Sacred Waters is located in Union, WA overlooking the famous Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountain Range in Washington State. The nearest airport is SeaTac International Airport, just south of Seattle WA. It is a 1 hour 20 minute drive to Sacred Waters from SeaTac, and the airport has many car rental options. Once registered we can organize within the group to see if there might be opportunities to carpool or ride share.

If you are driving to the retreat, it is around a 1.5 hour drive from Seattle WA and a 2.5 hour drive from Portland OR. This retreat is within driving distance for most people living in the Pacific Northwest, and 3 hr. 45 minutes drive for those arriving from Vancouver International Airport in BC, Canada (though do account for border crossing times).

Doors open at 4pm on Tuesday and there will be some flexible time for people to arrive and settle before our 6pm welcome dinner. We need to be packed up and departing the retreat center by 1pm on Sunday. Of course if you need to arrive a bit later or leave a bit early to accommodate your travels, that is okay, just inform us of your plans.

If you have extra time in your schedule to spend before or after the retreat to explore the Olympic Peninsula, it is a very unique part of the world in that it encompasses three distinct ecosystems within its boundaries: temperate rainforest, rugged coastline, and glaciated mountains. This diversity of landscapes makes Olympic National Park one of the most ecologically diverse national parks in the United States. Pretty cool!

Sacred Waters is happy to accommodate food allergies or intolerances with alternatives. We will ask for those kinds of preferences before the retreat to ensure your dietary needs are taken care of.

At Sacred Waters all meals will be provided by the on-site chef based on seasonal availability and sourced from the growers of local cooperatives. Various proteins like salmon, chicken, and pork are included in their menus, as well as protein rich alternatives like legumes and tofu for vegans and vegetarians. Take it from Jolene, “The food was absolutely phenomenal!”

If you booked a shared room, and are attending the retreat by yourself, we will thoughtfully place you in the room of your choice with a fellow attendee(s). This is a beautiful way to make new connections and life long friends!

If you are attending the retreat with a friend or partner and want to be placed in the same shared room, please reach out to us and we will be sure to place you together. That is if you book separately, otherwise make a deposit for 2 people for your preferred shared room at checkout.

If you book a private room and have a partner or friend joining you, please make sure to let us know.

Beds in shared rooms will be chosen in order of arrival.

Sacred Waters Center for Restoration and Retreat formed as a collaboration between St. Andrews House (run by the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia), Circles of Color, Creation Care, and Harmony Retreats of Cancer Lifeline to expand their mission of hospitality toward the cultivation of creative practices in racial and environmental justice, prayer and community.

Their shared mission is to create an inclusive community rooted in rest and renewal, where every being is affirmed, all spiritual paths are honored, and the Earth herself is our healing teacher and guide.

We will be staying in the historic St. Andrews House lodge. While Sacred Waters is an inter-spiritual community, this particular building has Christian roots. As such, please be aware that there will be Christian symbols in the retreat space, though this event is not affiliated with any church, and people of all spiritual traditions, and none, are welcome. This location has a simple and sacred feel, and has been a place of respite and contemplation for many community groups over the years. We are grateful for the spirit of hospitality and welcome they have created here.

And we deeply resonate with their current calling that states, “Sacred Waters is an affirming interspiritual call to rest and human-ecological renewal. We are at home in our common union, honoring our inherent wholeness, and unfolding together within the practice of tenderness. Guided by the great love which holds us all, the soft pulse of tree roots, and the quiet tides that move through stillness and wild spaces, we offer inclusive welcome and a warm bowl of soup, remembering that when what is hard meets what is holy, healing flows outward into the world.”

There is one private ADA accessible room with ensuite bath for those that might need it. If it is already booked, please reach out as there is one other ADA accessible room we can make available.

All common and activity spaces at our venue are also ADA accessible. Most activities will be suitable as well.

If you know us, you know we love toasting over dinner and breaking into small groups to share and connect from the heart. While there will be plenty of connection, we will also build in time for silence, solitude, and rest. So have no fear if you’re an introvert!

We will have some free time scheduled for you to spend however nurtures your soul best! You can take a hike in the forest, schedule a treatment at the nearby Alderbrook Resort, walk the labyrinth, visit the grief grove (accessible by a short beautiful walk), or simply sit by the fire to read or catch up on sleep with a nap! Those feeling extra courageous can cold plunge in the Hood Canal!

As we might expect with a February gathering, Mother Nature puts us in the tail end of the winter season. That means temps are on the chilly side and the weather patterns are changeable. We will look at the forecast closer to, but you might expect high’s around 40 degrees for daytime temps. That all being said, we’re on the peninsula, so be prepared for shifting weather!

Bring a warm sweatshirt/fleece and winter/rain jacket to keep cozy and clothing layers in general are a good idea. 🧥 Probably good to bring a warm hat and some gloves 🧤🧣, especially if you want to hike. And sturdy weather proof shoes. 🥾

We will send you a list of suggested items to bring before the retreat, including reminders for weather appropriate clothing. If you are driving and would like to bring your own yoga mat, meditation cushion, or blanket, please do. We will also have options for people to share. Once you register for the retreat we will send out a questionnaire to learn more about you and also share more information to make your retreat experience the best it can possibly be.