Family Retreats

Family Retreats offers an alternative in 2020 to our traditional Family Camp experience. Because Family Camp as it usually stands must be canceled, Family Retreats will instead accommodate family units in a way that maintains social distancing and the requirements for camps under the COVID-19 restrictions.

While this summer’s experience will not be Family Camp as we know it at all, but more like a campground experience, it will be a time for families to get outdoors, have a short vacation, and come to a special place beloved by so many. Additionally, because of our private grounds, accessed by crossing the Greenbrier River via the Barge, and in a non-commercial setting, the peace and quiet of a retreat is at the heart of this special time.

Family Retreats is an opportunity for families to enjoy the beautiful ‘Ghany grounds while living in a platform tent on Tent Row, or a cabin in Cowbell Alley adjacent to the Apple Tree field.

This alternative summer experience allows families to celebrate the summer and our treasured ‘Ghany world by swimming together in the Greenbrier River, hiking to Twin Tulips, exploring Crystal Creek, and resting into camaraderie around a campfire. All of this in a shared agreement to respect and support self-distancing from each others’ families in order for each family unit to feel — and stay — safe and healthy.

For each session, we have space for 16 family units on Tent Row, plus two family units in the cabins at Cowbell. Information about Family Retreats is detailed below on this page.

Additionally see our:

Book Your Family Retreat

NOTE: We can only take 18 families at a time, and we expect these to fill up fast! 

Sessions and Session Details

• Session 1 (4 nights): July 26-July 30
• Session 2 (3 nights): July 30-August 2
• Session 3 (4 nights): August 2-6
• Session 4 (3 nights): August 6-9
• Session 5 (4 nights): August 9-13
• Session 6 (3 nights): August 13-16
• 7-night stays are also available during the above sessions, Sunday-Sunday

Session Lengths and Days:

Each Session listed above includes the following options:

• 3-night Sessions are Thursday-Sunday
• 4-night Sessions are Sunday-Thursday
• 7-night Sessions are Sunday-Sunday

Tent Row Pricing:

• Three-night stay is $795 per family up to 5 people ($750 + 6% sales tax of $45)
• Four-night stay is $1060 per family up to 5 people ($1000 + 6% sales tax of $60)
• Seven-night stay is $1855 per family up to 5 people ($1750 + 6% sales tax of $105)

Cowbell Alley Cabin Accommodations and Pricing:

Two families at a time can stay in our Cowbell Alley Cabins. Each is a two-room cabin with its own private bathroom, electricity, and 2-3 beds per room (inquire with questions). Families are responsible for their own bedding.

• Three-night stay is $1113 per family unit up to five people ($1050 + 6% sales tax of $63)
• Four-night stay is $1484 per family unit up to five people ($1400 + 6% sales tax of $84)
• Seven-night stay is $2597 per family unit up to five people ($2450 + 6% sales tax of $147)

Add-Ons/Variations:

• Extra Tent: If a family with fewer than five people would like an extra tent to spread out, there is a $250 charge for the second tent.
• Combined Family Units:  If two families would like to come as a family unit (up to 10 people), each family will pay the prices above, but may live next door to each other. As a combined family unit you will share the same bathroom facilities and Dining Hall table.

Arrivals, Health, Luggage, and Departures

Arrivals:  Arrival days are Sundays and Thursdays. We are not able to make exceptions to this. All arrivals will take place in the afternoon of your arrival day between 1:00 and 4:30pm.

Health Screening:  Upon arrival all guests’ temperatures will be taken and screening questions will be asked.

Luggage Management:  Families are responsible for unloading their own vehicles in the parking lot and loading their luggage into one of Camp Alleghany’s luggage trucks. The trucks will take the luggage across via barge and drive to the family ‘s assigned tent or cabin, and families will unload their own luggage from the trucks.

Packing List: What to bring.

Departures:  Departure days are Sundays and Thursdays. We are not able to make exceptions to this. All departures will take place on the morning of your departure day, between 8:30am and 12:00pm. Again, families will be responsible for loading their own luggage on and off of the truck.

Accommodations and Dining Details

Families: Families are up to five people in tents and in the cabins.

Alternative Family Units: An alternative “family unit” can be 6-10 people (e.g. a larger family, or two families joining together as one in adjacent platform tents).

Platform tents: One family per tent, or one family unit per two adjacent tents. Each tent or group of 2 tents is 30 feet apart from other family unit tents.

Cabins:  One family per cabin.

Social Distancing by Family Unit:  All family units must stay six feet away from other family units during their stay at Alleghany, including during activities, free times, meals, etc.

Bathrooms Accommodations by Family Unit:  Each family unit is assigned their own shower stalls and bathroom stalls to use in otherwise shared group bathrooms with no separate family units using the same stalls (sinks may be shared depending on number of families in attendance). Alleghany’s housekeeping staff will clean the facilities three times a day, in accordance with West Virginia’s sanitation guidelines.

Dining Hall Seating:  Each family unit is assigned their own table to use at each meal in the Dining Hall. Families will be asked to bus their own tables and spray them down after each meal. Alleghany’s staff will sweep and clean the rest of the Dining Hall after each meal.

Meals:  Three Dining Hall meals per day will be simple but filling. Meals will be served cafeteria style, in accordance with West Virginia’s current food service guidelines.

Supplemental Food: You may bring as much of your own food as you would like, which must be properly stored in air-tight containers to avoid attracting unwanted animals in your living quarters.

Dietary Restrictions:  Our kitchen staff for this summer’s special Family Retreats will be able to accommodate gluten free, dairy free, and vegetarian but no other dietary restrictions at this time (again, you are welcome to bring your own food and store it in your own containers).

Family Unit Activities and Adult Supervision

Activities:  All activities are at your own pace and within your own family unit.

Children:  All children must be supervised at all times within their own family unit; at this time no counselor or staff activities are planned for children or anyone separate from their family unit.

Waterfront: We will have river activities available (swimming, canoeing, etc.) with lifeguards present but children must still be accompanied by an adult in their family unit.

Enjoying ‘Ghany Grounds:

• In addition to swimming and canoeing in the Greenbrier River, family units are free to take hikes, go creeking, explore nature, sun themselves, relax in your own hammock, picnic, and play at your own pace and scheduling outside of Dining Hall meal times that you choose to attend.
• Also available to you are the Tennis Courts, your own open air field/ball games, the Archery Range (scheduled for families interested), Gaga Ball and 9-Square games, and enjoying a campfire. (Stay tuned for what might be available on the Rifle Range.)

Evening Activities:  We’re working on some simple optional evening activities where the whole group of gathered families can do something together while each individual family stays six feet apart from all other family units while participating.

Personal Options:  You’re welcome and encouraged to bring camping chairs, shade umbrellas, hammocks, yard games/balls, frisbees, fishing poles, kayaks, your own life jackets, etc.

Not Available: We won’t be able to offer Ropes Course or Arts & Crafts for these sessions. (Stay tuned for what might be available in outdoor crafts such as tie-dying or other activities.)

COVID-19 Guidelines and Safety Protocols

We will follow all West Virginia and Greenbrier County guidelines while you’re at Camp Alleghany’s Family Retreats. Please continue reading to see how we’ll be keeping our camp families and staff safe and healthy during these sessions.

All West Virginia and Greenbrier County regulations applicable at the time of families’ stay will be followed. Please note these may change with little advance notice – either further easing or tightening – and in order to continue to operate we’ll have no choice but to change our protocol accordingly.

All family units are asked to perform symptom and temperature checks for seven days prior to arriving at camp; if any member of the reservation party experiences COVID-19 indicating symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19, the reservation may be cancelled or postponed at no cost and with a full refund.

A health screening including temperature checks will be performed on each guest as you arrive at camp. We will not admit any family who has any member displaying COVID-19 indicating symptoms.

All tents and cabins will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before the next reservation; families are to clean and sanitize their tent or cabin during their stay with provided spray.

We are asking all families to bring their own extra hand sanitizer to use throughout the day when needed.

All family members agree to report any COVID-19 indicating symptoms should they present within 14 days following departure.

All Camp Alleghany staff will be screened daily; should any indicate possible symptoms of COVID-19 they’ll be quarantined and tested per state and local regulations.

Meals that are provided will be served cafeteria style in the Dining Hall and eaten by the family unit at the family unit’s designated table to ensure appropriate social distancing from other family units.

We apologize in advance for using disposable plates, utensils, and cups. We always prefer the more environmentally sound practice of re-use. In this instance, health and safety are taking temporary precedence over re-use.

Proper cleaning protocols should be followed at each  location to sanitize equipment between participants from different families.

Proper social distancing between families must be followed at all times.

We want to be as open and transparent as possible with you, our Family Retreat guests: We can’t guarantee a 100% COVID-19 free environment at Camp Alleghany this summer, nor can any business or organization.

We have worked to create the safest environment possible for your family and our staff members in accordance with mandates and guidelines set forth by the CDC, American Camp Association, and our local health departments.

Our response plan includes current guidelines being taken to safely operate and plans to any potential situations regarding COVID-19 or other communicable diseases.

 

NOTE: Family Retreats remains contingent upon our getting enough registrations to make the program viable. If we don’t get enough registrations, we’ll have to cancel Family Retreats, and would refund all monies to registrants.