Summer is here, and for many of us, this season brings back childhood memories of one thing: camp.
As amped as we may have been to head to camp as kids, how awesome would that rare escape from reality feel as an adult? The answer is hugely awesome!
There are now a decent number of adult summer camp experiences out there, some offering introspective, tech- and alcohol-free retreats and others mimicking the fun and games of a kids’ overnight camp, plus booze.
Here are a few camps around the country that’ll make you want to get on the bus (plane) to camp right now.
1. Camp No Counselors
Camp No Counselors, which you may have seen on “Shark Tank,” hosts four-day adults-only camps around the country. The accommodations and activities are what you’d expect from a typical summer camp (cabins, archery, crafts, dodgeball), but the adult add-ons include an open bar, dance parties with a DJ at night and elevated camp cuisine (rosemary skirt steak, anyone?).
2. Camp Grounded
This “pure, unadulterated camp for grown-ups” hosts off-the-grid camps to help adults detox from our increasingly digital lives and get centered through a mixture of traditional summer camp activities and less traditional, more mind-body-based practices like yoga, meditation, sweat lodges and more. Upcoming camps take place around the country, from California to Texas to North Carolina.
3. Tennis And Wine Camp
Head out to Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington for an active yet laidback adults-only tennis and wine camp experience. These weekend-long camps offering over 12 hours of tennis instruction plus catered breakfast and lunch, and three gourmet, winemaker dinners.
4. Adult Band Camp
If you never got to go to band camp as a kid, don’t worry, there’s still time. Interlochen, a well-known arts camp in Michigan, hosts a five-day band camp for adults each summer. More than 70 people gather to “experience the joy of ensemble performance in a challenging, supportive, fun and friendly environment.”
5. Culinary Boot Camp
The Culinary Institute of America hosts cooking, baking and wine-focused adult boot camps in New York, Texas and California throughout the year. The camps range from two t0 five days, and appeal to all different skill levels (the only requirement is a “passion for food”). This video gives a glimpse into a typical day at a CIA boot camp.
6. Cowboy College
Those who are looking for a camp experience that’s more “City Slickers” than “Wet, Hot American Summer” should check out Cowboy College in Scottsdale, Arizona. Get English or Western horseback-riding instruction, learn ranching techniques and stay in a good, old-fashioned bunkhouse.