Location & Setting

The Retreat’s beautiful 91-bed main campus, located just 15 minutes west of downtown Minneapolis, welcomes its guests to a historic retreat center nestled in the Wayzata Big Woods. Guests enjoy the benefit of private and semi-private rooms and facilities dedicated to exercise and meditation. Deer-tracked nature trails meander through the dense Big Woods surrounding The Retreat. This serene setting enhances The Retreat’s focus on spirituality, and guests learn the benefit of prayer, meditation and quiet reflection. The Retreat also has locations in the historic Crocus Hill area of St. Paul. You can check our retreat residences virtual tour here.

Our Sober Programs

At a time when the cost of treatment for alcoholism and drug dependency continues to soar, and fewer and fewer people are able to access the help they need, The Retreat continues to be a beacon of hope. Whether we’re serving the alcohol or drug-dependent individual, the family and loved ones affected by the disease of alcoholism, or those who are wishing to deepen the quality of their spiritual lives. The Retreat’s mission and program, has remained simple and focused. We provide a spiritual practice ground for those committed to living a life of recovery, grounded in the spirituality and program of living embodied in the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. We bring together people who want a quality recovery with people who are living recovery at the highest level. Our teachers and mentors come from an ever-increasing A.A. and Al-Anon volunteer community.

“We could never have imagined the quality of people who have come to The Retreat in the spirit of love and service to carry the message of hope and recovery to our guests. It is these teachers and mentors whose experience, strength, and hope—along with their love and enthusiasm—make The Retreat such a special place.”

John Curtiss, Co-Founder and President