San Francisco Bhakti Yoga Retreat Weekend in the Mendocino Redwoods of Northern California
If you live in San Francisco and have been longing for a weekend where your yoga practice can finally breathe beyond the studio walls, the Mendocino Bhakti & Kirtan Retreat at Spirit Camp offers a heart-centered San Francisco Bhakti Yoga escape north of the city. Over Memorial Day weekend—Friday, May 22 through Monday, May 25, 2026—you’ll step into three nights and four days of yoga, chanting, meditation, nourishing vegetarian meals, and redwood forest stillness in Mendocino County, California. You can explore the full schedule, lodging, and details for the Mendocino Bhakti & Kirtan Retreat, and read more about this transformative retreat, on its dedicated Spirit Camp page here: Mendocino Bhakti & Kirtan Retreat.
If you are still browsing for dates or themes beyond this particular weekend, you can also see all current retreats at Spirit Camp’s forest-and-coast sanctuary here: Spirit Camp Retreats.
A San Francisco Bhakti Yoga Escape to the Mendocino Redwoods
This weekend is crafted for San Francisco yogis and kirtan lovers who feel the city’s pulse in their bones and know they occasionally need to step beyond it. Think of it as a San Francisco Bhakti yoga retreat that simply asks you to follow the highway north until skyscrapers give way to cliffs, vineyards, and redwoods.
Over Memorial Day weekend, you’ll arrive at Spirit Camp in the late afternoon, stepping out of your car into cool forest air. Check-in flows into an opening circle, a grounding yoga practice, and then dinner served family-style in the Redwood Lodge. The first night closes with kirtan in the Sanctuary—voices rising and falling together under a soft-lit roof while the redwoods stand guard outside.
The full days of this San Francisco Bhakti yoga immersion north of the city follow a gentle rhythm. Mornings begin with meditation, mantra, and an all-levels flow practice, designed to meet you exactly where you are—whether you’ve been practicing for decades or just unrolled your mat for the first time this year. Afternoons offer restorative yoga, dharma-infused sessions, and unstructured time for nature walks, journaling, or napping in your cabin. Evenings belong to song and story: nightly kirtans, occasional fireside conversations, and the hum of a temporary village settling into the trees.
All of this unfolds only a few hours north of San Francisco, yet it feels worlds away from concrete and notifications. For many participants, the drive itself becomes part of the ritual—leaving the city, crossing bridges, and watching the land widen on the way to this weekend getaway for San Francisco yogis.
Bhakti Yoga for Urban Practitioners
Bhakti yoga is often described as the yoga of devotion—a path that emphasizes love, relationship, and heartfelt connection. In contemporary writing, Bhakti is sometimes called “love for love’s sake” or “union through love and devotion,” with practices like mantra, chanting, and prayer used to cultivate that connection. (yogabasics.com)
For urban practitioners, that emphasis can feel like a lifeline. Living in San Francisco often means long workdays, dense schedules, and constant sensory input. Even when you make it to class, it can be hard to fully drop in; your body is on the mat, but your mind is still cycling through emails, texts, and tomorrow’s meetings. Bhakti practices—chanting, gratitude, devotional intention—gently tug you back toward the heart.
During this San Francisco Bhakti Yoga weekend, Bhakti shows up in simple, approachable ways instead of long lectures. Morning meditation may invite you to rest your attention on the breath and silently repeat a short mantra of thanks. Flow practices might weave in themes like remembrance, surrender, or courage, so that each pose becomes less about performance and more about how it feels to inhabit your body with tenderness. At the end of practice, a closing chant or short reflection can turn savasana into a quiet offering rather than a rush to the next obligation.
Kirtan—call-and-response chanting—is another pillar of this San Francisco Bhakti yoga weekend. In a kirtan circle, a leader offers a mantra and the group sings it back, over and over, often accompanied by harmonium, drum, or guitar. Devotional chanting is increasingly recognized as a form of active meditation that can reduce stress, calm the nervous system, and foster a sense of belonging in community. (Isha Foundation) You don’t need to “sing well” or know the words ahead of time; you simply follow the sound and let yourself be carried.
If you’d like a gentle written introduction to Bhakti and why it resonates so deeply for many modern practitioners, you might explore this overview of Bhakti as the yoga of love and relationship: Bhakti Yoga: Love & Devotion. (Yoga Journal)
What makes this a particularly powerful weekend getaway for San Francisco yogis is the way these practices are held. Instead of dropping into a 75-minute class between errands, you’ll be immersed in an environment where Bhakti can permeate everything—morning walks under redwoods, shared meals, conversations on the lodge porch, and quiet moments alone on the trail.
Photo of Deer Haven, one of the our many unique cabin spaces. This cabin has three beds. Cabins have between 1 to 8 beds each and provide several different sleeping arrangements for San Francisco Bhakti Yoga. All cabin spaces are included in Redwood retreat center north of San Francisco.
Photo of Group Glamping Tents Setup in Sunset Meadow. We have 10 Glamping Structures that can be added with 1to 3 beds each. This can increase bed capacity of campus to 50 guests across 20 unique accommodation spaces.
San Francisco–Based Teacher Nat Kendall Leads the Way
At the heart of this San Francisco Bhakti yoga retreat is Nat Kendall—a San Francisco–based yoga teacher and world music recording artist whose work is deeply rooted in Bhakti and kirtan. Students have called him the “best yoga teacher in San Francisco,” not because he makes the most complex shapes, but because of the way he brings sincerity, humility, and heart into every offering. (yogabasics.com)
Nat has spent years teaching in San Francisco studios, leading retreats, and building a community of urban practitioners who resonate with his blend of grounded alignment, accessible philosophy, and devotional music. His long-term Bhakti practice threads through everything he does: mantra woven into sequencing, stories sprinkled into dharma talks, and live music infusing classes and kirtans with warmth.
As a recording artist, Nat draws from global musical influences to create chant experiences that are both spacious and dynamic. But even with that artistry, the focus of this San Francisco Bhakti yoga immersion north of the city is never performance; it is always connection. Nat’s circles are inclusive and non-judgmental. You are free to sing at the top of your lungs, to sway softly with eyes closed, or simply to sit and listen. All expressions of devotion—loud or quiet—are welcome.
If you’d like to read more about how he describes this retreat in his own words or explore additional offerings, you can visit his retreat page here: Mendocino Yoga & Kirtan Retreat.
San Francisco Community Energy Meets Redwood Sanctuary
One of the sweetest parts of this weekend getaway for San Francisco yogis is the way city energy and forest sanctuary meet. Spirit Camp is a redwood-framed campus on 27 acres in Mendocino County, Northern California, a former youth summer camp lovingly transformed into a semi-luxurious, campy, and playful retreat center. Cabins, glamping tents, and a nostalgic bunkhouse cluster beneath towering trees, with forest trails and meadows weaving between them. (Visit Mendocino County)
Over the course of the retreat, this landscape becomes a temporary village for Bay Area practitioners. Breakfasts turn into slow conversations at long wooden tables. Afternoon tea on the lodge porch becomes a place to swap stories, compare notes on practice, or simply sit in shared silence. In the evenings, you might find yourself wrapped in a blanket around the fire, singing softly with new friends under a sky full of stars.
Lodging is intentionally simple and cozy. You might choose a private cabin for solitude, a shared cabin with friends, or a bunkhouse bed to lean fully into the “summer camp for spiritual adults” vibe. All accommodations share a communal bathhouse—updated for comfort but still carrying just enough nostalgia to keep things playful.
The overall environment is sober, body-positive, queer-owned, and deeply welcoming, making it easy to show up as yourself. This is not about being the “perfect” yogi; it’s about being a real human in real community, letting Bhakti soften the edges.
To learn more about the land and the feel of this Redwood retreat center north of San Francisco, you can visit Spirit Camp.
From San Francisco to Mendocino: The Journey North
Part of what makes this a true San Francisco Bhakti Yoga escape is that you don’t have to book a flight or cross a border. You simply point your car north and let the city gradually fall away.
Most San Francisco participants drive two to three hours to reach Spirit Camp, depending on traffic and chosen route. As you head out of the city, you cross familiar bridges and freeways, then gradually transition to tree-lined highways and river roads. By the time you reach Mendocino County, California, the landscape has shifted into coastal bluffs, redwood groves, and glimpses of the Pacific. The camp itself lies only about ten to twelve minutes’ drive from the town of Mendocino and roughly a mile inland from the ocean, so the air carries just a hint of salt. (Visit Mendocino County)
Many San Francisco yoga students Bhakti weekend travelers choose to carpool, turning the drive into a first layer of community. You might split gas costs, share snacks, and start unwinding together as the city recedes in the rearview mirror. There are easy places to pause along the way—coffee stops, river lookouts, and coastal pullouts where you can stretch your legs, breathe deeply, and mark the shift from weekday mode to retreat mode.
If you’d like to place this retreat alongside other events at Spirit Camp, or see how it fits into the broader year, you can browse all offerings here: Spirit Camp Retreats.
FAQs for San Francisco Yogis Considering This Bhakti Retreat
Do I need to come with a friend or partner from San Francisco?
Not at all. Many people attend this San Francisco kirtan community retreat on their own. The structure of the weekend—shared meals, group practices, kirtan, and time around the fire—makes it easy to connect in ways that feel organic rather than forced. You can arrive solo, settle into your cabin or bunk, and let the rhythm of the retreat introduce you to new friends at a natural pace.Is there carpooling or ride-sharing from San Francisco or the greater Bay Area?
Retreat guests often coordinate rides from San Francisco and nearby cities, both for environmental reasons and to make the drive more affordable and enjoyable. Once you register, you can reach out to the organizers to see if there is a ride-share list or community forum where participants are connecting about transportation. Even if you drive alone, the route north is straightforward and scenic, making the journey an easy prelude to this San Francisco Bhakti yoga immersion north of the city.Will I have cell reception during the retreat?
Cell coverage in Mendocino County can be spotty depending on your carrier, but you can generally expect at least intermittent service. Spirit Camp offers Wi-Fi for essential check-ins, though the retreat encourages a gentle digital detox so your nervous system can genuinely rest. You’re invited to let friends or colleagues know you’ll be slower to respond, then treat the weekend as a gift of undistracted attention—to yourself, to the practices, and to the land.
Two Extra Stops for San Francisco Travelers
If you have a little flexibility in your schedule, extending your weekend getaway for San Francisco yogis by a few hours or a day can deepen the sense of pilgrimage. Two nearby stops pair especially well with Bhakti, kirtan, and nature time.
Van Damme State Park: Kayaking or Beach Wandering
Just south of the town of Mendocino, Van Damme State Park meets the ocean at a gently curved beach tucked into a sheltered cove. The sand and pebble shoreline makes a peaceful place to stroll, watch waves, or simply sit and feel the transition from city life to coastal rhythm.
For those drawn to the water, local outfitters like Kayak Mendocino launch guided sea cave tours from Van Damme State Beach, offering a safe, supported way to paddle along the coast, slip through rock archways, and glimpse harbor seals, seabirds, and kelp forests up close. (KAYAK MENDOCINO) Even if you choose not to kayak, simply walking the shoreline before or after retreat can feel like a reset—each wave washing away some of the static you brought from San Francisco.
Quick Visit to Mendocino Headlands
On your way in or out of this San Francisco Bhakti yoga retreat weekend, a short visit to Mendocino Headlands State Park can be a beautiful bridge between city and forest. Bluff-top trails loop around the village of Mendocino, offering sweeping views of sea arches, rugged cliffs, and secluded coves.(AllTrails.com)
You might park near town, walk a short segment of the headlands path, and find a spot to stand still as waves crash below. The combination of vast sky and open horizon makes it an ideal place to take a few long breaths, recall a mantra from the weekend, and feel into how you want to carry the retreat home with you—back into San Francisco streets, studios, and daily routines.
Say Yes to Your Annual San Francisco Bhakti Pilgrimage
If your heart has been whispering that your practice wants more than hurried classes between commitments, this San Francisco Bhakti Yoga weekend in the Mendocino redwoods may be the pilgrimage you’ve been waiting for. Over one long, spacious Memorial Day weekend, you’ll be invited to sing, move, rest, listen, and remember what it feels like to be fully present—in your body, in community, and in relationship with the more-than-human world.
You are warmly encouraged to treat this as your yearly San Francisco Bhakti yoga retreat anchor, a touchstone you can return to in memory and mantra whenever life in the city speeds up again. To step closer, you can learn more and reserve your space for the Mendocino Bhakti & Kirtan Retreat on Nat’s retreat page here: Learn more and reserve your space for the Mendocino Bhakti & Kirtan Retreat.
If you’d like to explore additional San Francisco kirtan community retreat–friendly offerings or other forest-and-coast immersions, you can also see the full Spirit Camp retreat calendar and discover more Northern California retreats here: Spirit Camp Retreats.
When the “yes” arises, the redwoods, the songs, and the quieter sky north of the city will be there to meet you.
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