Alisal Ranch to Host First-Ever 'Wellness Weekend' Experience, Jan. 5-7, 2024

Alisal Ranch–the award-winning luxury dude ranch spanning 10,500 acres in the Santa Ynez Valley–invites guests and visitors to kick off the new year with its inaugural Wellness Weekend, held January 5-7, 2024. The multi-day itinerary includes activities and experiences curated to promote relaxation, unwinding, and resetting after the holidays. Weekend programming includes yoga, meditation, a sound bath, a cooking demonstration, and hiking, with a-la-carte options available at an additional cost, like an essential oil class and equine therapy.

As home to more than 100 horses, Alisal Ranch’s equine therapy, hosted by Core Connection, allows guests to work directly with the animals and explore the human-horse connection. It encourages guests to learn about oneself, using the horse for feedback as a guide to exploring relational patterns, experimenting with different ways to ask for support, set boundaries, as well as give or receive affection and attention. Horses are direct communicators and are particularly talented in reading the energy in the environment, lending themselves to be able to teach humans about interacting in inter- and intra-personal relationships.

In addition to the Wellness Weekend activities (sunset gentle flow yin yoga, wine tasting, guided hike, and sound bath), Alisal Ranch’s regular activities will be offered throughout the weekend, including horseback riding, golf, archery, boating, and more. For the Wellness Weekend, Alisal Ranch is proud to welcome:

Kimberly Millard | Yoga Therapist - Kimberly is an esteemed Yoga Therapist, Ayurvedic Health Counselor, Yoga Teacher Trainer, and sound healer. Her classes weave together extensive training in sanskrit, tantra, vinyasa, ayurveda, yoga nidra, restorative, pranayama, meditation and yoga philosophy. With an emphasis on the subtle body, she brings the vibrational power of harmonium, mantra and crystal bowls as additional tools to help guide students toward their own innate wisdom and self-healing capacity. Years of study and practice have shaped her life into living closer to the earth: simply, sustainably, and in harmony with nature’s rhythms. With this as an intention, she has taken the wisdom she has received and currently lives off-grid on the northern California coast where she teaches public classes, offers private sessions, hosts retreats and leads teacher trainings.
Danielle Pennewell | Certified Master Facilitator - Danielle is an HR professional, long-time Googler, and amateur rider. Danielle grew up riding horses and has seen first hand how horses can heal and transform various aspects of the human condition. It was through her experiences in corporate America and riding her horse that she found a calling with Equus coaching. Danielle brings with her a passion for helping people discover the freedom and empowerment that this work has brought to her life. She is a certified Equus Coach and Master Facilitator with the Koelle Institute.
Alison Hunter | Certified Master Facilitator - Alison is a Licensed Therapist in private practice in Santa Cruz and Monterey County, at which she specializes in Couples and Relational Counseling. Alison is a Relational Life Therapy practitioner, and has trained with Terry Real who developed the model. She also grew up riding horses and competed on the Hunter/Jumper circuit in Northern and Southern California as well as in Honolulu, Hawaii. Alison understands how to interpret their movements, and believes strongly in their ability to teach us how to connect with ourselves and with others.

Starting at $950/night for double occupancy, the adults-only, multi-day package experience includes:

Western-themed accommodations for two nights
Breakfast, dinner, and beverages
Yoga classes
Guided hikes
Wine tasting
Cooking demonstration
Additional activities available a la carte (like equine therapy, GARA essential oil class)

The tentative itinerary (subject to change) is as follows:

Friday, January 5