The California Center for Creative Renewal is a garden retreat located in the coastal hills of Encinitas in north San Diego County. Formerly known as the Art Therapy Center of North County, the Center has been offering art retreats since 1981.

The mission of the Center is to provide an environment of creativity, stimulation and professionalism, balancing hands-on art experience with goal-driven outcomes. “Organizations that unleash their employees’ creative instincts have a discernible edge,” says founder Ellen Speert. “They see beyond what’s in front of them and move into the future more dynamically, because their people have been given permission to access their inner resources.”

The Center’s 1.5 acres include a fully-equipped Craftsman-style art studio and relaxed, informal meeting spaces, meadows of flowers and scented shrubs, a fruit orchard, a garden labyrinth, and a short canyon walking trail. Native and exotic plants flourish along meandering paths. Meditation benches provide privacy for reflection and expansive views of Southern California’s coastal hills.