Why should kids be the only ones who get to go to camp? The last few years have seen increased interest in camps for kids and grandparents. Different entities offer grandparent camp, and they can vary widely in length, cost, activities and amenities. The emphasis can be on learning, nature, spiritual growth or a combination thereof. If you enjoy traveling with your grandchildren, you should definitely consider grandparent camp. Many programs can be found through a web search, but here’s a sampling of some of the options.
Sierra Club's Just for Grandparents and Grandkids
Clair Tappaan Lodge, built by Sierra Club volunteers in the 1930s, is headquarters for this laid-back camp. Although every day features hiking, swimming, skating or other activities, participants are welcome to make their own itineraries as well. The location is near Donner Pass, roughly 35 miles from Lake Tahoe. Minimum age is 5, and the cost is $695 for adults and $595 for children. Two sections are scheduled for July 14-19. The Sierra Club also offers two multigenerational trips not limited to grandparents and grandchildren.
Historical Virginia Camp
Stratford Hall Grandparent Camp allows participants to experience 18th-century life on a Virginia plantation. Held at Stratford Hall in Virginia, the birthplace of Robert E. Lee, this camp is perfect for history buffs. The dates for 2013 are June 25-27, July 9-11 and August 6-8. Cost is $340 per person with a price break for family groups over two and repeat campers and a discount for local, non-residential participants. Accommodations are provided in a guest house. Children can be as young as those who have just completed first grade and as old as age 12, and activities will include fishing and looking for fossils, as well as experiencing plantation life by sampling bricklaying, playing the recorder and cooking in an open-hearth kitchen.
Sagamore Summer Camp
Why not start with the granddaddy of them all? Since 1985 Grandparents' and Grandchildren's Summer Camp have been offered at the Sagamore Conference Center, Raquette Lake, New York, in the heart of the Adirondack mountains. Two types of programs are available at Sagamore: programs booked through Road Scholar, and SagaGrands, booked directly through Sagamore. Various dates are available through June, July and August. Cost is $699 per adult and $674 per child. "Adirondack Camping Adventures," "Grandmothers and Granddaughters" and "Boat Building and Canoe Skills" are offered, as well as intergenerational camps that are less specialized. In 2013 the camp is offering Family Week for the first time.
Other Road Scholar Programs
Road Scholar, associated with Elderhostel and formerly known as Exploritas, also operates a number of programs that can be loosely categorized as summer camps. Many of these programs are in exotic locales and therefore fairly pricey, but they are fantastic if you can afford the cost. Road Scholar also operates a number of intergenerational programs that are more affordable. For example, a three-day Back-to-the-Farm adventure in Mount Vernon, Washington starts at $398 per person. Accommodations at Road Scholar camps are usually hotels and resorts. If camping or more primitive accommodations are involved, the program description will make that clear.
Haw River in North Carolina
The Haw River State Park Grand Camp welcomes children who are rising 2nd to 8th graders and their grandparents. Haw River State Park is near Browns Summit, North Carolina. Activities include hiking, fishing and nature studies. Dates for 2013 are August 5-7. Cost is $150 per person, and accommodations are in a cabin or motel. One unusual aspect of Haw River State Park is that it is in the early stages of development as a park, so is not open for public use. The conference center that is one of the few facilities was previously owned by the Episcopal Diocese.
Nyquest Grandparent Camp
The Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario is the home of this Grandparent Camp, held at Lakefield College School. Grandchildren from ages 2-12 are accepted to this camp, which will be held Aug. 9-11. Activities run toward the traditional -- swimming, canoeing, hiking and stargazing. The cost for this three-day, two-night camp is $250 for grandparents and $100 for children, in Canadian dollars, with taxes not included.
Grandparent University
A slightly different type of grandparent camp is offered at some universities. Typically these two or three day camps allow grandparents and grandchildren to sleep in university housing, take classes together and visit neighboring attractions. Obviously the university is trying to attract future students, and the welcome should be warm. The University of Wisconsin-Madison originated the Grandparents University concept in 2001 and has a patent on the name. Some of the programs below are affiliated with the original Grandparents University. Others have adapted the concept and use variations of that name. One caveat: As you are searching for these programs, the term "grandparent university" is also widely used for programs for grandparents raising grandchildren.
- University of North Texas
- University of Wisconsin
- Oklahoma State University (for legacy students)
- Michigan State University(sold out for 2013; can be put on wait list)
- University of Wisconsin at Green Bay
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania
- Western Washington University
- Winona State University in Minnesota
Church Camp
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option and you’re a person of faith, church camp may be just the ticket. More and more church camps are offering a grandparent/grandchild experience, and they are usually open to participants of all faiths. Some of these will be primarily the usual camping experiences, with some singing and devotionals around the campfire. Others will have a heavier spiritual component. Hundreds of these camps are available; those listed below are only a sample.
- Metigoshe Ministries, Bottineau, ND
- Crossways Camps, Appleton, WI
- Bubbie-Zaydie Camp at Tamarack Camps, Bloomfield Hill, MI
- NJY Center for Jewish Family Life
