I’ve been obsessed with adult summer camps ever since I went to my first one and realized the best parts of being a kid get even better with cocktails and zero bedtimes. Since then I’ve been tracking this space closely, watching camps open, close, expand, and sell out faster every year. It’s one of my favorite corners of travel and I’ve done the digging to make sure every camp here is worth your money.
For 2026, I’ve rounded up 12 of the coolest adult summer camps in the US. You’ve got surf camps in Southern California, LGBTQ+ retreats in Maine, a women only weekend in the Poconos that sells out in 24 hours, and prices ranging from $399 to $1,975, all inclusive. Whether you’re flying solo, over 50, or just need a few days away from your phone, there’s something on this list for you!
Coolest adult summer camps at a glance
Not sure where to start? Here’s a quick snapshot of every camp on this list to help you compare.
| Camp | Price (All Inclusive) | Best For |
| Camp Wylo | $525–$675 (3–4 days) | First timers who want a chill, small camp vibe |
| Club Getaway | From $459 (weekend) | Couples and groups who want comfort and variety |
| Camp No Counselors | $750–$949 (3 nights) | Solo 20 and 30 somethings who want to party |
| Camp Social | ~$880 (2 nights) | Women looking to make real friendships fast |
| Endless Summer Surf Camp | $795–$1,695 (5 days) | Anyone who’s always wanted to learn to surf |
| Camp Forever Fun | $399 (weekend) | Midwest adults who want classic camp on a budget |
| Camp Chief Ouray | $400 (5 days) | Active adults 50+ who want mountain adventures |
| ‘Camp’ Camp | $1,975 (full week) | LGBTQ+ adults looking for community and joy |
| Adult Space Academy | $699 (3-day weekend, all in) | Space lovers who want to train like an astronaut |
| The Swannanoa Gathering | ~$1,000-1,500 (week; tuition + room & board) | Music and folk-arts lovers who want to learn a skill |
| Omega Institute | From ~$500 (weekend; tuition + lodging) | Wellness-minded adults wanting a restorative reset |
| Concordia Language Villages | From ~$500 (adult weekend) | Language lovers and travelers prepping for a trip |
Prices and dates can shift. I’d recommend checking each camp’s website for the latest before booking.
1. Camp Wylo
- 📍 Location: Monmouth, Maine (NEW for 2026!)
- 📅 Dates: August 13–16, 2026
- 🆕 What’s New: Brand new lakeside venue at Camp Cobbossee in Maine, plus zip lining and a resident chef
- 💰 Price: $525 (Fri–Sun) or $675 (Thu–Sun), all inclusive with meals, drinks, lodging, and activities
- 💬 My Take: I’ve been to Camp Wylo and it was one of my favorite weekends ever. The campfire nights alone are worth the trip.
- 🏕️ Best For: Anyone craving a genuine, unplugged camp experience without roughing it
I’ve been to a handful of adult summer camps, and Camp Wylo is still the one I tell everyone about. For 2026, they’ve moved from the Berkshires to a gorgeous lakeside property at Camp Cobbossee in Maine, about two and a half hours from Boston. In my opinion, the new venue looks even better than the original!
Your days are filled with throwback activities like dodgeball, kickball, capture the flag, kayaking, and paddle boarding, but nothing is mandatory. Want to skip the relay races and just float on the lake with a book? Go for it. Meals are now handled by a resident chef named Foluke, which is a serious upgrade from the typical camp mess hall situation, and drinks flow every afternoon and evening.
The cabins are spacious with their own bathrooms and each person gets their own bed. You get that rustic camp feeling without actually roughing it. I’d recommend arriving Thursday if you can — those first-night campfires, when everyone is still meeting each other, end up being some of the most memorable moments of the whole weekend. If you can only pick one adult summer camp this year, this is the one I’d choose!
2. Club Getaway
- 📍 Location: Kent, Connecticut (300 acres in the Berkshire Mountains)
- 📅 Dates: Adult camp weekends run May through October 2026
- 🆕 What’s New: 2026 marks their 46th season, with the cult favorite Camp John Waters weekend returning in September
- 💰 Price: Starting around $459 per person (quad occupancy), with add ons like the all inclusive “Cheers” drink package and a $72 round trip party bus from NYC
- 💬 My Take: This is the most well rounded adult camp in the country. If you want variety and energy, nothing else comes close.
- 🏕️ Best For: Groups of friends who want a packed weekend with tons of options, plus solo travelers from NYC or Boston looking for easy access
Club Getaway has been doing summer camps for adults longer than anyone. They’ve been running for over 45 years on a 300 acre lakeside property in Connecticut, and the sheer scale of activities here is unmatched. I’m talking zip lining, rock climbing, water skiing, aerial ropes courses, trapeze, and a “sky cycle” where you pedal a bike on a wire through the treetops. You could come back three weekends in a row and still not try everything!
The cabins are comfortable with AC, memory foam mattresses, and private bathrooms. Meals are prepared by Connecticut Culinary Institute trained chefs, and the food is honestly a notch above what you’d expect. Wine is included with dinner, and I’d highly recommend grabbing the Cheers drink package so you’re not nickel and dimed all weekend.
The real magic happens at night. The themed costume parties in the boathouse are incredible with real production value, live entertainment, and a crowd that fully commits. Pro tip for 2026: keep an eye out for the Camp John Waters weekend (usually September), which has become a cult favorite. It’s 90 minutes from New York City and they run a party bus, so you don’t even need a car.
- Extend your stay: 13 Connecticut Lake Houses You Can Rent on Airbnb and Vrbo
3. Camp No Counselors
- 📍 Location: New York, California, and Texas (NEW for 2026!)
- 📅 Dates: August 13–16 (CA), September 4–7 (NY)
- 🆕 What’s New: Texas is a brand new location for 2026 and the April session already sold out. They’re also exploring Florida for 2027.
- 💰 Price: $750 for the Texas session, $949 for NY and CA sessions. Fully all inclusive with meals, open bar, accommodation, and activities.
- 💬 My Take: This is the one you’ve probably seen on Shark Tank. It’s the biggest name in the adult camp space and they’ve earned that reputation.
- 🏕️ Best For: Solo travelers in their 20s and 30s who want a high energy weekend with an open bar, foam parties, and zero awkwardness meeting new people
You’ve probably heard of Camp No Counselors before. They pitched on Shark Tank, and they’ve basically become the go to name in adult summer camps. For 2026, they’re running four sessions across three states. The fact that their Texas debut already sold out tells you everything about demand right now.
The format is simple and they nail it every time. You get three nights at a summer camp with dozens of activities during the day (think dodgeball tournaments, rock walls, pool inflatables, arts and crafts) and properly produced parties at night with DJs, live bands, foam parties, and themed costumes. The open bar runs through happy hours and every evening. They serve eight full meals over the weekend with dietary needs fully covered.
The crowd skews younger than some of the other camps on this list. The energy is definitely more “party meets camp” than quiet retreat. If you’re coming solo, don’t stress. Their whole culture is built around meeting new people and they actively discourage the “so what do you do for work?” conversations. I’d book early because these sessions sell out fast. With the spring sessions behind us, the late-summer California (August) and Labor Day New York (September) weekends are your remaining shots for 2026, and they tend to go quickly.
4. Camp Social
- 📍 Location: Equinunk, Pennsylvania (lakeside in the Pocono Mountains)
- 📅 Dates: August 21–23, 2026
- 🆕 What’s New: This is a newer camp (launched 2023) that’s grown fast and been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Elle, and the New York Times
- 💰 Price: Around $880 per person for 2 nights, all inclusive with chef prepared meals, open bar, activities, bus from NYC, and a swag bag worth $500+
- 💬 My Take: If you’re a woman looking to make real friendships as an adult, this is the camp built specifically for that
- 🏕️ Best For: Women of any age (22 to 83!) who want to show up solo and leave with a full group chat of new friends
Camp Social is the newest summer camp on this list, but it’s earned its spot fast. Founded by content creator Liv Schreiber to tackle what she calls the “loneliness epidemic,” it’s a women only sleepaway camp that brings over 300 women together for a weekend of connection. 99% of campers arrive solo, and every single review I’ve read says the same thing: they left with real friendships.
The setting is a classic lakeside camp property in the Poconos, about four hours from New York City. They run a bus from Manhattan, which is a blast in itself. Activities include archery, ropes courses, cold plunges, pickleball, tie dye, scrapbooking, yoga, and themed parties like “Campchella.” Meals are chef prepared, cocktails and mocktails flow all weekend, and you get a loaded swag bag from brand sponsors at check in.
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5. Endless Summer Surf Camp
- 📍 Location: San Onofre State Beach, San Clemente, California
- 📅 Dates: August 31–September 4 and September 7–11, 2026 (both adult only sessions)
- 🆕 What’s New: They now offer a “Surf & Turf” combo that pairs morning surf sessions with afternoon golf lessons from a PGA pro at nearby Talega Golf Course
- 💰 Price: $1,695 for overnight (5 days, all inclusive with meals, accommodation, and equipment) or $795 for the day camp option
- 💬 My Take: This is the only camp on this list built around learning a skill. The Southern California setting makes it hard to beat
- 🏕️ Best For: Adults who’ve always wanted to learn to surf (or level up their existing skills) and want a focused, week long experience rather than a weekend
Endless Summer Surf Camp is a completely different vibe from every other camp on this list. Instead of dodgeball and dance parties, you’re spending five days learning to surf at one of the most iconic beach breaks in Southern California. The camp has been running since 1992 and the instructors work in small groups. Whether you’ve never touched a board or you’re trying to improve your turns, you’ll get proper attention.
The overnight experience is basically a surf trip with built in friends. You’re camping right on the beach at San Onofre, surfing every morning, then hanging out in the Low Tide Lounge reviewing video of your sessions and swapping stories. Evenings are mellow with happy hours, skateboarding, and exploring San Clemente, which is a cool surf town about an hour south of LA. All meals, equipment, and instruction are included.
If you want something extra, check out their Surf & Turf package. This adds afternoon golf lessons at a championship course in San Clemente. It’s a combo I haven’t seen anywhere else and the TripAdvisor reviews from adults (including a 65 year old first timer) are glowing. These adult only sessions sell out every year, so I’d grab a spot early. If you can’t decide between June or September, I’d go in September. The water is warmer and the crowds thin out.
- More of SoCal: How to Drive Southern California (My Road Trip Guide)
6. Camp Forever Fun
- 📍 Location: Bloomingdale, Michigan (2 hours from Chicago, 30 min from Kalamazoo)
- 📅 Dates: July 10–12, 2026
- 🆕 What’s New: You can now book a private cabin for up to 11 people at $3,500. That’s about $318 per person if you fill it
- 💰 Price: $399 per person all inclusive (cabin, meals, craft beer and wine, every activity)
- 💬 My Take: The most affordable proper summer camp on this list. The Midwest location means it flies under the radar
- 🏕️ Best For: Midwest adults (21+) who want a classic camp weekend without the $900+ price tag
Camp Forever Fun is what you get when someone strips away the influencer marketing and swag bags and just gives you a summer camp weekend with craft beer. It’s one weekend in July at a campground in rural Michigan, and they rent out the entire property so it’s just your group. Days are packed with archery, high ropes, canoe races, a climbing wall, swimming, volleyball, yoga, and a giant swing that alone is worth the trip.
Nights are where it comes together. They bring out kegs of local Michigan craft beer and wine, light up the bonfire, and let the dance parties and stargazing take over. The vibe is deliberately relaxed. If you’re looking to get hammered and play beer pong, this isn’t your camp. Most campers are 23 to 39, but anyone 21+ is welcome.
At $399 all inclusive, this is less than half the price of most summer camps on this list. That makes it a great entry point if you’ve never tried adult camp before. The campground is central for anyone driving from Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, or anywhere in the Midwest, and a lot of people come solo.
7. Camp Chief Ouray Active Adults Camp
- 📍 Location: Snow Mountain Ranch, Granby, Colorado (YMCA of the Rockies, about 90 minutes from Denver)
- 📅 Dates: August 18–22, 2026 (registration opens April 1)
- 🆕 What’s New for 2026: Price bumped slightly to $400 (was $345). You still get 5 full days, which is more camp time than anywhere else on this list
- 💰 Price: $400 per person ($380 for ages 65+), includes lodge room, all meals, and every activity
- 💬 My Take: If you’re over 50 and thinking “I wish there was a camp for people my age,” this is it!
- 🏕️ Best For: Adults 50 and older who want a full week of hiking, archery, campfires, and new friendships at 8,750 feet in the Colorado Rockies
Camp Chief Ouray has been running since 1908. It’s one of the oldest camps in Colorado, and their Active Adults Camp is specifically designed for people 50 and over. It sits on over 5,100 acres of mountain terrain near Rocky Mountain National Park, so the setting alone puts it in a different league from most camps on this list. You get five full days of activities including hiking, archery, zip lining, climbing walls, riflery, arts and crafts, and summer tubing, plus campfires and evening programs every night.
What I love about this one is the value. At $400 for five days with lodge rooms, all meals, and every activity included, it’s easily the best deal on this list per night. You’re not sleeping in a bunk bed either. Everyone gets a proper lodge room with two double beds and a full bathroom, and they’ll pair you with a roommate or let you upgrade to a private room. The pace is relaxed enough that you can fill your schedule or take a nap during “Bodies on Bunks” rest time after lunch.
This camp has a waitlist most years. When registration opens on April 1, don’t wait! The crowd skews toward people who either went to summer camp as kids and want that feeling back, or people who never got to go and are finally making it happen. Either way, doing it at 8,750 feet with the Rockies as your backdrop is pretty hard to beat.
- Foodies, read this: 24 Fun and Famous Restaurants in Colorado in 2026
8. ‘Camp’ Camp
- 📍 Location: Central Maine (between Augusta and Bangor, about 75 miles north of Portland)
- 📅 Dates: August 20–27, 2026 (full week, their 28th season)
- 🆕 What’s New for 2026: They now offer a Best Time Wine Bar open select evenings, plus gendered, non binary, and all gender cabin options
- 💰 Price: $1,975 all inclusive (cabin, all meals, 30+ daily activities, evening events, beer and wine, and free shuttle from Portland airport or train station)
- 💬 My Take: This is the longest running and most beloved LGBTQ+ adult summer camp in the country. 75% of campers come back year after year, which tells you everything
- 🏕️ Best For: LGBTQ+ adults (21+) looking for a full week of traditional summer camp in a space that’s safe, welcoming, and joyful
‘Camp’ Camp has been running since 1997. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a real, full week summer camp built specifically for LGBTQ+ adults. You sleep in communal cabins, choose from over 30 activities each day (everything from mountain biking and pottery to sailing, softball, LGBTQ+ history classes, and Broadway dance), and spend your evenings at barn dances, lip sync battles, and campfires. Campers range from 21 into their 80s and come from all over the country and internationally.
What makes this place special is the community. About 40% of campers in any given year have been coming for five or more years. The testimonials are unlike anything I’ve read for any camp on this list. People describe it as the first place they’ve ever felt fully seen and accepted, and the intergenerational friendships are a huge part of that. You can choose gendered, non binary, or all gender cabins. The whole week is designed so you can be as active or as chill as you want.
It’s not cheap at $1,975, but you’re getting seven nights with everything included, which works out to about $282 per night. They also offer staff positions at reduced rates (as low as $475) if budget is a concern. Registration opens early in the year and it has sold out in recent seasons, so sign up for their newsletter to get notified.
- You may also like: 15 Bucket-List Places to See in Maine (Updated 2026)
9. Adult Space Academy
- 📍 Location: U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, Alabama
- 📅 Dates: Adult weekend sessions run throughout the year and sell out months ahead (confirm this year’s dates)
- 💰 Price: $699 for the 3-day, 2-night program, including on-site lodging in the Space Camp habitat and all meals
- 💬 My Take: The most novel pick on this entire list – nothing else comes close to spending a weekend training like an astronaut
- 🏕️ Best For: Space nerds, lifelong learners, and anyone who wanted to be an astronaut as a kid (18 and up)
Always wanted to go to Space Camp but figured you aged out decades ago? Adult Space Academy is the grown-up version, run at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama – the same place that has trained future engineers and astronauts for decades. Over one weekend you suit up and take on hands-on missions instead of dodgeball and bug juice.
The schedule is packed with the good stuff: strapping into the Multi-Axis Trainer, designing and launching a model rocket, testing a heat shield, running a simulated space mission, and even floating in the Underwater Astronaut Trainer. You sleep in the on-site habitat and eat in the crew galley, so it genuinely feels like astronaut training rather than a hotel weekend. It’s pure novelty, it’s surprisingly affordable for what you get, and you’ll leave with the best “what did you do this weekend” story of anyone you know.
10. The Swannanoa Gathering
- 📍 Location: Warren Wilson College, Asheville, North Carolina
- 📅 Dates: A series of themed weeks runs from late June through early August each summer (confirm this year’s dates)
- 💰 Price: Roughly $1,000-1,500 for a week with tuition, meals, and a campus room (commuter and shorter options cost less); confirm current rates
- 💬 My Take: The pick if you’d rather come home having actually learned an instrument or a dance than nursing a sunburn
- 🏕️ Best For: Music and folk-arts lovers who want a creative, skill-building week in the Blue Ridge
For a totally different kind of adult camp, The Swannanoa Gathering turns the Warren Wilson College campus outside Asheville into a folk-arts summer camp for grown-ups. Each week has a theme – think Old-Time, Celtic, Fiddle, Guitar, Dulcimer, Contemporary Folk, or Dance Week – and you spend your days in hands-on classes with world-class instructors, no experience required.
What makes it special is the all-day immersion in the Blue Ridge Mountains: morning classes, afternoon workshops, then jam sessions, concerts, and dances that run late into the warm mountain nights. You stay in campus housing and eat in the dining hall surrounded by fellow musicians and dancers, and the sense of community is the part people rave about. If you’ve always wanted to finally learn fiddle, clawhammer banjo, or contra dance, this is a joyful, all-in way to do it.
11. Omega Institute
- 📍 Location: Rhinebeck, New York (a lakeside campus in the Hudson Valley)
- 📅 Dates: Weekend and weeklong programs run from late spring through early fall (confirm this year’s dates)
- 💰 Price: From around $500 for a weekend, with tuition and lodging priced separately (camping is cheapest, private cabins cost more); confirm current rates
- 💬 My Take: The closest thing on this list to a true reset – adult camp for the wellness crowd rather than the party crowd
- 🏕️ Best For: Wellness-minded adults who want yoga, nature, and personal growth over dance parties
If your ideal escape is more sunrise yoga than open bar, Omega Institute is often described as summer camp for grown-ups who want to recharge. Set on a wooded, 250-acre lakeside campus in the Hudson Valley, this long-running nonprofit runs hundreds of weekend and weeklong programs each summer covering yoga, meditation, creativity, nature, relationships, and personal growth.
Days here look a lot like camp: you stay in simple cabins or tent sites, eat mostly plant-forward meals in a communal dining hall, and fill your time with workshops, lake swims, walks in the woods, and a sunset over the water. You can sign up for a structured program led by a big-name teacher or book an open Rest and Rejuvenation stay and build your own schedule from the daily classes. It’s the rare adult camp built around slowing down rather than staying up late.
12. Concordia Language Villages
- 📍 Location: Bemidji, Minnesota (lakeside language “villages” in the Northwoods)
- 📅 Dates: Adult weekend and weeklong immersion sessions run in summer (confirm this year’s dates)
- 💰 Price: From around $500 for an adult weekend, depending on the language and lodging; confirm current rates
- 💬 My Take: A genuinely one-of-a-kind pick – where else can you go to summer camp and come home able to order dinner in another language?
- 🏕️ Best For: Language lovers and travelers who want an immersive, low-pressure way to pick up (or revive) a language
Easily the most unusual camp on this list, Concordia Language Villages runs full-immersion “villages” in the Minnesota Northwoods where, for a weekend or a week, you live in another language. Best known for its youth programs, Concordia also runs dedicated adult sessions in languages from Spanish, French, and German to Norwegian, Italian, and beyond.
From the moment you arrive at your village, the experience is built around gentle, all-day immersion: you cook, sing, play games, explore the lakeside setting, and chat with fellow campers and native-speaking staff in your target language, with zero pressure and a lot of laughter. It’s relaxed, social, and surprisingly effective, and it scratches both the summer-camp itch and the travel-prep itch at once. Perfect if you’ve got a big international trip on the horizon and want to arrive actually able to talk to people.
Global Viewpoint is a personal blog. All content is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional financial, medical, or legal advice.
