Why should kids have all the fun this summer? Especially when it comes to outdoor games, swimming, and toasting marshmallows over a campfire under the stars? We’ve curated a list of the best summer camps for adults to recreate childhood memories and feel like a kid again.
summer camp for adults? yes, please!
Sometimes, we wish we could go back and relive (parts of) our childhoods. Of course, there are some things we don’t miss – we are never doing another homework assignment, thank you very much – but there are others that we’d give anything to repeat. For instance, the way summer vacation used to feel.
It’s not only the time off school we miss, but also the way we used to make the most of every summer moment. Toasting marshmallows around the fire with our best friends? That’s a memory we’ll never forget, and we’d give anything to be back there.
And believe it or not… we can be. That’s right. Adult summer camps are a thing, and they are here to take us back to our youths (but only the best parts, of course). And as it turns out, summer camp is even more fun when you’re over the age of twenty-one – if you know what we mean.
Next time you’re bemoaning the sameness of adult summers, make a reservation at one of these ten adult summer camps. There’s extreme variety among the options – everything from an action-packed week at a luxury hotel, to a nostalgic long weekend in a log cabin. It turns out you can go home again, and there is more than one road there!
best adult camps to feel like a kid again this summer
1. Camp No Counselors
When it comes to adult summer camps, Camp No Counselors may be the number one name in the game. They offer the platonic ideal of summer camp: kayaking, archery, rock-climbing, pickleball, movie nights, campfires, talent shows, and so, so much more – and you can even sleep in a bunk bed (or choose private accommodation, if that is one part of your youth you do not miss). Prepare yourself for three days of nostalgic paradise, with sessions in New York, (September 1-4, $1200), Los Angeles August 17-20, $800), and Texas ($900, September 28-October 1), so you can close out the season with a bang.
2. Camp Camp
For LGBT adults, Camp Camp offers the experience of a lifetime. Since 1997, this glorious campsite in Maine has been a home-away-from-home for its closeknit community, inspiring more than 75% of its attendees to return for a second (or third, or fourth…) summer. Come alone or with a partner, and get ready for all the summer camp activities you know and love – including arts and crafts, flag football, canoeing, pajama parties, and more, as well as engaging sessions about LGBT history. This year’s camp runs from August 20th – 27th, and it’s $1825 for the week.
3. Under Canvas
We kind of can’t believe Under Canvas exists. Like the other camps on this list, it’s an experience that includes many of your summer camp essentials – hiking, s’mores, games, crafts, and movie nights – but it just so happens to take place in the most beautiful parts of the United States. If you liked your childhood summer camp experience, but you think it could be improved upon by moving to the Grand Canyon, Acadia, Moab, or the Great Smoky Mountains – then you’ll love Under Canvas. Sleep in canvas tents beneath the stars, and enjoy more amenities than you might expect – there’s even an adventure concierge! Choose the dates you’d like to travel, and enjoy a truly luxurious experience that is part adventure vacation and part summer camp. Dates and prices vary.
4. Camp Wylo
If you’re feeling hungry for summer camp, you must check out Camp Wylo. Their summer session runs from June 23rd to 25th in the stunning Berkshire Mountains, and it’s an experience you won’t want to miss. They call themselves a “throwback weekend,” and we are already excited for dodgeball, slip and slides, and circling up around the campfire. What’s unique about Camp Wylo is the way they sort their campers into houses – and then let the houses fight against each other in some lighthearted competition. It takes us right back to field day, and it’s a great way to make friends. Rates start at $550.
5. Camp Halcyon
If you’re looking for a place to relive your childhood glory days, look no further than Camp Halcyon. The Wisconsin spot is here to help you recreate all your favorite summer memories, and make some brand-new ones. Indulge in all the classic activities (beach volleyball! archery! arts and crafts!), as well as some that you couldn’t have enjoyed at twelve-years-old – suchas wine and beer tastings in the lush forest. Camp Halcyon is offering three separate $500 sessions this summer: June 29th – July 2nd, August 10th – 13th, and September 28th – October 1st.
6. Club Getaway
“Unleash your inner child,” says Club Getaway, and we couldn’t be readier. Located in Kent, Connecticut, Club Getaway has one of the most extensive “Things to Do” lists that we’ve seen, and it includes an adventure park, waterfront activities, fitness classes, theme parties, and all your other summer camp favorites. There’s also an epic nightlife, with themed dinners and parties, and plenty of ways for you to connect with your fellow campers. Browse through different sessions throughout the summer, ($499 and up) and take note of some special offerings. For instance, the annual “John Waters Camp” at the end of the summer, with VIP guest “counselors” Johnny Knoxville, Mink Stole, and Elizabeth Coffrey – and hosted by Waters himself.
7. Rancho La Puerta
Rancho La Puerta is a world-famous wellness resort and spa, located In Tijuana, Mexico. And though it doesn’t sound like any summer camp we’ve ever attended, it does sound like the summer camp of our dreams. While you recharge your batteries on four thousand spell-binding acres, you can participate in classes and activities such as fitness, arts and crafts, hiking, music, and more. The programming at Rancho La Puerta is what reminds us of the summer camp experience, and if all camps were this way – letting us sleep away our troubles in a luxurious casita – we’d go every year. If you’re looking for summer camp as a way to rest and reboot your life, Rancho la Puerta may be the place.
8. Cloud Camp
Similar in some ways to Rancho La Puerta, Cloud Camp is an experience at a luxury hotel – in this case, The Broadmoor – that seems to share some DNA with summer camp. It’s in the name, after all. Cloud Camp is an all-inclusive wilderness mountaintop hideaway, with all the expected activities – from pickleball to archery; lawn games to disc golf – but also five-star cuisine, and cabin rooms so comfortable, you’ll want to move in permanently. Enjoy a day of life-changing camp activities, then soak away your happy exhaustion in the hot tub. It’s the best of both worlds.
9. Summercamp
Maybe you’ve gotten excited reading this post, but you’re not sure you’re ready to hike out to the woods for a long weekend. You want just a hint of summer camp. Well, have you thought about Summercamp? In this case, the word refers to the whimsical Martha’s Vineyard hotel – which is a branch of the Lark Hotels – designed as an homage to summer camp. At this hotel, snacks come from the “camp canteen,” and games like twister and ping pong are available to play. Sleep in spunky, retro rooms, then get out to enjoy the beauty of Oak Bluffs.
The best 10 adult camps to recreate your childhood memories and feel like a kid again this Summer 2023.
10. Camp Navarro
Deep in the Redwoods, Camp Navarro is the place of our – and your – dreams. Only a two-hour drive from the San Francisco, these two hundred acres are home to some of the most breathtaking scenery you’ve ever laid eyes your eyes upon. Now, Camp Navarro is a little different than the other spots on this list. Though they do host events (among them, several music festivals), they’re not open for individual overnight or multi-night stays. However, if you’re feeling bitten by the sleepaway camp bug, they might be the perfect destination for your wedding, your corporate retreat, or any other upcoming event. You supply your bunkmates, and Camp Navarro will supply your favorite lawn games, as well as bonfires, archery, hiking, and more – plus some stunning cabins in the wood. If you can’t get enough camp, put them on your list for an experience that’s one-of-a-kind.
The best 10 adult camps to feel like a kid again
When it comes to outdoor games, swimming, and toasting marshmallows over a campfire under the stars, those are our picks for the best summer camps for adults to recreate childhood memories and feel like a kid again. Save us some s’mores!
