The #MelanatedCabinRetreat was the start of an annual retreat to bring some melanin to the mountains.
We had an amazing time at our first #MelanatedCabinRetreat hosted at Massanutten Resort in McGaheysville, Virginia – just about 3.5 hours from Virginia Beach, Virginia. We were able to secure a cabin that would accomodate our large party, 16 guest to be exact. Fortunatley, this was the best deciision we made! It was roomy, rustic, but still truly felt like home away from home.
We welcomed each guest with so much energy to set the tone for what would be one of their “top 5 best vacations so far.” To be honest, we were so excited to be cohosting this retreat! After months of planning, brainstorming, and filling each room, the weekend was finally here!
Friday night opened up with our Private Chef, Chef Dan, preparing a delicious family-style spread for us to enjoy around the 12 foot custom-built wooden table. We laughed, talked, and enjoyed some games prior to ending day 1 of the retreat.
Thankfully, our travel agent, Worldly Travels, ordered groceries ahead of time so we were able to have the kitchen stocked ahead of time. Both of the host prepared breakfast for the group before heading out for the first excursion of the day, The Luray Caverns.
This was truly a sight to see! The Caverns are nestled about 30 minutes outside of the resort in the quaint town, Luray. The tour was breathtaking. We learned how they were formed , laughed at all of the “rock” jokes our tour guide threw into the mix and even the attendees joined in on the “rock” jokes to keep it going. After the tour, we were able to grab lunch in town at The Gathering Grounds. They provided a nice variety of sandwiches and small bites. It was just enough to fill us up before a nap. Initially, we discussed going to the movie theater across the street but quickly changed our minds after we ate.
After heading back to the cabin, we were able to have some leisure time where some of the group hung out, some explored other ares of town, and some, like myself, just took a nap! Next up would be Snowtubing at Massanutten Adventure Park. Although that snow was artificial, it definitely felt very real out there in the 20-30 degree temperatures. We were able to tap into our adventurous side for 2 hours and take turns taking pictures and videos, flying down the slopes, and stopping inside the registration building to warm up and grab some hot chocolate. 2 hours is plenty of time and after turning 30, you get tired easily!
We headed back to grab pizza for our Adult Pajama & Pizza Party in the cabin. We ordered some local pizza, slid into our pajamas, and the games began. We played some icebreakers to get to know each other a little bit better and jumped into classics like Taboo, Giant Jenga, Uno, and Kings. That was one great evening!
Sunday started off with Brunch at CrossKeys Vineyard that was located another 30 minutes from the cabin. The drive was breathtaking! Our host ensured our orders were place ahead of time so that our meals would come out shortly after we arrived. After we enjoyed brunch, we were given a tour of the property and to learn more about the bottling process as the vineyard. We were able to sneak a peek of the Wine Library and learned that 300 bottles of wine can come from one barrel! Sunday at Crosskeys ended with a wine tasting of some of their best wines.
We cannot wait to do it bigger and better next year and I can’t wait to see who will join us for that trip!
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