Monastery stays and sacred guesthouses
Staying at a monastery is one of the most direct ways to experience contemplative life. MonkMap lists abbey guesthouses, convents, hermitages, and monastic communities that welcome retreat guests and visitors.
Search by tradition, region, and experience type to find monastery lodging that fits your schedule, from a weekend silent retreat to a longer guest stay.
Communities open to monastery stays
Monasteries and retreat centers that welcome overnight guests or extended stays.
Namgyal Monastery Institute of Buddhist Studies
BuddhistIthaca, New York, United States
The North American seat of the Dalai Lama's personal monastery, in the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Monks rotate in from Dharamsala, and the public is welcome for evening meditations, classes, and seasonal retreats.
visitor-friendlypublic prayerretreat staysNew Camaldoli Hermitage
CatholicBig Sur, California, United States
A Camaldolese Benedictine hermitage perched in the Santa Lucia Mountains above the Pacific. Guests of any faith stay in simple rooms or hillside cottages for silent retreats, joining the monks for daily liturgy and the Hours.
Visit websitevisitor-friendlyretreat stayssilent retreatpublic prayerMost Holy Trinity Monastery
CatholicPetersham, Massachusetts, United States
Home to the Maronite Monks of Adoration, a Catholic monastic community in the Eastern Maronite tradition. Individual men and small groups of men are welcome for silent retreats in the guesthouse, joining the monks for the Divine Office, Mass, and adoration in a secluded setting without cell or internet access.
Visit websiteretreat stayssilent retreatpublic prayerSt. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery
OrthodoxFlorence, Arizona, United States
An Athonite Greek Orthodox monastery in the Sonoran Desert, founded in 1995 by monks from Mount Athos. Open to visitors at no cost during set daytime hours, with overnight pilgrim guest houses by arrangement and a welcoming but strict rule of conduct.
Visit websitevisitor-friendlyretreat stayspublic prayerSt. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery
OrthodoxSouth Canaan, Pennsylvania, United States
Founded in 1905, the oldest Orthodox monastery in North America, tied to the Orthodox Church in America and its seminary. Long a destination for pilgrims, it is best known for its large annual Memorial Day pilgrimage.
visitor-friendlypublic prayerTassajara Zen Mountain Center
ZenCarmel Valley, California, United States
The first Zen monastery established outside Japan, founded in 1967 and run by San Francisco Zen Center. The remote Ventana Wilderness valley opens to guests each summer for hot springs, zazen, and teacher led retreats, then closes for intensive monastic practice. Its parent center also streams dharma talks and online practice.
Visit websitevisitor-friendlyretreat staysonline teachingspublic prayerZen Mountain Monastery
ZenMount Tremper, New York, United States
A Western Zen training center on 220 forested acres in the Catskills, founded by John Daido Loori and home of the Mountains and Rivers Order. Resident monastics and lay trainees host meditation retreats and introductory programs for people of all backgrounds.
Visit websitevisitor-friendlyretreat stayssilent retreatAbhayagiri Buddhist Monastery
TheravadaRedwood Valley, California, United States
A Thai Forest Tradition monastery on 250 acres of northern California woodland, in the lineage of Ajahn Chah. It is a working monastery rather than a retreat center, welcoming day visitors and short guest stays that share the community's daily rhythm of practice and work, all free of charge. Evening chanting and Dhamma talks are open and livestreamed.
Visit websitevisitor-friendlypublic prayeronline teachingsvolunteer stayBhavana Society
TheravadaHigh View, West Virginia, United States
A Theravada forest monastery and meditation center in the West Virginia hills, founded in 1982 by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. It offers regular silent meditation retreats, cabin and dorm housing, and a path for lay residents and those seeking ordination, supported entirely by donation.
Visit websiteretreat stayssilent retreatvolunteer stayAbbey of Gethsemani
TrappistTrappist, Kentucky, United States
The oldest working Trappist monastery in the United States, founded in 1848 and home to Thomas Merton for 27 years. Its guesthouse welcomes men and women of all faiths for silent, unstructured retreats, with hours of prayer and miles of wooded trails open to guests.
Visit websitevisitor-friendlyretreat stayssilent retreatpublic prayerMepkin Abbey
TrappistMoncks Corner, South Carolina, United States
A Trappist monastery on a former plantation along the Cooper River north of Charleston, founded in 1949 by monks from Gethsemani. Guests join the community for silent meals and seven daily prayer services, and the public gardens and grounds are open to day visitors.
Visit websitevisitor-friendlyretreat stayssilent retreatpublic prayerSt. Joseph's Abbey
TrappistSpencer, Massachusetts, United States
A Trappist community in the hills of central Massachusetts, known for its Trappist Preserves and liturgical vestments. The abbey welcomes guests for contemplative retreats shaped by its life of silence, prayer, and work.
visitor-friendlyretreat stayssilent retreatpublic prayerSaint Meinrad Archabbey
BenedictineSt. Meinrad, Indiana, United States
A Benedictine archabbey in southern Indiana, founded in 1854 from Einsiedeln in Switzerland and home to a seminary. The Archabbey Guest House offers monk led retreats year round, the public is welcome at the Liturgy of the Hours, and the monks support those discerning a monastic vocation.
Visit websitevisitor-friendlyretreat stayspublic prayerdiscernment programMount Angel Abbey
BenedictineSt. Benedict, Oregon, United States
A Benedictine abbey on a hilltop butte in Oregon's Willamette Valley, founded in 1882 by monks from Switzerland. Its Saint Benedict Guesthouse hosts individuals and groups, and visitors come for the Alvar Aalto library, the museum, and the chance to pray the Hours with the community.
Visit websitevisitor-friendlyretreat stayspublic prayer
Common questions
- Can anyone stay at a monastery?
- Many monasteries welcome guests of any background, though some retreats are limited by gender, tradition, or season. Always confirm policies, availability, and costs on the community's official website before you visit.
- What is the difference between a monastery stay and a retreat center?
- A monastery stay usually means living alongside a monastic community on their daily schedule of prayer, work, and rest. A retreat center may offer more flexible programming. Both can provide quiet, structure, and spiritual focus.