Facility and Travel

Facility

Writer Camp wouldn’t be Writer Camp without our friends at Godspeed Events and Lodging in Port Matilda, Pennsylvania, which is just outside State College and about a half hour from Altoona. The facility features a several small bunkhouses, 13 private rooms, and large event space that we’ll be using for meals and in the case of rain. A creek runs along the property and it’s just really nice back there, a perfect place for sitting and either writing or pretending to write. It’s lovely. (Check out their Instagram to see Godspeed in action.)

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Lodging options

Cabanas include a queen bed with futon couch and small table. They have electricity and heat, but share bathrooms and showers with the other campers.
Rooms can be single- or shared-occupancy. We will not pair people who don’t already know each other into a shared cabana. If you have a non-writer in your life who would enjoy a mini-vacation, bring them along! Standard shared room fee applies.
Visit the Godspeed Events and Lodging website for a full photo tour.

Save some money and increase that camp feeling - stay in a bunkhouse! Bunkhouses sleep between four to six people, and each person gets their own full-sized bed. (Bunkhouses are also the Barrelhouse editors’ lodging of choice.)
Bunkhouses are all-gender, but only feet away from the bathrooms and showers, making changing clothes in private easy to do. The bunkhouses are connected by a small common lounge area. The entire bunkhouse facility is heated and air conditioned. Visit the Godspeed Events and Lodging website for a full photo tour.
We typically fill the bunkhouse individually. However, if you have a group of four to six people and would like to book all the spaces for yourselves, let us know! Contact campbarrelhouse@gmail.com and we’ll try to accommodate your request.

Enjoy the creek, the stars, and the fireflies! Godspeed has all sorts of meadow-y tucked away spaces that are perfect for a tent. You can bring your own equipment or, with advanced notice, Godspeed can provide a tent, tarp, cot, sleeping bag, pillow, and chair.

Amenities

Bathroom buildings are short walk from the cabanas and bunkhouseh. Each private, all-gender bathroom stall includes a toilet, sink, and bench to hold toiletries.

Each private, all-gender shower stall includes a shower with plenty of hot water, clothes hooks, a bench, and body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. (The Barrelhouse staff dream about these showers when we’re not at camp. They’re amazing.)

Godspeed’s back boundary is Spring Creek, one of the most densely populated brown trout streams in Pennsylvania. Bring a swimsuit, some water shoes, or a fishing rod. A large meadow separates the event hall from the lodging area, perfect for a game of catch or a restorative yoga session. The nearby Allegheny mountains offer multiple opportunities for trail running, hiking, and mountain biking - feel free to ask us or Godspeed for tips and directions.

Location and travel

Check in is usually between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. on the opening day of camp. Check out is by noon on Sunday. (If you’re accepted to camp, and those times don’t work with your schedule, just let us know.)

Location

Godspeed is located at 7897 S Eagle Valley Rd, Port Matilda, PA 16870, roughly 15 minutes outside State College, PA.

Distance from:

Baltimore: 3 hours
DC: 3 hours 20 minutes
New York: 4 hours
Philadelphia: 3 hours 20 minutes
Pittsburgh: 2 hours

DescriptioYou are responsible for your own travel and lodging expenses outside of the camp dates. However, we will try to coordinate courtesy pickups and drop-offs State College or any of the following locations on the first and last days of camp:
Airport: State College, PA/University Park (SCE or UNV)
Amtrak: Tyrone, PA
Megabus and Greyhound: State College, PA
There are a number of taxi companies, as well as Uber/Lyft/etc, who will drive you to Godspeed if you’re unable to make our standard pickup and drop-off windows. (Usually 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the first day of camp, and 8 a.m to 2 p.m. on the last day.)n text goes here
We have a number of campers coming from the same metro areas. Once the camp roster is announced, we will try to help facilitate carpooling and ride shares for those who are interested.