13 Engaging Men’s Retreat Ideas (2024)

Planning a men’s retreat is a little more complicated than planning a bachelor’s party. After all, we’ll assume that if you’re planning a men’s retreat, you want to focus on the mental, physical, and spiritual well-being of your attendees, as well as perhaps even address some gender stereotypes along the way. Whether you’re planning a religious or secular retreat or an event for friends or colleagues, we’ve put together these 13 engaging men’s retreat ideas to get you started.

Along with men’s retreat ideas, we’ll also share some awesome venues at which to host them. After all, Peerspace is the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals and connects you with stylish, well-equipped spaces in cities across the globe that help you achieve your personal and professional goals. From wellness-centric retreat spaces to event venues that provide the amenities and privacy you need for your men’s retreat, you can find it all on our platform.

Now, let’s get on to the list!

1. Find and book an inspiring retreat venue on Peerspace

Host your event at a memorable location to get some space from the everyday world and bond in a transformative environment. From castles and cabins to yurts and churches, Peerspace is the number-one digital platform for finding and renting unique hidden gem venues. Just search by event type, location, and capacity to find the perfect men’s retreat ideas near you.

Plus, many of the venues on Peerspace include additional amenities, such as a full kitchen, A/V equipment, game rooms, and even swimming pools.

One wonderful example is this Gesner cocoon with secluded amazing mountain views in Malibu, CA. This incredibly peaceful venue can provide your men’s retreat with an aerodynamic cocoon venue designed by Harry Gesner and inspired by the Sydney Opera House. It’s set on a deck with a Renaissance-inspired cauldron and surrounded by forest and mountain views. While here, you can also use the spas, hammocks, campfire seating, and so much more. This is just one example of the type of amazing spaces you can find on Peerspace to bring your events to life!

2. Attract (or invite) the right participants

If you’re planning a public retreat, it’s a good idea to be clear about the goals of your retreat. The same goes or even if you’re inviting guests from your workplace or social group. Different men will want different things from a men’s retreat — and your female colleagues may have opinions on it, too. The term “men’s retreat” can be used to refer to a spiritual or faith-based retreat, while a “men’s circle” or “masculinity retreat” usually refers to a secular one.

Either way, it’s important that your event doesn’t come across as an exclusive “boy’s club”. Rather, you want it to use the supportive nature of a men-only space to help men grow. Look for ways that you can include men who may be left out of other men’s spaces, such as gay, bi, and queer men, trans men, and men of color.

3. Get outside to reconnect with nature

While it isn’t a requirement that your retreat takes place in a remote location, there’s something about being in nature that encourages reflection and connection. Invite your attendees to slow down, put their phones away, and connect with their authentic selves outdoors.

Whether you lead a group hike, gather around a campfire, or meditate together, spending time outside can help set the tone of your retreat and make it easier to connect.

Check out these creative camping ideas to spur more productive campside chatter.

4. Take a hero’s journey

Many men’s retreats are framed around the hero’s journey and other mythological or archetypal frameworks. For example, the Mankind Project hosts a New Warrior Training Adventure for men that involves trust-building exercises, like being led into the woods blindfolded. You don’t have to take things to that extreme, but sometimes introspection goes better with a side of mythmaking. Structure your retreat as a journey with a familiar character arc and conclusion.

5. Hold a sharing circle

Sharing circles are a great men’s retreat idea that can encourage vulnerability and reflection. A sharing circle is essentially a discussion group where each person gets a turn to share openly about something they’re struggling with. The important thing is to listen to each other without any blame or judgment. Use a talking stick to ensure that only one person speaks at a time.

6. Cook and share communal meals

While hiring a caterer for your men’s retreat is an option, we think that meals are the perfect time to connect — both at the table and in the kitchen.

Rent a Peerspace venue with a large enough kitchen, such as this cozy cabin retreat with spacious yard and kitchen in Nashville, TN. Cooking a meal together allows for natural and spontaneous conversations to flow. The fact that this is a 2,500-square-foot cabin set on 17 acres of forest makes it ideal for all your men’s retreat ideas.

7. Plan a photography workshop

Photography is a great way to reflect on the way we see the world — and the way the world sees us. Plan a photography workshop at your men’s retreat, where your attendees can practice their nature or wildlife photography skills or re-examine masculinity in front of the camera.

This retreat barn in Vancouver, WA may be the perfect place to make men’s retreat ideas like this happen. It is a rustic 800-square-foot 100-year-old barn on an acre of open land that’s ideal for events, and, as the host points out, also perfect for photography retreats with a focus on nature.

8. Play tabletop games to initiate deeper conversations

Playing tabletop games can be a fun and engaging men’s retreat idea that doesn’t require planning. But for a twist, avoid competitive games like Risk, and try something different, such as Virtus: The Card Game of Medieval Masculinity, which looks at medieval gender roles through a modern lens and will offer plenty of interesting topics for discussion.

9. Offer a yoga class to promote overall wellness

While yoga still has a reputation as being a women’s activity, more and more men are enjoying its benefits — such as at the Primal Beat men’s yoga retreat in Ibiza offered by YogaFit. But you don’t have to head to Spain to incorporate yoga into your men’s retreat. Start by booking a yoga studio through Peerspace. Then, invite a yoga instructor who can lead your group in a yoga and meditation session designed for men’s bodies.

Check out our favorite yoga workshop ideas for more suggestions that will help your guests relax and unwind.

10. Sweat it out in a sauna

Sweat lodges and saunas have served as important gathering spaces for men in many cultures. Include some spa time at your event by hosting it at this luxury retreat home with a sauna, hot tub, and cold plunge pool (pictured above) in West Palm Beach, FL. Or, rent this modern home with epic views in Marina del Rey, Los Angeles, and enjoy the outdoor pool, hot tub, and sauna.

11. Screen an on-theme movie

Lighten up the mood with a fun bromance like I Love You, Man — or start a conversation about growing up male by watching Richard Linklater’s Boyhood. You can rent a screening room on Peerspace for this part of your event or choose a venue that offers a built-in projector.

12. Practice empathy

Finally, host an empathy workshop aimed at men in your community or industry. For example, the Empathy Initiative produces cultural empathy and disability simulations for nursing students. Find a workshop designed to teach emotional intelligence in your industry, or use a set of Tea & Empathy cards to create your own exercises.

13. Host an emotional detox to cleanse mental clutter

The idea behind an emotional detox is not to purge your attendees of emotion. Rather, it is to help expel the stagnating emotions that we all carry with us, that are unproductive, and that weigh us down. An emotional detox is one of our favorite men’s retreat ideas since it can be catered to just about any crowd. Check out how this men’s emotional detox retreat in the UK helped its attendees achieve solace through a men-only retreat in the woods.

Men’s retreat ideas: conclusion

Whatever your reason for planning a men’s retreat, your job is to offer a space where they can let their guard down and truly be themselves. These 12 men’s retreat ideas offer various options that will suit men of all ages and backgrounds.

Don’t forget to find the perfect men’s retreat venue on Peerspace. You will be able to find dozens of perfect locations in your chosen area. Between these incredible men’s retreat ideas and Peerspace venues and services, your event is sure to be a wonderful success!

Find unique men’s retreat venues on Peerspace