Why are all the sleepaway camps in the general DC vicinity so underwhelming?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you’re Jewish right? You should totally send your kid to camp Airy/Louise. It has rave reviews and I wish we were Jewish so I could send my kids there.

OP here--I have only heard good things about Airy/Louise and it's something I would strongly consider if my daughter gets out of her "I'm too bored of Hebrew school/organized Jewish activities" funk (though I'm not actually sure how much these camps in particular emphasize Judaism).

The one thing that turns me a bit off about Louise though is, from pictures I've looked at, it almost doesn't look "campy" enough. The facilities themselves are gorgeous and it's in a beautiful location, but it doesn't seem very "woodsy," there's no lake, etc. And by "campy" I don't mean anything about how nice/expensive seeming the camp is--I don't think my kids would want to go to a SUPER rustic camp with tents instead of cabins, no modern facilities whatsoever, etc. I know of EXTREMELY expensive camps up North that I would consider to be "campy". What I mean is that most camps offer somewhat similar activities, but one of the ways a camp can really set itself apart with its activities IMO is how they take advantage of their natural surroundings and being outdoors. I have endless wonderful memories from the overnight camp I went to as a kid, but the things that REALLY jog my memories are the smells and sensory experiences of being in the outdoors at camp, swimming in the lake, horseback riding (though I know most camps nowadays offer an extra charge for that), etc. On the Louise website, if you look at pictures of their outdoor facilities/activities, it seems that they are all very basic and take place on the (already fairly limited) campground. It's a camp that seems to focus way more on what their facilities offer than what their natural surroundings offer, and I think the best type of camp offers both.

So that's the main thing that's been keeping me away from Airy/Louise, though I do realize it's kind of minor and I often come back to it and reconsider (this of course would still only happen if I can convince my daughter that "Jewish camp" is more fun than Hebrew school!). Does anyone know about Airy/Louise and have any insight on this? Capital Camps I realize is in a similar location, but they IMO from what I've seen do a much better job at making the camp feel "campy," i.e. they have a lake, more extensive outdoor activities, a farm with animals, etc.

[Anonymous]

OP here--for everyone who actually contributed with suggestions, thank you all so much!

I realize now that maybe our best option would be to simply just consider camps slightly farther away--I don't think I would want to send her all the way up to the area I went to overnight camp (in New England), but it seems that there's some pretty good options in places such as PA and southern NY. With PA in particular, the drive wouldn't be THAT much farther than some of the camps I've already looked at in the area, and it seems many offer a bus anyways.

My concern about sending her to a slightly farther away camp has nothing to do with distance/driving time, but rather that she'll be the ONLY one from the DC area at camp. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of her having friends from all along the East Coast (as opposed to many camps in the area which mostly attract D.C. area kids), but I don't want her to be SO far away from everyone else that her camp friends would be having reunions that she couldn't go to because she lives too far away, no one in the area who she may be able to meet up with beforehand to get to know, etc. Most of the camps in these areas seem to cater mostly to families from NY/NJ/PA (and I guess FL).

Does anyone have suggestions of camps in PA/NY that a decent number of families from the DC area go to? We are actually from NoVA and I am perfectly aware that there's a good chance we will be the only Virginia family at any of these given camps (all of my Jewish friends in Virginia either send their kids to the "underwhelming" camps I described earlier or to camps that are actually Jewish), but I presume there are some that attract campers from Maryland.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My girls go to a camp which you describe in VA. They are around here but just not mentioned much on DCUM.

OP here--can I ask which camp your girls go to?

Camp Carysbrook down by Roanoke. Most girls go for 3+ weeks plus they do things like swim lessons everyday regardless of level, shooting, tumbling, etc. next year will be their 100th year and the cabins look like what you would expect from Camp that old. We found it via a neighbor of ours in DC who is an alum. She Sends her daughter there too. Many of the counselors are precious campers too. Take a look and reach out to the director with questions though happy to answer here too.

[Anonymous]

OP, you may be overthinking a bit…airy/Louise are great. My kid loves Louise and it’s a very well run camp. The Jewish aspect really isn’t that significant. If you want a camp that draws from pretty locally it’s a great bet. It’s true there’s no lake but I don’t think the kids care that much. I will say Louise isnt super outdoorsy or sporty if that’s what you want. My DD isn’t athletic so the fact that it’s not all about sports is a plus, there are sports of course but it’s more just fun and not too competitive. The theater and arts programs are great.

The one negative is probably that because it’s close by it is hot but there are fans in the bunks my DD keeps going back so she’s managing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People in this area like to spend time with their children during the summer. You can do all the fun outdoor things around here but you do them as a family or hire a nanny or college student to do things with them. I’ve never heard of anyone going to sleep away camp, I’m about 2 hours from DC and people here are more likely to take their kids to a camp ground or buy a cabin further up in the mountains than send them away for the summer. It’s just not something people that grew up in this area really do. Growing up I asked about something similar I saw on a magazine and got shut down immediately with a hard no. My parents were not keen on the idea of other people raising their children, that’s what they said and think that’s how many people around here probably feel. You have to go much farther north for that I guess.

Oh come on, sending your kid to summer camp is not having someone else raise them. Its giving them a wonderful opportunity to grow, spread their wings, and become independent AWAY from their parents. Do I miss my kid terribly when she is away? absolutely? I don't send her to camp because I don't want to spend time with her, I let her go to camp because I love her and camp is so good for her.

Ok, sure, you just keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better.

Wow. PP, you really are ignorant and self righteous. Maybe a little jealous cuz you can't afford to send your kid to sleepaway camp

I’m the PP whose DD is at Louise. You are crazy. Obviously you don’t send a kid to sleepaway camp who doesn’t want to go but it is like my DD’s favorite place. She has a great home life and lots of friends but camp is special to her and she looks forward to it all year. We are not “sending her away.” We actually have other kids who do not want to go to sleepaway camp and are home so it’s not like we send her to offload our kids. It’s so great knowing she’s getting lots of exercise for a month, with friends, no screens, trying new activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My girls go to a camp which you describe in VA. They are around here but just not mentioned much on DCUM.

OP here--can I ask which camp your girls go to?

Camp Carysbrook down by Roanoke. Most girls go for 3+ weeks plus they do things like swim lessons everyday regardless of level, shooting, tumbling, etc. next year will be their 100th year and the cabins look like what you would expect from Camp that old. We found it via a neighbor of ours in DC who is an alum. She Sends her daughter there too. Many of the counselors are precious campers too. Take a look and reach out to the director with questions though happy to answer here too.

OP here--Wow! I haven't heard of this camp and can't believe I didn't come across it in my search! It looks beautiful, but maybe a bit too rustic--not that I care, but I think my daughter might. I personally love the outdoorsy environment it seems to offer but my daughter has said she wants to go to a camp that's not too "old-fashioned" (I have no idea what that means in the words of kids nowadays--for all we know, they could consider things from a decade ago "old-fashioned"!).

Weird question, but do you know if there happen to be a decent number of Jewish campers at Carysbrook? I'm not married to the idea of sending her to a camp with a large Jewish population, but it would be somewhat of a bonus, and since you said many campers stay 3+ weeks, I'm wondering if many of them come from families where their parents did the same (which often, at least back in our day, was something Jewish children mostly did).

[Anonymous]

Timber Tops in PA.

I will say I suggest you reconsider the New England (especially Maine) camps. It is so much prettier with the lakes and the cooler weather. Mostly kids come from NY/NJ/Boston, yes, but she won't be the ONLY DC area kid.

[Anonymous]

Not what you’re looking for, but my three sort of Jewish kids went to nature camp. Very rustic, like an old scout camp. Close. Small. Fun. Also the shorter sessions, not all summer. It has the look-forward-to-it-all-year, return every summer, friends for life and returning next generation culture you describe. But your child has to enjoy being outside. It’s quietly spawned a global network of nature and science people. www.burgundycenter.org

[Anonymous]

Worth considering Timber Tops/Pine Forest Camp/Owego. Not too far, good mix of kids fom the DC/Philly area. Great places, and Owego is a particularly special place if you have boys.

[Anonymous]

There are lots of camps in the PA area that send a bus to pick up the kids in Rockville and/or Baltimore.

I know you said your kid doesn’t like Hebrew school but that the case for many kids.

Perlman, NJY, Camp Judea (NC) are the ones I’m familiar with but lots of kids go to Iroquois, Harlam, UJY camps.

I would call one of the people that help people like you find camps. Or ask at your shul where the kids go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s very regional and from what I’ve seen a very NY metro area and Jewish thing to do the extended summer camp.

I think sending your kids away for most of the summer (a month or more) is a strange choice as summer is the best time to actually spend time with them and relax and apparently most Americans agree with me because most people are not doing this. It’s also very expensive.

THIS. The big, family-style camps that serve multiple ages basically a tradition for specific groups. Camp is a thing and rite of passage if you're say, Jewish from NYC. And when you're older, you go back and work as a counselor.

Here, sleepaway camps tend to be more focused on specific sports, interests, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s very regional and from what I’ve seen a very NY metro area and Jewish thing to do the extended summer camp.

I think sending your kids away for most of the summer (a month or more) is a strange choice as summer is the best time to actually spend time with them and relax and apparently most Americans agree with me because most people are not doing this. It’s also very expensive.

Most Americans can’t afford to send their kid to a $10,000+ summer camp and it wouldn’t even be a remote possibility even if they wanted to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My girls go to a camp which you describe in VA. They are around here but just not mentioned much on DCUM.

OP here--can I ask which camp your girls go to?

Camp Carysbrook down by Roanoke. Most girls go for 3+ weeks plus they do things like swim lessons everyday regardless of level, shooting, tumbling, etc. next year will be their 100th year and the cabins look like what you would expect from Camp that old. We found it via a neighbor of ours in DC who is an alum. She Sends her daughter there too. Many of the counselors are precious campers too. Take a look and reach out to the director with questions though happy to answer here too.

OP here--Wow! I haven't heard of this camp and can't believe I didn't come across it in my search! It looks beautiful, but maybe a bit too rustic--not that I care, but I think my daughter might. I personally love the outdoorsy environment it seems to offer but my daughter has said she wants to go to a camp that's not too "old-fashioned" (I have no idea what that means in the words of kids nowadays--for all we know, they could consider things from a decade ago "old-fashioned"!).

Weird question, but do you know if there happen to be a decent number of Jewish campers at Carysbrook? I'm not married to the idea of sending her to a camp with a large Jewish population, but it would be somewhat of a bonus, and since you said many campers stay 3+ weeks, I'm wondering if many of them come from families where their parents did the same (which often, at least back in our day, was something Jewish children mostly did).

Since it has been around so long there is a large alumni network and a lot of girls are the daughters of alumni and can be from all over. There are quite a few Jewish girls. We are from the DC metro area and most of the girls we know are Jewish. It is rustic but also old fashioned in their approach which is what I wanted for my girls. No screens, outside 90% of the time and learning things like how to build a fire while having fun. Reach out to the director and she can put you in touch with a local family to chat more. Good luck on your search.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Worth considering Timber Tops/Pine Forest Camp/Owego. Not too far, good mix of kids fom the DC/Philly area. Great places, and Owego is a particularly special place if you have boys.

Funny you mention these camps--I actually have a friend from Maryland who recently told me about Timber Tops when I told her I was considering camps in the PA area! She said many kids from her kids' schools go there and to Owego. Timber Tops sounds like a wonderful place and it's one of the camps I'm looking into further/considering for my daughter.

Random question--do you know why there are SO MANY families from Maryland there? I don't mind at all that there are, and considering the location I assume there are a good amount of kids from other areas too. But the friend who I mentioned said that one of her friends said over half of the girls in her cabin were from Maryland?! Which is kind of shocking for a camp in a location that would presumably attract mostly kids from the NY area! Again, it's not at all a problem that there's so many Maryland families there, but there seem to be minuscule numbers of DC-area kids at other camps in the Poconos--what makes Maryland families attracted to these camps in particular as opposed to the several other Poconos camps, which have very few DC kids? Do Timber Tops/Lake Owego have some type of established connection to people in the DC area?

Again, this is all just out of curiosity!

[Anonymous]

I'm Jewish and local and never went to any sleepaway camp, but my kids have been going to Camp Louise. It's exceptionally well-run and is great for meeting other Jewish kids while not being at all like Hebrew School.

There are plenty of girls from interfaith families, girls who don't go to synagogue, and there are also girls who go to Jewish day school. But the super observant generally aren't there because food is kosher-style, not kosher, and Shabbat is observed with some traditions and having a more restful day, but not by ceasing all work.

https://www.airylouise.org/about-us/jewish-life/

It isn't the most nature-y camp, for sure. No lake, only one night of sleeping outdoors, if that, and no horses. Still, my kids have gone to a nearby lake for kayaking or canoeing once or twice, there's a ropes course, they swim in the pool everyday, and they have a variety of sports (parkour, gymnastics, soccer, gaga, frisbee, soccer, field hockey, basketball, tennis). Kids who like to perform can be in theater or dance productions or the talent show. There's also a variety of visual arts, cooking, a garden and some farm animals.

I like that the drive isn't too far (about 40 min past Frederick) yet while it does get hot, it's up on a mountain so not as hot as in DC and the nights and early mornings are definitely cooler.

It's expensive, but I don't think so compared to other sleepaway camps unless you're comparing to church-based on Girl Scouts. They offer a first-time camper discount and so does the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.

Several upcoming tour dates for prospective campers and families: https://www.airylouise.org/request-a-tour/