Take a vacation with your faith, not from it!  If Vegas, Atlantic City, or a beach full of scantily clad alcoholics doesn't sound like the kind of fun you want for your family, try a visit to a monastery.  Camp Mahpiyato near the beautiful Blue Cloud Abbey in South Dakota is the perfect setting for an individual wanting a spiritual retreat, a family seeking that ever-elusive quality time together, or your church group retreat.

The camp grounds of Mahpiyato offer fishing, hiking, swimming, outdoor and indoor sports.  The Abbey also invites visitors to join them in their times of prayer.  Pitch your tent on the grounds, or stay in the dormitory facilities complete with full kitchen and indoor dining.  The average summer temperatures in South Dakota range in the mid-70's, perfect for outdoor activities. 

Blue Cloud Abbey is surrounded by the beauty of the South Dakota countryside.  This Benedictine Monastery was started in 1950 as a place for the monks who had been working with the Native Americans in the area.  "In the midst of this quiet and private setting, the monks of Blue Cloud Abbey have constructed a campsite, a place of retreat, a sacred space where the crowning of God's creation, His people, might pause from the business of life for reflection, refreshment, renewal and recreation."

The book The View from a Monastery by Brother Benet Tvedten is where I first learned of Blue Cloud Abbey.  The book is a behind-the-scenes and often humorous look at modern monastic life.  From bus trips to the drive-in movie to a heart-warming look at the final days of a beloved fellow monk, Brother Tvedten brings to life the beauty of Blue Cloud Abbey and its monastic brotherhood.  If you have never had a desire to visit a monastery before, you will after reading "The View from a Monastery."

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