CENTRAL CALIFORNIA | WEEKEND GETAWAYS
Santa Barbara's mountain retreat centers
Head for the hills for a secluded, relaxing take on this popular weekend destination.
In the mountains above Santa Barbara, several religious and spiritual communities welcome visitors for retreats. The beach and attractions of State Street may be far away, but at places such as Mount Calvary Monastery and Retreat House, peace and beauty are at hand.
Mount Calvary, established in 1947 on a hilltop high above the city and harbor, occupies a classic, red-tile-roofed Spanish Colonial house with a stone labyrinth, aromatic garden and hiking trails.
Healthy, delicious meals (including the chef's popular homemade bread) are served in the refectory. The retreat house has an excellent library, several comfortably furnished sitting rooms, a coffee bar featuring the community's own Monk's Blend, and clean, simple guest chambers with shared and private baths.
Mount Calvary is one of several houses maintained by the Order of the Holy Cross, an Anglican/Episcopalian community that follows Benedictine practices. Consequently, silence reigns after 10 p.m. on weekends and 8:30 p.m. on weekdays. You'll find no TV, and cellphone use is discouraged. Four services are held daily in the light-filled chapel.
Mount Calvary Monastery and Retreat House, (805) 962-9855, Ext. 10, www.mount-calvary.org; $75 per person Tuesdays through Thursdays; $175 per person for a Friday-Saturday (Sunday morning checkout); closed Mondays. Weekends are already booked through 2009.
La Casa de Maria, (805) 969-5031, www.lacasademaria.org, and Immaculate Heart Center for Spiritual Renewal, (805) 969-2474, www.immaculateheartcenter.org, share a beautiful upper Montecito property and welcome guests for retreats. The Casa offers themed retreats, which include accommodations and meals; the Immaculate Heart Center has 12 rooms and a three-bedroom hermitage available for personal retreats; singles $120, doubles $200, both including meals.
Vedanta Society of Southern California, (805) 969-2903, www.vedanta.org, doesn't have overnight accommodations, but the temple is a beautiful spot for quiet and contemplation.
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