The importance of Eagle Island in my life cannot be overstated. I spent many summers on this unique…read moreand beautiful private island (and national landmark) learning how to sail a boat, paddle a canoe, improve my swimming skills, learn songs and craft skills, live outdoors, appreciate unspoiled nature. But my greatest takeaway was in finding myself--building confidence, having strong women leaders, and coming away with an internal fortitude that has served me well into my adult life. My nieces will also be attending camp there and I could not be more thrilled for them and what they too will experience in this magical place.

From the owner: Youth Summer Day Camp for children entering grades 3-6…read moreGirls' Overnight Camp grades 5-9 Family Camp and more. . . An unplugged island experience. Located at a National Historic Landmark Adirondack Great Camp located on Upper Saranac Lake, New York

Greatest summer camp in the country! Has one of the best climbing programs, with many campers…read morehiking all Adirondack 46 (4,000 ft mountains). Camp is owned by the same family dating back to 1904. Rich in tradition and outdoor activities, this camp is ideal for campers looking to experience new adventures.

From the owner: Pok-O-MacCready Camps is a co-ed Adirondack summer camp in New York for boys and girls ages 6-16…read more It is located on a beautiful lake in New York's Adirondack Mountains. Family-owned since 1905, Camp Pok-O-Moonshine for Boys and Camp MacCready for Girls provide a traditional Adirondack summer camp experience that mixes exciting summer adventures and new opportunities with great friends in a picturesque natural setting.

I went to camp Echo Lake for a work weekend. There was about 40 of us coming from all over. We…read morestayed in the cabins and utilized every aspect of the entire camp. The cabins were really nice and clean upon arrival. There were bathrooms and sinks in the cabins which was awesome. A small bathhouse was not far away with really nice showers. The only thing I could say was they were advertised as heated and defenitly were not! The kitchen staff was incredible in serving up three meals a day with snacks in between. They were amazing at catering to vegan and vegetarian's as well! The camp staff in general was awesome. We had several classes including mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking, paddle boarding, and yoga. The staff helped set up materials and walked us through how to properly use them every step of the way. The staff even set up an area for Olympic games and transported water as well. This camp had such a great set up, so many things to do and see, and a staff that made a huge difference in making things run smoothly!

From the owner: Camp Echo Lake Is a full season co-ed sleep away camp in New York's Adirondack Mountains.read more

My 14 year old son has been an every other year camper at Farm & Wilderness's Camp Timberlake, and…read morehas reported having a great experience each time. He got familiar with animals and barn duties in his first year, hiking for long treks (16 and 26 miles in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks!) in his second year, and bouldering in nature in his third, all the while making strong bonds with fellow campers and counselors. He looks forward to coming back as a counselor one year, and I couldn't be more excited for him. My 9 year old daughter had the opportunity of attending Firefly Song for her first time this year. She came home with wonderful memories of the camp community, and revealed in describing to us her daily routine -which included chores, Quaker inspired silent meetings and songs, and swimming in the lake every single day! She can't wait to keep going back.

After one good summer at Timberlake, we uncovered the ugly underbelly at Farm & Wilderness…read more In 2023, when other camps had moved on from all Covid protocols, F & W insisted on three days of covid testing from their campers at the outset. When they finally extracted a positive test from a cabin mate of my twin boys, the 5 remaining cabin kids were separated from the camp, made to wear masks indoors and out for 10 days. About half of their session. Despite testing negative consistently. When asked why in the year 2023 they were going well beyond CDC guidelines with their policy, there were no good answers. "Unfortunately, Covid isn't behind us yet, but we gave your cabin an oreo cheesecake and they loved it." Farm and Wilderness could be a great version of itself, outdoors and unplugged and accepting and spirited, but unfortunately they are entangled in a strange ideology where they think they can control what is not controllable. Predictably it backfired. Every kid ended up with a debilitating case of norovirus at the end of the session and my twins came back upset from a summer of isolation and pariah-like exclusion from the campers. Lasting bonds weren't made and refunds weren't offered. It's their policy to make, obviously, it's just not grounded in the child's actual experience. It's grounded in fear.

My friends and I had an amazing time touring the farm. Katie was so friendly and kind and we loved…read moremeeting all the animals. We got to meet and feed the Alpacas, pet the horses, and hold the baby bunnies. It was such an amazing and unique experience if you have the opportunity when visiting the area definitely worth it. Also the views on her property were breathtaking.

We had the most amazing experience here. Katie, the farm owner, spent a good hour with us showing…read moreus all around the farm, introducing us to all of their animals. My boys adored the alpacas. The friendliest alpacas we've ever met, so sweet and curious! The boys got to pet the pony, hold/cuddle the rabbits, and play with the dogs. We had an incredible adventure and we are so grateful we got to come.

My three boys all LOVE Camp Chingachgook! There are great programs, outstanding supervision, and a…read moreprime location on beautiful Lake George. YMCA Camp Chingachgook is a wonderful place to build friendships, learn about nature and stewardship of our land, and develop wonderful new skills that will last a lifetime. Check out their wonderful family programs as well- we love the Labor Day Weekend Family Camp!

My parents asked me if I wanted to go to this camp I never heard of. I said sure, why not? It was…read moreone of the best decisions of my life. I was at Camp Chingachgook in the very late 50's or early 60's. Three years in all. The scenery was magnificent, the swimming lessons were helpful and the HUGE trampoline was a delight. The food was very good, too. But by far the two most memorable experiences were our overnight camping and canoeing trip on the lake and our lengthy and exhilarating hike up a mountainside on a steep incline ending up in a flowery meadow with incredible views, then back down through a forest. I'm considering a trip back. I would love to know the name and location of this trail. Camp Chingachgook will be a five-star memory for your kid.

My large (21 people) family rented kayaks/tandem kayaks/canoes for the trip down the Moose River…read more We could not have had a more pleasant experience. Doug was fantastic- he answered all my questions, advised on the best way to divvy up the fleet of boats, suggested a slightly different put-in time to avoid bad weather, and was nice enough to even send us the photo he took of the whole gang with his own phone after I realized my photos were blurry. The paddle was lovely- Doug suggested a couple places to pull over and hop in the river to cool off. The 21 of us ALL had a great time (no small feat there!), and would do this trip again in a heartbeat.

This camp is a true gem. I sent my 12 year old daughter there for the first time this year and…read morecould not be happier with her experience. She learned to paddle the stern of a canoe, pitch a tent, make a camp fire and even squash a bug (which, trust me, is a big deal!) She made wonderful friends and found all kinds of new confidence and courage inside herself. Christina and Doug are amazing in the nurturing environment they've created and the attention they give to the individual camper. It was a definite growth experience for my daughter and she's looking forward to going back next year!

Hello I am Mary and I attended long Lake in 2001. Long lake has many memories but my favorite is…read morewhen I met my now wife Marlena. The camp was so supportive of our lesbian self's but they didn't let us front hug. But all in all 10/10 experience.

Five and a half weeks into my daughter's third summer here, she was sent home for her "safety" and…read morethe "safety" of others. My daughter has never been in trouble a day in her life. In the weeks leading up to her being sent home, she had a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting for the first time in her life. She received appropriate treatment, was evaluated at the hospital and returned to camp. A couple of weeks later, she had what was assessed as an allergic reaction to some candy she had eaten from the canteen and again was treated at the hospital. She had no known food allergies prior to this and was told at the hospital that they were not sure what caused the reaction. In the days/hours leading to her dismissal, she had gone to the nurse to get a band-aid after scratching herself on the metal bed frame in the bunk. The nurse asked her about cutting which my daughter denied. In her words, "why would I go to the nurse if I was doing that?". While waiting in-line at the canteen thinking that she had had an allergic reaction to something she had eaten there, she was apparently overheard discussing this with a friend. This was interpreted as her trying to eat something to purposely make herself sick and then also trying to get other kids to eat things that would make them sick. Carolyn, the director cited concerns of her inciting TikTok challenge. If you know my daughter, which they should have but obviously didn't, this quite frankly is insane. I was called to pick her up on Wednesday. We live five hours away and were scheduled to be at camp on that Friday for parents' weekend. My daughter had the lead in one of the plays. She was told to pack her things but not tell anyone that she was leaving and was admonished by the head counselor Jade for telling her friends what was happening when her bags were packed in the middle of her bunk. The camp director, Carolyn told her that she could eat with her friends if she "behaved". My daughter had no understanding of what she had done or what was going on. No one had a conversation with her to clarify anything that had been overheard. They would not share who overheard what so that my daughter could put comments into context. It was clear in those hours that Carolyn, had no idea what my daughter's last name was even when sending her home. This was after 11 1/2 weeks and ~$27,000 spent at this camp over the course of three years. She also had no idea how long she had been coming there. My daughter was not allowed to contact me as she requested during those hours. These people couldn't care less about your kid. They want your money and nothing more.