10 Fun Outdoor Summer Camps in the DC Area

The previous couple of a long time have witnessed a big force towards out of doors actions, and summer months camps are no exception: Outside camps professional greater fascination, and many customarily indoor camps moved their actions outdoors. Along the way, a superior number of campers no doubt found out an out of doors pastime or skill well worth checking out. The adhering to camps in the Washington area provide little ones an opportunity to apply new, or prolonged-cherished, outside pursuits.

1. Calleva

This 30-year-old outside-journey-­camp firm provides dozens of summer working day and right away selections in Maryland and Virginia for ages 4 through 16—including “sample” months for all those continue to tests the journey-activity waters. Much more focused sessions include things like a weeklong kayaking day camp for ages 9 through 15 in McLean ($750), a weeklong rafting day camp based mostly in Poolesville (with 1 right away) for ages 9 by 15 ($750), moreover fishing and mountain-biking camps, among many others. The organization also gives touring camps in which little ones journey from neighborhood meeting places to neighboring states—and even Canada—for overnight adventures in kayaking, climbing, and more.

2. Camp Tockwogh

In addition to the common right away camp and mini-camps, these who have accomplished grades seven by means of ten can hone their h2o-­sports abilities at the YMCA Camp Tockwough’s weeklong overnight specialty camps in Worton, Maryland ($1,600), about two several hours from DC. Accredited lifeguards—most of whom, in accordance to the web-site, have collegiate and global water-sports activities experience—teach water­skiing, sailing, and wakeboarding.

3. Money SUP

In partnership with the Annapolis Maritime Museum, Cash SUP’s four-day “Grom” camps in Annapolis educate standup paddle­boarding (which includes water basic safety) for ages 7 via 14 in total-day and half-day sessions. Verify the web site for 2023 costs.

4. Echo Hill Camp

Just throughout the way from Camp Tockwogh in Worton, Maryland, this snooze-absent camp hosts little ones ages 7 to 16 on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. The primary camp giving is a two-7 days basic session ($3,550), but Echo Hill also has a a person-week “Sail, Ski, Fish, Crab Camp” that focuses particularly on these h2o actions ($1,700).

5. Mulford Riding College

Ages 5 as a result of 15 find out driving and normal horsemanship—with at the very least a single hour of driving and one particular hour of off-horse instruction for every day—plus crafts, archery, photography, h2o game titles, and more at this entire-day, weeklong driving camp ($630) in Centreville.

6. Pedal Power

Campers can “say goodbye to schooling wheels” at this bicycling program’s understand-to-experience camp for ages 4 by 11, or progress their capabilities with a handful of distinct adventure camps for ages 5 as a result of 12. The camps are each individual one week extensive and consider spot in numerous areas, like Georgetown Working day School in DC, St. Martin’s Lutheran Church in Annapolis, and Kinder Farm Park in Millersville.

7. Play DC Golf

The organization that owns East Potomac Golfing Hyperlinks, Langston Golfing System, and Rock Creek Park Golf Course gives summer camps. The details for 2023 have not been announced, but last yr, kids 5 via 15 could follow their skills with weeklong classes for novices (half working day, $299) and intermediates (whole day, $499).

8. Potomac Paddlesports

A 5-working day working day camp on the Potomac River ($695) caters to young children 12 by way of 17 who want to find out or sharpen skills in whitewater kayaking. Newcomers can sign-up for degree 1 and commence with fundamentals but will paddle in Class II whitewater by the conclude of the week.

9. Severn Sailing Association

Kids 5 by way of 17 can uncover a summer sailing camp at the Severn Sailing Affiliation in Annapolis. The youngest set, 5-to-7-yr-previous “harbor rookies,” master the fundamental principles at a 50 {18875d16fb0f706a77d6d07e16021550e0abfa6771e72d372d5d32476b7d07ec}-day, one particular-week camp ($400), although 7-to-10-year-aged new sailors can enroll in complete-day, weeklong Newbie Opti camp ($600). There are also camps for inexperienced sailors hoping to be a part of a superior-school workforce, plus sessions for intermediate and additional innovative sailors of all ages. Camps fluctuate from one 7 days to summertime-­long and cost $400 to $3,600.

10. Sportrock

Kids 10 through 16 with climbing experience can commit a 7 days at this climbing gyms’s indoor/out of doors Experience Camp ($525), in either Alexandria or Sterling. In the meantime, new climbers and young campers have indoor choices for making ready for the indoor/out of doors ability. Ages 6 via 14 can check out a one particular-day camp ($110), and individuals 8 via 14 can decide on between the 1-day or weeklong plan ($475).

This write-up seems in the February 2023 situation of Washingtonian.

Vogue & Weddings Editor

Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Design and style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to signing up for Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and prior to that, editor of What is Up? Weddings in Annapolis.