I have been going to one retreat for many years up in the Adirondacks of New York....it is located on a small lake at a Conference center....we go up on a Friday and come home on a Monday.....there is one large sewing room and the rec room we turn into a quilt layer and basting room....it is a short walk to the lodge where all our meals are served ......... boy do they feed us well.....then just another short walk up a hill to our rooms....last year we had two deer that just wouldn't move so we could get by..........even throwing snowballs at them didn't work.......yup..... sometimes at the end of October they have snow on the ground.............there are about 30 of us..........our organizer has a local quilt shop (well one a hour away) bring items up to the location on Saturday.........and boy are we ready to buy........seeing what everyone else is doing stimulates our quilting ideas and needs........we also have a local lady that makes baskets stop by which is a nice break from quilting...........we have a free table where you can bring items to pass on to another quilter........if someone needs help on something the organizer may even make it into a mini demonstration............one year she did a small pumpkin wall hanging..........which would of been nice if she had supplied all the fabric needed........because as you know you can't bring all your fabric...........and you know just what you need is home............