Writers' Workshop
Location and Directions
Kanuga Conference Center is located on 1,400 acres in the western North Carolina mountains, six miles southwest of Hendersonville and approximately 25 miles from Asheville. Kanuga's 30-acre lake offers boating, swimming, and fishing without a permit. A pavilion overlooking the lake will be the site of our receptions and a special picnic supper, weather permitting. The average high temperature in mid-May is 75° and the low is 55°. There are several miles of hiking trails of varying lengths and degrees of difficulty. In May, a number of wildflowers will still be in bloom. Kanuga also has four tennis courts (two with lights) and a full-sized gym. A 20-station fitness trail begins near the gym and runs for just over a half mile. And there are plenty of rocking chairs and a library for quiet writing time.
The Inn -- A great stone building with windows facing into the tall trees, The Kanuga Lake Inn houses the dining hall, library, and a number of commons rooms for long afternoons of quiet reading and writing. The Inn also has 62 hotel-style rooms, each with two beds and a private bath. The Inn has convenient parking, wheelchair access, and an elevator. Guest rooms do not have telephones or television. Guest phones, however, are provided in the lobby with two additional lines available for laptop and internet service.
Guest Houses -- We have also reserved two guest houses at Kanuga with four bedrooms each if your writing group or a gang of friends is interested in sharing a house for the workshop. These houses, nestled in the woods just up the hill from the Inn, have a living room, fireplace, and two comfortable screen porches. Groups of four to eight persons must register early as a group to reserve these spaces. Please contact the director at GE@minnowmedia.net if you are thinking about bringing a group of writers.
All rates (listed on the registration page) are the same whether you stay in the Inn or a Guest House, but please note that we have a limited number of single rooms available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Meals
Three daily meals and all receptions are included in your tuition. Breakfast is served buffet style; lunch is a soup and salad bar; and dinner is served family style. Meals provide an important opportunity for you to get to know the faculty members and participants outside your daily workshop group. We'll do our best to accommodate vegetarians and any other special dietary requirements if you let us know in advance on the registration form. The food at Kanuga is best described as traditional mountain fare (pot roast, pork loin, baked chicken, hearty soups) with vegetables, fruits, and salads on the side. Breakfast meats, eggs, breads, cereals, yogurt and fresh fruits are served in the morning. Complimentary coffee and tea are available all day in the Inn.
Directions
Hendersonville is approximately 20 miles south of Asheville, North Carolina. Kanuga is readily accessible from all directions via Interstate Highways 26, 40, 85 and US 25. We'll send you driving directions with your registration confirmation or you may visit http://www.kanuga.org/
If you are flying in, Hendersonville is served by the Asheville Airport (AVL), a 30-minute drive with taxi service and rental cars available or by the Greenville Spartanburg Airport (GSP), a 60-minute drive with car rentals available. The Charlotte International Airport (CLT) is a one-hour and 45 minute drive. We encourage you to compare fares to each airport since rates vary widely. Train service is also available to Greenville, SC from many points north and south.
Because there is so much to do in the vicinity of Kanuga and because the late springtime is so spectacular in the Blue Ridge, you may want to extend your visit to the area by staying over either the weekend before or after the workshop (or both!) and save on airfare.
Asheville is home to dozens of craft galleries, theaters, music venues, and the Biltmore House (the country's largest private residence.) Farther west is the headquarters of the Cherokee Nation and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Blue Ridge Parkway (within a short drive of Kanuga) takes you high on the crest of the mountains -- an incredible drive to Asheville or the Smokies. White water rafting and hiking are also easily available with a wide range of overnight accommodations in the area.