Yosemite & Big Sur Creative Inspiration Experience: A Beauty + Faith-Filled Adventure for 2026
September 14–19, 2026
6 days, 5 nights | 8–12 travelers | Adventure level: Active
If your heart is craving adventure, creativity, and connection, this California trip is calling your name. Join artist and adventurer Erin Oostra for an unforgettable six-day journey through Yosemite, Sequoia, and Big Sur. This faith-inspired creative retreat is designed to refresh your soul, awaken your creativity, and help you make lasting friendships while surrounded by some of the most stunning scenery in the United States.
This small-group adventure is all about combining time outdoors with reflection, art, and community. It’s perfect for anyone looking for a faith-based retreat in the USA, a creative getaway, or an adventurous trip with like-minded travelers who love the outdoors.
What to Expect
We’ll begin in Yosemite National Park, setting up camp under the stars and exploring the valley surrounded by towering granite cliffs and waterfalls. You’ll hike to Vernal and Nevada Falls, and then gather around the campfire for our first Creative Kickoff, a relaxed watercolor evening where everyone gets their own travel art set and a chance to unwind, laugh, and start creating.
Over the next six days, we’ll:
Wander among the giant sequoias in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, including General Sherman and the Congress Trail
Climb Moro Rock for unbelievable mountain views
Kayak with sea lions in Monterey Bay
Soak in the rugged beauty of Big Sur, from Andrew Molera Beach to McWay Falls, painting and journaling as the sun sets over the Pacific
Each morning starts with an optional Creative Morning Session, a short and inspiring time to sketch, write, or paint before heading out on the day’s adventures. It’s a chance to slow down, reflect, and connect with nature in a deeper way.
Meet Your Host: Erin Oostra
Erin Oostra is a Pacific Northwest artist, designer, and adventurer who finds her greatest inspiration in the wild beauty of nature. Based in Ellensburg, Washington, she creates contemporary paintings and digital collages that capture the light, color, and rhythm of mountain and coastal landscapes. Her work celebrates the connection between art and the outdoors, often inspired by her hikes, travels, and plein air painting sessions across the western United States.
As the owner and curator of Nuwave Gallery in Ellensburg’s historic creative district, Erin showcases her own artwork alongside emerging and established artists from around the country. She brings people together through art shows, community events, and classes that encourage creativity and connection.
When she’s not painting in her studio or curating an exhibition, Erin can often be found hiking Washington’s trails, sketching by alpine lakes, or leading live painting sessions at events. Her art has been featured in galleries, wineries, restaurants, and public spaces across the Pacific Northwest.
Erin believes that creativity and faith are deeply connected, and her retreats and workshops are designed to help others slow down, reflect, and find beauty in both the landscape and the moment. Her passion is guiding others to rediscover their own sense of wonder—whether through brushstrokes, shared stories, or time spent outdoors.
Join Erin on the Yosemite & Big Sur Creative Inspiration Experience and see California through an artist’s eyes. You’ll return home with a full heart, a renewed spirit, and a deeper connection to the natural world.
What’s Included
5 nights of double-occupancy camping near Yosemite, Sequoia, and Big Sur
All camping and cooking gear (except sleeping bag and pillow)
Local guide and all park entrance fees
Airport transfer from San Francisco (SFO) if you arrive by noon on Day 1
Welcome dinner at camp plus a travel watercolor set and art journal from Erin
No camping experience is needed. You’ll help with simple camp setup and meals, and your guide will be there to make sure you feel confident and comfortable.
Optional Add-Ons
Private accommodation upgrade for solo travelers who want extra space
Travel insurance for peace of mind
Why Join
This is more than a vacation. It’s a creative faith adventure that will leave you refreshed, inspired, and full of joy. You’ll laugh around campfires, share stories with new friends, and feel that deep peace that only comes from being in nature. Every day brings new beauty, new connections, and new inspiration.
This trip is perfect for anyone who wants to grow in faith, rediscover creativity, and see some of the most beautiful places in California. It’s ideal for women looking for a meaningful reset or anyone ready to unplug and reconnect with what really matters.
A note from the host: Erin Oostra
In a world that feels busier and more disconnected than ever, I’ve found that creativity and faith offer a way back—to stillness, to beauty, and to one another. I believe that creativity and faith are deeply intertwined; both invite us to slow down, reflect, and notice the wonder that’s already around us.
That belief is at the heart of everything I do, from my artwork and gallery shows to the retreats and workshops I host. My passion is helping others rediscover their own sense of awe—through painting, storytelling, or simply breathing in the quiet of a mountain morning.
So many of us are craving real connection again—beyond screens, schedules, and small talk. We want to feel alive, inspired, and part of something meaningful. That’s why I’m hosting this Creative Inspiration Trip: to bring together like-minded, faith-filled, curious souls who long to experience nature, creativity, and community in a genuine way.
This isn’t just another vacation—it’s a chance to reconnect with yourself, make new friends, and be reminded of what truly matters. I hope you’ll join me for this unforgettable adventure through Yosemite, Sequoia, and Big Sur.
Getting There
Arrival Airport: San Francisco International (SFO) - arrive by 12 PM on September 14 for the group transfer to Yosemite
Departure Airport: San Francisco International (SFO) - depart anytime on September 19
Book Your Spot
Only 12 travelers will join this trip, and spots are already going fast. You can reserve your place today with just 25% down and choose a flexible payment plan.
Don’t wait on this one. This will be the trip of a lifetime—a week of adventure, creativity, and new friendships in some of the most inspiring landscapes in the world.
Sign up today and get ready for the most unforgettable California adventure of your life.
