Some U.S. Retreat Centers
This short list includes only places that I have enjoyed or would enjoy. Being an INFJ personality type, my priorities are silence, solitude, space, and time spent only with Spirit. I’m contemplating the amenities and drawbacks of each and only including ones that interest me (not to be selfish, but to think of like-minded and underserved people).
My goal is to add at least 5 centers each month. There are also a lot of great resources online, such as:
And there is a lovely Sanctuaries book. Although it was last updated in 2010, a lot still exist.
To get you in the retreating mood, I’ve created a photo gallery of sorts from some of my favorite retreats. If you have any that you have particularly enjoyed, I’d love it if you’d let me know!
Alabama
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Alaska
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Arkansas
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Colorado
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Connecticut
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Delaware
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Hawaii
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Idaho
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Illinois
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Iowa
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Kansas
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Maryland
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Michigan
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Minnesota
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Montana
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Nebraska
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Nevada
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New Hampshire
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New Jersey
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New York
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Oregon
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Pennsylvania
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Rhode Island
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South Carolina
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South Dakota
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Texas
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Virginia
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Utah
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Vermont
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Washington
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West Virginia
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Wyoming
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Redemptorist Retreat Center
Summary
The Redemptorist Retreat Center in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. Fr. Richard Thibodeau, C.Ss.R. Director, says on the website, “Whether one comes here to quietly walk along the lakeshore or stay in one of our hermitages, to participate in a group of fellow seekers, or to silently spend the weekend in prayer, we are here as an oasis in the midst of life to help one return with new energy and new.”
Pros
Beautiful location and campus in the peaceful spirit of the Redemptorists with many paths and lakes.
Convenient location not far from Milwaukee; the town of Oconomowoc has a population of 15K, in case of emergencies or necessities.
Offers a wide variety of retreats and workshops, and most importantly, silent retreats!
Has a chapel, library, lovely gathering places, and a kitchen and dining room on site.
Offers spiritual direction sessions.
Hermitages!
Cons
I imagine it’s fairly active and busy.
Hermitages are $85 a night, but require a 2-night stay.
Sylvania Franciscan Spirituality Center
Summary
The Sisters of Sylvania Franciscan Regina Spirituality Center in Sylvania, Ohio. The website says, “Nestled in a tranquil, 89-acre setting among pine trees, shrines, and a prayer garden, the Regina Spirituality & Conference Center is a place for people from all walks of life; ideal for prayer, personal development and educational formation.” (The mission of the Franciscans is that of service.)
Pros
Convenient location not far from Toledo; the town of Sylvania has a population of 19K, fully equipped for any emergencies or necessities.
Has several chapels and gardens, gathering places, two kitchens, and a slew of guest rooms.
Hermitages!
Offers extended (longer than 7 days) stays.
Cons
Not a lot of information or details online. Requires an email or phone call.
Only two hermitages, so I imagine they’re quite in demand.
Santa Rita Abbey
Summary
The Santa Rita Abbey in Sonoita, Arizona is a working Cistercian monastery. It is currently in the process of doing some work on the Retreat House, so save this one and check their website or sign up for their newsletter for updates. As it says on their website, “We are a monastic place, a place in which the sisters’ simple life, their fidelity to silence, the sacred word, and liturgy lend meaning to the retreatants’ experience.” The retreat house offers a small kitchen and dining room, in which the guests prepare their meals from food provided
Pros
Silent!
A lovely kitchen, dining room, and library. Guests prepare meals from food provided, which is very nice, because there aren’t any stores with conveniences (one gas station) in or near Sonoita. (The kitchen was lovingly and fully stocked each time I visited. They make weekly trips to Tucson stores.)
Beautiful views and sunsets and sunrises!
Enjoyable drive on Scenic Highways 82 and 83 (off I-10) through the Santa Cruz River Basin.
Very peaceful in the summer off-season. Lots of room to breathe.
Suggested donation is $40 per night!
Offers long-term stays.
Cons
Not easy to get to. Their driveway is 2 miles long, and not taken care of by the county. There were no signs.
Sparse cellphone and WiFi. (It truly is a retreat.)
The walls are paper thin, so if that’s troublesome, request a room that might have an empty room next to it and definitely don’t go in the high Arizona seasons.
They built a retreat house for their community’s visitors close to the retreat building. It is intended to house potentially large family groups. I don’t know that I’d reserve time during the holidays.
Book far in advance.
Lial Renewal Center
The Lial Renewal Center in Whitehouse, Ohio is located on 94 acres in the Oak Openings region, 20 miles from Toledo. It is offered by the Sisters of Notre Dame.
Pros
Has a cottage for retreatants who want silent retreats!
Located on 94 acres in a village in Toledo, so easy to get to and for necessities and emergencies. Both peaceful and convenient.
Offers spiritual direction.
Has a chapel, kitchen (hotels and restaurants 7-9 miles away), wooded walking trails and a 7-acre lake.
Offers onsite workshops.
Cons
Bring Your Own Food. (This could be a pro, though!)
Rates are not provided on the website. Must call or email. But you can pay online!
Individual and shared guest rooms, some with private baths. Be specific about your needs and wants when you talk to them.
Monastery of Christ in the Desert
Summary
The Monastery of Christ in the Desert in Abiquiu, New Mexico. This is an active Benedictine monastery on the banks of the Chama River. You can participate as much as you choose. There are many options available for guests. The site says of its “self-directed” retreats, “It would be more accurate to call it a God-directed retreat. Your being at the Monastery at this time in your life is no accident. God has called you here and your response has been to answer that call by taking time out of your busy life in order to give yourself completely to God, taking time to be silent and to listen to the gentle whisper of God within you.”
Pros
Gorgeous area of the country. Can plan an entire trip around a stay to see Santa Fe, Taos, Carson National Forest, Chama…
Silent (and quiet is required in non-silent areas)!
Provides a detailed guide for overnight visitors. Select your room carefully. Some do not have private bathrooms.
Offers long-term stays.
Guest rooms have private accommodations - bathrooms, entrances, patios - the Reservations page is very descriptive about each room’s amenities.
Cons
Reserve FAR in advance, and keep an eye on the weather.
Not an easy road to get there (the “driveway” is 13 miles long).
Santa Fe is the closest city at 75 miles away.
No hermitages, all are guest rooms, but some have their own patios, so not dorm-style like many places.
Cape Cottage
Summary
Cape Cottage in Wellfleet, Massachusetts. This is not a retreat center; it’s a privately-owned cottage for rent. I stayed here twice and loved it! I would only stay during the off-season months as a retreat. Luckily, Cape schools are in session well into the third week of June. Also luckily, Arnold’s opens around that time, so I’m there for lobster rolls and gone before summer vacations.
Pros
Off-season tranquility.
Stay for a week during the off-season for $825!
Screened-in porch, lovely sleeping porch, outdoor shower, full kitchen, small fireplace and library - check out the link’s pictures - it’s just cuteness
You’re on Cape!
And right next to the Wildlife Sanctuary and the National Seashore. Like Thoreau!
Cons
The Cape is VERY busy during its season. I stayed here twice in April and June (before school let out for the year and the weekend that X opened so I could have lobster rolls!)
It’s a commitment, as Wellfleet is the town before Provincetown, so stay as long as you can.
Twisted Run Retreat
Summary
Twisted Run Retreat in Vancleave, Mississippi. Located near the Gulf Coast, situated on 15 acres of natural woodlands and lovingly landscaped grounds bordering Bluff Creek. Offers a variety of retreats and stays. And even creative residencies!
Pros
Cabins (tiny houses)!
Beautiful property!
Convenient to the highway (10 miles away) and the Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast towns - Biloxi, Gulfport, Moss Point, Bay St. Louis. About an hour from Mobile.
I found this when it had just started, and it has grown, and the website is perfection, and she’s living my dream, too.
I think this would be a wonderful retreat experience for people who want to be active and among like-minded creatives.
Cons
Offers residencies to artists, writers, dancers, and musicians. Very nice, but I wouldn’t want to be close to a musician or a dancer on a silent retreat.
The cabins are situated very close together on the property. (I recommend doing a “Twisted Run Retreat” Google image search.) It’s nice to have a place to oneself, but you’d be very close to other retreatants, which would only be nice if that’s what you’re looking for! (I might recommend a one-night stay to test the actual waters. This might not be easy unless you’re in the area, of course.)
I don’t think this would be a good option for silent retreatants or those who want a lot of solitude. There are a lot of events and group gatherings mentioned on the site.
Feels very active. Site mentions a kayak launch, fishing post, and a marina.
Owner lives on property and talks about solitude but also how much she likes to “share”.
Least expensive cabins are $115 per night AND a $75 cleaning fee!
St. Joseph Retreat House
Summary
St. Joseph Retreat House in Milton, Massachusetts. Per the website, the Mission of St. Joseph Retreat House is to provide a silent, sacred and welcoming space of prayer to those seeking rest and desiring to encounter and deepen their relationship with Christ.
Pros
Silent!
Offers a variety of retreats, including a 30-day extended stay.
Five- and eight-day retreat prices are very reasonable!
Only has 10 guest rooms, so small and quiet.
Lovely grounds, a chapel, meals provided in the dining room.
Milton is a part of Boston.
Offers spiritual direction.
Lovely and helpful website!
Cons
No hermitages.
Milton is a part of Boston.
Retreats do require levels of participation in spiritual direction.
The 30-day retreat is $3200!
Mary the Font Solitude
Summary
Mary the Font Solitude in High Point, Missouri. Their website says, “We seek a pure life in Christ, with least impediment from distracting externals. Our primary focus therefor is on a strong contemplative prayer life, extended into the dual apostolates of direct evangelization and the spiritual deepening of persons”.
Pros
All retreatants are in hermitages!!! (THIS IS A MAJOR PRO.)
Meals are provided and taken privately.
Lovely grounds for walking, a library, and opportunity for masses or spiritual direction.
Very flexible retreat formats and schedules!
Website feels down to earth and welcoming.
High Point is convenient enough to Columbia, Jefferson City, and Lake of the Ozarks. Easy to get to.
No set prices; you give what you’re called to.
Cons
Very rustic, basic, and rural in tradition with their mission. This could be a pro or you could feel like you’re in a Deliverance movie.
I probably wouldn’t recommend going in the height of summer bug season.
Ignatius House
Summary
Ignatius House in Sandy Springs, Georgia. This place has a very interesting history, described in detail on the website’s home page. “Ignatius House was born from the generous gift of a family’s summer home and a desire to help future generations know God. In 1957, Suzanne Spalding Schroder and her son John, a Jesuit priest, determined that the family’s 20 acres along the Chattahoochee River in north Atlanta would be ideal as a retreat center. Ignatius House has continued uninterrupted for nearly 60 years, annually welcoming approximately 3,000 guests who seek to spiritual renewal to live out God’s will in their lives.”
A 50-room retreat house was dedicated in December 1960 and Ignatius House opened for retreats in January 1961. The first retreat was offered for women only and widely attended by friends of the late Suzanne Spalding Schroder.
Pros
Completely silent!
Meals are provided in the dining room.
Very convenient if you’re in the Southeast, and especially Atlanta. Sandy Springs is a suburb on the North side of the city.
Offers a wide variety of retreat formats.
Lovely chapel and grounds.
The website seems to feel very strongly about their rules. I list this as a Pro, because the last thing I want is to pay for a trip and retreat to a silent center that isn’t.
Cons
In the heart of Atlanta. This might be a pro, though, depending on your location. I’m from the city, and I do know that the location is in a very peaceful area of town with a “country” setting.
I would recommend reserving a private room on the 2nd floor and test for noise. I have been on silent retreats where you can hear your “neighbor’s” every move and bodily function (cough, sniff, etc.).
This could be a pro, but I believe they strongly encourage directed retreats, where you are connected with a Spiritual Director for daily sessions. Ask questions and express your needs and expectations to see if this is a fit.
The website mentions that there is no elevator to the second floor of the retreat house.
The website also mentions that they welcome over 3,000 retreatants a year. That could be busy, but there are 50 rooms, so could be just right. : )
Our Lady of Guadalupe Abbey
Summary
Our Lady of Guadalupe Abbey in Pecos, New Mexico. The website says, “Through our consecrated lives, our simple way of life, and our retreat ministry, we hope to bring prayer, healing, compassion and peace to the world as Jesus taught us.” And, “We open our doors for those who seek peace and refuge in a world caught up in change.”
Pros
Hermitages!
Meals are provided for retreatants in guest rooms. Those in hermitages are welcome to join or use the hermitage’s kitchenette. (General menus are on the website.)
In a lovely area of the country, between Santa Fe (just 25 miles away) and Las Vegas (New Mexico, not Nevada). Google images of the Pecos River, Pecos Wilderness, and the National Park for fun!
On 1,000 acres with a lake and riverfront.
Full access to a lovely chapel.
The website is very down-to-earth and welcoming.
Very reasonable pricing: guest rooms $105, hermitages $125!
Cons
This may be a Pro, but there is limited WiFi and cellphone service due to the surrounding mountains.
Know that this area is at a high altitude (7,000 feet). Santa Fe is even higher!
Hermitages are up a steep hill (not accessible by car) that may be snow-covered in the winter.
Mary Joseph Spiritual Center
Summary
Mary Joseph Spiritual Center in Biddeford, Maine. The website says, “Nestled along Maine’s southern coast, Marie Joseph Spiritual Center, owned and operated by the Congregation of the Presentation of Mary, offers a spiritual haven for many. Refreshment for spirit, mind and body is available for persons seeking a sacred space, silence, healing and a deeper relationship with their God”. And “a tradition of offering hospitality in the context of spiritual nurturance since 1978”. (It was previously a boarding school for girls.)
Pros
It’s Maine!
Huge retreat house on the water. Offers a wide variety of accommodations, including those specific to silent retreaters.
Offers individual retreats, as well as specific offerings. Check out the blocks for “Our Retreats” and “Individual Retreats” on the website’s home page.
Convenient - between Portland, ME, and Portsmouth, NH, one of the must-visit areas in the country.
Mentions welcoming people of all faiths, so that’s nice.
Lots to see and do in the area before or after your retreat.
Cons
Do you like Maine?
No hermitages. Not completely silent. A very large building/dormitory might indicate a lot of people and activity, especially during Maine’s peak seasons.
Desert Rose Bahá’í Institute
Summary
Desert Rose Bahá’í Institute in Eloy, Arizona.
Pros
Flat desert means gorgeous sunrises and sunsets.
I would only reserve the Sears cottage. It offers solitude and has been recently renovated.
The cottage is very reasonably priced and can be rented for a night, a week, a month or even longer.
A cool community and faith. Lots to learn and experience with onsite programs and courses.
Cons
Eloy is ugly. There’s nothing to it. But it is close to Casa Grande and not far from Tucson. If you go to the Desert Rose, you won’t have pretty things to look at or walk around in.
Only one option for peace, really.
They host large groups and long-term renters. Check calendars and ask questions before you reserve anything!
Bodhi Manda Zen Center
Summary
Bodhi Manda Zen Center in Jemez Springs, New Mexico. The website says, “Founded in 1973, the Bodhi Manda Zen Center is a monastic Buddhist practice and retreat center offering Zen practice in the Rinzai tradition for experienced practitioners and laymen alike. The Bodhi welcomes all committed seekers, serving as a refuge to support their spiritual growth.”
Pros
Highway 4, north of Albuquerque, at the southern tip of the Santa Fe National Forest, just east is Valles Caldera. The drive and the area? I don’t want to oversell, but God is here.
Offers workshops and practices in addition to retreats.
Their website is clear on pricing for overnight, 3 or 4 or 7 day stays.
Cons
Meals are a little iffy, depending on their schedule (think New Mexico time). And extra $.
Zen Buddhist meditation practice is their main function. This could be a pro.
Has a very communal feel. “Practice”. But I think they would be very respectful of someone in silence.
Lindenwood Retreat Center
Summary
Lindenwood Retreat Center in Donaldson, Indiana . The website says, “A personal retreat helps one let go of the outside noise and return to one’s own heart. As with any retreat, it is an opportunity to rest, to be renewed and refreshed.”
Pros
Offers a variety of retreats: individual, group, or sponsored (specific intention or educational purpose, offerings here)
Offers guest rooms.
Plymouth is a lovely and quaint small town of about 10,000, so convenient to necessities.
Offers meals at the motherhouse. There are kitchens in the Center for retreatant use, as well.
A lake, walking paths, and a labyrinth on the property.
I think the best hermitage option is the Annunciata Hermitage with its own kitchen and bath. And screened-in porch! The Illuminata Hermitage is lovely, but you don’t necessarily have the entire house to yourself. Click on the Our Spaces link in the top menu of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ page.
Crazy reasonable prices.
Offers scholarships to retreatants in need.
Cons
Two of the hermitage options involve outhouses. Depending on the time of year and a person’s age, this is critical information. lol.
I only saw one mention of “silent” and that was referencing the Illuminata House of Prayer (“a sacred space for women and men seeking silence and solitude to further explore and deepen their interconnectedness of art, nature, and creativity within”). This may be the chapel.
2 hours from Indianapolis, 1.5 hours from Ft. Wayne, and a tough 1.5 hours from Chicago. A little far, but a nice drive and a nice stop if you’re in the area.
I have not visited the Lindenwood to offer as much information as I’d like, but I will update this after an upcoming (hopefully) visit.
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
Summary
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in Terre Haute, Indiana. The website says, “Find extended time for prayer, solitude, quiet and peace during a silent retreat. The time throughout the week will be yours to spend in silence in any way that helps foster your sense of spirituality. Stay in one of our hermitages for privacy and silence. You will enjoy nutritious meals and may eat with others or alone. If you choose, you may meet with a spiritual director who will help you reflect on your spiritual journey.”
Pros
They have a vast website full of offerings (tours of sacred spaces, services, workshops, farm store, gift shop, Sunday brunch for the public). Click here for information specific to retreating.
On beautiful property shared with the college. Watch this video about the “woods” campus.
Hermitages with tons of privacy and quiet. To get to them, you pass the alpaca farm (they are hilarious!). The back of the “house” faces the woods and a small pond, so no signs of parking lots or people.
Hermitages have full kitchens, so you can prepare your own meals. Or you can always eat at the motherhouse (where the guest rooms are).
Easy to get to! In town, so convenient to necessities. Lots to do and see within walking and driving distance.
Offers spiritual direction.
Cons
Terre Haute is not exactly a lovely town to spend time in. If you stay in a hermitage or stay on property, you won’t really know you’re in Terre Haute. : )
They provide very little information about retreats on the website. You have to email or call.
Guest rooms are not silent.
Abbey of Gethsemani
Summary
Abbey of Gethsemani in Trappist, Kentucky. The monastery has its own “city”, so the link takes you to Bardstown, a town of about 16,000 15 minutes away. The Abbey was founded in 1848 by the Order of Trappist Cistercians and is home today to Trappist monks who open doors to spiritual seekers from all over the world. The website says, “The monastic milieu offers a place apart “to entertain silence in the heart and listen for the voice of God – to pray for your own discovery” (Thomas Merton).”
Pros
All retreats are silent, unstructured, and undirected.
Convenient to necessities. About an hour south of Louisville, 15 minutes from Bardstown a town of about 17K.
Gorgeous setting.
All guest rooms have private baths and showers.
No set price. Free-will offerings.
Lots of walking trails (so many that they provide a trail map) and a gift shop with Gethsemani Farms products.
Offers spiritual direction.
Meals are communal. No kitchen in rooms, but you can bring your own snacks and drinks.
Cons
No hermitages. Only guest rooms, so silent isn’t always silent. I’ve stayed next to drumming folks and people who slam and have bodily function issues.
In demand, so some might say busy. Book far in advance and be open to activity.
Very spotty cell and WiFi service (but this is supposed to be a pro!).
Osage Forest of Peace
Summary
Osage Forest of Peace in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. The website says, “Experience the beauty and privacy of 45 wooded acres on a ridge between Keystone Lake and Shell Lake, just 20 minutes from downtown Tulsa. We offer a woodland labyrinth, a Zen Garden, a Cave of the Mothers meditation chamber, and nearly three miles of hiking trails with beautiful views. You’ll find many peaceful places for prayer and meditation. We are a community of sincere seekers of diverse spiritual traditions who come together to live and work in friendship and mutual respect.”
Pros
All retreats are SILENT!!!! And unstructured, and undirected.
All cabins and a larger hermitage!! See pictures on the website.
Provide meals that you can eat communally or take back to your cabin/hermitage.
Offers a residential immersion (30-day stay) and creative residencies.
Check their daily schedules
Offers free community meditations.
Convenient location - 20 miles from downtown Tulsa.
No children under 18. And no pets.
They had a School of Spiritual Direction in 2022. This would be worth asking about, if interested.
Cons
WiFi service can vary. You’re in a forest! This can be a con, but it’s really supposed to be a pro. : )
Closed in August for maintenance.
Parking is in the lot, not right outside your cabin/hermitage. This will require walking with your belongings. But I see this as a pro, so you’re not interrupted by car doors.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Summary
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Retreat and Spirituality Center in Venice, Florida. From their website, “St. Ignatius recommended that, as far as possible, a person desiring to enter more deeply into relationship with God or to commit one’s life more fully to God’s service, should take time for prayer with as few distractions as possible.”
Pros
Check out the pictures of the accommodations. They have four “villas”, totaling 25 overnight rooms, each with a private bathroom. Each villa has a gathering room equipped with comfortable seating options, desk, and library, and a communal kitchenette furnished with a toaster oven, coffee maker, microwave, and refrigerator. One villa has a small, private, silent chapel.
Conveniently located near I-75 between Sarasota and Fort Myers.
Check out the beautiful pictures and happy reviewers (who mention silent retreats a lot) on Google!
Scroll down a little on the website’s home page to see a list of helpful and informative videos about the OLPH, its history, and retreat offerings.
Very reasonably priced.
Offers spiritual direction services.
Continental breakfast, and full lunch and dinner are provided in the Dining Hall. Or bring your own snacks if you don’t want to break your solitude. The villas have communal kitchens.
They offer a 30-day individual retreat that includes all meals. (See below for the “con”.)
Cons
No hermitages. Only guest rooms, but they’re small in number.
They mention silent retreats on their website, but no details. If one person is silent and the rest aren’t, it’s not ideal. I recommend emailing about your expectations.
Plan far in advance, and research availability on their Calendar. Their retreats appear to be for set dates throughout the year and in high demand, so some might say busy (they also offer retreats for large groups).
Their 30-day retreats are booked until 2024. You have to interview with the Spiritual Director before booking can be confirmed.
They have a conference center, large chapel, and gift shop. I think I would recommend a short retreat or day visit or a lot of time with the calendar gathering information about activity and silence.
St. Mary’s Sewanee
Summary
St. Mary’s (The Ayres Center for Spiritual Development) in Sewanee, Tennessee. The website says, “St. Mary’s Sewanee is dedicated to providing spiritual hospitality to persons of diverse religious and spiritual backgrounds in a place of natural beauty, simplicity, silence, tranquility and warm spiritual rest through retreats, renewal and learning. Resting on 230 acres atop the Cumberland Plateau, we provide a sacred space to groups and individuals for a wide variety of opportunities for spiritual growth.”
Pros
Offers Anna House with 20 rooms with private baths. And 2 Hermitage options!!
St. Mary’s Convent hosts an annual silent retreat at the Ayres Center!!
They offer a lot of workshops, programs, and group retreats centered around things like yoga, meditation, writing, centering prayer, mindful walking/eating, etc.
GORGEOUS campus and area and drives, especially in the fall!!
Sewanee University of the South - a must-see campus you will LOVE - is less than 3 miles away!
Conveniently located an hour from Chattanooga, an hour and a half from Nashville, and 2.5 hours from downtown Atlanta.
Cons
Be aware that St. Mary’s Hall is an older (think dorm rooms for the novitiates of the past) building with communal bathrooms and no air conditioning. (I stayed in a building like this at the Oldenburg Franciscan Center and the air-conditioning was never a problem, but some rooms did have window units. I would ask, especially if it’s a Tennessee August, even in the mountains.)
Appears to be active, maybe busy at times. Book far in advance and ask a lot of questions about the number of programs being offered during your visit. Ask for what you need - I’m sure they’ll check calendars and try their best to accommodate folks spending time and money for solitude or silence.
I imagine it can be incredibly busy. Atlantans are close and always looking for things like this outside the city! : )
The website FAQs page mentions that they strongly discourage retreaters from bringing children. THIS would be a dealbreaker for me, and I imagine for a lot of people, so I can’t imagine being something to contend with very often.
Jesuit Spirituality Center at St. Charles College
Summary
Jesuit Spirituality Center at St. Charles College in Grand Coteau, Louisiana is a Roman Catholic Jesuit retreat center set on 700 acres in South central Louisiana that welcomes people of all faiths. (I think of the Jesuits as the ultimate teachers/examples of detachment and the concept of “agere contra“(doing the opposite of whatever we’re attached to). (I listen to Bishop Barron’s YouTube lessons a lot, but I’m not necessarily Catholic.))
Pros
Silence! It’s in capital letters and says “interior and exterior”. Praise God! : )
They offer 3-, 5-, 8-, and 30-day retreats. There are specific dates and times.
Their prices are very reasonable!
They have 33 private rooms with baths (and interior silence), so it’s not a huge amount of people.
The campus grounds feel all things Cajun, with beautiful oak trees and pines with paths for walking and bicycling.
They host special retreats featuring nationally known speakers and writers on a number of weekends during the year. An annual calendar is posted here.
The campus is only 20 minutes from the larger city of Lafayette (120K population) for all the conveniences.
Cons
No hermitages. Dorm-like setting. But, it’s SILENT.
Retreats are directed. This could be a pro, depending on your wishes. But this means that you meet with a Spiritual Director on a daily basis.
Their website looks like it’s not maintained well, but it actually does have current retreat information.
You really have to follow their schedule! And bring your own water container!
Their retreats are offered at specific times of the year. This means that you will definitely not be retreating alone - there will be a group of retreaters there at the same time.
Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Summary
Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Redwood Valley, California, is a contemplative, Eastern Catholic monastery, part of the worldwide Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church located in a gorgeous area of Northern California. They have the most beautiful introduction on their website that says, “Our brothers and fathers came to the contemplative life from many different backgrounds and histories, but were all called to meet God in silence and stillness, following the advice of St. Seraphim of Sarov, "Aquire inner peace and a thousand souls around you will be saved."
Pros
Silent! (Talking is allowed at evening meals.)
They have a newly renovated guesthouse with 14 rooms and 19 beds and a separate cabin which sleeps 6. Room price is $65 per night.
Gorgeous location, of course! Two hours north of San Francisco at the edge of the Mendocino National Forest. Off of Hwy 101, so lots of vineyards and restaurants. A peaceful area to be! If coming from Sacramento (about a 2.5 hour drive), you could make a stop at Clear Lake State Park.
Cons
I wish the website had more photos of the facilities and grounds.
No hermitages, but there is a cabin. Even though it’s typically saved for larger groups, I would inquire about it. Silence is a way of life here, but I would need more information about the guesthouse. California can do things very differently sometimes. The main photo on their Facebook page speaks to this and makes me think I would only stay in the cabin.
A specific destination off the beaten path, so while beautiful and restful, it’s not overly convenient. This could be a pro, though.
Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos
Summary
Jesuit Retreat Center of Los Altos in Los Altos, California, is located in the hills above Los Altos (think Mountain View area of San Jose) and provides an ideal location for a peaceful retreat among the sounds of nature. There are trails throughout the site with Stations of the Cross, Rosary Walk, and other shrines. Well-placed resting benches offer views of the bay, valley, and hills.
Pros
Convenient if in or visiting the Bay area.
They offer both directed and individual retreats, as well as a lot of other, typically weekend, retreats that you can read more about here. Some look very inviting!
They offer 85 bedrooms with private bathrooms. Several mentions on the site and by reviewers about the healthy and delicious food.
Just gorgeous. Overlooking Silicon Valley. This could be a con, though.
Excellent Google reviews! One reviewer posted a lot of photos and said this: This is a wonderful place for retreats and conferences. Since I was here on a retreat, I will focus on the spiritual aspect of the place. The Jesuits here are wonderful spiritual directors and retreat leaders. They will meet you where you are at, and walk the journey of faith with you. The chapel is a prayerful space with gorgeous stained glass windows that shine brilliantly most of the day.
As for the rest of the space, a lovely hilltop setting with expansive views of Silicon Valley. There are 2-3 miles worth of trails, with benches scattered all around, on the property where you can enjoy walks in contemplative silence. The dining room also has magnificent views overlooking the valley. The food is delicious and healthy. There is also a nice bookstore with a wide ranging selection on the topics of faith and spirituality. The rooms are single occupancy with attached bathroom. All in all, a gem in the Bay Area.Very informative and current website, depicting their schedule that goes into the following year, which is nice. Their Facebook page also provides a lot of up-to-date information and schedules!
Cons
No hermitages.
No prices listed.
The fact that they have their schedules posted for the upcoming year means that they are very active and booked. Talk to them honestly about your retreat to avoid any hoopla. I hate hoopla and can’t imagine retreating in it. : )
Very crowded and busy area of the country, but you know this going in. They host large groups that use meeting rooms.
The campus is both silent and not silent, essentially meaning not silent.
Talk to someone when making inquiries and reservations about the best accommodations for your solitude/silence expectations and the quietest time to visit.
Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford
Summary
Jesuit Spiritual Center at Milford in Milford, Ohio, is a Catholic Retreat Center offering Ignatian spiritual formation, retreats, and sacred space for all those seeking a deeper relationship with God. The campus is set on 37 acres overlooking the Little Miami River.
Pros
Mostly silent!
Offers three retreat houses (accommodating ~50 guests in each) with private guest rooms and shared bathrooms. This is a dorm-style setting, which means concrete walls, which is conducive to silence! But better than that, there’s a LOVELY cabin to be had!!
Milford is a bedroom community of Cincinnati, Ohio, making this a very convenient location if in the area or passing through (by car or air).
Excellent Google reviews and an active and helpful Facebook page.
The campus includes a standalone chapel. I’m not sure why, but from my experience, this is a special bonus!
Cons
There’s only one cabin, which means inquiries and reservations should be made relatively far in advance. I would only stay in the cabin, especially on a first visit.
They have retreats for groups of people, so you will need to schedule around those.
Retreats are directed and offered only in specific weeks. Make sure to read the website details for more information.
The website’s Photos page is full of large groups. (And there’s a “Pavilion” on site. Eek!)
Shared bathrooms, but sometimes, that’s not so bad if each retreat house is big enough for ~50 retreatants.
The website mentions a Youth Ministry, so make sure to inquire about that activity when you schedule your stay and make sure you are contacted should anything be scheduled after you make a reservation, so you can cancel/reschedule. (I’ve unknowingly retreated during a youth group trip and thought I’d lose my mind.)
Art of Living Retreat Center
Summary
The Art of Living Retreat Center in Boone, North Carolina, is set on a campus of 380+ breathtaking acres of pristine forest high up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Art of Living Retreat Center is a renowned sanctuary of peace that eases the mind and inspires the soul. Their silent retreat is a structured one that “can help you drop limiting beliefs, regrets and worries, and tap into a bigger vision for yourself.” It includes direction and workshops designed to teach us how to immerse ourselves in silence while retreating and cope with noise and distraction upon our return to the everyday world.
Pros
A beautiful area in the mountains about 15 minutes outside of the town of Boone and 2 hours from Greensboro.
Rock Cliff Road has multiple options for places to stay that are all connected to the retreat experience. Rooms are available at the hotel or the retreat center (more rustic). You can also reserve an apartment in the apartment complex.
Offers a Silent Meditation Retreat every week. I loved the description of this! Lots of teachings around silence.
Lots of offerings and packages to choose from, include meditation, yoga, workshops, wellness, etc.
The website has TONS of information and a few virtual tours. I would start with the About the Center page.
Cons
No hermitages! Only apartments, hotels, and rooms.
Lots of groups and can be large. They can accommodate up to 1,000 guests!
Google reviews mentioned Wi-Fi issues, which shouldn’t be an issue on a silent retreat, but of course it is. : )
Google reviews also mentioned the lack of air conditioning. You’re in the mountains and at an elevation of 3,000 feet, so this would only matter at the height of summer, I imagine. But just be aware when planning/scheduling your retreat.
The Center is in the mountains, so getting to spaces might require effort and not be a good option for some retreaters.
The website is SO busy. Because the area is remote, this is an investment assuming some risk, especially for silent retreaters. I would recommend an honest conversation with someone at the Center about expectations before committing.
A Washington Post testimonial on the home page (!) says this: "A 360-acre sanctuary...a balancing act of rest and activities." Yin and Yang much?
Cochise Stronghold (now Dharma Treasure Retreat)
Summary
The Dharma Treasure Retreat in Dragoon, Arizona (GPS is Pearce), formerly the Cochise Stronghold Retreat, is a magical place encircled by mountain peaks and lush native vegetation.
Secluded and quiet; surrounded by 64,000 acres of evergreen forest.
A wilderness destination in the wild, wild west; off the “beaten path.”
Cooler, located at a 5,000 feet elevation in the Dragoon Mountains.
A friendly, welcoming, peaceful sanctuary.
This is an interesting place! Dragoon and the Chiricahua Mountains are must-sees when visiting Southern Arizona. The Retreat Center used to be a more sophisticated B&B, but is now a silent retreat center. **Pay attention to elevation, location, instructions about getting there and expectations for retreatants. **Everything about this place could be a pro or a con, depending on your desires and requirements.
Pros
SILENCE!
The Agave Suite and Casita Manzanita are standalone!
Wonderful TripAdvisor insights, reviews, and photos. The B&B and Dharma Center have the same address (2126 W Windancer Trail, Pearce, AZ 85625), so you get the combination of rustic and more sophisticated.
Offers various seminars, specific-use retreats (a Writing Memoir one, for example).
Gorgeous area. A must-see area of Arizona, in my opinion.
Both Pro and Con: Remote location. And specific! About an hour to Benson or Willcox, 2 hours to Tucson. 45 minutes from the Chiricahua Mountains and National Monument. Might be a cool stop on a trip to/from Bisbee, too.
Offers long-term retreats.
Cons
They require a 6-night minimum stay. I didn’t find this to be true when I contacted them, but this could be a new rule or something on the site to discourage campers on the move.
Both Pro and Con: Remote location. And specific! About an hour to Benson or Willcox, 2 hours to Tucson. 45 minutes from the Chiricahua Mountains and National Monument. Might be a cool stop on a trip to/from Bisbee, too.
Camping and a yurt. You have to be up for this sort of “living” and those who are.
Requires a drive on 3 miles of unmaintained road to get to the Center.
Closed during monsoon season (June to August).
Eastern Point Retreat House
Summary
The Eastern Point Retreat House in Gloucester, Massachusetts, is a 38 single-bedroom retreat house located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean about an hour’s drive northeast of Boston. “Rooted in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola and in the Catholic tradition, our ministry is open to all who seek God in their lives.”
Pros
SILENCE!
On the ocean, and most rooms have ocean views.
Just a gorgeous area.
Easy to get to, only 15 minutes from Gloucester for conveniences, but an area that feels so far away.
Calendars of their retreat schedule for the current and following year is easily found on the website. Your retreat must be scheduled during the dates offered.
Three types of retreat offerings: directed, guided (themed), or private.
Offers a 30-day retreat that follows the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius of Loyola. Where do I sign?
The website is very informative and well-organized - and has beautiful videos of the House and grounds.
Application process is straightforward.
Guests are asked to silence cell phones and other electronic devices and restrict their use to emergencies only, away from other retreatants. They recommend “calls” occur in folks’ parked cars, if that is possible.
Reasonable pricing.
Day visits and spiritual direction are welcomed.
They have a chef onsite for specialty dining!
Cons
No hermitages, only the dorm-room style accommodations.
I like the cell phone and electronic device recommendations, but I’m not sure they restrictions are worded strongly enough. I’d feel better if I read “We prohibit..”
They have a yearly schedule of when they offer retreats, so your retreat must be scheduled during those dates.
Maryvale
Summary
Maryvale in Valley City, North Dakota, is a nonprofit ministry of the Catholic Church, under the Diocese of Fargo. The Center has over 50 guest rooms, a beautiful chapel, and 500 acres of rolling hills along the Sheyenne River.
The website explains its lovely history thanks to the generosity of the Sisters of Mary of the Presentation:
"In a beautiful act of trust and generosity, the sisters have given the Maryvale property to the Diocese of Fargo for continued use by the people of God. And in a further act of generosity, the sisters have also established a substantial trust fund to help support the ongoing operations of Maryvale and its apostolates. I cannot overstate the significance of this gift. Maryvale has been an important center of spiritual life in the Diocese of Fargo for many decades." - Bishop John Folda
With the gifting of Maryvale and the gift of an endowment, The Sisters of Mary of the Presentation have assured that Maryvale is positioned to continue to serve as a place of rest and spiritual reflection far into the future.
Pros
Valley City has all the modern conveniences of a town with a population of about 10K, but it’s also just an hour due west of Fargo right along I-94.
Lots of peaceful paths for prayerful walks.
They offer themed retreats, but also welcome personal retreats.
Their website provides a lot of information, including specifics about their accommodations.
Cons
No hermitages.
Quiet, but not silent.
51 guest rooms, so quite large. I would thoroughly check the website for scheduled groups and retreats and discuss my expectations during the reservation process. ( I would always stay on the top floor of any dorm-style setting. The buildings can be old and offer a lot of concrete between rooms, but the flooring, not so much. I stayed below a school group once that ran the halls above me all night.)
Assumption Abbey (Missouri)
Summary
Assumption Abbey in Ava, Missouri, is situated in the rugged, wooded Ozarks. There are clear streams with a small river flowing among our hills. It is a beautiful site, a place apart, offering peace and solitude to all who come. Here we monks make our home and welcome our guests.
So welcoming: “Assumption Abbey has designated one wing of our monastery complex as a Guest House, where savoring the simplicity of mountain solitude, an individual can make a personal retreat. The Rule of St. Benedict, which we follow, instructs us to treat each guest as if he or she were Christ - and this we endeavor to do. You need only call to make a reservation for as short a time as a day, or as long as a week.”
Pros
SILENCE!
The Abbey is actually a 30-minute (lovely!) drive from the town of Ava. Ava has modern conveniences, though. The nearest large city is Springfield, about 1.5 hours away.
Location far removed from the hectic world. The website has a lovely photo gallery.
A chapel and library onsite.
$45 per night donation!
The Guest House only has 9 private rooms, so a small space. No crowds.
Two meals a day are prepared by the monks, breakfast is self served. Retreatants may eat either in a silent dining space or eat with other guests.
Cons
They offer “family” retreats. Families do stay about a mile from the Guest House and Monastery, but that could be too close. And they offer “group” retreats that stay in the same Guest House as those on individual retreats. I would make a strongly-worded request about my expectations for silence.
You share a bathroom with an adjoining room.