Greater Seattle: A Regenerative Wellness Retreat to Relax & Reconnect!

Global Family Travels'  Seattle Community Day Tours and Pacific Northwest Regenerative Adventures unite our Learn, Serve & Immerse travel pillars to offer impactful, community-focused outings to learn about Seattle and the surrounding region’s diverse communities, natural surroundings and history in fun and engaging ways.  These adventures are offered in partnership with non-profits in Greater Seattle that address local social and environmental issues, and support local communities and businesses.

These community adventures can also be offered as Team Building Experiences or educational outings for schools.

Sophia has been practicing yoga on the mat for over 20 years, but she found her true calling to be a yoga instructor in 2017 after the passing of her mother. Through this experience, she found solace in taking her practice to a deeper level by learning how to integrate yoga into her daily life on and off the mat through meditation and mindfulness principles.

As an international yoga and mindfulness meditation instructor and yoga life coach, Sophia incorporates wellness ideologies into all her professional projects as a holistic way to inspire people to be their best self through life’s many challenges. When teaching yoga, Sophia teaches classes that are available for all levels and abilities. Her mindfulness sessions integrate emotional trauma and healing modalities and have inspired people to find the clarity and confidence to pursue their wildest dreams.

Her love for travel started at the age of 10 when she moved from California to Sri Lanka. Since then, Sophia has been to 40+ countries and plans to inspire her toddler to be a citizen of the world through mindful travel and learning about his Bengali-American heritage. 

Sophia incorporates her passion for connection, social inclusion, and mindfulness into her role as the Chief Diversity Officer for Destinations International, a global travel association dedicated to informing, connecting, inspiring, and educating members with resources and services to drive destination economic impact, job creation, community sustainability, and quality of life through travel.

At Global Family Travels, we believe the most powerful way to learn is through hands-on community-based travel experiences. We let the destination and its people be your teachers, and supplement experiences with reading lists, informal discussions, and a pre-trip orientation to better equip participants with the practical information needed to understand the culture, history, and community challenges of our host destination.   

The community-based experiences in and around Seattle provide participants with the opportunity to learn about the history of the area as well as some of our social and environmental challenges from our non-profit partners and guides.  We have included information in this booking page about all of our active Seattle Community tours 

Our enriching tours offer travelers and our host community the opportunity to work together on local projects aimed at improving the lives of people in the communities we visit. As we strengthen our connection to the world around us and begin to see ourselves in others, we can’t help but feel a deeper sense of responsibility for the impact of our actions. This lends itself to the goal at the heart of our company – for us all to become better global citizens.  We have developed some unique experiences in the Seattle area to give participants the opportunity to do some Service Learning from our non-profit partners, and each of our tours includes a small donation to support the organizations we work with.. 

For example,  on the Olympic Peninsula,  we have partnered with two non-profit organizations, the North Olympic Salmon Coalition (NOSC) and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, to host several weekend immersion trips blending education, service, and recreation.    Each 3-day trip  includes a half day of service work that focuses on salmon habitat recovery, along with guided outdoor adventures and facilitated discussions with our community partners about the recovery work. 

 

On this adventure, there are plenty of Immersive experiences for you to experience Seattle! Beginning with Power of Community Gardens with the Black Farmers Collective touring YES Farm. Then Sire One takes us from historic Washington Hall for a creative day of exploration on Seattle Street Hues urban art tour exploring varied street art and what it means to our community. Pike Place Market is next on the list and is much more than flying fish. Rich history and delicious food awaits you in this iconic Seattle landmark. Taking the Washington State Ferry from Seattle dock to beautiful Bainbridge Island where you will begin to see the rich Native American influences and history on the island. The Suquamish Museum in part of our day and in the afternoon enjoy "forest bathing" in Blodel Reserve on Bainbridge Island. An adventure in itself is the journey from Bainbridge Island to secluded Doe Bay Resort on Orcas Island. A floating bridge, small towns and two ferries will leave lasting memories for years to come. 

Photo credit: Sam Westover, Sanderling Photography 

At Yes Farm we are developing out 1.5 acres of space along I-5 at Yesler Terrace for community building, educational programming, and growing our farm co-op. We have a community garden where our neighbors live in Yesler Terrace garden inaccessible raised beds. Elders and youth and their families all have an opportunity to grow their own food, be outside, and build community with one another. We actively work with Yesler Terrace community partners to develop educational programs for youth, share the stories and knowledge of our elders growing in the garden, and share our greenspace with this diverse community. We also grow food and share growing space with Black urban farmers from around Seattle, with all the produce going directly to BIPOC-led and owned organizations, businesses, and mutual aid efforts to feed our community and support economic development. We are modeling sustainable urban agriculture centered around the needs of the communities of color whom are likely to experience the impacts of health disparities as a result of food apartheid, redlining and grentrification, and systemic oppression as a result of white supremacy. Access to greenspaces to recreate safely, knowledge of growing food and food justice, and opportunities to connect and grow with communities are key to generating healing.

Photo Credit: Sharon H. Chang

Seattle boasts a vibrant culture of street art, from the powerful pieces done in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests, to the world’s longest mural display along the light rail corridor in SODO, to ever changing murals on buildings and in alleys brimming with the brilliant work of local artists. Join this small group walking adventure to explore the street art in Seattle’s Central District and Chinese-International District neighborhoods. We will travel by foot and streetcar to examine tremendously varied street art, from graffiti, tags, and “sticker bombs” to elaborate spray paint, brush work, and stencil pieces. Become the proud “public” in public art as we celebrate local artists and explore topics such as ownership, power, and identity in street art. 

The Pike Place Market has been a defining Seattle icon for more than a century. Considered by many “the soul of Seattle,” the Market spans nine historic acres in the center of downtown where everyday locals and tourists alike shop, visit, eat and discover.

Founded in 1907, the Market is one of the oldest and largest continuously operating public markets in the United States and is brought to life by the hundreds of farmers, crafters, small businesses, and residents that call it “home”.

While the Market is grounded by its incredible collection of diverse businesses, activities, and services, it simply would not exist without the passion and support from the citizens of Seattle. From humble beginnings to nearly being destroyed – Seattle’s citizens have brought their hearts to the “soul of Seattle”.

The Suquamish Museum will help you discover the rich culture and traditions of the people of the clear salt water and explore the history of Agate Passage, winter home of Chief Seattle and the heart of the Suquamish People.

It’s a wonder.

Bloedel Reserve is a 150-acre wonder of nature, created by the imagination, vision, and a passionate love of the natural world shared by our founders, Prentice and Virginia Bloedel. Working with the rugged geography of the land, they artfully transformed a rough-hewn Northwest forest into a harmonious series of curated gardens, structural features, and distinctive landscapes, with nature as canvas and paint.

It’s our heritage.

The history of the land on which Bloedel Reserve sits extends back much farther than the Bloedels. We’d like to acknowledge the history of this land.

dibəł čəł ti Bloedel Reserve.
We are the Bloedel Reserve.

We express deep gratitude towards the Suquamish People, People of the Clear Salt Water, for sustaining the land within which our healing landscapes thrive. Those entrusted with caring for Bloedel Reserve acknowledge that the sacred ancestral territory on which the Reserve resides flourishes because of the stewardship, since time immemorial, by the Suquamish people. We will honor and respect their legacy by nurturing this land and the waterways of the Central Salish Sea for present and future generations.

ʔugʷiitubułəd čəł ʔugʷabitubuł.
We invite you to join us.

Meaning place of the clear salt water in the Southern Lushootseed language, has been the primary home of the Suquamish people since time immemorial. It is the ancient place on Agate Passage, the site of Old-Man-House Village, the winter home of Chief Seattle and the heart of the Suquamish people. It is here- past , present and future that the Suquamish people live on the land of our ancestors and our great-grandchildren.

Image credit from Suquamish Tribe website. 

Historic Mayflower Park Hotel

Built in 1927, the beautifully renovated Mayflower Park Hotel is one of the last remaining locally-owned and independent hotels in the Seattle area. In the heart of Seattle and conveniently located next door to Seattle Light Rail and the Monorail, the hotel is home to an award-winning cocktail bar, Oliver’s, and Seattle’s Mediterranean restaurant, Andaluca. Come stay in the “Best Historic Hotel” awarded by Historic Hotels of America.

CLEARWATER CASINO RESORT

Located just a short ferry ride from Seattle on the Kitsap Peninsula, Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort is a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of your everyday life. The only waterfront casino property in Puget Sound, Clearwater Casino Resort is nestled on the shores of the Agate Passage. Indoors and out, the breathtaking property captures the rustic natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

In addition to unspoiled views, the resort is home to 183 luxurious guestrooms designed to capture the area’s natural beauty, 1 beach house and over 13,000 square feet of event and convention space, which can hosts groups up to 600 people.

The Resort’s 85 guest rooms flank a soaring Great Room offering spectacular waterfront views amid museum-quality works of art.

The Hotel Tower features 98 spectacular rooms and a 10,000 square foot conference center for hosting meetings and events. Guest accommodations are also offered in one vacation house close to the resort, for a total of 184 rooms to select from.

Doe Bay Resort & Retreat

Doe Bay, once a secret gem of the Pacific Northwest, has a long, colorful history and a loyal group of fans and followers both local and worldwide. The accommodations are rustic and charming, but the real Doe Bay experience lies beyond your cabin, yurt or tent. It may be what you feel when you walk quietly to the tip of Meditation Point and stand alone, except for the active sea life playing in front of you. It may strike you when you return from a vigorous hike up Mt. Constitution or mushroom foraging on property. Bring your suit, because you will want to relax with your friends in the sauna or the soaking tubs after a day of adventuring. It will certainly happen when you eat a meal at the Doe Bay Café. We invite you to visit and discover for yourself the remarkable, ineffable quality of this place.

Washington State Ferries (WSF) is a government agency that operates automobile and passenger ferry service in the U.S. state of Washington as part of the Washington State Department of Transportation. It runs ten routes serving 20 terminals located around Puget Sound and in the San Juan Islands, designated as part of the state highway system. The agency maintains the largest fleet of ferries in the United States at 23 vessels, carrying 24.2 million passengers in 2016. As of 2016, it was the largest ferry operator in the United States, and the second-largest vehicular ferry system in the world.

  

Global Family Travels’ vision is to unite humanity and inspire travelers to take responsibility for the challenges and opportunities facing our increasingly interconnected planet.  Our mission is to Learn, Serve and Immerse, using travel as a means to build cultural bridges and to foster global citizens. Using tourism to help solve community challenges, we organize sustainable travel opportunities in partnership with local and global non-profit organizations and support many United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

This tour is one of our Seattle Community Tours & Team Building Experiences. Through partnerships with many Seattle-area non-profit organizations that address community and environmental challenges, our one-day educational adventures in Seattle are designed to create meaningful connections that support Destination Stewardship, including the preservation of diverse and native cultures, conservation, education, and economic growth of Greater Seattle.  

Learn more about Global Family Travels here!

The health and safety of Global Family Travels’ travelers, community partners, colleagues and guides are of paramount importance to us. Our COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS document, found under the TASKS section, outlines our commitment to mitigate and manage the risks associated with COVID-19 when you travel with us.  Please also refer to the tasks which has specific details for your activity and destination. 

Thank you for helping to keep yourself and fellow travelers and guides safe!

Day one of this retreat begins in Seattle at the Mayflower Park Hotel. 

Meet and greet pre or post dinner (TBD)