Prince of Peace Abbey
This Benedictine monastery crowns a hill overlooking Camp Pendleton to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west. "It is a house of peace," says Brother Daniel, "because we monks who live here, work here, and die here, we're constantly working and praying toward that goal." Though the primary aim of the 1500-year-old Benedictine order is to live in cloistered community and pray throughout the day, a secondary mission is to offer hospitality to those weary of the world and in need of spiritual renewal. The monastery keeps 31 simply furnished rooms for retreatants. They ask $30 per person per night, which includes meals. Weekends are booked long in advance, but there is usually space Monday through Thursday. The cloister is off-limits, but retreatants are welcome to attend daily Mass or any of the four formal prayers chanted by the monks.