Personal Retreats
Now Booking Stays Through March 2026
at The Barn at Boyds Mills
Current Available Personal Retreat Dates
These dates represent general vacancies. Not all accommodation types are available for each of these date ranges.
Through December 2025
October 8 – October 11
October 20 – October 26
November 12 – November 16
November 20 – November 26
November 30 – December 6
December 7 – December 22
Through March 2026
January 15 – 19 (Thurs – Mon) MLK Weekend
February 12 – 16 (Thurs – Mon) Valentine’s Day Weekend
March 5 – 8 (Thurs – Sun)
March 12 – 15 (Thurs – Sun) *** Farmhouse available 12-22
March 26 – 29 (Thurs – Sun) *** Farmhouse + Limited Availability in Cabins (2)
A note about winter 2026 dates: Please use this form to indicate interest in a personal or small group retreat during the winter season when the dates you want don’t seem open. If we get enough interest to open our retreat center for more winter dates, we will. This form lets us know about your interest so we can contact you if we anticipate more openings.
Time to Refocus and Recharge
The Highlights Foundation offers personal retreat opportunities for our community at our campus in northeastern Pennsylvania, The Barn at Boyds Mills.
On your personal retreat, time is yours to focus on your work, be in nature, and spend as you please. No structure. No schedule (unless you make one). You can come as an individual, or with friends, critique groups, writing partners, interest groups, and more.
We’ll provide you with:
- A cozy, private place to stay, with a writing table and other amenities, including hot beverage center and round-the-clock snacks.
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with indoor and outdoor seating (weather permitting) and the choice to socialize as you’d like. You can also take meals back to your room if you wish.
- Wifi throughout the campus, and a printer available if you need it.
- Respect for the sanctity of your creative space.
- Additional public work spaces throughout the campus, both indoors and outside.
Many choose to focus their time on work during a personal retreat, but there is also plenty to do nearby, including 2.5 miles of hiking trails adjacent to the property and many local adventures and points of interest.
“How had I never known that the perfect writer’s retreat existed at the Highlights Foundation Campus? I had such a wonderful time finishing my novel at the campus, and felt fully supported by the staff, the faculty that was onsite with me, and the beautiful surroundings. I couldn’t be happier and more grateful for the days that I spent there.” —Venessa Kelley
“Just what I needed…How terrific to be in such a beautiful place, given delicious food, and everything else I needed so that I could devote all of my attention to my manuscript…It was this writer’s idea of heaven!” —Deborah Heiligman
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