September 17th-21st, 2023
A Women’s Exploration Experience in Asheville, NC
Are you longing for rejuvenation and expansion through the great outdoors, community, and creativity? Our latest offering, ‘Under The Stars’ will include urban glamping, sleeping under the stars, sketching and hiking through The Blue Ridge Parkway, exploring a National Park, irreplaceable coffee sunrises, campfire meals, creative practices, and friends that last a lifetime.
One of the most iconic American landscapes can be found right here, stretching across the Southeast: The Blue Ridge Mountains. The Blue Ridge spans through eight states and encompasses nearly 35,000 square miles. This range features some of the highest peaks in Eastern North America, such as Mount Mitchell, and nestles the infamous Great Smoky Mountain National Park and Appalachian Trail. The breathtaking scenery during the fall is not to be missed: with gorgeous mountain terrain featuring towering summits, rivers, lush National Forests, and cascading waterfalls. We can’t wait to explore all of this with you this September!
This weekend is for you - for every part of you.
We will focus our time in nature each day, as the group chooses between forest bathing, National Park exploration, trail sketching, and other scenic locations to explore as a community.
After hosting several retreats, we have found that relaxation and downtime is an essential part of this process as well. This urban glamping facility is the best of both worlds.
As your hosts, we are here to nurture you, to love you, and provide experiences that encourage a sense of groundedness. Each ‘Under The Stars’ offering works as a guide to release our everyday roles, and tap back in to our innate sense of curiosity and creativity.
Here, you will find your people. You will learn to uncage yourself. Here, you already belong.
Our favorite hikes along the East Coast can be found here, within the Blue Ridge Mountains and Smoky Mountain National Park. Hiking these areas during the color change is nothing short of magical. Eight National Forests span the Blue Ridge, and the lush forest here is home to some of the most magnificent wildflower population; with 80% of the plants here being vascular.
If you’ve never driven the Blue Ridge Parkway in the fall, you’re in for a treat. The Appalachian Region’s longest and tallest road spans all the way from The Great Smoky Mountain National Park, all the way to Shenandoah National Park— one of our Nation’s best roadtrips! The Blue Ridge Parkway has been the #1 most visited unit of the US National Park system for 70 of the past 74 years. We will be exploring numerous hikes, roadtrips, and outdoor explorations in our five days here.
It is through these sacred outdoor spaces that we will be reconnecting with the parts of ourselves that become lost in our everyday life. We can drop into a place of groundedness, and of curiosity- by allowing ourselves to absorb much more when we are able to quiet the mind. These moments of awe, paired with intentional body movement, are natural remedies for anxiety, exhaustion, and confusion. Our goal is to remember that we are more ourselves than ever before when touching the bark of a tree, watching a beautiful sunset, or feeling the sun on our skin. These moments allow us to drop everything. disconnect, and strip back the layered roles; to fall back into the world around us. Experiences such as this will allow us to feel and think differently, expanding our awareness, creative nature, and overall sense of joy.
We will be hiking to various waterfalls, rivers, and outlooks— none complete without a picnic in the woods or sketch time along the trail. We will cook several meals outdoors over the fire and enjoy one another’s company after a day of exploration. We will find excitement and joy in our Canopy Tour through the Pisgah National Forest; Zip-lining through the beautiful colors of fall. We can’t wait to reset with you!
We will be enjoying these chosen hikes through The Blue Ridge, Smokey Mountain National Park, and the surrounding areas. We will be enjoying the breathtaking views, taking moments to sketch and write, and enjoying the fall foliage. We will be zip lining through the trees to experience the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains! Our zipline canopy tour features a combination of zips, rappels, short hikes, and a canopy bridge walkway to our treehouse. Dinners will be cooked outside over the grill with the fresh air, with picnics in the meadow on the grounds of the cabin. Bodily movements remind of us in the strength in our legs, lungs, and hearts. Witnessing nature thrive, all on its own, shifts our perspective. Light shifts, weather passes. Impermanence is everywhere; the very thread of life. These moments outdoors remind us to find these things within ourselves.
Our glamping partnership allows us to enjoy the comforts of home while still being immersed in the outdoors. This is an urban glamping experience, meaning we are still close to the heart of Asheville and all that it holds! These gorgeous cabins allow us to reconnect with ourselves and allow us to rest our minds comfortably after hiking each day. We are a short walk away from local wineries and breweries, along with the River Arts District. We will be spending time together, both as a community and in times of solo refuge, in these spaces: cooking together outdoors for meals, lounging in the grass for discussion, reading a book or sketching near the river, sipping coffee each morning.
Glamping here comes with all of your favorite creature comforts, including private bathroom, queen mattress and queen pull-out sofa, seated workplace, microwave, electric kettle, HVAC, private deck, and even high-speed WiFi. Every cabin also comes with a record player and vintage records, hammock, and a selection of books and games so you can unplug and reconnect.
Entrance to Great Smoky Mountain National Park
All hiking excursions across The Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah National Forest and Mount Mitchell
Road tour of The Blue Ridge Parkway
A 4 night / 5 day stay at our glamping location in Asheville
3 hour zip lining tour through Pisgah National Forest
Morning Meditation and Yoga Class
Charcoal sketching tips + tricks while on the trails
Two-Hour Group Ceramics Lesson at The River Arts District
1-2 meals a day (please budget for additional snacks, meals and drinks at breweries)
Transportation from the glamping location to National Park, hikes, and beautiful scenery
Creative Activities (sketching, portrait photography, celestial photos)
Personalized swag bags
Over 100 pages of Digital Download Creative Workbooks
Memories that last a lifetime, authentic bonds with fresh faces, and a time to reset
Hi! We’re Lindsey & Sam.
If you’re new here, we have been hosting retreats and building this amazing community since December of 2019. As both lovers of the outdoors, we have been backpacking and camping around the world together since our friendship began in Charleston 2016. To us, there is nothing more special than unplugging with those you love and resetting your nervous system with fresh air, a cozy camp, and freshly brewed coffee. We’ve made it a priority to do this twice a year ourselves, and hope to bring others along with us!
We cultivate these experiences based on our desires to build authentic friendship among women from a place of trust, exploration, expansion, and healing. We know it can be difficult to find friends or family who are willing to try new things or take time off. This is where our community comes in!
Want to learn more about us? Visit our websites below:
I don’t consider myself an ‘artist’ or ‘creative’. Is this the retreat for me?
The very reason we started Ember and Solis was to disprove the very notion of ‘gatekeeping’ in the sense of artistic expression: meaning, we believe we are ALL innately creative. You do not need to consider yourself an artist, own a business, or have artistic experience to attend a retreat. All we ask is for you remain open-minded and curious throughout the process— we all find unique ways to drop into that curiosity and right-brained way of life.
What is not included in this pricing?
Your flight or way of travel to Asheville is not included, alongside your ride to and from the glamping site. We will be working as a group to coordinate ride sharing/rental cars to make this as effortless as possible! We are planning to have most meal’s prepared for our adventure, but please factor in cash for additional snacks, alcohol and water during your stay. We highly encourage and will help to coordinate sharing a rental car with others from the airport ($350 split between 3-5 people).
What if I am new to hiking or outdoor adventure?
Our favorite thing to say is that it’s never too late to start! The main goal of ‘Under The Stars’ is to promote a safe community for those of us who have always longed for these adventures, but don’t always have the friends or family in our lives to explore them with! Lindsey and Sam have great experience in the outdoors, and will be there to guide you through basic safety needs and group hikes. We will not be participating in hikes that put anyone’s safety at risk, and all hikes will voted on by the group! Because this experience is created to ground you, each attendee has the choice to change their mind each day when choosing activities. That’s the beauty of this glamping site: there is always something to enjoy.
What airport should I fly into? Will we have communication with this process?
Depending on where you are located, there are several options available. Asheville Airport is the closest to our site! You can also fly into Charleston or Charlotte and choose to drive several hours to Asheville, depending on your plans before/after. We will set up group chats between attendees prior to booking flights and rental cars so that everyone can coordinate and ride share.
What is the room sharing situation like?
Each cabin be shared between two attendees, with your choice to share a Queen sized bed or take the comfortable sleeper sofa. If you wish to book a cabin entirely for yourself, please get in touch! If you and a friend are looking to share a cabin specifically, that can be coordinated as well. Please email us.
Are men welcome on this experience?
Because this retreat is a cabin-sharing experience, we are only able to accept male-presenting attendees if they are able to book a cabin entirely for themselves, OR bring a friend to share their space with. This includes couples as well! It is important to us that all women on this trip would be only sharing an intimate space with someone they are comfortable with. Please email us if you have any questions.
What about food allergies or other food concerns?
We will be sending out a survey prior to arrival to address any and all food concerns! We ourselves have strict diets and will gladly accommodate for the group meals.
I’m new to traveling on a trip like this. How do I know what to bring?
Each attendee will be sent a specific list of goodies that will help make the trip effortless and fun. We will be sure to include everything down to the details of toiletries! We will do the work for you and be sure you’re prepared.
$2,400
We have you covered with our fall ‘Under The Stars’ experience
Where does the Blue Ridge get its name?The blue haze that covers the region was first coined by The Cherokee, referring to the mountains as the Shaconage (shah-CON-ug-gee) or 'the land of the blue smoke'. Recently, scientists have discovered that the type of trees found along the mountains produce a specific hydrocarbon that protects themselves from stress of excess heat. Once this is released, it can interact with other molecules, which scatter blue light from the sun-- creating a distinctive blueish hazy effect over the mountains.Please keep in mind that payment plans are available up until the event date. Once you sign up, we request a $250 deposit to hold your space. Each month until the experience, we will request a payment via a plan you’ve approved. All payments must be made before September in order to attend the retreat.
If you are longing for the excitement of new adventure— the refreshment that comes after a day spent outdoors— and the flow state that comes from a place of re-alignment— this is for you x
Simply fill out the form below and we will send over your contract and deposit request!
If you have any questions or concerns, we are all ears. Feel free to send us an email, we’re happy to help you work it out x
