CAMPFIRE 2025

A Weekend-Long In-Person Writing Retreat

Friday, September 19 - Monday, September 22 | Pescadero, California

The Location

Strengthen your healing after diagnosis at a gorgeous eco resort nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the rugged mountains of San Mateo in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Being steps from the ocean with access to secluded beaches and surrounded by rolling coastal hills, you will find it easy to relax in the temperate California climate.

Off the beaten path, Costanoa Resort is beyond the hustle and bustle (and light pollution) often associated with California and the San Francisco Bay Area. We selected wild, wide-open Pescadero to give you a true feeling of escaping your daily life. Open vistas will open your lungs, your heart, and your creativity. It will take a little effort to get to Campfire, but as the Pacific Ocean opens up outside your car window and the miles slip by, so will your "real life" worries.  

Costanoa Resort
2001 Rossi Road at Hwy 1
Pescadero, CA 94060

Accessible from:

San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco International Airports

Arrive via California Highway 1 - 36 miles north of Santa Cruz 

The Pacific Ocean

The Writing

This retreat is about creating dedicated time for writing your way to healing. You can expect the inspiring writing prompts, care, and intention you’ve come to know from our popular online writing workshops while you’re at Campfire.

Our program sessions will be built around writing prompts, silent writing time, and optional group sharing. Grounded in the science of expressive writing, you’ll process your experiences, reclaim your narratives, and build resilience through the art of memoir.

The Facilitator

April Johnson Stearns is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Wildfire Journal & Writing Community.

A lifelong writer who landed her first memoir-based magazine cover story at just 16, April worked for her college newspaper (“City on the Hill” at the University of California at Santa Cruz) and then went on to work for her local newspaper (The Sentinel, Santa Cruz, CA) following graduation. Before long, she was lured to other writing jobs “over the hill” from Santa Cruz in Silicon Valley during the tech boom of the early 2000s.

 However, in 2012, in the midst of this career, April was diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer at age 35. Four years later, while struggling to “go back to normal” and find others in similar circumstances, April launched Wildfire Journal & Writing Community as a way for younger people to tell and read breast cancer stories.

Since 2016, April has guided hundreds of writers through the Wildfire expressive writing and memoir writing workshops and published more than 50 issues of Wildfire Journal.

April believes strongly that helping others tell their stories has the dramatic effect of turning a traumatic cancer experience into an empowering one. April lives with her husband and young daughter in Santa Cruz.

The Attendees

Campfire is designed exclusively for those diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 50 to experience the magic of the WILDFIRE community in person. This retreat will provide an intimate, supportive space where survivors and thrivers of all stages and time since diagnosis can explore grief, identity, and hope in a safe space alongside others doing the same.

Attendance is capped at 12 writers. Once registration opens on May 1st, priority for applications will be given to those on the waitlist. Join the waitlist here.

Please no spouses/partners, family, or friends -- this is your healing time.

Cabin Group Shot.jpg

The Lodgings

Stay in a secluded cypress grove with beautiful ridge views in your own private bungalow.

Costanoa's Cypress Village bungalows are heated, wood framed waterproof canvas tents. Each bungalow features a double bed, heated electric blanket and in-tent heater, bathrobes and towels, bath amenities, and daily maid services. 

Each bungalow is within steps of a shared bath house (aka "comfort station") featuring radiant heat, indoor and outdoor showers, a 24-7 dry sauna, and a fireplace with Adirondack chairs.

The Dopamine

Along with enjoying structured workshops, you’ll have time to write to your heart’s content and recharge in our relaxing surroundings at your own pace. Relax in the hot tub, curl up by a fire, or seek a more active adventure with an on-property hike or beach walk. Or, finally finish reading that novel that you’ve been carrying in your bag forever.

Each day, we will dine together in our session space and at the Cascade Restaurant with meals prepared by the renowned Costanoa chefs. Organic, California coastal ingredients will fuel our adventures and recharge us with wholesome local cuisine.

After Dark

End the day by our literal campfire under the stars.

As the fire crackles, we’ll share our experiences, our writing, and connect. Releasing feelings and calling in intentions through burning writing is extremely powerful.

Some of the best conversations and life-long connections are formed when the sun goes down.

S’mores anyone?

Land and sea meet writing, relaxing, and healing in the company of others who have experienced breast cancer on the younger side.

Trees at Costanoa resort

What is included in this retreat:

  • 3 nights lodging at Costanoa Resort in a private bungalow

  • Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner prepared by on-site chefs featuring seasonal, local ingredients

  • Coffee/tea, snacks, and s’mores

  • Daily writing workshops with April Stearns

  • Guided hikes (beach and forest)

  • Open-air hot tub

  • 24-hour dry sauna

  • Private indoor and outdoor showers

  • Nightly bonfires and star-gazing

  • Free time for writing, reading, sleeping, and deep conversations

  • Integrative massages, aromatherapy, deep tissue and/or arnica treatments — available on-site at your own cost

* Airfare and transportation not included

**Gluten-free and vegan diets accommodated

Four days, three nights of

writing, resting, exploring & healing

with your Wildfire community.

Private Bungalow and Shared Bath House - All Meals and Program Sessions Included | $2,600

Priority registration is given to individuals on the waitlist. Join the waitlist.

Upon the approval of your application, a $1,300 deposit will secure your spot. 

FAQs

  • This retreat is specifically designed to be YOUR time. We ask that you come solo. If you have a friend in the breast cancer community, however, they are welcome to apply as well.

  • We are contractually obligated to have each of our Campfire participants stay on the property during the retreat, specifically within our reserved block of bungalows.

  • San Francisco International (1 hr 5 min)
    San Jose International (1 hr 15 min)
    Oakland International (1 hr 30 min)

    While transportation to the resort is not provided by Wildfire, we will faciliate our Campfire participants meeting one another before the retreat in order to set up ride-share opportunities.

  • While the bungalow cabins do not have refridgerators, Wildfire staff will have private refridgerator access that you are welcome to use.