Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 17:47     Subject: Sleep away camps
Anonymous wrote:CampLetts.org is a YMCA camp (like Frost Valley, where I went as a kid), and much closer and much less expensive

+1. We love Letts.
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 17:44     Subject: Sleep away camps
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Girl Scout camps are about $600 for the week, depending on what you choose. You have to register as a girl scout ($25) but do not attend with a troop and do not need to scout during the year. My kid always has a good time.

They get a lot of criticism on this board so as a heads up: these are traditional, low key camps where you do tie dye, campfire skits, swimming pool, some entry-level outdoor stuff. Your camper will not be whitewater rafting or rock climbing so don't expect that.


This isn’t necessarily true! At my Girl Scout camp in Maine we learned to sail and also climbed mount katahdin , sometimes on the knife’s edge route!


+1. My daughters go to Girl Scout camps in PA that have an optional rafting trip for 6th graders and up. Also horseback riding, ropes courses, ziplines, rock climbing, water sports (canoe, SUP, etc.), etc. The VA/MD Girl Scouts camps didn't have as many amenities although May Flather has rock climbing and a bus from this area. Winona, which seems geared toward younger campers, was very poorly run when my daughter went (although I've heard there is a new director).


I'm the PP who said GS camps are nice but tame. I had really great adventures at GS camp in CA growing up, but those camps are closed now and I think my comments are accurate as to the GSNC camps (Winona, May Flather, and Potomac Woods).

If you can share your out of state GS camps, my DD would like to go! She's outgrown the three I named.
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 17:22     Subject: Sleep away camps
We pay $9500 for 3.5 weeks but so worth it bc the kids got to do every activity they wanted to try - sailing, wakeboarding, water skiing, archery, mountain biking, ceramics, pottery, sewing, fishing, tubing, cooking etc etc. Not too big that you have to wait for an activity and you choose your schedule every 3 days.
Anonymous
Post 07/25/2025 17:14     Subject: Re:Sleep away camps
Absolutely on the cost. The camps you'd want your kid to go to are likely either legacy camps or have extensive waitlists and a line of people willing to pay.

Sleepaway camp is the best gift I could give my children. Cheesy, but true.

Wrong. Look outside the dc bubble and you may find some, but I’m not sure I want to share mine.


OK? My kid's camps are well outside the DC bubble, I'm not sharing them either.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 21:05     Subject: Re:Sleep away camps
Short answer: yes. And it’s a lot more than $5k. Our not even that nice overnight camp is $7,600 for 3.5 weeks. Once she goes for 7, it will be $13k. And I have a second who will go next year too. Worth every penny.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 20:50     Subject: Sleep away camps
Letts, Tockwogh, Hidden Meadows
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 18:00     Subject: Sleep away camps
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Girl Scout camps are about $600 for the week, depending on what you choose. You have to register as a girl scout ($25) but do not attend with a troop and do not need to scout during the year. My kid always has a good time.

They get a lot of criticism on this board so as a heads up: these are traditional, low key camps where you do tie dye, campfire skits, swimming pool, some entry-level outdoor stuff. Your camper will not be whitewater rafting or rock climbing so don't expect that.


This isn’t necessarily true! At my Girl Scout camp in Maine we learned to sail and also climbed mount katahdin , sometimes on the knife’s edge route!


+1. My daughters go to Girl Scout camps in PA that have an optional rafting trip for 6th graders and up. Also horseback riding, ropes courses, ziplines, rock climbing, water sports (canoe, SUP, etc.), etc. The VA/MD Girl Scouts camps didn't have as many amenities although May Flather has rock climbing and a bus from this area. Winona, which seems geared toward younger campers, was very poorly run when my daughter went (although I've heard there is a new director).
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 10:48     Subject: Sleep away camps
We've had a great experience with Camp Letts. It doesn't have a ton of bells and whistles, and I'd describe it as pretty basic. But my kid had a great time! And it's easy to get to and from.
Anonymous
Post 07/24/2025 10:44     Subject: Sleep away camps
We've been happy with Hidden Meadows. It's $3750 for two weeks. Not the least expensive, but not the most expensive either.
Anonymous
Post 07/19/2025 17:38     Subject: Re:Sleep away camps
We use a Y camp. It's on Newsweek's list of the 500 best summer camps in the US---300 of those are sleepover. It's a lot cheaper than the private ones and it offers financial aid. None of the kids know who is on FA and who isn't.

https://rankings.newsweek.com/americas-best-summer-camps-2024

Anonymous
Post 07/19/2025 17:35     Subject: Sleep away camps
Anonymous wrote:Girl Scout camps are about $600 for the week, depending on what you choose. You have to register as a girl scout ($25) but do not attend with a troop and do not need to scout during the year. My kid always has a good time.

They get a lot of criticism on this board so as a heads up: these are traditional, low key camps where you do tie dye, campfire skits, swimming pool, some entry-level outdoor stuff. Your camper will not be whitewater rafting or rock climbing so don't expect that.


This isn’t necessarily true! At my Girl Scout camp in Maine we learned to sail and also climbed mount katahdin , sometimes on the knife’s edge route!