Yeah, I've been on quite a few (youth and college) and I think they're a great thing.  They do get you away from the craziness of the world around you and let you turn your focus on God instead.  It's amazing what God shows you when you actually listen to Him :) 

The only problem is that often we get on a sort of spiritual high, and then expect our walk to always be like that, which doesn't really happen.  I don't know how many times I went through this cycle in High School.  Emotional high and then crash and burn.  Thankfully, God finally showed me that it's not supposed to be like that.

What they are good for is a little spiritual renewal and strengthening and really listening and learning from God and the people around you.

i've only been on one, but it was the most profound religious experience i've had in a very long time. i'm going on another one soon and i would definitely recommend them to others.

retreats definitely bring us closer to God, and that's a good thing and it should be encouraged. they may have a subtler effect on some people than others, and those who ride on their spiritual highs for a while afterward may get a bitter impression of them when they 'crash and burn' later. but it's not reasonable to expect them to last forever. after all, to quote zig ziglar, "people often say that motivation doesn't last. well, neither does bathing. that's
why we recommend it daily." if you have to rely on retreats to feel any kind of spiritual motivation at all, you probably ought to become a monk. otherwise, you should still be setting aside time for God every day regardless of what else is going on in your life, and retreats are just an occasional thing to really give you an extra boost.

but there's another aspect of retreats that renders them beneficial; they bring us closer to our communities. and that's something that i don't think is appreciated enough. the power of being involved in a strong Christian community is great indeed, and getting away from the rest of the world to be with God AND with other people who are also getting closer to God is astoundingly beneficial. after all, most of what Jesus taught was in regard to how we should interact with other people... sometimes the thing that can nourish your faith the most is being around people whose faith is strong. community is an absolutely vital part of a healthy spirituality.

so while retreats may not seem all that useful to some, that's because they're not -- on their own. you have to follow through in your interaction both with God and with His faithful on earth at all times. putting yourself into a healthy situation once in a while isn't going to do you any good if you're not in a healthy situation already. but when everything else outside of the retreat is in place correctly, retreats are a great way to build stronger faith.

they're not a magic cure, but they sure do help.

i've been on a retreat. and they are great, but the hard thing is coming back to real life. you have to make a commitment to seek out God in your everyday life.

you can't be spoon fed anymore, you're done with milk and now you can move onto meat and bread. once you've been a Christian for long enough, you have to feed yourself.

church and retreats can only do so much for you. your relationship with God will not be right unless you actively seek Him out every single day.

it's a hard habit to get into, it's like exercise. the more you do it, the easier it gets. it's not fun, and if you fall out of the habit it's hard to form it again. but it is totally worth it!

I go on spiritual retreats, and I love them! In fact, I really need them as a time to reevaluate my life and my plans to make sure everything REALLY is what God wants me to be doing.  I try to have a spiritual retreat twice a year (sometimes more if something intense comes up.) It makes the rest of the year SO much more effective.

There really is nothing like getting down to it and connecting with God with nothing else in the way and centering yourself on Him and His will. Yes, it is important to do daily, but every so often I need a "deep cleaning" in His presence, going into all the forgotten corners and sweeping out the clutter. 

Group spiritual retreats have never really been my favorite, but I'm not a very social person. Everyone is different. When I want to connect with God, I need hours upon hours of alone time. (Granted that I get lots of healthy spiritual fellowhip in steady, medium doses at other times.)  I usually just do it once during Christmas break and once on summer break (and spring break too sometimes) and take a whole day off, turn my cell phone off, and shut myself in my room and/or go outside, telling my family to pretend I'm not there. They respect it and it works well.  I'd recommend it- Find a style that works for you!

Retreat?  Let's Go!  I'm way overdue!

If you will be attending a retreat, before you leave set up post-retreat appointment with a pastor or mature Christian to help you to process what you've encountered during your time with the Lord.  Otherwise, any spiritual breakthrough you may have will likely break down once you come off of your spiritual high.

I've been to quite a few retreats (esp for fellowship).  It brings our fellowship bro & sis together and get to know one another... it's so busy in NYC that retreats are the way to get to know people better.  And also it brings us closer with God.  The hardest thing though is applying what we learned from retreat back to the city.  God wants us to go thru the challenges, and applying what is learned from retreat.