The Golden Door is a famous health and wellness retreat located 40 miles outside of San Diego. Oprah Winfrey and Drew Barrymore are said to be frequent guests. The resort is full of luxury spa treatments and soul-searching activities. I was given the opportunity to go on a five-day, all-expense paid trip to the Golden Door. Below I documented my experience at this one-of-a-kind camp for adults.
DAY 1: HEADING TO THE GOLDEN DOOR
Today was the official travel day to the Golden Door. I was excited to see what was in store for me. I had read reviews about the luxurious experience but wasn’t sure what to expect. I landed in Los Angeles at noon. A driver was there to pick me up. We headed towards San Diego to the Golden Door, a two-and-a-half-hour drive.
Fifteen minutes before arriving at the Golden Door, we drove through a town with the usual Targets and McDonald’s. After driving through civilization, we ended up in the mountainside, where the resort is tucked away. Everything was lush and serene. There were hills and trees everywhere. It had a campsite feel.
We pulled up to the resort’s grand custom metal gate. There was a buzzer to access the resort. My driver pressed the buzzer and told them my name. We drove through the gate after gaining clearance.
When my driver dropped me off at the front entrance, someone from the resort came outside to escort me to the front desk for check-in. At the check-in desk, they reviewed my preference sheet with me. Before I arrived at the Golden Door, I filled out a lengthy questionnaire about food preferences, activity preferences, and general information.
They gave me tea and a cookie after my schedule and preference review. I waited in the lobby for my guide to take me to my room.
Three other ladies were checking in at the same time as me. I scanned the room to see what the clientele was like. The women were mostly in their sixties. Some retreat weeks are co-ed, some are male-only, and some are female-only. I was here during a five-day, female-only week.
It was 55 degrees and raining outside, not the weather I had hoped for in California—grant it, it was December. I started second-guessing the clothes I packed. After sitting in the lobby for ten minutes, a woman escorted me to my room. It was 3 pm.
As I headed to my room, I observed the décor. The Golden Door has a Japanese theme—bamboo, koi ponds, and wooden walkways. The guest rooms, spa rooms, and dining areas are all in separate buildings. The property sits on 600 acres and is a maze of one-level pods.
When my guide dropped me off at my room, it seemed as though she was abandoning me. Because I am not used to traveling alone, I kept having these isolated feelings. There is no television in the room, making everything quiet. I was thankful for my cell phone and laptop.
I didn’t have any activities scheduled until 4 pm, so I unpacked. The rooms are cozy and homey with an earth-tone color palette. There is a king-size bed with a sitting area and a small round dining table. The bathrooms are done in gray granite. Since the buildings are all outdoors and one level, it feels more like an apartment (a very high-end apartment) and less like a hotel room.
At 4 pm, I went to the reception building to tour the property. This activity was optional on my schedule, but I thought it would be good to know where everything is since I get lost easily. Fifteen other people were also on the tour.
The resort holds a maximum of 40 people. They have 26 guests for this week’s retreat. A lot of the women live in California and drove here.
After the tour, we had a guest orientation. We all had to introduce ourselves. I am learning that there is a lot of bonding, which can be difficult for me. I get along great with people but get drained by too much small talk. I am what some call an extroverted introvert. Some of the ladies traveled with a friend, which I would do if I ever returned. It would be nice to have an ally.
At 5:30 pm, I went back to my room to wait for the 6:15 pm appetizers. I was starving at this point. I was taken aback by the appetizer portion of the evening. Appetizers consisted of one cucumber slice with a sliver of avocado. The appetizers came out with each of our names listed on them, so we only got one each. I could have eaten ten. I had envisioned a spread with cheese, crackers, and fruit.
On the pre-arrival questionnaire, they asked me how many calories I wanted to eat every day. I chose the maximum amount and didn’t think much of it. I work out a lot and have a big appetite. I am now learning that they are big on calories and portions. I guess some people use this retreat to kick start getting healthier. I thought this would be more of a spiritual camp and less of a weight loss camp, but it now seems to be both.
At 6:30 pm, we all sat down for dinner. During orientation, they said there was cod or tofu for dinner and if we wanted something else to ask. I don’t care for cod or tofu, so I requested chicken. We sat down in the dining hall to assigned place cards at one of four long rectangular dining tables.
When we sat down to eat, there was a salad at each place setting. I made friends with the woman sitting next to me. She was from New York. She had always wanted to come to the Golden Door. She was vegetarian.
My new friend wasn’t thrilled about me ordering chicken and gave me a small lecture about eating meat. I was okay with her lecturing me because I liked her and thought she was funny. We talked to one another about how hungry we were and how small all the portions were. At the end of dinner, she ordered another side of rice and vegetables, and I ordered a second salad.
The general manager gave a welcoming speech at dinner. She is the head honcho around here. She is a nice lady but very stern—she reminds me of a strict camp counselor. Before her speech, people were talking, and she yelled, “LADIES, LADIES!” Everyone instantly shut up. She knows how to command a room. I see her walking around the resort, and she scares me.
There was an after-dinner walk that I skipped out on. Between the tour, the orientation, the appetizers, and the dinner, I was at my small-talk capacity. Tomorrow I have breakfast at 8:30 am, a tarot card reading at 9 am, a massage at 3 pm, and a facial at 5 pm. In between that, I will choose an optional workout class.
DAY 2: BUSY SCHEDULE
Today was full of activities. The busy day made my quiet room seem less eerie. I woke up at 8 am and went down to breakfast. Guests can eat at any time they want between 6 am to 9 am. Today’s breakfast, and what I will eat every day, was oatmeal with chia seeds and almonds. The oatmeal is available daily, and there is always an egg option. During breakfast, I made a new friend from Michigan.
After breakfast, I returned to my room for my tarot card reading. Most appointments are in-room. The tarot card reader said my purpose in life was to spread love and light. I thought that was sweet. It was all good energy, and I enjoyed it.
I went to the gym and worked out for a little bit. After my workout, I went to a circuit training class. The class consisted of a circuit course and core work. It was challenging and strenuous.
I went to guest services after my workout and asked for a protein smoothie. I was so hungry at this point. Everyone complains about how hungry they are. They brought me a smoothie in the tiniest glass. It was the size of a small cocktail drink.
While I was drinking my smoothie, my New York vegetarian friend saw me and wanted a smoothie too. We went to guest services to request more food because we learned that we had to request food ahead of time. All of the workouts and activities are making me so hungry. We both pre-ordered a daily smoothie for the 11 am and 4 pm juice breaks.
I went and showered after my workout and headed back down for lunch with the ladies. Lunch was a tofu spring wrap. It was pretty good. The food reminds me of wedding food—it’s pretty good but not great. They mentioned they are transitioning chefs, which could explain the lackluster food. All the reviews I read online raved about how good the food is.
Next up was a group talk led by a nutritionist. She was a great speaker. After the nutritionist, I went to a session called release and let go. I thought it was going to be a group speaker. It ended up being a meditation session. While we were meditating, the instructor would spray us with aromatherapy. It was interesting. I liked it.
I then had my first daily in-room massage. This is the best part of the day. My massage therapist is fantastic. He is so good that I added extra time to our session. I get an included massage and facial every day. I am learning this as I go.
After my busy day of appointments, I was back in my room to get ready for dinner. For dinner, they now have the tables separated into groups of four or six, and you sit wherever you want—no more place cards.
At dinner, one of the ladies at my table said she had a headache because she was so hungry. This food thing is a real issue. They tell you you can ask for more food, but doing so is awkward. I had a lentil bowl for dinner and could have easily eaten two. It was really small.
I decided to partake in the nightly talk after dinner. I skipped out on it the previous night because I was tired from the travel day. Tonight was a shaman. She was captivating and had an eccentric personality.
The shaman had us make a dream gift, which is a tradition in Peru. There were flowers, glitter, and crafty items to choose from. We had to use the items to decorate a large sheet of paper. When we were done decorating the paper, she wrapped it up like a gift. She was then going to send the gift to spirit by burning it. The activity was unique and everyone enjoyed it.
My schedule for the next day was under my door when I returned to my room. It is super jammed again.
DAY 3: REELING IT IN
I had to take my foot off the gas pedal today. I was getting overwhelmed by the excessive activities.
The schedule I get every night has specific activities that have already been pre-booked for me. The massage, facial, and personal trainer are all pre-booked appointments. Then, there is a master schedule I got at the beginning of the week with group events like meditation and the shaman event.
Sometimes the master schedule has things I want to do, but they have me pre-booked for other activities at the same time. There are also the extras that I paid for, like the tarot card reading. The day gets full fast.
Today my first appointment was at 10 am. It was a foot treatment that was included in my package. It ended up being just a leg scrub. I wish I had canceled. It sounds terrible to want to cancel a foot treatment, but there are so many unique things to do that I want to use my time wisely.
Next, I had my personal trainer at 11 am. My trainer is sweet and super friendly. She has great energy, and I love working out with her. After my workout, I had a relaxing acupuncture session.
Today it is cold outside, and lunch is being served in the garden. I knew the ladies would be up in arms about it being too cold to eat outside. I was right. All of the ladies are very entertaining. They always talk about their health issues and the weather, and we all complain about the food.
I headed to my room after lunch for my favorite part of the day—the in-room massage. My massage therapist did tai chi and stretching. The best massage I have ever had.
I could tell I had too many activities, so I called and canceled my facial. Again, I know it sounds crazy to cancel something like a facial, but I just had one yesterday. There was a yoga class I wanted to go to instead of the facial, so I had to cancel.
When I went to pick up my smoothie in the snack room, two ladies were in there talking. They are friends that came to the retreat together. I stayed there and talked to them for an hour. They are so sweet, and both used to be backup dancers for Elvis. Getting to know all of these different women has been special.
Next was restorative yoga, which consisted of different breathing positions. It was relaxing, and I was the only one there. I was glad that I went.
I headed back to my room to get ready for dinner. I had a lovely evening at dinner. The lady next to me was from Denver. My crazy vegetarian friend was at my table and always cracks me up.
After dinner was a talk about Ayurveda, I almost didn’t go because I know a lot about it, but I went anyway. There is a tricky balance between wanting to relax and wanting to make sure I get the most out of this experience.
DAY 4: ENERGY SHIFT
My first activity at 10 am was happy hips yoga. It was a hip-stretching class. From there, I went and grabbed my smoothie and met my trainer. I told her I wanted to hike because I hurt my back in the circuit class. It was great to get out and hike. Tall trees shade the resort, so it has been cold and shady. We were able to get out into the sunshine.
There are beautiful fruit trees on the property, and I was able to see so much more of the resort on our hike. There are pomegranate trees and rows of grapefruit trees. The grounds are stunning.
My trainer is the sweetest person, and I enjoy her company. She did Panchakarma, an Ayurvedic cleanse, in India. She was telling me about her experience. She also told me about how she went on a date with Owen Wilson. Lots of great stories.
I went to a fencing class after my hike. People had been telling me that the class was a lot of fun. The instructor was a Russian man who tells hilarious stories about fencing. He takes more time to tell stories than teach. It was very entertaining.
Today’s lunch was set up poolside. We had sushi and salad. After lunch, I returned to my room to shower and get ready for my favorite massage therapist.
Today is my last day with my massage therapist. Tomorrow I get someone new. He is so popular that he drives two hours to Los Angeles every Thursday. He has his day booked with clients that have found him from coming to the Golden Door.
Immediately after my massage, there was an energy healer at my door for my next booked session. She can see visions and can see things that are wrong with people’s bodies.
She had me lying on a table and waved her hands around me. I could feel her shifting my energy. I started crying after my session. She is gifted and has a unique ability to heal people. She told me I needed to relax for the rest of the night. I called and canceled my 5 pm facial and relaxed in my room for a while. I went to the nightly 6 pm meditation. I hadn’t been able to go because of my facial schedule conflict, and I really wanted to go.
I am skipping dinner tonight per the advice of the energy healer. She told me to spend some time alone. My dinner is being delivered to my room at 7:15 pm. Eating in the room is also an option, but since my room is so quiet, I have always gone to the dining hall. Tonight, some peace sounded nice.
DAY 5: FAREWELL
I did a lot of crying today. The crying started this morning when I went to a class called open-heart yoga. I was the only one there, so the instructor gave me a private session. She was telling me I needed to learn how to receive. She was doing chants and having me practice breathing exercises. The session was intense, and the instructor touched my soul.
After my open-heart session, I met with my trainer. We went for a hike again. This time we went on a different trail. The beautiful hikes have been such a treat. I am glad I hurt my back in the circuit class. Otherwise, we would have stayed in the gym working out.
I went to a foam roller class after lunch. It was an excellent self-massage. The instructor was great. All of the class instructors at the resort are outstanding. After the class, I returned to my room for my daily massage. The new massage therapist was good, but nothing compares to my regular therapist.
When I left my room for my next set of appointments, there was a card on my door. It was a touching note from my trainer saying how much she enjoyed our time together. The card made me cry. You really start to bond with all of the people at the resort. I had to pull myself together and head off to my treatments.
Up next was a body wrap. The body wrap was luxurious. They wrapped me in a cocoon of rosemary sheets. I was glad I didn’t cancel that appointment.
I went to meditation and back to my room to drop off my bag before dinner. In my room, there was a gift bag on my bed. I thought it was a Golden Door going away present. Instead, it was a gift from my friend from Michigan. I started crying again. The third time today.
My friend bought me a coloring book and colored pencils from the gift shop. The gift touched my heart. Previously I asked her what she does in her room at night with no television, and she said she does crafts. We talked about how we love doing crafty things, so she bought me a coloring book.
I went to her room and thanked her. She started crying too. There was an emotional energy in the air today. We headed off to dinner together.
I did the official “walk to the door” after dinner. This was the first night I went. Guests do it every night. They walk to the main entry gate of the resort after dinner. This was also the first night that it wasn’t super cold. The crisp cold air had a much warmer feeling.
Tonight was a full moon, which could explain the emotional energy. It was bright outside, and you could see the stars. The full moon created a large flashlight, which was perfect for the walk.
After the walk to the door, we had a closing ceremony. For the closing ceremony, everyone had to write something they wanted to let go of on a piece of paper. We then walked out to the labyrinth, an outdoor meditation maze. They had candles everywhere, music playing, and we weren’t allowed to talk.
Everyone walked through the labyrinth and put their piece of paper in a fountain at the center of the maze. The paper then dissolved in the water. After completing the labyrinth, we stood together in a group hug. Everyone cried. The whole process was very emotional.
I returned to my room and colored one of the pictures from the coloring book my friend had given me. I chose to color a picture of a frog sitting on a lily pad.
The following day, I packed up early to catch my morning flight. I took the picture I colored of the frog with a thank you note and left it on my friend’s front door.
She emailed me later to tell me her grandmother, whom she was close with and had passed away, loved frogs and that the picture was very meaningful to her. It is true what people say—there is magical energy at the Golden Door.
Reflecting on my journey, every moment has been a beautiful blessing. From the gifted energy healer to the massage therapist, to the Russian fencing instructor, to the meditation maze, every part of the Golden Door is unique and special and an experience I will never forget.
