We’ve all seen the movies, from The Parent Trap and Daddy Day Camp to Camp Rock, American summer camps have been part of our psyche for much longer than we may realise. Many of us, when we hear the words ‘summer camp’ picture the 90s ideal of a lake, kids in matching t-shirts singing around a campfire, and can almost smell the s’mores that the movies will have you believe are a staple in any campers diet…
What if I told you that American summer camps have moved on, they are now bigger, better, and brighter than ever before, with more modern amenities than most Universities this side of the Atlantic, but that they still retain that specific brand of magic that so entranced us as children? Summer camps today are competing for the top spot, each trying to outdo the other, which works well for any prospective camp counsellor as, chances are, you’ll be hired by a camp that resembles a country club, or a holiday resort.
We at USA Summer Camp work with over 700 of the best camps in the United States. They are located across America, and we are proud to say that each camp we work with is the best in its own way. The following is a compilation of the top ten camps in the US – but the most important piece of advice that I received at camp was that ‘you get out of it what you put into it.’ Your perfect camp may not be on this list, but it may be the number one place for you to thrive, and we work diligently to find you the perfect match!
And so, in no particular order…
Location: Swan Lake, New York
Term: 8 weeks (Chipinaw) and 4 weeks (Silver Lake)
Age of Campers: 7-16
Originally opened as a boys only camp in 1926, Camp Chipinaw has been co-ed since 1938! They outline that ‘your experience at Chipinaw will be a perfect blend of Chipinaw’s rich history and traditions along with all the latest and greatest facilities and activities that one would expect from a superior summer camp.’ Chipinaw is unique in that they have two camps on one property located in the glorious Catskill Mountains. Chipinaw caters to full term campers and half term campers are housed at Silver Lake. Campers enjoy six activities a day, six days a week and get to choose their own schedule! The fun doesn’t stop after the regular schedule, as evening activities from talent shows to pool parties!
Location: Mount Vernon, Maine
Term: 7 weeks
Age of Campers: 7-16
Camp Laurel differs from the majority of traditional sleepaway camps, in that it is divided by age into six campuses. Its impressive state of the art facilities are coupled with the comfort of the smaller camp experience, which ensures that each of its campers feels at home. Offering such varied activities as Zumba and Pilates, a highly impressive 15 tennis courts, a beach volleyball court, and over 20 horses to its campers who range from 7-15, Camp Laurel truly separates itself from the herd in their dedication to the modernisation of the traditional summer camp experience. Camp Laurel promises to provide ‘an action-packed seven-week experience, where campers are exposed to a wide range of activities within a unique 6-part core program of Athletics, Waterfront, Adventure, Inter-Arts, Tennis, and Equestrian.’ Set against the backdrop of the crystal-clear spring-fed Echo Lake, which is naturally warm, in the summer months, Camp Laurel places an emphasis on high-quality skill development for campers and counselors alike.
Location: Hancock, New York
Term: 7 weeks
Age of Campers: 7-17
French Woods offers summer camp programs in dance, theatre, music, rock and roll, circus, magic, visual arts, skateboarding, sport, and horseback riding. They are internationally recognised, and campers travel from over 40 countries to spend their summer on over 1000 acres of hills, fields, and woods bordering a private lake in the town of Hancock, New York in the Catskill Mountains. The French Woods philosophy is to provide ‘a place where your dreams are important. Counselors and adult staff utilize our facilities to make those dreams possible. Our non-competitive programs give you a choice over which activities you take part in and the opportunity to excel.
Location: Racquette Lake, New York
Term: 7 weeks
Age of Campers: 7-16
The exclusivity of Racquette Lake, along with the exquisite array of programs, world class facilities, uniforms, and the best cabins a camper could ask for, has led to some describing it as ‘the Harvard of summer camps.’ Divided into boys side and girls side, the sibling camps come together every week and enjoy a full camp lunch. Racquette Lake boasts such prestige that the availability for new campers each summer is as low as ten spots! It truly is a haven where the children can go horseback riding, learn to sail, and play ice hockey, to name but a few of the sports on offer, for a seven-week term, a tradition which has persisted since 1916! Racquette Lake’s summer calendar is punctuated by special days. Returning campers look forward to the 4th of July Extravaganza, Carnival, DJ parties, and other socials! They work hard to provide a balance between the high energy events and the down time everyone needs, and therefore Sundays are ‘lazy days’ where the camp recharges.
Location: Tyler Hill, Pennsylvania
Term: 8 weeks
Age of Campers: 7-16
Those who love it say that ‘there’s no place better than Tyler Hill Camp when it comes to a summer home – 220 acres filled with love, friendship, and family. Nothing compares.’ A clearly beloved member of the TLC Family of Camps, Tyler Hill is run by Andy and Wendy Siegel who consider all their campers and counselors to be their second family. They work diligently to ensure that each camper feels loved and valued. Andy is also the former president of SCOPE (Summer Camp Opportunities to Promote Education), an organisation founded by the famed Jay Jacobs, that funds ‘camperships’ for children in need to attend not-for-profit sleep-away camps. The Tyler Hill experience varies from athletics and waterfront programs to special events and electives. THC also makes the summer even more exciting by organising for all the divisions to make trips out of camp, from the youngest kids going to amusement parks, to the teens travelling to Washington DC or Toronto!
Location: Brooksville, Maine
Term: 8 weeks
Age of Campers: 7-16
Robin Hood Camp has been providing campers with the ultimate summer camp experience since 1928! Their program is one of the most dynamic in camping and campers from across the globe arrive each June to experience the freedom of choosing their own schedule in addition to the array of over 35 sports on offer daily! They are also the only camp in the United States located on both the ocean and a freshwater lake. Campers and counselors really can experience the best of both worlds! They boast: ‘Instruction is world-class, rare in summer camps. Add the Robin Hood spirit of nonstop fun, challenge, and supportiveness, and campers can’t help but return year-after-year.’
Location: Equinuk, Pennsylvania
Term: 7 weeks
Age of Campers: 7-16
IHC prides themselves on encouraging campers to be comfortable in their own skin in a community where children and adults respect one another and the environment in which they live. It is a safe place where the campers can experience the best that life can offer in the stunning mountains of north-eastern Pennsylvania. IHC maintains the traditional summer camp experience and stages special events one day a week. The campers and counselors boast that IHC has the best food with fresh fruit and salad bars being the most popular choices on hot summer days!
Location: Oakland, Maine
Term: 7 weeks
Age of Campers: 7-16 (all boys)
As is the dream of every person who comes to love summer camp, a former camper and counselor bought his home-away-from home and now welcomes his own campers to the shore of Manitou Cove every June. Camp Manitou is as traditional as they come in some respects, even offering cookies and milk before bedtime, but in others, it shows its rebellious side. Campers (and counsellors) can partake in SAT prep, yoga, rafting, and BMX, as well as the more expected camp activities, such as tennis and water sports. Manitou boasts of a head chef who learned his trade at the Four Seasons and the campers enjoy formal dinners on what they term ‘theater night.’
Location: Endless Mountains, Pennsylvania
Term: 7 weeks
Age of Campers: 7-16
Camp Wayne has been family-owned since 1921! They are a brother-sister camp ‘where friendships and memories extend long past summer,’ and the campers become ‘brothers for life.’ The campers learn communication, teamwork, and leadership skills that will aid them for their entire lives. The Camp Wayne experience includes instructional and league periods which they call Conference. Campers are divided into teams – Harvard, Dartmouth, Princeton, and Yale – if that tells you anything about the futures that lie ahead for these kids! It is a well-rounded camp experience, with waterfront activities, outdoor adventure, art programs, and evening activities.
Location: Shandaken, New York
Term: 7 weeks
Age of Campers: 7-16
‘It’s what camp was always meant to be.’ Campers and counselors turned camp owners and directors, Jay, and Mindy Jacobs, foster values of sharing, integrity, responsibility, and respect in a friendly, safe environment of fun. The Jacobs’ have been providing campers with memories that will last a lifetime for more than six decades! Timber Lake Camp sits on a mountaintop surrounded by 500 acres in the Catskill Mountains. The Timber Lake experience is designed to give campers the ‘edge’ they need to succeed in every aspect of their futures to reach their highest potential. The STARFISH values program, unique to the TLC Family of Camps, teaches campers the importance of strong character, good values, and an understanding that each individual plays an important role in the well-being of everyone around them. Timber Lake Camp knows that ‘the true key to success in life is happiness, and the basis of happiness is in knowing how to build lasting relationships. Teaching, practicing and perfecting the two essential skills of making and keeping friends is at the core of what we do.’
