Host a Retreat Your Guests Will Actually Remember
A retreat space designed for connection, creativity, and restoration, without the conference center feel.
The Brown County Barn Burner gives retreat leaders a space that's equal parts functional and restorative. With private accommodations, group gathering spaces for your sessions, and a walkable, downtown location.
What Kind of Retreat Are You Hosting?
The Barn Burner hosts a wide range of retreat formats. What they share is a need for space that holds the work and the people doing it.
Wellness Retreats: Yoga, meditation, breath work, and sound healing - the Barn Burner gives you the space to gather. Private units mean attendees have genuine time to themselves. The event space and rooftop patio give you clean, flexible spaces for your sessions.
Yoga Retreats: Bring your own instructor and use the event space or rooftop patio as your practice space - and if you need recommendations, I have several local yoga and wellness contacts I'm happy to connect you with.
Business & Leadership Retreats: Off-sites that actually ‘move the needle’ require the right environment. The Barn Burner gives your team a focused space that feels nothing like a conference room, which is exactly the point. WiFi, a dedicated, flexible workspace, and accommodations all in one place.
Creative Retreats: Writing, art, photography, and design - Brown County's natural beauty and creative culture have drawn artists for over a century. A creative retreat at the Barn Burner puts that energy to work.
Masterminds & Peer Groups: Small, high-trust gatherings of 10–20 people who need a private, distraction-free space to do deep work together. The Barn Burner's layout creates the right balance of structured session time and informal connection.
Faith & Community Retreats: A peaceful setting, private accommodations, and the kind of atmosphere that invites reflection. Whether it's a church small group, a leadership team, or a women's retreat, the Barn Burner holds your group gracefully.
Everything You Need Under One Roof
Great retreats don't happen by accident. They happen because the environment supports the intention. Here's what the Barn Burner brings to that equation:
A Dedicated Event Space: Nearly 1,000 sq ft of clean, flexible space with tables, chairs, a rolling whiteboard, a TV with HDMI hookup, and a catering kitchen. Set it up for your sessions, rearrange it for a workshop, or use it for a group dinner. The Event Space is yours to configure however your retreat requires.
Private Space Between Sessions: Four private lodging units with 9 bedrooms and 14 beds, plus 4 sofa beds - space for up to 29 people, depending on what your group needs. Every unit has its own kitchen, living area, and laundry. Real privacy between sessions, not a shared hotel room with a stranger. Personal space matters on a retreat, and the Barn Burner is designed with that in mind.
Gathering Spaces That Work Naturally: The shared rooftop patio with fire table is where the informal connection happens, the conversations after sessions end, the evenings that become the most meaningful part of the weekend. You don't have to program it. The space invites it.
Nature, Close Enough to Matter: The Brown County State Park and miles of scenic hills are minutes away, and the Salt Creek Trail is a reset-button walk right in town - no drive required between sessions. Whether nature is part of your retreat agenda or just part of the backdrop, the setting in Brown County does more for restoration than any carefully curated playlist. For more trails and outdoor planning, check out my Brown County hiking and outdoor guide.
Downtown Nashville, Steps Away: When your group needs a change of scene - a meal out, a walk, a local shop, a post-session experience - downtown Nashville is just steps away from the Barn Burner. Convenient without being distracting.
Flexibility to Design Your Own Flow: No rigid venue packages, no required vendors, no predetermined setup. You bring your program. We provide the space, the accommodations, and the infrastructure. The retreat is yours.
Planning a Retreat in Brown County? These Will Help.
I’ve hosted retreats of my own at the Barn Burner, plus helped countless other retreat hosts plan theirs. Here are some other resources that might help:
Plus, our companion blog, Tanglewood Hideaway, has practical, locally-tested resources for retreat leaders hosting their next event in Brown County:
✅ Planning Your Visit to Brown County: Logistics, timing, and local knowledge for groups traveling from out of town
🍽️ Catering in Nashville, Indiana: How to Feed a Crowd: You can bring your own food, but you don't have to carry that too - the local restaurants and caterers I work with for my own retreats can take meals off your plate entirely.
🎉 The Best Group Activities in Brown County: Curated by group type: wellness retreats, corporate retreats, creative experiences, and mixed-interest groups
🌄 More Things to Do in Brown County: Outdoor activities, scenic drives, and experiences to incorporate into your retreat agenda
What a Retreat at the Barn Burner Looks Like
Weekends in Brown County are great, but midweek is when a retreat really works. Everyone genuinely steps away from the day-to-day, the town is quieter, and dates are easier to book.
I always host my own retreats Sunday to Wednesday, and it’s been the perfect balance of peace and activity.
If you want to maximize what’s open in town, then I’d recommend choosing Tuesday to Friday instead (or Wednesday to Friday for a two-night retreat) - a little more of the town is open later in the week, and the time for focus is still built in.
Here’s a loose framework to help you visualize the flow, but every retreat leader adapts it differently.
Tuesday - Arrive & Ease In
Attendees arrive in the afternoon and settle into their units. No agenda yet - just the chance to exhale, get comfortable, and arrive fully.
Kick things off with an opening session in the event space, or on the rooftop patio in the early evening, followed by a group dinner together. The tone is set: this is different from the rest of your week.
Suggestion: Keep your first evening light. The arrival and the gathering is the work. A meal together and an opening circle are enough.
Wednesday - The Heart of the Retreat
If any day is going to be packed, this is the one.
Start with a morning session in the event space - your core programming, whatever form that takes. Take a short break mid-morning, then a second session or a facilitated experience.
Lunch together, an afternoon session or hands-on workshop, then dinner and time on the rooftop patio around the fire table. This is the day the retreat is built around.
Suggestion: This is the day to go big (tomorrow breathes), but you’ll still want to build in some time between sessions. The informal time is where the integration happens.
Thursday - Bringing it All Together
Fit in one more session in the morning, while everyone's fresh. After lunch, loosen things up a bit with some free time: a group hike, a creative workshop in town, individual walks, or simply unstructured rest.
Then the final-night hurrah - plan a special group dinner and let the conversations the whole retreat was building toward happen.
Suggestion: Don’t give in to the temptation to pack this day full as well. Build in more white space than you think you need - trust me, your group will thank you.
Friday - Wrap Up and Wander Out
In the morning, a quick closing session or an unhurried breakfast together, whichever your group needs - keep it easy. Add late checkout, and no one has to rush the ending.
And if people don't have to hurry home, point them toward a morning wandering Nashville as the shops open for the weekend, or a hike on their way out of town.
The best retreats end slowly. The Barn Burner is set up for that.
Only Have Two Nights?
Run things Wednesday to Friday instead. Keep the same structure for your first and last days as outlined above, but adapt your middle day itinerary like this:
Morning session in the event space - your core programming, whatever form that takes. Take a break mid-morning, then a second session or a facilitated experience.
After lunch, structured free time: a group hike, a creative workshop in town, individual walks, or some time to rest. An afternoon session if your agenda calls for it, then an evening meal together and time on the rooftop patio around the fire table. This is where the real conversations start.
Just be sure to keep some open space in your one big afternoon - people need room to explore and unwind, even on a short retreat.
Retreat Questions, Answered
Is there WiFi and workspace for business retreats? Yes. WiFi is available throughout the property, and each unit has comfortable workspace. The event space is set up for presentations, workshops, and structured sessions with a projector screen available. For off-site digital detox retreats, the property works equally well without it.
Can outside instructors or facilitators host sessions on-site? Absolutely. The event space is designed to accommodate outside facilitators - yoga instructors, coaches, workshop leaders, speakers, and more. You bring your program; the space is flexible enough to support it.
Is catering available? Outside catering is welcome, and the event space includes a catering kitchen. Each lodging unit also has a full kitchen for groups who prefer to cook meals together. For local restaurant and catering options, the Food & Drink guide is a good starting point.
How many guests fit comfortably for a retreat? The property sleeps up to 29 guests across 9 bedrooms. For session-style programming, the event space comfortably holds 20–30 attendees depending on setup. Groups with more day attendees than overnight guests should reach out to discuss logistics.
Can we book just part of the property? Yes. Individual units are available to book separately 90 days in advance. For most retreats, full-property buyouts work best - they give you exclusive use of all gathering spaces and eliminate the possibility of non-retreat guests on-site.
Is the event space included in lodging? The event space is available as an add-on for lodging guests, it's not automatically included. Contact us to discuss availability and pricing alongside your lodging booking.
Can we bring our own food, alcohol, or retreat materials? Yes. You're welcome to bring your own food and drinks. Outside vendors and retreat materials are not restricted. Review individual listing policies or reach out with specific questions before booking.
How far in advance should retreat leaders book? As early as possible, especially for fall and summer weekends. Full-property bookings open up to one year in advance. Given the planning lead time most retreats require, early booking is strongly recommended.
Retreat Testimonials
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “We rented the entire Barn Burner, including the event space, for our retreat—WOW! Every detail was so well thought out, from the cozy decor to the fully stocked kitchens. The event room was the perfect size, and the large garage doors filled the space with natural light. We will absolutely be back!”– Stacy S.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The Barn Burner was a great place for our company retreat. We rented all four units and there were plenty of rooms and space for us to gather and also quiet spaces for those those that needed them. The units had modern amenities and comfy beds. The location was in town and within walking distance to lots of cafes and shops.” – Elva L.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “The Brown County Barn Burner was perfect for our staff event. The space is so warm and inviting. Kara was so helpful as we planned our stay. Highly recommend!” – Angela H.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I can’t sing the barn burners praises enough! This place is perfect! So well thought out. Everything you could need is there! All of the beds are extremely comfy! The design is PERFECT! It’s the perfect place to travel with a large group. We spent lots of time on the rooftop patio eating meals, playing games and hanging out. We went for a staff retreat and every person that was there was sad to leave and was asking for the link to stay again and asking if we could come back next year for our retreat!” – Maddie B
The Retreat You've Been Imagining Has a Home Base.
You've done the work of designing an experience worth attending. The Barn Burner gives you the setting to deliver it, without compromise.