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.

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

The camp's website sums up this place better than I can as this is a camp "where lifelong…read morefriendships are born, confidence is realized, skills are honed, and fun defines every day." The place is truly special.

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

Went to a me s retreat here. It is what you would expect from a place called Northern Frontiers…read more It's not a spa, it's a camp with a deep history. Well done !

In the interest of being thorough I want to add more and bump this review up as it relates to the…read moreFather/Son program the camp offers. If you visit for the first time make sure you take the time to read this as I trust it will be helpful. My first year was a real disappointment and speaking with other Father's that were first timers for 2012 they seemed to be on the verge of disappointment as I was. I stressed to the fathers I met you definitely have to pack board games and other items to keep yourself entertained with your son during free time. Another point to know is that you can do any water activity during free time other than swimming which has scheduled times when life guards are posted, however with my son kayaking during free time became boring for him so in 2012 we packed lots of games to play together. My best advice I can give is to not disregard this place after your first visit as I almost did. Give it at the very least a second shot before you dismiss it entirely because I've certainly become a fan of this place and plan on visiting every year until my son leaves the house! We've just about experienced all the activities the camp has to offer during the Father/Son program and the worst is the "wood shop" for the same reason I previously stated, it's self-serve (other dads have confirmed it's self-serve). All the other activities are super fun & the kids (and dads) love them. Food is average (but then again I'm finicky so that assessment might be unfair; God help my taste buds) but the kitchen staff and all the staff are nothing but exceptional! Note: Dirt road has improved significantly so cars should manage with no broken oil pans now. :o) Bottomline: Don't dismiss this place after a first visit. There is value here and that value is the quality time spent with your son. It's not about caviar, steak dinners or the activities but about the time you spend with your son which can take more than one visit to realize the value. For the price the Father/Son program is worth every penny.

this is the best camp everything is amazing and i litterally havent been there yettttt btw if ur…read morereading this, can u find my pet donkey i lost it in the woods near that camp, but they were nice to him! find gary.com im on my friends computer

I sent my three children to this camp. One for 2 years, one for 5, and the third for 8 years. I can…read moresay without question as a parent that this was one of the best experiences of their lives in terms of both having fun and making friends, but also for developing self-reliance, confidence, and social skills. The team in place - from the owner to key staff members and counselors - are all top notch. Many have 20 or more years experience and are teachers during the year, so they bring a wealth of experience working with kids this age. They had so much fun as well - the first year I took my then-12 year old he went for 4 weeks, and when I picked him up his first words were 'Dad, it's like you just left!'. His second sentence was, "We have to buy a sailboat!" -- he'd taken sailing and fell in love with it. He later developed a love of kayaking and now years later still whitewater kayaks and guides beginners. This was also a kid who we struggled to keep off computers and phones -- but he willingly gave up gaming for camp each summer. Adirondack's 'no phones/no social media' policy works well and was a godsend in terms of giving him time away from electronics. I could not recommend this place more. My children are better, more confident people today because of their time at ADK.

My son has had two wonderful summers at Southwoods so far. The counselors have been great, the camp…read moreowners are terrific, he's made good friends, and he's gotten super into hiking and other activities he hadn't been exposed to before. He just got home and can't wait to go back next year.

My 12 year old son just spent 2 weeks at Camp Southwoods. This was his first experience at sleep…read moreaway camp and he absolutely LOVED it. This is the best kept secret. His days were filled with making new friends, trying new experiences and laughing all the way. He was tired at the end of each day so falling asleep wasn't an issue. He was so sad to leave and has kept in touch with his new friends via phone. He is already registered for next summer. This is one of the best gifts we can give our child. The opportunity to be independent. You won't regret it.

Fantastic Camp for Girls…read more I went to Camp Cedarbrook as a child and I loved it there. It was my safe place. All the staff were genuine and kind. I went through their staff training and joined the staff in the 90's. Now, as an adult with daughters of my own, I send them to Camp Cedarbrook. My oldest enjoyed her time there so much last year that she begged to go for two weeks this summer.

Amazing, magical place. My daughter cannot stop talking about it. I have no doubt that she is…read moregetting an amazing Christian experience, growing in her faith while having SO MUCH FUN.

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.