Our First Ladies’ Weekend at The Undergrowth

Hiking Hazel Falls in the Shenandoah National Park

The Vision

This past weekend was a dream. I hosted my very first retreat at The Undergrowth, my retreat in Luray, Virginia. After years of envisioning and re-envisioning it, I came away full of gratitude, affirmation, and with an even clearer vision for what I'm building.

After the general vision for the schedule of my girls' weekend (a breathwork and yoga retreat with a hike), next came the guest list. I invited women who have influenced or supported me in some way. Some were close friends; others were acquaintances I see around town (Yes, Luray is actually small-town enough that this happens regularly). The only thing they had in common was that none of them knew each other. That wasn't intentional, but it made for a great group of new friends in the making.

The Weekend

We kicked things off with dinner on Friday. A friend provided the meal, which freed me up to welcome everyone as they arrived and help them get settled. At the table, I introduced each woman, sharing how I knew her and what I admire about her. It connected the group right away. We stayed at that table all evening until it was time for bed. Lots of laughs. Lots of conversation. So. Much. Connection.

Our three new friends we met hiking.

Saturday began with an early breakfast and a rainy hike in Shenandoah National Park. I had planned a hike to a summit, but because of the rain, I switched to a waterfall hike so we'd have a reward no matter what the clouds did. We hiked to Hazel Falls, which is beautiful year-round and manageable for most fitness levels.

While we were admiring the falls, three young women came out of the woods in hiking gear and rain ponchos. The first thing they asked was what the weather would be that night. When we told them more rain was coming, they were visibly disheartened. They had already spent one night in a leaky tent and weren't looking forward to another. As it happened, we had three empty beds at The Undergrowth. I told them about the soft-launch retreat and invited them to join us for meals, activities, and a warm, dry place to sleep. We exchanged numbers and went our separate ways.

Back at The Undergrowth, we showered and ate lunch together. Then I got a text from our new friends saying they'd love to come and asking what time they should arrive. What a delight. They got settled just in time for our breathwork session, led by local breathwork coach Natalie Kerr. Natalie is a joy to work with. Her calm and kindness put you at ease immediately, and the group connected deeply with the practice. Re-energized, we moved on to dinner and finished out the evening with s'mores around the firepit.

Morning yoga with the group with guest instructor, Birdie.

On Sunday morning, yoga instructor, Birdie Herron, led us through a session tailored to our range of experience levels, so everyone could participate comfortably in her own way. After yoga, we ended the weekend with one last meal together around the table.

Takeaways

The biggest surprise of the weekend wasn't our unexpected guests. It was how many times I heard someone say, "I really needed this."

The biggest surprise of the weekend wasn't our unexpected guests (though they were absolutely delightful). It was how many times I heard someone say, "I really needed this." It came up over and over. I think we often don't realize how much we need a break: from the day-to-day, from the constant noise of life, from always being at the mercy of our phones.

We all need this. We need space. We need nature. We need connection. We need quiet. We need community.

Ready to plan your girls' weekend at The Undergrowth? We'd love to help you curate the weekend you and your tribe need.