Retreats

Retreat Centers Near St. Louis

Camp Manitowa Retreat Center offers facilities, programming, and staff to provide your guests with an unforgettable getaway. Our 40-acre property is nestled between Lake Hamilton and Rend Lake, just 90 minutes from St. Louis, 4½ hours from Chicago, and 3 hours from Nashville, TN.

Camp Manitowa-Rend Lake’s facilities were renovated in 2010 and can accommodate up to 175 guests in yurts and 60 in a variety of cabins and dorms.

All guests have access to lake activities, a 50’ climbing tower/high ropes course, a 400’ zip line, hiking and biking trails, sports fields, an arts and crafts building, indoor recreation spaces, a commercial kitchen, and a dining hall.

2025 Retreats

Father / Son Retreat - April 5-6 

Spend a night in a yurt with your son. Choose from a great variety of activities to do together from zip lining, canoeing, archery, tie-dying, hiking, sports, campfires, and more! 

Manitowa Family Retreat - May 2-4

Each family stays in their own yurt! Camp activities include canoeing, rock wall & zip line, tie-dying, arts & crafts, hiking, campfires, and friendly family contests! 

Mother / Daughter Retreat - May 17-18

Our longest running retreat, this special weekend is back. Spend a night in a yurt with your daughter. Choose from a great variety of activities to do together from zip lining, canoeing, archery, tie-dying, arts & crafts, hiking, sports, campfires, and our famous trail mix bar! 

Adult Summer Camp Retreat May 23-26

Leave your adult responsibilities at the front gate, get out in nature, and come play at camp! 

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We offer a variety of rental options:

  • ½ day
  • Full day
  • Overnight/multiple-night
  • Manitowa base camp for Southern IL Adventure trips
  • Venue rental
  • Whether you're a small business, major corporation, youth group, or school, Camp Manitowa Retreats are ideal for groups to get away from the day-to-day and refocus. We offer a variety of programming, from team building to experiential/outdoor education to adventure sports to camping experiences. Pricing varies, please contact us for details.
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Weddings

If you’re looking for a beautiful, unique, and fun venue for your wedding, Camp Manitowa is the perfect location for creating your own event from the ground up. We offer maximum flexibility, a stunning natural setting, a variety of accommodations for your celebration, and access to all of our camp activities, which we’ll facilitate for you.

You, your family, and friends will enjoy exclusive private access to either of our properties. Our professional chef will work with you to create an amazing reception dinner and a full menu, including camp-themed meals throughout the weekend.

We’d love to help you make your next event unforgettable!