THE UNSPEAKEASY RETREATS

Think of it as a “sanity spa,” a mini-vacation for the mind. An Unspeakeasy retreat is not a conference with workshops, breakout sessions, and awkward mingling. It’s a series of curated, off-the-record conversations with intellectually curious women about the most complex and fascinating issues of our time. Retreats include guest speakers, great food, beautiful surroundings, and enough free time to forge important new friendships.

Retreats are small and generally limited to 15 attendees. No social media is allowed and respect for privacy is paramount.

Currently, we have announced four retreats for 2025. including a co-ed retreat. One more retreat may be in the works. For updates, join our newsletter.

Want a peek inside? Here’s a schedule from a past retreat. Each retreat schedule is different and designed according to participants’ interests. See an example of two recent retreats below.

UPCOMING RETREATS

Want to join us at an upcoming retreat? Explore the offerings below and apply directly on the page.

Featured
DRIPPING SPRINGS, TX
Mar 17
DRIPPING SPRINGS, TX

Two-night, all-inclusive luxury retreat at Camp Lucy, approximately 20 miles from downtown Austin.

LOS ANGELES, CA
Apr 5
LOS ANGELES, CA

Weekend, daytime-only retreat in a private home on L.A.’s westside. 10 am to 5 pm on both days.

SAN DIEGO, CA — Members Only
Sep 13
SAN DIEGO, CA — Members Only

Member-hosted “community retreat” in Oceanside, CA, exclusively for members of The Unspeakeasy online community.

CATSKILL MOUNTAINS, NY
Oct 6
CATSKILL MOUNTAINS, NY

Three-night all-inclusive retreat at The Uplands in the Western Catskills. Approximately 150 miles from NYC.

New York City (coed)
Oct 11
New York City (coed)

Weekend, daytime-only coed retreat in private space in lower Manhattan or Brooklyn. 

“As someone on the left side of the political spectrum, I've long felt that our conversations are getting narrower and less open. The Unspeakeasy was like a whoosh of oxygen. I can't remember the last time I felt so intellectually lit up and also had so much fun at the same time. I have made life-long friends and feel so much less alone than I used to. The impact of the Unspeakeasy retreat continues to reverberate in my life and helps me feel like I can speak honestly without having to be afraid.”

- A.A., AUSTIN, TX

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • In a word: talking. And more talking. Over the course of the retreat, Meghan facilitates curated conversations on a range of topics. Guest speakers join in person and/or via Zoom. We provide lunch (and sometimes dinner), eat chocolate, laugh a lot, and learn even more.

  • There are no trust exercises, breakout groups, talking sticks, walking meditations, or mandatory outings (maybe an optional yoga class). Most importantly, there is no social media or recordings. What happens at a retreat, stays at the retreat.

  • Whether it’s CEOs or stay-at-home moms, atheists and believers, artists or accountants, the retreats bring together women of all ages, backgrounds and life experiences. It’s not a gathering of thought criminals or a secret cabal of #GirlBosses, it’s for intellectually curious women who crave nuanced conversation.

  • Each Unspeakeasy retreat has a schedule of discussion topics based on the participants’ interests and knowledge base. The group sits and discusses each topic and has some free time throughout the day and in the evenings. A guest speaker will usually join one of the sessions. There are no trust falls, breakout sessions, or mandatory outings.

  • Originally, our retreats were for women only, but we now offer a handful of co-ed options throughout the year.

  • Overnight retreats do not include lodging as part of your fee. We do try to reserve a few rooms in case you would like to stay at the hotel the retreat is in, but you will still need to pay for it yourself.

  • Feel free to use the contact form or email us, and we’ll send you a unique coupon code to use for all of your retreat bookings.