Summer Camp Vacations for Kids and Adults

On the slopes of Mount Davis (the highest peak in Pennsylvania), 90 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, the Deer Valley YMCA Camp has opened its doors each summer since 1957 to singles, couples, and families from June through August for its popular "Family Camp."

Aquatic activities, such as sailing, windsurfing, and kayaking, take center stage on the 125-acre Deer Valley Lake. Hiking and biking trails wind through the other 600 acres amidst tall pines and maples (FYI- it's the "Maple Capital of Pennsylvania"). Other available pastimes at this lakeside haven run the gamut from horse-back-riding (for an extra fee) to bacci ball to arts and crafts. A morning daycamp is scheduled for children only with family activities throughout the afternoon; nightly programs like karaoke and murder mysteries are adults-only. Accommodations consist of 36 heated, two-bedroom cabins with private baths (be forewarned: cold water only and no showers) and eight private rooms (but no baths) in the "Lakeview Lodge" for about $1,500 per family of four. Communal shower and bathhouses supplement the rustic amenities. Single adults and couples can arrange to share a cabin or vie for one of the few dorm-style rooms. There are also tent sites available for $20/night. Meals, served family-style, are all included in the room cost. In addition to the "Family Camp," Deer Valley sets aside a week in June and another in October for "Women's Week," a women-only retreat focused on gender issues, self-improvement, and fitness.

Contact the Deer Valley Camp Office in September to reserve a space for the following summer. For more information or to make reservations, write Deer Valley YMCA Camp, 254 Deer Valley Drive, Fort Hill, PA 15540, call 800/YMCA-FUN (962-2386), or e-mail deervalleyymca@juno.com. View their web site at deervalleyymca.org.

The YMCA Camp Nawakwa (run by the Metropolitan Chicago YMCA), just 15 miles west of Minocqua, Wisconsin, has also offered an annual "family camp" from Memorial Day to Labor Day for singles, couples, and kid-toting parents, since the 1930s. On 170 acres of thick pine and birch forest, the camp is located on a Native American Reservation, nestled between two crystal-clear lakes, Big Crooked and Little Sugarbush (the camp staff claims you can spot bottom, 15 feet down). Opt for all, some, or none of the camp-organized activities, which range from running and rowing in the camp's triathlon, to crooning a tune in "songfest," to visiting a nearby Native American museum. Thirty-three "housekeeping" cabins, all heated and with kitchen facilities, spot the lakeshore, and sleep from four to six people. About a third are "full facility," with private baths; the others are more rustic (and, consequently, cost less), with only hot and cold-water sinks, but fully equipped bathhouses are nearby. Campers pay by the cabin, from $425 to $625 per family of four (rates depend on type of cabin and time). No meals are provided, but you can cook your own in any of the cabins and there's a town just 10 minutes away. The low rates of this back-to-nature camp make it a hot ticket-- reserve a cabin six months in advance just to be safe. For more information or to make reservations, contact YMCA Family Camp Nawakwa, 13400 Camp Nawakwa Lane, Lac-du-Flambeau, WI 54538 (in summer, phone 715/588-7422, or e-mail Kirby_Petersen@ymcachgo.org. View the camp's Web site at nawakwa.com.

The St. Paul YMCA chapter hosts another "family camp," Camp du Nord (once again, open to all), this one on the shores of Burntside Lake in Ely, Minnesota. Amidst a "wilderness" setting of wooded grounds, the wide-ranging activities are all optional. Storytelling, kayaking, sailing, canoeing, and fishing are among your choices. Du Nord is divided into three camp "villages," that are spread out along a mile of the lakefront property. Pitching your own tent is the cheapest way to go: from only $395/week for the site. If you'd prefer a something a little less rustic, there are 23 "housekeeping" cabins to choose from, and like Camp Nawakwa, you pay per cabin, not per person. Prices start at $800/week for a two-person bungalow without a bathroom and they go up from there, depending on occupancy and amenities (the most expensive sleeps 16 for $2,140/week). If you opt for meals, served buffet-style in the communal dining room, you'll tack on between $70 and $135 extra, depending on the meal plan you choose. But all cabins are equipped with kitchens and the nearest supermarket's only a half-hour away. If these prices don't fit you budget, ask about the sliding scale pricing option, which lets you pay 10 to 20% less, no questions asked. All rates are flexible, structured to allow poorer campers and families to vacation here.

The registration process for this camp is a little complicated (it's a lottery system), so make sure you contact the office before December (when the drawing takes place) for the following summer. If you're too late for that deadline, check anyway for cancellations. For more information or to make reservations contact Camp du Nord, 3606 North Arm Road, Ely, Minnesota 55731, call Shirley at the Camp Office 651/645-2136 or the Wilderness Office 218/365-3681, or e-mail info@dunord.org. View its web site at dunord.org.

Sports and adventure camps

From the shores of Maine to the Delaware Water Gap, the 128-year old Appalachian Mountain Club organizes a vast spectrum of outdoor camping programs and workshops throughout the year. Founded on principles of eco-conscious camping, the club's "leave no trace" mantra prevails in all its outings. Many of the trips are based in the White Mountains and Mt. Cardigan of New Hampshire, the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts, the Catskills in New York, and a myriad of rivers and basins throughout the Northeast. They cover pretty much all the outdoor basics (hiking, canoeing, biking, etc) and range from two-day hut-based workshops to 10-day guided hikes through rough mountain terrain. Programs offered in recent years include "Women of the woods," "The Taste of Tundra," "Outdoor Cooking and Baking," "Llama Trekking," "Tracking: The Art of Seeing," "Kayaking Coastal Maine," "Beginner Fly Fishing," and "Hiking and Yoga." Professional wilderness experts guide each trip.

Outings cost from $72 day-trips to over $1,000 for longer adventures, but most weigh in under $100/day (some much less). The fee covers all lodging costs (the club provides camping gear and even some sleeping bags are available at no extra cost), instruction, guides and most meals. Because AMC is a non-profit organization, each club trip is run on a "break-even" basis, meaning the fee you pay just covers the administrative costs and your personal expenses. Appalachian Mountain Club members receive a 10% discount on all trips, so it's worth your while to sign up. Hundreds of trips are offered, so be sure to check out their web site www.outdoors.org or call for a catalogue for the whole enchilada. For more information, contact the Appalachian Mountain Club, 5 Joy Street, Boston, MA 02108 (phone 617/523-0636, e-mail information@outdoors.org.

Smith College Adult Sports and Fitness Camp, for both men and women, is a highly active week of classroom instruction in fitness, nutrition, and stress management, alternating with active participation in yoga, cycling, hiking, swimming, climbing, tai-chi, canoeing, badminton, squash, tennis, and other forms of aerobics. The college's facilities for all this are among the best in the nation. One session for 2004 is scheduled from June 12 to 18. Sessions average 30 to 40 participants. A single fee of $1,125 (there is a discount if you register early) per person covers sports, instruction, and room and board (single or double rooms) from dinner Sunday through breakfast the following Friday. Contact Michelle Finley, Adult Sports and Fitness Camp, Scott Gymnasium, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063 (phone 413/585-3971, e-mail mfinley@smith.edu). Or view the Web site at science.smith.edu/exer_sci/camp.

A vegetarian camp

Between 150 and 160 campers fill the summertime retreat during its two-week run in August. Adults pay $450/week, teens $360, and kids, between $80 and $315 (book after the end of March and you can add $10 to these prices). To encourage diversity (one of the camp's founding principles) Camp Common Ground offers scholarships to about 35% of its attending families. Bunkbeds in 12 "rustic-style" cabins and 10 platform-tents house most of the campers; the rest bring their own tents. If you want a solid sleeping structure, be sure to make reservations early. Private cabins cost an additional $120 and shared cabins cost an additional $15 per bed. Very few of these accommodations come with private baths, so for the others, there are three communal bathhouses (men's, women's, and coed). Priority is given to returning families (about 60%) and the rest of the slots are filled on a first come-first served basis. For more information or to make reservations, contact Camp Common Ground, 159 Lost Road, St. George, VT 05495, phone 800/430-COOP (2667) or 802/482-3670, or e-mail info@cgcvt.org. View the Web site or register online at cgcvt.org.

A political summer camp

For information and applications, contact World Fellowship Center, c/o Andrew Davis & Andrea Walsh, P.O. Box 2280, Conway, NH 03818-2280 (phone 603/447-2280, fax 603/447-1820). You can also e-mail worldf@worldfellowship.org or go online to worldfellowship.org.