Zibby Retreats

Connecting through books in person. Join us!

Los_Angeles_Times_logo.svg.png__PID:cdf44458-a1cb-405c-83b0-4c8d1857189a

'Book people are my people’: Why your next vacation should be a book retreat

WATCH VIDEO

Why your next vacation should be a book retreat - Los Angeles Times (1).png__PID:ad062222-be07-4d7b-81d7-bcde45557e24
Untitled-2.png__PID:962d8cc6-f046-408f-9c57-c72b093d8304

Retreats are at the heart of what we do.

Personal. Authentic. Inspiring. Fun.Our retreats are held at beautiful boutique hotels around the country with multiple featured authors, delicious food, local bookstore visits, and time for fun. Book lovers of all types are welcome: avid readers, audiobook listeners, aspiring writers, published authors, librarians, journalists… and everything in between.

Required: book love.

Zibby Retreats are a Zibby Media initiative launched by Zibby Owens and led by Graça Tito.

Join us at our next retreat. We can’t wait to meet you.

Untitled-2.png__PID:962d8cc6-f046-408f-9c57-c72b093d8304

Retreats are at the heart of what we do.

Personal. Authentic. Inspiring. Fun.Our retreats are held at beautiful boutique hotels around the country with multiple featured authors, delicious food, local bookstore visits, and time for fun. Book lovers of all types are welcome: avid readers, audiobook listeners, aspiring writers, published authors, librarians, journalists… and everything in between.

Required: book love.

Zibby Retreats are a Zibby Media initiative launched by Zibby Owens and led by Graça Tito.

Join us at our next retreat. We can’t wait to meet you.

Upcoming Retreats

Zibby's Austin Retreat: February 2nd - 4th
Zibby's Austin Retreat: February 2nd - 4th
Zibby's Austin Retreat: February 2nd - 4th
Zibby's Austin Retreat: February 2nd - 4th
Zibby's Austin Retreat: February 2nd - 4th
Zibby's Austin Retreat: February 2nd - 4th
Zibby's Austin Retreat: February 2nd - 4th
Zibby's Austin Retreat: February 2nd - 4th

Zibby's Austin Retreat: February 2nd - 4th

Zibby's Miami Retreat

November 17th - 19th

Screenshot+2023-08-01+at+3.29.45+PM.jpg__PID:a074d655-180d-40dd-8a44-7a4d21ee84a2

HEY BOOK LOVERS!

JOIN US for an unforgettable bookish weekend in Miami Beach, FL!

Join 6 iconic writers for a weekend of fun: VIP tickets to the Miami Book Fair, writing workshops, cocktail parties, rooftop yoga, delicious food, and some much-needed beach time!

Tickets include two nights at the Betsy Hotel (King Room), VIP pass to the Miami Book Fair, and all meals and activities mentioned in the itinerary.

JOIN US! We can’t wait to meet you.

Screenshot+2023-08-01+at+3.29.45+PM.jpg__PID:a074d655-180d-40dd-8a44-7a4d21ee84a2

HEY BOOK LOVERS!

JOIN US for an unforgettable bookish weekend in Miami Beach, FL!

Join 6 iconic writers for a weekend of fun: VIP tickets to the Miami Book Fair, writing workshops, cocktail parties, rooftop yoga, delicious food, and some much-needed beach time!

Tickets include two nights at the Betsy Hotel (King Room), VIP pass to the Miami Book Fair, and all meals and activities mentioned in the itinerary.

JOIN US! We can’t wait to meet you.

Miami-Book-Fair-Retreat-Itinerary-2-1.png__PID:670662ce-eb39-4090-8d3f-eb7502fa10d2
Miami-Book-Fair-Retreat-Itinerary-2-2.png__PID:9bfc69be-3dcb-4eff-8def-c51c9356d2cc
Miami-Book-Fair-Retreat-Itinerary-2-3.png__PID:56e2c7c9-360a-4a97-b35a-9351ae5545c0

Zibby's Austin Retreat

February 2 - 4, 2024

austin.jpg__PID:cf006814-6aa0-4f40-b362-0879666a1499

HEY BOOK LOVERS!

You're invited to an unforgettable bookish weekend in Austin, TX!

Join 8 iconic writers for a weekend of fun: author chats, writing workshops, delicious food, bookstore visits, downtown walks, and more!

Tickets include two nights at Hotel Ella and all meals and activities mentioned on the itinerary.

Join us! We can't wait to meet you.

Screenshot+2023-08-01+at+3.29.45+PM.jpg__PID:a074d655-180d-40dd-8a44-7a4d21ee84a2

HEY BOOK LOVERS!

JOIN US for an unforgettable bookish weekend in Miami Beach, FL!

Join 6 iconic writers for a weekend of fun: VIP tickets to the Miami Book Fair, writing workshops, cocktail parties, rooftop yoga, delicious food, and some much-needed beach time!

Tickets include two nights at the Betsy Hotel (King Room), VIP pass to the Miami Book Fair, and all meals and activities mentioned in the itinerary.

JOIN US! We can’t wait to meet you.

Zibby's-Austin-Retreat-Itinerary-1.png__PID:f21bbbf1-8f11-42ba-bf98-eaf9b608a955
Zibby's-Austin-Retreat-Itinerary-2.png__PID:c2baff98-eaf9-4608-a955-884836651984
Zibby's-Austin-Retreat-Itinerary-3.png__PID:ff98eaf9-b608-4955-8848-36651984808d

Past Retreats

Zibby's Wine Country Retreat

September 22 - 24 | Solvang, CA

An excerpt from the LA Times article by Deborah Vankin:

"The bus ride to the Danish village of Solvang, where we’ll be staying, is an animated, IRL version of Owens’ motto — “Stories are best when shared” — which appears on the tote bags full of snacks that she’s given us for the trip. The roar of conversation on the bus is near-deafening and constant. Most of these women — who have traveled from the Midwest and the East Coast, with several from the L.A. area and one from Japan — have just met and they launch into intimate story sharing, a merry if passionate sound that forms the cacophonous backdrop of the next three days. Some of the travelers have books cracked open on their laps, and they flip through pages or pass the book to their seatmate."

Click here to read the rest of the article!

Zibby's Wine Country Retreat

September 22 - 24 | Solvang, CA

An excerpt from the LA Times article by Deborah Vankin:

"The bus ride to the Danish village of Solvang, where we’ll be staying, is an animated, IRL version of Owens’ motto — “Stories are best when shared” — which appears on the tote bags full of snacks that she’s given us for the trip. The roar of conversation on the bus is near-deafening and constant. Most of these women — who have traveled from the Midwest and the East Coast, with several from the L.A. area and one from Japan — have just met and they launch into intimate story sharing, a merry if passionate sound that forms the cacophonous backdrop of the next three days. Some of the travelers have books cracked open on their laps, and they flip through pages or pass the book to their seatmate."

Click here to read the rest of the article!

Solvang 1.jpg__PID:7e28b5b6-90b5-4ef1-85e9-b0ce5650e03b
Solvang 6.jpg__PID:18a290c8-e745-4e28-b5b6-90b56ef145e9
Solvang NEW 2.jpeg__PID:d9a20ae3-3351-4c71-9c16-cdd5268ee880
Solvang NEW.jpeg__PID:d2cbd9a2-0ae3-4351-bc71-9c16cdd5268e

Zibby’s Charleston Retreat

April 28th to 30th | Charleston, SC

A note from Zibby Owens:

It wasn’t just the setting. When I thought about hosting a retreat in Charleston, I knew people would go nuts over the quaint, historic, food-centric, congenial town. I could envision groups of women gossiping and giggling along the waterfront, walking through the market, and grabbing ice cream at Jeni’s. What I couldn’t have known was just how cohesive a group it would be.

Readers from far and wide descended on the Emeline Hotel, bringing stories of loss, love, reinvention, creativity, and connection. They came from Little Rock, Minneapolis, Knoxville, Dallas, Atlanta, and beyond. They brought manuscripts and ideas, favorite books and fellowship. The women (and one man!) shared and laughed, discussed writing craft and swapped favorite books. And when we all spent time together in a bookstore, Buxton Books, it was like bringing Rolling Stones fans into the green room. These were, quite simply, fans of books and reading, all congregating to commiserate and create. And we all can’t wait to do it again.

4.jpg__PID:b3bdc5a9-0af3-4d18-a698-f473e0b9e728
4.jpg__PID:b3bdc5a9-0af3-4d18-a698-f473e0b9e728

Zibby’s Charleston Retreat

April 28th to 30th | Charleston, SC

A note from Zibby Owens:

It wasn’t just the setting. When I thought about hosting a retreat in Charleston, I knew people would go nuts over the quaint, historic, food-centric, congenial town. I could envision groups of women gossiping and giggling along the waterfront, walking through the market, and grabbing ice cream at Jeni’s. What I couldn’t have known was just how cohesive a group it would be.

Readers from far and wide descended on the Emeline Hotel, bringing stories of loss, love, reinvention, creativity, and connection. They came from Little Rock, Minneapolis, Knoxville, Dallas, Atlanta, and beyond. They brought manuscripts and ideas, favorite books and fellowship. The women (and one man!) shared and laughed, discussed writing craft and swapped favorite books. And when we all spent time together in a bookstore, Buxton Books, it was like bringing Rolling Stones fans into the green room. These were, quite simply, fans of books and reading, all congregating to commiserate and create. And we all can’t wait to do it again.

1.jpg__PID:c6d221f4-3751-418e-b286-f4d99b29e348
2.jpg__PID:43c6d221-f437-4191-8eb2-86f4d99b29e3
5.jpg__PID:2c43c6d2-21f4-4751-918e-b286f4d99b29
4 (1).jpg__PID:e82c43c6-d221-4437-9191-8eb286f4d99b
2 (1).jpg__PID:75e82c43-c6d2-41f4-b751-918eb286f4d9
6.jpg__PID:5875e82c-43c6-4221-b437-51918eb286f4
5 (1).jpg__PID:d75875e8-2c43-46d2-a1f4-3751918eb286
4 (2).jpg__PID:32d75875-e82c-43c6-9221-f43751918eb2
3.jpg__PID:0a32d758-75e8-4c43-86d2-21f43751918e
7.jpg__PID:630a32d7-5875-482c-83c6-d221f4375191
3 (1).jpg__PID:a6630a32-d758-45e8-ac43-c6d221f43751
1 (1).jpg__PID:b3a6630a-32d7-4875-a82c-43c6d221f437

Zibby’s Fierce Women Retreat

March 10th to 12th | Hampton Bays, NY

A note from Graça Tito:

The inaugural Zibby Retreat was pure magic. Women from all walks of life gathered at the gorgeous Canoe Place Inn to celebrate books and the fierce women who wrote them. On the first night, we sat around the fireplace and defined what it means to be a fierce woman—brave, ambitious, kind—and knew immediately that we were surrounded by them. We shared stories (while sipping on the spicy, book-themed “Fierce Cocktail”) and felt inspired and uplifted. The rest of the weekend was an absolute blast—we laughed through Ann Garvin’s plot workshop, ate delicious brick-oven pizzas and flaky croissants, stretched to Tara Stiles’ soothing yoga voice, and bonded over our shared love of books. Tracy Chapman’s “Startin’ a Revolution” played behind it all. The perfect soundtrack for what happened that weekend. Put 100 women in a room together… and well, we’ll see what happens!

10.jpg__PID:3f86f8c1-0c1b-4baf-a2d6-9923b775ae3b
10.jpg__PID:3f86f8c1-0c1b-4baf-a2d6-9923b775ae3b

Zibby’s Fierce Women Retreat

March 10th to 12th | Hampton Bays, NY

A note from Graça Tito:

The inaugural Zibby Retreat was pure magic. Women from all walks of life gathered at the gorgeous Canoe Place Inn to celebrate books and the fierce women who wrote them. On the first night, we sat around the fireplace and defined what it means to be a fierce woman—brave, ambitious, kind—and knew immediately that we were surrounded by them. We shared stories (while sipping on the spicy, book-themed “Fierce Cocktail”) and felt inspired and uplifted. The rest of the weekend was an absolute blast—we laughed through Ann Garvin’s plot workshop, ate delicious brick-oven pizzas and flaky croissants, stretched to Tara Stiles’ soothing yoga voice, and bonded over our shared love of books. Tracy Chapman’s “Startin’ a Revolution” played behind it all. The perfect soundtrack for what happened that weekend. Put 100 women in a room together… and well, we’ll see what happens!

3 (2).jpg__PID:2afe7fed-cc57-45d5-875b-c8fc8461d0b1
5 (2).jpg__PID:c75bc8fc-8461-40b1-b0ee-45b27b3f8fe7
6 (1).jpg__PID:d5c75bc8-fc84-41d0-b1b0-ee45b27b3f8f
9.jpg__PID:e5d5c75b-c8fc-4461-90b1-b0ee45b27b3f
4 (3).jpg__PID:57e5d5c7-5bc8-4c84-a1d0-b1b0ee45b27b
7 (1).jpg__PID:cc57e5d5-c75b-48fc-8461-d0b1b0ee45b2
2 (2).jpg__PID:edcc57e5-d5c7-4bc8-bc84-61d0b1b0ee45
1 (2).jpg__PID:7fedcc57-e5d5-475b-88fc-8461d0b1b0ee
11.jpg__PID:fe7fedcc-57e5-45c7-9bc8-fc8461d0b1b0
Zibby_RETREATS_tan_bg.jpg__PID:6e84b503-f4c3-4f56-b114-8ac6f99583c9

Head of Retreats: Graça Tito
Contact: graca.tito@zibbybooks.com

Testimonials

"Amazing."

Paulina Porizkova

"Eye-opening."

Iram A.

"Pure magic."

Jean S. 

"Good for the soul."

Maria T. 

"A sheer delight!"

Lisa R. 

“This may have been the most fun I've had in many years! The intelligence, creativity, and interesting conversations from the other participants was truly inspiring!”—Ellen Y.

“If you love books and are looking for a fun way to connect with other readers, recharge, and get inspired—look no further than this literary retreat that is one of its kind.”—Christy M.

“Zibby and her team curated the perfect weekend. My many new friends and I are still buzzing about it over a week later. I can’t wait until the next one. 10/10!”—Swampy H.

“My expectations were blown out of the water; the entire weekend was planned and executed perfectly. Zibby, who is so kind, warm, and down to earth has created a remarkable Retreat Team that is attentive to every guest's need. The Zibby Retreat offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you will find nowhere else—I left radiating! I was in a total life slump and came back alive and ready to tackle the world.”—Sarah G.

“Being with other writers and authors feeds my soul. There’s an immediate connection when writers meet each other. We understand one another in a way others might not.”—Dara K.

“I left this retreat feeling reinvigorated and buzzing with inspiration from all of the connection and community with kindred spirits!”—Meagan G. S.

“Zibby Retreats allow you to be transported to a book lovers respite. You will undoubtedly come away feeling more connected to others and yourself. ”—Debbie R.

“If you have the chance to attend a Zibby Retreat—go! I loved the weekend full of author talks, incredible food, and rooms full of wonderful people who revel in books and writing and reading. Zibby brings together the most creative and inspiring community from across the country. Not to be missed!”—Kristen N.

“Zibby Retreats really are retreats. You have the chance to slow down, enjoy a beautiful city, and spend time with people who love books as much as you do. I'm already looking forward to the next retreat.”—Marney M.

“The people! My goodness, I didn’t expect to meet such awesome people.”—Kristen J.

“An insightful, gracious group! Rarely am I in the company of so many readers who have read and enjoyed the same books.”—Lisa R.

“Travel, books, good food, and new reading friends. What more could I ask for?”—Tina F.

Zibby’s Wine Country Retreat

September 22nd - 24th

landsby.jpg__PID:e0dab0e6-98da-4b7f-a056-4438af429126

JOIN US for an unforgettable bookish weekend in Solvang, CA!

Join 6 iconic writers for 3 days of author chats, book signings, delicious meals, wine tastings, cocktail parties, yoga classes, walking tours, bookstore visits, writing workshops, and more!

  • Michelle Wildgen - Wine People
  • Patty Lin - End Credits
  • Silvia Vasquez-Lavado - In the Shadow of the Mountain
  • Eirinie Carson - The Dead are GodsCin Fabré - Wolf Hustle
  • Zibby Owens - Bookends

Tickets include two nights at the Landsby Hotel, all meals, and all activities.

We will meet at Zibby's Bookshop (1113 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403) on Friday morning. Buses will take us to Solvang and back! Alternatively, you can meet us at The Landsby.

JOIN US! We can’t wait to meet you.

landsby.jpg__PID:e0dab0e6-98da-4b7f-a056-4438af429126

JOIN US for an unforgettable bookish weekend in Solvang, CA!

Join 6 iconic writers for 3 days of author chats, book signings, delicious meals, wine tastings, cocktail parties, yoga classes, walking tours, bookstore visits, writing workshops, and more!

  • Michelle Wildgen - Wine People
  • Patty Lin - End Credits
  • Silvia Vasquez-Lavado - In the Shadow of the Mountain
  • Eirinie Carson - The Dead are GodsCin Fabré - Wolf Hustle
  • Zibby Owens - Bookends

Tickets include two nights at the Landsby Hotel, all meals, and all activities.

We will meet at Zibby's Bookshop (1113 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403) on Friday morning. Buses will take us to Solvang and back! Alternatively, you can meet us at The Landsby.

JOIN US! We can’t wait to meet you.

1 (4).jpg__PID:d48154c8-e350-4479-a9d5-eb2362c6524f
2 (3).jpg__PID:54c8e350-4479-49d5-ab23-62c6524f8816
3 (4).jpg__PID:e3504479-a9d5-4b23-a2c6-524f8816c4fa

Photo Gallery

Screenshot+2023-05-18+at+3.48.05+PM.png__PID:5e550c90-2488-48b5-8784-c2813077ed4c
0AEF0C73-97BE-4769-9951-AED29DF74716.jpeg__PID:550c9024-88a8-4507-84c2-813077ed4c92
52868215495_196d9ddc63_o.jpg__PID:0c902488-a8b5-4784-8281-3077ed4c929a
FC8295BA-468C-42DD-A8FB-95C598018C63.jpeg__PID:902488a8-b507-44c2-8130-77ed4c929a58

We can't wait to meet you at our next retreat!

Zibby_RETREATS_tan_bg.jpg__PID:6e84b503-f4c3-4f56-b114-8ac6f99583c9

Head of Retreats: Graça Tito
Contact: graca.tito@zibbybooks.com