Experience an intimate literary retreat in the inspiring setting of Cavallo Point, featuring small-group workshops with acclaimed authors, engaging conversations, and lasting connections
The Retreat Experience Includes
★ Three nights at Cavallo Point Lodge
★ Intimate writing workshops with nationally recognized authors
★ Small groups limited to 12 participants
★ Community breakfasts and lunches
★ Opening dinner and evening receptions
★ Literary conversations, readings & book signings
★ Guided nature experiences and restorative retreat activities
★ Time and space dedicated to your creative life
Featured Faculty
Jane Smiley ★ Fiction & the Art of Storytelling
Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist and acclaimed author of A Thousand Acres, Lidie, and numerous works of fiction and nonfiction.
Charles Hood ★ Writing the Living World
Award-winning author, poet, naturalist, and guide whose work explores the intersection of landscape, science, travel, and imagination.
A rare opportunity to slow down, write deeply, and join a community of fellow writers and readers in one of the most beautiful places on the California coast.
Limited to 36 participants
A Literary Retreat at Cavallo Point
Four Days of Writing, Inspiration & Creative Renewal at the Golden Gate
Step away from the demands of daily life and immerse yourself in an unforgettable literary experience at Cavallo Point, where world-class writers, breathtaking landscapes, and thoughtful conversation come together in one of Northern California’s most inspiring settings.
Nestled beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Marin Headlands and sweeping views of San Francisco Bay, this intimate retreat invites writers and lifelong readers to reconnect with creativity, deepen their craft, and discover new inspiration in a remarkable community.
Over four days and three nights at Cavallo Point’s historic lodge, participants will gather for small-group workshops with celebrated authors, meaningful conversations over shared meals, evening literary events, and restorative experiences designed to spark imagination and renewal.
Each morning, you will join an intimate workshop limited to just twelve participants—offering rare access to acclaimed writers in a supportive, highly personal setting. Afternoons provide time for reflection, exploration, and inspiration through guided nature walks, wellness offerings, writing time, and the extraordinary landscape of the Golden Gate.
Evenings bring the community together for receptions, author conversations, readings, and the kind of memorable exchanges that happen when writers and readers gather in a beautiful place.
Meet the Faculty
Carefully selected for their literary excellence, exceptional teaching, and distinctive voices, our faculty will lead intimate workshops of no more than twelve participants
Jane Smiley
Fiction
A Pulitzer Prize–winning author and one of America's most celebrated literary voices, Jane Smiley has written more than twenty works of fiction and nonfiction, including the acclaimed craft books Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel and her new essay collection on the writing life, The Questions That Matter Most: Reading, Writing, and the Exercise of Freedom. Her newest novel, Lidia (2026), continues her lifelong exploration of character, history, and place. Renowned for her generous teaching and incisive manuscript critiques, Smiley offers writers an extraordinary opportunity to deepen their craft in an intimate workshop setting. Jane’s workshops will include individual manuscript critiques, writing exercises and discussion of craft.
Charles Hood
Nature Writing • Creative Nonfiction
Charles Hood is an award-winning poet, essayist, and naturalist whose work celebrates the intersection of literature, science, and the natural world. The author of more than twenty books, he is widely admired for his bestselling California nature guides, A Californian's Guide to the Birds Among Us and A Californian's Guide to the Mammals Among Us, as well as his acclaimed essay collection Double Hyenas and Lazarus Birds, an exploration of the Pacific Ocean, memory, and the wild places that shape us. His newest book, Acorns in a Nutshell, will be published in August 2026. Blending lyrical precision, curiosity, and deep observation, Hood's workshops inspire writers to discover fresh ways of seeing—and transforming—the natural world into unforgettable prose and poetry.
Schedule
Sunday, August 30, 2026
Arrival & Opening Celebration
2:00–5:00 PM
Guest Arrival & Check-In
5:30 PM
Welcome Cocktail Reception
Special Guest Author Presentation & Book Signing
7:00 PM
Opening Community Dinner at the Lodge
Gather with fellow participants, faculty, and the Catamaran community for an evening of conversation and connection.
Monday, August 31, 2026
Small-Group Workshops & Creative Exploration
8:00–9:00 AM
Community Breakfast
9:00 AM–12:00 PM
Small-Group Writing Workshops
Groups of up to 12 participants discuss aspects of creative writing including revision, and critique of individual projects.
12:30–1:30 PM
Community Lunch
Afternoon Creative Retreat Experiences
Time for optional activities, personal writing, and enjoying the landscape of Cavallo Point. Including private club lounge to gather.
7:00 PM
Evening Cocktail & Wine Reception
Author Conversation and Book Signing
(Approximately 60–75 minutes)
Tuesday, September 1, 2026
Small-Group Workshops & Creative Exploration
8:00–9:00 AM
Community Breakfast
9:00 AM–12:00 PM
Small-Group Writing Workshops
Participants continue their workshop experience focusing on craft and generative writing,
12:30–1:30 PM
Community Lunch
Afternoon Creative Retreat Experiences
Time for optional activities (yoga, spa, hikes, complimenatary Lexus car, or ferry to San Francisco) personal writing, and enjoying the landscape of Cavallo Point.
7:00 PM
Evening Cocktail & Wine Reception
Author Conversation and Book Signing
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Closing Reflections & Celebration
8:00–9:00 AM
Final Community Breakfast
9:00–12:00 AM
Final Small-Group Writing Workshops
A concluding workshop session offering participants additional guidance, reflection, and conversation in their intimate writing groups.
12:00–1:00 PM
Farewell Community Lunch
1:30 PM
Closing Reading & Awards Ceremony
Celebrate the retreat community with a final reading, reflections, and recognition of participants’ creative achievements.
Optional Afternoon Activities
Spa Treatments and Pool, Guided Yoga, Guided Nature Hikes, Complimentary Lexus Cars for 3hrs, Shuttle to the SF Ferry, Club Lounge, Garden Lounge, Porch Lounge
Historic and Contemporary Accommodations
with options to share with a fellow participant, or single occupancy.
Cavallo Point is rich in history
Built in 1904 for US Military housing for the US Navy
many of the original buildings and historical details of Fort Baker have been preserved
Thank you to our sponsors
