Winter Events at the Carey Institute

Thinking About Planning a Winter Retreat? Here Are 4 Reasons Why We Think You Should

While you might be hesitant to bring your team on a retreat or host an offsite meeting in the depths of winter, we can think of plenty of reasons why you should! Not only will you save money, but our 100-acre campus is particularly beautiful in the winter months when it’s blanketed in a layer of snow and the neighboring lake is glazed over in ice. Here are a few of our favorite reasons why your off-peak winter event might be your most productive yet.

1. Save Money

Hosting your next offsite meeting, conference or retreat in the winter means less competition for dates AND lower prices. For events booked between the months of November and March, we offer even lower discounts on our already competitive per person pricing. All meeting costs are included in our per person pricing, taking the hassle out of planning and eliminating the hidden charges you may find elsewhere, ensuring your organization can budget the full meeting cost ahead of time. 

2. Onsite Craft Brewery

Our campus is home to the Helderberg Brewery, a NYS Farm Brewery and taproom which sources nearly 100% of its ingredients from local farms. Your patronage directly supports New York State farmers and our craft beverage incubator. It’s the perfect place for a “Winter Warmer” where you and your guests can enjoy exclusive use of our onsite taproom. Come share a beer while playing darts or foosball. Break into teams for a battle of the wits and compete in a group trivia night!

Feel like learning more about craft beer and the brewing process? Take advantage of a brewery tour, a sensory evaluation of raw materials, or even spend a day with our brewer making your own beer. A complete list of all the ways you can take advantage of our brewery is available.

3. Outdoor Recreation

In addition to our own 100-acre property, we are surrounded by the Huyck Preserve and its over 2,000 acres of nature. You can choose to “hike the Huyck” with over 12 miles of trails, including one access trail directly linked to our campus. We can also lead your group on a short guided hike to the beautiful Rensselaerville Falls, which cascade over 120 feet. Or test out our snowshoes and sleds, which we can provide at no extra charge. 

Feeling even more adventurous? We’d also welcome you to bring your own cross-country skis, ice skates and even fishing gear, as our campus and the neighboring Huyck Preserve provide excellent trails and public access to Lake Myosotis.

4. Indoor Recreation

Is the cold sending your group indoors? Our historic estate homes and Carriage House Restaurant offer an abundance of indoor activities to boost camaraderie for your team. Treat yourself to a round of s’mores or a hot cocoa bar as you warm your hands in front of a roaring fireplace. Or take advantage of Team Kitchen: an inclusive teambuilding exercise where our chefs lead your group (maximum of 30 people) through every step of putting together one of your groups meals. Examples of Team Kitchen programs we’ve done in the past include: Americana Menus from Four Corners of America, Summer Backyard Barbecue, and Hot and Cold Tapas. Why not try embracing the winter season and whip up a Winter Wonderland menu for yourselves.

Another option: our Guggenheim theater is the perfect place to host a movie night for your team. With seating for 175 people and a popcorn machine at the ready, a relaxing movie night may be just the thing your group needs to wake up refreshed and ready to work the next day.

Looking to take your teambuilding to the next level? We have worked with several professional facilitators and teambuilders in the past and would be happy to give you some recommendations based on your group’s needs.

These are just a few of our favorite reasons why groups choose to host their Carey Institute event during the winter. Our friendly and accommodating staff will work with you to make any retreat a success and our dedicated event planner will take care of every detail so your team can focus on what really matters: achieving your results.

Interested in hosting a winter event on our campus? Just fill out the form and our event planner will be in touch!