Here are the important dates:

March 15: Lottery opens at 9 AM Pacific Time (on this page)

March 19: Lottery closes

March 19: Waiting list opens (for those who missed the lottery)

March 25: Invitations to register begin via e-mail. You will have one week to complete the registration payment upon being notified.

April 8: All first-round invitations to register are completed. As cancellations occur, available retreat spaces will be offered to the remaining lottery applicants, followed by those on the waiting list.

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this process.

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Our Family Retreat is a retreat for families of all descriptions. Singles and couples are also welcome to attend. In this retreat we will have programs for adults, children, tweens, and teens, ensuring that every member of your family will have an opportunity to deepen their experience of the practice.

Parents and adults are given the opportunity to explore the practice through activities such as Dharma Sharing, Total Relaxation, and Dharma Talks while the younger ones will get to experience age-appropriate mindfulness activities and sharings of their own.

One of the wonderful things about our late teacher Thich Nhat Hanh and Deer Park Monastery is that the teachings we offer and the life here in the monastery is accessible to everyone. Whether this is your first meditation retreat or whether you’ve been to many. Whether you’re an older adult or whether you’re a teen… you may find that your retreat here in Deer Park will be relaxing yet insightful.

In this retreat the adult’s program is for adults ages 18 and older while the teen’s program spans the ages of 13-17, tween’s program covers ages 10-12, and the children’s program will be for ages 6-9. Children 5 years old and younger may attend the retreat. However, these youngsters will require parental supervision at all times as there is no official program for this age group.

Sample Schedule

-6:00 Morning Sitting Meditation 
-7:00 Walking Meditation
-7:45 Breakfast
-9:00 Working Meditation 
-11:00 Dharma Talk
-12:30 Lunch
-2:00 Total Relaxation
-3:00 Dharma Sharing
-5:00 Exercise Time
-6:00 Dinner
-7:30 Evening Sitting Meditation

Family Retreat Cost Per Individual:

• Bring Your Own Tent – Adult $340 | Teen $272 | Child $180
• 6 Bed Dorm Space – Adult $440 | Teen $352 | Child $220
• 3 Bed Dorm Space – Adult $600 | Teen $420 | Child $272

Adult: Ages 18 +
Teen: Ages 13-17
Child: Ages 6-12
Ages 0-5 are welcome to attend for the cost of $5.00

For cancellations made prior to arrival day, partial refunds will be available with a cancellation fee of $10 per night for adults, and $5 per night for teens and children 6 years and older. Cancellations made on or after the retreat arrival day do not qualify for a refund. Registration is non-transferable.