Corporate Retreats in Carmel & Big Sur
Coastal cliffs, redwood canyons and valley vineyards, 30 minutes from Monterey.
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Why choose Carmel and Big Sur for a corporate retreat?
Carmel sits where the Monterey Peninsula meets the Big Sur coast, with Carmel Valley’s oak hills and vineyards just inland. Teams can walk to the beach from Carmel-by-the-Sea, drive Highway 1 past Bixby Bridge and meet in a valley that’s often sunny when the coast is foggy. Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) is about 20 minutes from Carmel, and San Jose (SJC) is about 90 minutes away.
Recommended venues
Where your team could stay
Three venues we trust on the Central Coast, from a 500-acre valley ranch to a cliffside retreat in Big Sur and a boutique inn in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Carmel Valley Ranch
Ventana Big Sur
L’Auberge Carmel
Nightly rates: $$ $200 to $300 · $$$ $300 to $450 · $$$$ $450 and up
EXCLUSIVELY WILDER
Corporate Team Experiences
Guided Redwood Hike
Walk among old-growth redwoods in Big Sur with a local naturalist guide, then picnic by the river.
Beekeeping & Honey
Suit up with the ranch’s beekeeper to open a hive, then taste honey made on the property.
Garden Cooking Class
Cook lunch with a ranch chef using produce picked from the organic garden that morning.
UTV Vineyard Tour
Ride 4x4 trails through oak woodland and vineyards to a lookout over the valley.
SAMPLE AGENDA
Sample Carmel & Big Sur Corporate Retreat Agenda
Here’s how three days in Carmel and Big Sur could come together. We tailor every agenda to your team’s goals.
SAMPLE PRICING
What 3 nights could cost
Sample group sizes vary by venue.
100 people · 3 nights
| Per person | Cost |
|---|---|
| Lodging ($550 a night × 3 nights) | $1,650 |
| All meals | $1,050 |
| Team experiences | $150 |
| Airport transfers | $80 |
| Meeting space and A/V ($4,000 for the group) | $40 |
| Total per person | $2,970 |
| Group total (100 people) | $297,000 |
30 people · 3 nights · Leadership offsite
| Per person | Cost |
|---|---|
| Lodging ($1,500 a night × 3 nights) | $4,500 |
| All meals | $1,050 |
| Team experiences | $150 |
| Airport transfers | $80 |
| Meeting space and A/V ($4,000 for the group) | $133 |
| Total per person | $5,913 |
| Group total (30 people) | $177,390 |
20 people · 3 nights · Full buyout, one room each
| Per person | Cost |
|---|---|
| Lodging ($700 a night × 3 nights) | $2,100 |
| All meals | $1,050 |
| Team experiences | $150 |
| Airport transfers | $80 |
| Meeting space and A/V ($3,000 for the group) | $150 |
| Total per person | $3,530 |
| Group total (20 people) | $70,600 |
Sample only. Most Wilder retreats run $750 to $1,500 per person per day, depending on season, group size and experiences. Your proposal includes exact costs.
How It Works
From first call to back at the office
Discovery call
We learn your goals, group, budget and timing, plus the business challenge behind the offsite.
Itinerary design
We match you with a destination and agenda built to get your team out of the boardroom and thinking big.
Retreat experience
A Wilder expert runs every detail onsite, so your team can focus on the work and each other.
Back to work, aligned
Your team returns with the clarity and momentum to act on what they decided together.
In their words
Why teams keep booking with Wilder
As a remote team, it's important for us to create an intentional space for us to come together and connect as more than co-workers. We believe there's no better way to do that than in nature and Wilder Retreats helped us do just that.
Chris ClarkCEO
We've worked with Wilder Retreats on over three retreats now and it's been the best experience ever. They have great locations in their pocket, work closely with you on budget and details, and are always a step ahead with planning. I don't know how we'd execute on our team offsites without them!
Britt CooperVP of Talent
Our time with Wilder Retreats in Yosemite was nothing short of magical. We explored, we laughed, and we grew together. It was a humbling reminder of the beauty and power of nature, and of the importance of fostering connections with those around us.
Lily BakourHead of Communications
Wilder Retreats ran our firmwide offsite this year. It was clear we had a true partner in Wilder. From the earliest planning chats through the final goodbye for the airport, our Wilder Retreats team was responsive, organized, and upbeat, so much so that our own staff who worked with them to plan could simply enjoy the retreat instead of juggling logistics. The result was a relaxed, engaging few days where people could focus on connecting with colleagues and re‑energizing for the year ahead. We came away feeling both cared for and confident that we’d choose Wilder Retreats again without hesitation!
Emma DysonChief of Staff
Wilder Retreats presented, organized and executed a company retreat in Big Sky for us. The details were communicated in a timely manner both prior to the event and during. Our group had an amazing time! I would highly recommend Wilder Retreats.
Megan OrtmanBusiness DevelopmentCARMEL & BIG SUR CORPORATE RETREAT
Frequently asked questions
The Central Coast pairs some of the most dramatic coastline in the country with quiet valleys, strong resorts and great food and wine. Teams can hike in the morning, meet by midday and end the night at a vineyard or on the beach. It feels far from the office while staying easy to reach from San Francisco and San Jose.
It depends on your group. Carmel Valley Ranch has 179 suites on 500 acres and about 11,500 square feet of meeting space, so it suits the largest teams. Ventana Big Sur has 54 rooms on 160 acres above the coast and works best for leadership groups of about 25 to 30. L’Auberge Carmel has 20 rooms around a courtyard in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a good fit for a small executive team that books the whole inn. We’ll recommend the best fit for your group size, goals and budget.
September and October are often the sunniest months on the coast, with warm days and less fog. Spring brings wildflowers and green hills. Summer mornings on the coast are often foggy, while Carmel Valley stays sunny and warmer. Winter is mild, with more rain and lower rates.
Most groups fly into Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), about 20 minutes from Carmel, or San Jose (SJC), about 90 minutes away. San Francisco (SFO) is about 2 hours by car. Ventana is about 45 minutes south of Carmel on Highway 1. Wilder coordinates group transfers from any of these airports.
Parts of Highway 1 south of Big Sur have closed at times because of landslides. Ventana and the northern Big Sur coast are usually reachable from Carmel, and we check road conditions before every trip and plan routes around any closures.
Beyond the featured experiences, teams can hike at Point Lobos, visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium, play golf at Pebble Beach, taste wine in Carmel Valley Village or kayak with sea otters in Elkhorn Slough. Wilder builds the itinerary around your team’s interests and goals.
Yes. Carmel Valley Ranch has the most space, with its largest room at about 9,500 square feet. Larger groups can also split lodging across nearby hotels while meeting together. We’ll plan the room blocks and transfers so it feels like one retreat.
Carmel Valley has more than 20 tasting rooms, and the coast is known for fresh seafood. We can plan a private vineyard dinner, a garden-to-table cooking class or a winemaker-led tasting for the group.
Yes. We use lawns, terraces and vineyard settings for sessions when the weather allows, and time outside tends to spark better conversations than a windowless ballroom.
Yes. Hikes range from flat beach walks to steeper ridge trails, and beekeeping, cooking and wine tastings need no experience at all. We plan every day so the whole team can join in.
Wilder handles every logistical detail, saving internal teams an average of 100+ planning hours. We build each itinerary around your business goals, so the sessions, activities and downtime all support what you want your team to leave with.
START WITH A SHORT BRIEF
Let's build your retreat
What happens next
- 1
Share your brief
Two minutes. Goals, group size and timing.
- 2
Talk with a Wilder expert
Pick a time for a discovery call about the business challenge behind the offsite.
- 3
Get your custom proposal
Destination, agenda and pricing built around your goals.
“Wilder transformed our entire company retreat in Vail from a standard corporate offsite into a deeply restorative adventure. Our team left the mountains feeling truly connected and inspired for the year ahead.”
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