Frequently Asked Questions
Friday April 11th – Sunday April 13th 2025 (Check-in begins at 4PM)
Happy Valley Conference Center
159 Branciforte Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95065
Happy Valley Conference Center is located in the mountains between Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley, approximately three miles from downtown Santa Cruz. Redwoods and Ferns cover most of the 73 acres of property. Settled in a semi-rural community, the atmosphere is secluded and peaceful.
We will be using the cabins and tent sites. “The Cabins consist of five separate blocks of rooms – Redwood, Fir, Laurel, Madrone, and Pine – with 27 rooms total. The blocks share a quad in the middle. All cabins have electricity, are winterized, and are furnished with bunk beds, dressers, and nightstands. They each have closet space and a full bathroom, some of which are shared with the adjoining room. The cabins range from sleeping 4 people to 8 people in bunk beds, both twin and full sized.”
More information can be found at the Happy Valley website.
You will select an available room when you arrive on a first come, first served basis. If you wish to share a room with others please arrive together — there will be no saving of beds or cabins for participants who are not present. Our agreement with Happy Valley is a minimum of double-occupancy per room, so if after all the campers have arrived you find yourself in a room by yourself you will be asked to move and share a room. Any single-occupancy rooms will violate our agreement with Happy Valley.
Refunds for cancellations are available up to 10 days before the retreat (4/1/2025). The cost of your registration is refundable minus all PayPal fees (2.99% + $0.49). Please email your request to info@norcalcmaretreat.org.
REGISTRATIONS ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE if the lodging is sold out, please see the FAQ for “Can I Transfer My Registration?”
In order to be fair to everyone and maintain a fair waiting list, lodging registrations are transferable as long as lodging is NOT sold out, and daily pass registrations are transferable if the day passes are also NOT sold out. Once sold out, we ask that all registrations, regardless of type, be submitted for refunds only. This allows us to give the registration to the next person on the waiting list. You are able to cancel your registration up to two weeks in advance. To make arrangements to transfer or cancel your registration, please email info@norcalcmaretreat.org
Happy Valley does NOT provide bedding or towels, so please pack accordingly. Be sure to bring sheets and blankets or a sleeping bag, pillows and towels. If you are camping at a tent site, please bring any necessary camping gear. Here are some additional suggestions of items you might consider packing:
- Bedding, pillows, & towels
- Toiletries and personal items
- Medications – refrigeration is available in the main lodge
- Refillable bottle or canteen
- Flashlight or headlamp
- Sunscreen and bug repellent
- Layered clothing for warm days and cool nights
- Hiking shoes & socks
- Yoga mat/workout wear
- Collapsible camping or lawn chair
- Earplugs
- Cash for 7Th tradition/donations
To promote our primary purpose, we endeavor to provide a retreat for and by the Fellowship of NorCal CMA which offers an opportunity for our members to explore their newfound and evolving personal relationship with spirituality while fostering a sense of community. Our guiding principles in planning the retreat are:
- Integrity
- Equity
- Transparency
- Affordability
A limited number of newcomer discounts off a full-weekend registration or day pass will be offered on a first come, first served basis to anyone who identifies as a newcomer. The discount rate will be contingent upon donations and fundraising to offset costs of full registration. Newcomer registrations will be accepted at a future time to be announced.
We were unable to accommodate children in 2025 but are working to achieve this goal at the retreat in 2026. Parents are welcome to participate in the planning committee. For more information about the planning committee, please email info@norcalcmaretreat.org
Yes. The Happy Valley Conference Center can accommodate vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free diets, as well as some exclusion allergies as long as we notify them in advance. Please send any special dietary requests at the time of registration, or by the registration deadline (two weeks before the retreat) by emailing info@norcalcmaretreat.org.
Gluten-free? Please note that while HVCC can provide gluten-free options for our guests making that dietary choice, we do not have a gluten-free kitchen. They bake bread and desserts fresh every day, and so there is flour in our kitchen. Guests with extreme celiac or other conditions should alert us to your needs so that we can discuss those fully in advance.
PayPal can also accept debit cards or links to a checking account as a methods of payment. If you cannot pay using PayPal online, you can make alternative payment arrangements by emailing info@norcalcmaretreat.org
We listened to members’ feedback after the 2019 Retreat, Unity Day 2018, and other pre-pandemic events to guide our creation of a program to relax, connect with others, and explore spirituality in recovery. Similar to other recovery-focused retreats, we are offering a mix of workshops, panel discussions, guest speakers, 12-step meetings, and group leisure activities to enjoy the serene setting of the hillside redwoods.
Only service animals that are trained to assist a person in completing a specific task are allowed on the property – any other pets or emotional support animals are not allowed. Please inform the planning committee in advance if service animals will be present by emailing info@norcalcmaretreat.org
Probably not. Mobile phone reception in the Valley in unreliable – if you have service with Verizon, you will likely have a signal – all others will not. The Happy Valley Conference Center does provide Wi-Fi internet and recommends using Wi-Fi Calling for users without a cell signal. Please check with your cell provider for instructions on activating Wi-Fi Calling.
There is a landline for guest use in the office, available 24/7. The planning committee will designate a contact liaison who can receive either phone calls or text messages from other participants during your stay.