Book your ticket and you’re on your way!
Let us do the planning.
A ROAM Yoga Retreat will give you the experience of travel with the perfect mix of yoga, wellness and adventure. Have time to recharge and renew and find inspiration while exploring beautiful locations all over the world.
ROAM Yoga Retreats was founded by Laurel Van Matre out of her love for travel, adventure and yoga. Each trip reflects her appreciation for the inspiration we get from travel and her commitment to creating new travel experiences that are transformative and uplifting. Laurel has taught students in hundreds of classes and led over 50 retreats worldwide.
Laurel Van Matre
A yoga teacher, world traveler and business owner, Laurel Van Matre brings her authenticity, sense of humor and the wisdom gleaned from her lifelong wellness journey to ROAM Yoga Retreats.
Laurel spent years living in London and traveling through Europe and Asia before starting her own garden design business at the age of 22. Soon, she began practicing yoga as a student. Then she began teaching classes and has since become a teacher of teachers in her Northeast Minneapolis studio, YOGA Garden.
Her experience has given her the ability to make all students feel comfortable and meet them at their level of practice, helping them find a way to access poses that elude them, whether they are beginners or advanced. While many people think of yoga is as meditative, making it fun is equally important to her.
As her yoga practice evolved, Laurel began sharing her experience with corporate clients as a motivational speaker and strategic consultant. Using themes from yoga, she helps people improve themselves both personally and professionally. She recently sold her garden design business to focus on her passion for yoga and innovation.
When Laurel is not traveling the world or in her studio she enjoys time as a gardener, cyclist and in the company of good friends around a campfire in her backyard.
Yoga Style: alignment-based vinyasa flow, yoga nidra, yin inspired restorative and individual coaching sessions.
Inspiration: gardening, sunshine, the ocean, traveling the world and listening to people’s stories, meeting new people, spending time with her family and an appreciation for moving through the world as an individual with a fantastic and fun group of adventurous people.
“As a lifelong student of yoga, I’ve had many instructors—some good, some great. Laurel is amazing. She keeps things fresh and challenging, and somehow finds a way to teach to every imaginable level at the same time. It can’t be easy, but Laurel manages to be one of the best instructors in the city, and we are fortunate to have her.”
Dr. Hannah Strom
Dr. Hannah Strom is a passionate yoga instructor, physical therapist, and founder of the thriving Awake Pelvic Health & Wellness (pelvic floor physical therapy) clinic in Woodbury, Minnesota. Combining her expertise in pelvic health with her deep love for holistic wellness, Hannah is dedicated to empowering individuals to live vibrant, balanced lives.
Hannah’s journey has taken her across the globe, studying yoga in India and traveling extensively through Europe. Her immersion in diverse cultures and participation in multiple wellness retreats have shaped her unique approach to teaching. She brings mindfulness, adventure, and joy to her teaching, creating transformative experiences for her students.
As a leader in her field, Hannah has built a successful pelvic floor physical therapy practice focused on helping clients achieve whole-body healing. Her retreats reflect her holistic philosophy, blending therapeutic movement, yoga, and self-discovery in a supportive environment.
Outside of her practice, Hannah is an avid traveler who finds inspiration in exploring new places, connecting with others, and deepening her own wellness journey. With a warm and compassionate approach, she meets students where they are, empowering them to grow both on and off the mat.
Style: Alignment-based vinyasa yoga, therapeutic and restorative practices, mobility and functional strength
Inspiration: Traveling the world, hiking and exploring the outdoors, good coffee, holistic health and wellness practices, meeting new people and hearing their stories, any athletic venture such as skiing, biking, running, and strength training.
Zoë Foat Naselaris
Zoë Foat Naselaris's background reflects a rich blend of experience and passions that come together in her approach to teaching yoga and supporting others on their wellness journeys. Her early foray into eco-friendly apparel with her twin sister laid a foundation of creativity, environmental consciousness, and entrepreneurship. This entrepreneurial spirit seamlessly transitioned into her yoga career, where her diverse life experiences, including teaching in various parts of the U.S., have allowed her to connect with a wide range of individuals.
Her studies in psychotherapy and art therapy reflect a deep desire to understand and help others, making her an even more compassionate and holistic teacher and therapist. The integration of mind, body, and spirit is a core element of her work, offering a unique and personalized approach to each student or client.
In her personal life, Zoë embraces the very principles she teaches, from staying active and present with activities like paddle-boarding and gardening to nurturing relationships with friends and family. Zoë’s yoga practice is not only something she teaches but something she lives, drawing inspiration from nature, art, laughter, and meaningful connections.
Zoë's yoga style—aligning her teachings with both the fluidity of vinyasa and the restorative qualities of yin—speaks to her belief in balance, mindfulness, and listening to the body. Whether guiding a class through the dynamic flow of vinyasa or helping students find stillness in restorative poses, her expertise in alignment ensures that her students feel both grounded and supported.
As an empathetic teacher, Zoë offers her students not just a physical practice, but a pathway to greater connection with themselves and the world around them.
Yoga Style: alignment-based vinyasa flow and yin/restorative.
Inspiration: travel, art, nature, laughter, gardening, sunshine, swimming in the ocean, and reconnecting with old friends while making new ones.
Kaja Foat
A lover of maps, memories, and mishaps, Kaja Foat started traveling to foreign countries at age 15 and hasn’t turned back since. In fact, some of her best creative inspirations and life experiences have unfolded a journey away from her homeland.
Kaja has a background in Art and Psychology and began her career in the Arts when she left Minnesota for New York City shortly after college. Kaja’s jobs landed her in the fashion world where she rubbed shoulders with top photographers and producers of the industry. Her stressful jobs brought her to a small yoga studio just blocks from her dingy but loved apartment on Bedford in Brooklyn, New York. Most evenings she could be found here along with her twin sister, Zoe, sweating off steam from a hard days work. It was this small Yoga studio (Go Yoga) that after years of practicing launched her love of Yoga and encouraged her to get training.
Seven days before 9-11 Kaja left the big city to go home to Minneapolis to figure out her next adventure. In 2002 the creation of Foat Design was launched, an eco-friendly Yoga and Dance wear company co- owned with her twin sister, Zoe. The company stemmed from the need for a clothing line for active people that cared about where the garments were made and the fabrics used to make them. It was truly a conscious effort to create a company within the fashion industry that ran things with care and intent. When the company was a year old, Kaja decided to get training in Yoga in Rhinebeck, NY at the Omega Institute and returned to Minneapolis to teach. It was at this time where Kaja met Laurel Van Matre and began teaching with her along with her twin sister.
Today, Kaja Foat currently runs her company, Foat Design, is an Art Therapist specializing in couples and families, and a world traveller under ROAM alongside old companions Zoe Naselaris and Laurel Van Matre. Kaja has been teaching yoga for 22 years.
Yoga Style: Kaja teaches vinyasa style classes that are carefully constructed to help increase flexibility, strength, clarity, and balance.
I have attended several yoga retreats led by Laurel Van Matre and each was an unforgettable experience. From the moment we arrive, Laurel creates a warm and inviting atmosphere that ensures all feel like they were in capable hands for the week.
Each yoga session is masterfully crafted, blending physical postures in a way that is accessible to all levels of yoga practice. Laurel’s deep knowledge and passion for yoga is evident, and I leave feeling both physically rejuvenated and mentally inspired.
The excursions are a highlight of every retreat! We explore breathtaking natural landscapes, from serene hikes to tranquil beaches. Each outing is thoughtfully planned and organized, making it easy for retreat goers to be as adventurous as they wish to be.
What truly sets Laurel’s retreats apart is her personal touch. She connects with each participant, offering tailored guidance and support. I always feel encouraged to explore my limits while honoring my body in a safe and nurturing environment.
I highly recommend Laurel for anyone looking for a transformative yoga experience. I leave every retreat feeling empowered, inspired, and deeply connected to both myself and the wonderful community we build together.
Meredith H
Minneapolis, MN
Testimonials