(Please contact Let's Meet in Alaska for any questions regarding the retreat. You can hit the "ask a question" button on this page or email kim@letsmeetinalaska.com. Thank you!)
Calling all ocean loving, book reading and writing, end-of-the-road outdoorsy types. Come connect with like-minded people from around the world while writing and making memories with Cheryl Strayed in a serene maritime setting.
This 6-day/5-night gathering will be a chance to explore a unique corner of Alaska while putting pen to paper, with Cheryl.
Our adventures will be enjoyed in Cordova, the tiny, "no road" community the Copper River fishing fleet calls home. The oceanfront Orca Adventure Lodge is our base for an immersive experience in an Alaskan bush town on spectacular Prince William Sound.
And it's SUMMER served up at latitude. With almost 24 hours of daylight each day, there will be time for everything: walking in a still-wild place, paddling in glacial pools, boating for wildlife viewing and fishing, immersing yourself in salmon culture, and enjoying great meals overlooking the ocean with new friends.
Breakfast is both a continental buffet and hot menu items cooked to order. Lunch will be sacks taken on outings or sandwich buffets in the cafe. Dinner menus rotate nightly and feature three courses. More about the meals enjoyed can be found here.
Various adventure activities outside of writing sessions will be available daily. Participants will book these on site directly once we settle into our accommodations. Attendees are welcome to select two or three side trips over the course of the week or simply relax on the property. The grounds are surrounded by beautiful views and there's kayaking and fishing from shore, as well as a wood-fired sauna and coffee shop.
For a short presentation of all that's in store for us, please enjoy and share this slide show on the area and Cheryl's workshop (make sure to click on the "present" button to hear the narration).
A bespoke group trip to rural Alaska is no casual endeavor. Our cancellation policy offers as much flexibility and security as is possible for all. A non-refundable deposit of $700 is required to reserve your spot with the balance of trip fees paid in equal installments over time. Trip fees are refundable (minus deposit) per this schedule:
120+ days before departure: 100% refund
91-119 days before departure 50% refund
61-90 days before departure 25% refund
Within 60 days before departure 0% refund
The deposit is non-refundable unless we (either attendee or organizer) can transfer your spot to another person. It is for this reason we suggest trip insurance to cover you, your things, and your experience.
A welcome gathering and three writing workshops (each a couple of hours) with Cheryl Strayed, the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail."
Simple, comfortable, rooms (each with private bath) on the ocean and off the beaten path. Our lodge, in a town not accessible by car, epitomizes "the end of the road".
Meals onsite (in an historic, cannery cookhouse) and outdoors (picnics and barbecues at adventure locales) prepared by Chef George Fecter & Co.
Pick up from the Cordova (CDV) airport, transportation to & from all outings, and return to CDV airport in comfortable, spacious passenger vans.
You'll take a journey through time with the history of this unique, remote, fishing village's past, present, and future.
A private, interactive, tour of our Science Center, the premier research facility for the Prince William Sound.
An oyster bar, that is! It's time to shuck & suck delicious local oysters on tap, pulled straight from the sea for us (and served with all the accouterments).
Unlimited kayaking and fishing on site. Or just relax with tea or coffee in the wood-fired sauna overlooking the sound, watch salmon jumping from shore, or enjoy the campfire, steps from your room.
The lodge has a self-serve laundry room with complimentary machines and detergent. Pack and travel light for this adventure, and return home with clean clothes.
A video meeting with all guests prior to trip departure. We'll visit and answer packing and trip questions. Session will be recorded and distributed to all attendees.
Deposit + multiple equal payments (interest free) over time.
We're not responsible for this, but it is happening and included, and you've got to see it to believe it~ #summerinalaska #bringaneyemaskforqualityzzz
Airfare to & from Cordova. Either arrival time will work on 7/16/26; guests arriving on earlier flight will spend a few hours in town before the lodge is ready to check us all in.
Exploring Orca Bay & the Copper River area. Unique side trips are available for registration on site: hikes, glacier kayaking, fishing, and wildlife viewing by boat. Prices range between $225-$425.
Optional evening at Salmon Jam, an annual small-town Alaska outdoor music festival featuring a foot race and "taste of Cordova" cook-off.
If you fish: licenses ($15-$45 per person, depending on type and length of fishing time). Licenses can be purchased onsite through your phone or at the front desk.
Delicious espresso, tea, chai, and housemade chowder and soups at the lodge owner's cozy onsite coffee shop.
Locally made items and gifts you discover either onsite or in town in this tiny hamlet by the sea.
Guests are welcome to purchase beverages in town and BYOB at the lodge, storing their items in the dining hall or in their rooms.
Trip protection via insurance and a separate membership to LifeMed Alaska are recommended. Please speak with an independent agent to explore the best coverage for you, your stuff, and your trip.
Tips are not required nor expected, but always appreciated by guides, servers, and housekeeping staff.
