Guide: Maine Summer Camps
FEATURE-April 2013
Photograph by Fred Field
Our comprehensive guide to the camps
Click to download a printable PDF of our comprehensive camp listing
Acadia Institute of Oceanography
Seal Harbor | acadiainstitute.com
Located in the heart of Mount Desert Island, and right by Acadia National Park, this camp offers students ages 10 through 18 the chance immerse to themselves in the study of oceanography through either one or two-week sessions that range from introductory to advanced.
Acadia Mountain Guides Rock Climbing and Adventure Camp
Orono | climbacadia.org
One of the first camps to employ professional climbing guides as camp staff, the Acadia Mountain Guides offer a variety of day and overnight adventure-based camps for kids ages 6 through 18. Rock climbing, rope skills, camping, kayaking, primitive skills, and environmental stewardship are some of the many courses available to campers.
Agassiz Village
Poland | agassizvillage.org
Hosted by a nonprofit organization that seeks to provide outdoor camping opportunities to the youth of the greater Boston area, Agassiz Village brings many campers from homes challenged by poverty, neglect, and violence. While at camp they enjoy 400 acres of lakefront property and myriad activities, from ropes courses and island camp-outs to tubing and dancing.
Alford Lake Camp
Hope | alfordlakecamp.com
The most interesting thing about this camp is its signature white tents. Girls live with four or five other campers and a counselor in the large canvas structures. Activities include horseback riding, arts and crafts, Quidditch (yes, of the Hogwarts variety), and community-service trips. Girls can also enjoy a variety of wilderness adventures around the state.
Baptist Park
Mapleton | baptistpark.net
Operated by supporting evangelical churches and with a Christian camping focus, this summer camp welcomes kids of any denominational background. Camps last for one week and feature a variety of themes and age ranges. Each week focuses on a different aspect of the summer camp experience, also offering themed Bible lessons and guest speakers.
Birch Rock Camp for Boys
Waterford | birchrock.org
Set apart by its size—only 80 boys—and its focus on noncompetitive achievement, Birch Rock Camp has offered traditional camp activities since 1926. Birch Rock provides a nurturing place where boys can truly enjoy boyhood, disconnect from the electronic world, and reconnect to the natural wonders of life.
Blueberry Cove 4-H Camp + Learning Center
Tenants Harbor | umaine.edu
Campers at this University of Maine summer camp can choose among four one-week sessions and one two-week session. Kids aged 4 to 17 can enjoy a range of evening activities, like sunset picnics on Drift-In Beach, lobster bakes, and a full-moon hike after days spent sailing, gardening, and learning about the ocean and forests that make Maine so beautiful.
Breakwater School Vacation Camps Portland | breakwaterschool.org Breakwater, a progressive school located in Portland,
Bridgton Sports Camp
North Bridgton | bridgtonsportscamp.com
For those who want to perfect a jump shot, hone a swing, or boost their speed, Bridgton Sports Camp is a premier sports facility that offers both “majors” (soccer, hockey, lacrosse and the like) and “minors” (the list include everything from archery to golf). Each session is three weeks and jam-packed with activities at the camp’s state-of-the-art facilities.
Camp Agawam
Raymond | campagawam.org
Founded in 1919, Camp Agawam is a traditional, seven-week residential camp for boys located on beautiful Crescent Lake in Raymond (30 miles from Portland). At Camp Agawam, boys participate in a wide variety of traditional camp activities. Agawam places primary focus on youth, leadership, and character development.
Camp All-Star
Kents Hill | campallstar.com
The 600-acre campus of Kents Hill School is home to Camp All-Star. While at camp, kids are encouraged to choose a few activities to focus on from their extensive list. With over 30 options ranging from waterskiing to SAT prep, it’s safe to say that most kids will find their niche.
Camp Androscoggin
Wayne | campandro.com
Located on a 120-acre lakeside campus, Androscoggin is the summer home for 275 boys ages 8 through 15 and 75 staff members. With one seven-week session—first year campers can enroll for four weeks—that offers a wide range of team sports, individual activities, and an extensive trip program, boys can participate in every activity and also specialize in their favorites.
Camp Arcadia
Casco | camparcadia.com
Over 350 acres provide the ideal out-of-doors environment for 170 girls from 12 different countries. Basic activities include boating, campcraft, and swimming while elective activities include a literary journal called “Chipmunk Chatter,” gymnastics, knitting, and diving.
Camp Berwick
Dyer Island | berwick.org
Based on a 750-acre island, Camp Berwick is run by the Berwick Boys Foundation. Their goal is to help teenage boys develop physically, mentally, and morally through a summer camp experience of living and working alongside their peers. Campers enjoy activities like outdoor living, forestry, carpentry, seamanship, mechanics, cooking, first aid, and construction—all with an emphasis on leadership.
Camp Bishopswood
Hope | bishopswood.org
The Bishopswood program, operated by the Episcopal Diocese of Maine, provides a blend of structured scheduling and flexibility to allow for group and individual program choices. The camp’s 70 wooded acres are located on the shore of Lake Megunticook, and provide the setting for campers to learn campcraft skills and environmental studies.
Camp CaPella
Holden | campcapella.org
This four-season camp is open to both children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities. Programs are offered in day and overnight sessions. The camp collaborates with the Lucerne Inn so that families can accompany their children on vacation.
Camp Caribou
Winslow | campcaribou.com
Located in Winslow, this all-boys camp follows a program developed through three generations of owners. With 200 acres and a mile and a half of lakefront on Lake Pattee, Caribou offers boys specialized sports instruction. Boys can take advantage of the camp’s 10,000-square-foot gym, cardiovascular room, movie theater, and weight room.
Camp Cedar
Casco | campcedar.com
Founded almost 60 years ago, Camp Cedar welcomes 270 boys ages 8 to 15 each summer. While there, campers enjoy topnotch athletic training as well as Maine’s natural pursuits. Activities include weekly trips around the state, organized team sports, archery, biking, golf, sailing, fishing, and a craft center.
Camp Cedarbrook
Lyman | cedarbrookne.org
Camp Cedarbrook is a Christian camp located on Lake Bunganut, offering a traditional overnight camp for girls and a coed outdoor day camp with a Christ-centered perspective. Campers can participate in swimming, riflery, tubing, and off-site backpack and boating trips. Cedarbrook even offers mother-daughter overnight trips on select weekends.
Camp Cobbossee
Monmouth | campcobbossee.com
This boys’ sports camp offers two four-week sessions. Cobbossee campers are athletically driven, with an interest in improving their skills and learning new techniques. The camp also offers an adventure program, in which boys spend nights outdoors learning how to pitch a tent, cook on an open fire, and bond with other campers.
Camp Chewonki
Wiscasset | chewonki.org
Chewonki operates two camps, each with a goal of developing an appreciation for the natural world. Boys attend a traditional camp that focuses on personal growth, teamwork, and the pursuit of nature. Girls attend a wilderness camp devoted to providing wilderness and backcountry travel opportunities. Coed expeditions for teens are also offered.
Camp at the Eastward
Starks | campattheeastward.org A Presbyterian camp located on 59 secluded and wooded acres, Camp at the Eastward offers a rustic setting complete with a chapel in the woods, an arts and crafts building, campfire circles, and an adventure/ropes course. The youth ministry of Mission of the Eastward operates the camp, and campers are encouraged to take part in the faith-based community.
Camp Encore/Coda
Sweden | encore-coda.com
Owned and operated by the Saltman family since 1950, Encore/Coda celebrates its 65th season this year. This musical summer camp combines the traditional activities of camp—swimming and land sports, hiking, and tennis—with jazz clubs, chorus, music literature classes, piano workshops, and much more.
Camp Fernwood
Poland | campfernwood.com
Founded in 1921, Fernwood is an all-girls camp on Lake Thompson. Campers can chose from over 36 different activities offered in an environment that promotes both social and emotional growth. Among the activities offered are horseback riding, jewelry making, rock climbing, yoga, waterskiing, and studio arts.
Camp Jordan
Ellsworth | campjordan.org
The Bangor YMCA Wilderness Center at Camp Jordan occupies 200 beautiful acres on Ellsworth’s Branch Lake. It offers many choices for boys, girls, and teens ages 8-18 looking for sleep away camp, outdoor adventure, and leadership development programs. The bedrock of the camp’s philosophy focuses on the value of experiential learning and encouraging self-discovery through the wonders of the Maine environment.
Camp Kawanhee
Weld | kawanhee.com
Located on western Maine’s Lake Webb, Camp Kawanhee is an all-boys camp offering classic Maine tripping in addition to dozens of activities ranging from tennis to ropes courses. In operation since 1921, Camp Kawanhee has dropped camper uniforms but held fast to traditions like Saturday night campfires and Sunday evening Vespers.
Camp Kennebec’s Maine Golf and Tennis Academy
North Belgrade | golfcamp.com
Established in 1907, this camp provides professional training in golf and tennis, as well as traditional summer camp activities like art, dance, horseback riding, day trips, and waterfront sports. The award-winning program offers “Tournament Tuff Training,” so if you have a future olympian in your family, this might be the perfect summer spot.
Camp Kippewa
Monmouth | kippewa.com
Camp Kippewa is a camp for girls ages 7 to 15. Campers create their own weekly schedules, participating in six activity blocks daily. An extensive arts program offers fine and studio arts, dance, theater, and music. Onsite riding facilities host an equestrian program with daily riding options. Campers enjoy the natural setting of Maine with ocean sailing trips, beach days, wilderness hikes, and canoe trips.
Camp Laurel
Readfield | camplaurel.com
Camp Laurel, a seven-week coed children’s camp on Echo Lake in Readfield, is known for cutting-edge programming in a family atmosphere. There is an extensive athletics program, 15 tennis courts, a new equestrian facility with 20 horses, and an outdoor tripping program.
Camp Laurel South
Casco | camplaurelsouth.com
Camp Laurel South is a four-week coed children’s camp on Crescent Lake in Casco. The camp takes great pride in its camper-centered program, based on a family-oriented philosophy that each child is a unique individual. Campers can enjoy sports leagues and tournaments, theater productions, and adventure activities among other more traditional activities.
Camp Manitou
Oakland | campmanitou.com
A summer camp for boys between the ages of 7 and 16, Manitou is located in the Belgrade Lakes region of Maine and features a program of land sports, water sports, and creative activities. This summer camp boasts a lighted baseball field with a miniature Green Monster, a drama program, and camp-outs on its own private island or in a “gated fortress deep in the woods.” Dedicated campers can also sign up for winter camps, or even a father-son weekend.
Camp Mataponi
Naples | campmataponi.com
Mataponi is a seven-week, all-girl residential camp that offers the full range of camp activities, highlighting its waterfront, land sports, horseback riding, and adventure/ropes course. Most importantly, it offers girls the chance to grow in a nurturing, low-pressure atmosphere, emphasizing fun, friendship, and group living.
Camp Matoaka
Smithfield | matoaka.com
Since 1951, Camp Matoaka has been dedicated to providing girls from around the world with a summer away from home. The camp’s belief is that every child who has the opportunity to attend camp in Maine should be exposed to, and have on her schedule at least twice a week, the following activities: waterski, sailing, swimming, tennis, land sports, and creative arts.
Camp Mechuwana Winthrop | mechuwana.org With more than 40 week-long camps, Mechuwana really does provide something for everyone. There are special programs in camping, canoeing, Native American studies, swimming, and hiking. Everyday activities at this United Methodist Church-sponsored camp include arts and crafts, night walks, boating, and field games.
Camp Med-O-Lark
Washington | medolark.com
This Maine arts camp emphasizes the discovery and development of self through choice and self-expression. There are no camp sports competitions or tournaments. Instead, campers participate in performances and presentations each evening where they can share with their burgeoning talents and interests.
Camp Micah
Bridgton | campmicah.com
Boys and girls ages 7 to 17 come to Micah each year for sessions that range from two weeks to seven-and-a-half weeks in duration. The camp offers sports, arts, waterfront, and individual activities. Judaism is woven into the fabric of life at Micah by connecting campers to a rich Jewish heritage.
Camp Modin
Belgrade | modin.com
Situated in the beautiful Belgrade Lakes region of Maine, this Jewish camp features a staff of 170, instruction in over 60 activities, a 13,000-square-foot recreation center, four tournament boats, a photography lab, and much more. A private coed camp, its kitchen is strictly kosher.
Camp Nashoba North
Raymond | campnashoba.com
A traditional coed camp for 190 campers between the ages of 7 and 17, Nashoba North is family-owned and operated. Campers can choose from soccer, tennis, lacrosse, baseball, volleyball, golf, archery, disc golf, hiking, rock climbing, and horseback riding. For aquatically-inclined kids, Nashoba North also offers watersports on Crescent Lake.
Camp Natarswi
Millinocket | girlscoutsofmaine.org
A 30-acre rustic camp in Baxter State Park, Natarswi is about 18 miles from Millinocket. This Girl Scouts camp is for those who would like a true North Woods experience. Campers enjoy the 200,000 acres of trails, forests, ponds, and streams that Baxter State Park has to offer.
Camp NEOFA
Montville | campneofa.org
The Odd Fellow and Rebekahs of the Northeast Odd Fellow’s Association sponsor Camp NEOFA. Campers can enjoy 2,300 feet of waterfront on Montville’s True’s Pond. They have over 100 acres of undeveloped land for hiking and nature exploration, an arts and crafts building, baseball field, volleyball court, and paved sports court. Camps Newfound and Owatonna Harrison | newfound-owatonna.com Brother and sister camps with a focus on Christian Science, Camp Newfound is girls-only while Owatonna is for boys only. Both camps feature the traditional camp activities of boating, swimming, lifeguard training, and sports, while also offering street hockey, rock climbing, wakeboarding, and creative pastimes.
Camp North Star of Maine
Poland Spring | campnorthstarmaine.com
This Poland Spring camp offers sessions for two, three, four, five, or seven weeks. At North Star, everything is up to the camper. Each boy and girl can choose which activities to participate in each day, with options ranging from ropes courses to rocketry to yoga.
Camp O-AT-KA
Sebago | campoatka.com
At this non-profit summer camp, boys ranging in age from 8 to 16 can participate in activities like campcraft, fishing, baseball, lacrosse, drama, stained glass, woodworking, and scuba training. Additionally, all campers go on at least one overnight trip per session.
Camp Pinecliffe
Harrison | pinecliffe.com
Founded almost a century ago, this all-girls camp is open to children ages 7 through 15. Girls are encouraged to become the best they can be while at camp. The overriding message hangs on a plaque in their Main Bunk: “Do the Thing That Counts and Then Don’t Count It.”
Camp Pinehurst
Raymond | camppinehurst.com
Situated on Crescent Lake in the Sebago Lake region, this traditional summer camp is now under third generation owners and directors. Pinehurst campers enjoy hiking trips to nearby mountains and group activities like soccer, baseball, archery, and mountain biking.
Camp Pondicherry
Bridgton | girlscoutsofmaine.org
One of four Maine Girl Scouts camps, Pondicherry sits in the foothills of the White Mountains in Bridgton. This camp is available for rent all four seasons, and runs a residential camp for girls aged between 7 and 17 during the summertime.
Camp Runoia
Belgrade Lakes | runoia.com
Camp Runoia is a fun, caring, adventurous girls’ summer camp in the Belgrade Lakes region. Open since 1907, there is a strong focus on building community, and the camp sees many campers return for multiple summers. The tuition includes a riding program, wilderness trips, and sailing and waterfront programs.
Camp Skylemar
Naples | skylemar.com
Camp Skylemar is a place where boys from across the country share in a summer of topnotch athletic instruction and individualized attention, surrounded by 200 wooded acres overlooking the White Mountains and Trickey Pond.
Camp Stanley for the Performing Arts Smithfield | mycampstanley.com
The only camp in Maine to create an original play each summer, campers enjoy lessons in performing arts from theater professionals from Boston, Los Angles, and New York. In addition to the overarching production of an original play, campers can enjoy recreational activities like swimming, jazzercise, playbill making, auditioning practice, prop making, and ballet.
Camp Sunshine
Casco | campsunshine.org
Camp Sunshine provides a traditional summer vacation to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. The camp is nestled along the shores of Sebago Lake and staffed almost entirely by volunteers. Each family is sponsored by an individual, civic group, corporation, or foundation, which enables a week at camp free of charge. The sponsorship for one family to participate in the program is $2,000.
Camp Susan Curtis
Stoneham | susancurtisfoundation.org Camp Susan Curtis is a 2- to 4-week experiential learning experience in a residential camp environment exclusively for economically disadvantaged children from across Maine. Operated by the Susan L. Curtis Charitable Foundation and funded through donations, the camp seeks to teach boys and girls from 8 to 17 years old the habits and skills they need for lifelong achievement.
Camp Takajo
Naples | camptakajo.com
Since 1947, the fundamental emphasis of Camp Takajo has remained the same: building boys’ character by instilling the highest moral standards, represented by 12 “Arch Ideals.” The foundation of the Takajo experience is reinforced daily through sports, waterfront activities, a wide array of hobbies and skills, an extensive tripping program, and camp-wide activities that foster a sense of brotherhood.
Camp Tapawingo
Sweden | camptapawingo.com
Set on a beautiful, private 200-acre plot in southwestern Maine, “Tap” considers itself a summer family. Activities include a zip line, a private lakefront, tennis courts, archery, and dance. Campers also get to explore the rest of Maine through hiking, horseback riding, and whitewater rafting trips throughout the state.
Camp Timanous
Raymond | camptimanous.com
Under the leadership of the Suitor family since 1942, Timanous prides itself on teaching boys how to become men. Campers enjoy an active, simplified outdoor lifestyle. The staff sets high expectations for their campers, with a focus on behavior, achievement, and integrity. Organized activities include an extensive camping program, water and land sports, and woodshop.
Camp Vega
Fayette | campvega.com
An all-girls camp on Echo Lake, Camp Vega boasts over 300 acres of forest and lakefront. Over 98 percent of campers return each summer, and Vega’s campers enjoy an array of land and water sports, culinary arts lessons, gymnastics, dance, and music and studio recording lessons. Girls select their programs before arrival.
Camp Walden
Denmark | campvega.com
With a cap of 130 campers, girls enjoy a truly Thoreau-like environment where they can escape from the world while enjoying traditions that have withstood the Camp’s 100-year history. Campers participate in traditional camp activities like wilderness trips, horseback riding, tennis, and sailing.
Camp Wawenock for Girls
Raymond | campwawenock.com
This philosophy at this seven-week girls’ camp aims to teach girls how to best become active and caring members of their communities, while also providing an escape from the pressures of the outside world. Girls are encouraged to constantly develop and hone new interests.
Camp Waziyatah
Waterford | wazi.com
The core values at this coed camp are based upon the tenets of courtesy, integrity, respect, and responsibility. Boys and girls ages 6 to 16 can choose from activities including riding lessons, hip-hop dance, improv theater, set design, skateboarding, and scrapbooking.
Camp Wekeela
Hartford | campwekeela.com
Located on Little Bear Pond, Wekeela provides a place for kids to learn more about their interests while discovering new skills and making lifelong friendships. Camp activities include ceramics, cheerleading, guitar lessons, tennis instruction, and weekly trips around northern New England.
Camp Wigwam
Waterford | campwigwam.com
Founded in 1910, Camp Wigwam is a boys’ camp located in the foothills of the White Mountains. The entire property is cradled in a majestic pine grove on the 250-acre Bear Lake. In addition to traditional camp activities, golf lessons are offered daily, and nine-hole outings are arranged five days a week to one of four local courses.
Camp Wildwood
Bridgton | campwildwood.com
Campers enjoy beautiful views of Shawnee Peak while spending their summer at this Woods Pond camp. Activities like BMX, sailing, fishing, tennis, team sports, creative arts, and swimming ensure that Wildwood is the place where all boys will flourish.
Camp William Hinds
Raymond | camphinds.org
A Boy Scouts of America camp, Hinds is located on 280 acres of land on Panther Pond. Kids can partake in the traditions of the historic organization against the beautiful backdrop of Maine’s wilderness. Camp Hinds also offers day programs.
Camp Winnebago
Fayette | campwinnebago.com
For nearly a century, Camp Winnebago has offered boys ages 8 to 15 a safe, positive, and creative environment where they develop both physically and socially through participation in a broad range of land and water sports, wilderness adventure, and individual activities. Winnebago is not for the boy who “can” but for the boy who “will.”
Camp Wohelo
Raymond | wohelo.com
Wohelo girls’ camp offers over a mile of shorefront on crystal-clear Sebago Lake with western views of the White Mountains. The founding family has run the camp for more than 100 years, and during that time, they have never wavered from their commitment to fostering personal growth among campers through a non-competitive and friendly atmosphere.
Chop Point Summer Camp
Woolwich | choppointcamp.com
Geared toward teenagers, this coed camp offers traditional summer camp activities like photography, sailing, kayaking, and a zip line, while also offering short two- and three-day overnight trips and more intense wilderness trips. The camp also plans sightseeing excursions to Boston and Quebec City, whale-watching tours, and canoe trips.
Fernwood Cove
Harrison | fernwoodcove.com
An all-girls camp, Fernwood offers two summer sessions. Each is open to about 200 girls. The camp hosts popular waterfront, visual arts, and outdoor adventure programs. With a coed, international staff, campers are welcomed into a diverse and supportive community.
Flying Moose Lodge East Orland | flyingmooselodge.com
A small boys’ camp, Flying Moose emphasizes wilderness education. Campers participate in camping trips each week, with a different experience each time. Trips include canoeing on lakes, backpacking in Acadia, and a two-week wilderness trip on the Appalachian Trail for the more experienced campers.
Forest Acres Camp for Girls and Indian Acres Camp for Boys
Fryeburg | indianacres.com
Forest and Indian Acres summer camps include an all-boys and an all-girls summer camp. Both team and individual sports are offered—including soccer, gymnastics, archery, and field hockey—and campers are encouraged to test acquired skills with nearby camps. The camps also offer arts and crafts activities.
Friends Camp
South China | friendscamp.org
For 60 years Friends Camp has offered a youth camp community with Quaker values, creative activities, and lots of goofy fun. Friends Camp is open to Quaker youth, to youth from other faiths, and to those with no formal religious connections.
Gander Brook Christian Camp
Raymond | ganderbrook.org Designed to provide wholesome recreation and spiritual growth for campers, activities at Gander Brook include camping under the stars, spiritual activities and devotionals, hiking, talent shows, carnival, cookouts, “morning funisthenics,” rock climbing, air riflery, and archery.
Greenland Point Center
Princeton | greenlandpoint.com
The year-round environmental and outdoor education center—situated on a 64-acre peninsula on Long Lake—offers a variety of one-week summer camps that each features a different theme. Some examples are Conservation Camp, Fishing-Paddling-Archery Camps, and Equestrian Camp. Additionally, hunter, boater, or ATV safety certifications are awarded to each camper.
Hidden Valley Camp
Freedom | hiddenvalleycamp.com For over 60 years Hidden Valley Camp has provided noncompetitive, elective schedules in the arts and outdoors for boys and girls aged 8 to 14. Hidden Valley offers a peaceful, farm-like environment on 350 acres near the coast, complete with a private lake, and a heated pool.
Hoop Basketball Camp
Casco | hoopcamp.org
Created in 1971, Hoop sits on Casco’s Pleasant Lake and emphasizes basketball training. Campers are broken up into nine-player teams and assigned counselors and coaches. Swimming, canoeing, and water basketball are some more activities offered at the camp.
Hurricane Island Science and Leadership Programs
Hurricane Island | hurricaneisland.net
While not a traditional summer camp, the Hurricane Island Foundation offers educational opportunities to high school students through their 10-day programs. Teenagers are encouraged to immerse themselves in their natural surroundings, and gain a greater appreciation for the island’s ecology.
Hurricane Island Outward Bound School Summer Programs
Camden | hiobs.org
This revered and historic organization designs specialized programs that are offered throughout the summertime. Programs usually run for approximately 20 days. 2014 programs include Maine Coast Sailing, Maine Appalachian Backpacking and Canoeing, and Moosehead Canoeing and Whitewater Rafting.
JCC Maccabi Camp Kingswood
Bridgton | kingswood.org
Campers entering grades 3 through 11 develop independence, gain self-confidence, build individual skills and learn to work as teams, while nurturing lifelong friendships and strengthening their Jewish identities. The program is elective-based so each camper can select his or her activities from a wide range of offerings. Financial assistance is available for families in need.
Kamp Kohut
Oxford | kampkohut.com
Kohut’s 100 acres of woods and fields face beautiful Lake Thompson. This four-week coed program is designed to focus on the individual needs of campers. Campers can choose from over 50 different activities. Special events include Camp Olympics, daily evening activities, and “Blue and White Days.”
Kieve Camp for Boys
Jefferson | kieve.org
Wilderness hiking, canoeing and camping trips are an integral part of each camper’s Kieve experience. From the youngest to the oldest, every camper faces fun challenges of exploration and discovery in the varied surroundings he encounters. Activities include canoeing, fishing, sailing, archery, woodworking, pottery, sea kayaking, and riflery.
Kingsley Pines Camp
Raymond | kingsleypines.com
Kingsley Pines is the place where your child learns to share, listen, and work well with others, and is free to just be a kid. Kingsley Pines’ non-regimented sessions foster independence and give campers the responsibility of choosing all their own activities.
Maine Academy of Modern Music Rock Camps Machias | maineacademyofmodernmusic.org
Held at the University of Maine at Machias, this MAMM summer camp is designed to offer kids the opportunity to play in a band, perform covers, and write original music. Located on a northern part of Maine’s beautiful rugged coast, Machias boasts whale watching, lighthouses, hiking, kayaking, eagles, and lobster rolls.
Maine Arts Camp
Unity | maineartscamp.com
Each summer, a small group of campers arrive on the Unity College campus to participate in visual and performing arts instruction, culinary lessons, and photography workshops—all while enjoying the campfires, camp songs, and dorm nights that make summer camp so much fun.
Maine Teen Camp
Porter | teencamp.com
Maine Teen Camp focuses on teaching independence and enriching the unique lives of teenagers. It features an elective program of activities, including rock music, cooking, waterskiing, and tennis—to name a few. The campers are diverse, with over 25 percent from other countries.
Moose River Outpost
Jackman | christiancamps.net
At this Christian camp, kids can enjoy over 7,000 acres of woods, streams, and lakes as they immerse themselves in “the wild beauty and quiet testimony of God’s creation.” A private waterfront, Christian leaders from around the country, brook trout fishing, orienteering, archery, and skeet shooting are all available at this camp.
MSSM Summer Camp
Limestone | mssm.org
The summer camp of the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, this coed camp will celebrate its 17th year this summer. Each summer, campers between the ages of 10 and 14 get the chance pursue their interests in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Netop Summer Camp
Casco | netopsummercamp.com
Netop (nee-tope) is a Native American word for “friend.” Friendship comes naturally at this camp for boys aged 8 through 16. Netop encourages growth and balance in four areas of life—social, mental, physical, and spiritual. Positive role models, platform tent living, and Netop traditions make this a lasting and enriching camp experience.
New England Music Camp
Sidney | nemusiccamp.com
For over 76 years, NEMC has been host to musicians aged 11 through 18 from all over the world. Located on Lake Messalonskee, NEMC provides an intensive summer music education balanced with traditional social and recreational summer camp activities. Campers design their own schedules, focusing on music in the mornings and recreation in the afternoon. Oceanwood Camp
Ocean Park | oceanwood.org Just a few blocks from the Atlantic Ocean, this Christian camp and conference center offers summer camps for kids entering third through tenth grade, adults with disabilities, and family camps. The camp has a longstanding horseback riding program, and hosts the Mid-Summer Festival each year. Pilgrim Lodge
West Gardiner | pilgrimlodge.org
Owned and operated by the Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ, this summer camp is located on Lake Cobbosseecontee. Campers can attend the lodge for one-week sessions throughout the summer, with programs devoted to particular age groups. In addition to familiar summer camp activities, Pilgrim Lodge teaches stories from the Bible, and new and fun ways of worshipping.
Pine Island Camp for Boys
Belgrade Lakes | pineisland.org
With no running water or electricity, 85 boys between the ages of 9 and 15 spend a summer on Pine Island. Campers enjoy a summer heavily emphasizing outdoor life—boys hike and canoe on more than 40 trips during their summer.
Pine Tree Camp Bath | pinetreesociety.org
As part of the Pine Tree Society—an organization devoted to helping Mainers with disabilities—Pine Tree Camp gives children and adults with disabilities the chance to enjoy a traditional summer camp. Set on 285 acres, the camp also boasts a mile of waterfront on North Pond in the Belgrade Lakes region.
Rippleffect
Portland | rippleffect.net
Rippleffect is a non-profit youth and community development organization operating outdoor adventure programming out of Portland, Maine. They own Cow Island, a beautiful 26-acre island in Casco Bay, and run many youth and adult programs from this remote eco-campus.
Robin Hood Camp
Brooksville | robinhoodcamp.com
Situated between a three-mile lake and Penobscot Bay, Robin Hood gives campers over 35 different activity options and is best known for its waterfront programs, including wakeboarding and bouncing on a water trampoline. Campers enjoy day and overnight trips around the state, ocean cruises, canoe trips, and visits to Boston.
Seeds of Peace Camp
Otisfield | seedsofpeace.org
Kids at this three-week camp can enjoy the unique experience of joining an international community of young leaders from countries in conflict. Campers come from around the world to meet their “enemies.” Camp activities include dialogue sessions on different conflicts, religious and cultural programs where campers can learn about other religions, and a Seeds of Peace Camp Olympics.
Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center
Lincolnville | umaine.edu/tanglewood/
Another University of Maine summer camp—this one in Camden Hills State Park—Tanglewood allows campers to spend weeks hiking, swimming, gardening, and exploring. Campers enjoy wilderness trips backpacking, canoeing, and exploring Maine’s natural world.
The Summer Camp
Washington | thesummercamp.org
Working with social service agencies, school guidance counselors, and individuals from rural and urban areas of New York and New England, The Summer Camp provides girls from low-income families and foster homes with a summer camp experience. Each year, more than 350 girls participate in the organization’s summer programs, which include leadership training and a literacy program.
Tripp Lake Camp
Poland | tripplakecamp.com
Since 1911, Tripp Lake Camp for girls has fostered a culture built on timeless values. In an increasingly fast-paced world, TLC provides a nurturing, supportive environment in which girls can try new things, develop new skills, focus on friendships, and take great pride in learning and passing down the traditions of generations of Tripp Lakers.
University of Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Centers at Bryant Pond Bryant Pond | umaine.edu/bryantpond/
Offering summer camps in weekly sessions, campers get to participate in programs that include swimming, outdoor skills development, hikes on Mount Christopher, team-building on ropes courses, and basic survival and outdoor safety skills instruction. The 4-H Shooting Sports Program focuses on the safe and responsible use of firearms.
Wavus Camp for Girls
Damariscotta Lake | wavus.org
A sister camp to Kieve, wilderness trips are an integral part of each camper’s Wavus experience. All girls faces fun challenges of exploration and discovery in the varied surroundings she encounters. Activities include canoeing, fishing, arts and crafts, sailing, archery, woodworking, sea kayaking, pottery and riflery. The camp’s caring and experienced staff helps campers gain confidence while forming lasting friendships with peers from diverse backgrounds.
West End House Camp
Parsonsfield | westendhousecamp.org
West End House offers summer camp in two, four, six, or eight-week sessions. Activities include waterskiing, archery, performing arts, mountain biking, camping, and wakeboarding. The camp also boasts outdoor playing fields and courts, an indoor gym with electric scoreboard, and a library on 135 acres near Long Pond.
Winona Camps for Boys
Bridgton | winonacamps.com
A boys’ residential camp for ages 7 to 16, Winona Camp offers an exceptional trip program and waterfront activities. The majority of campers live in small platform tents in groups of six, which creates a wonderful sense of community. Activities include water sports, wilderness hikes, riding, sailing, and rock climbing.
Wyonegonic Camps for Girls
Denmark | wyonegonic.com
Wyonegonic, the oldest continuously run camp for girls, was founded in 1902. The program offers a non-competitive atmosphere, which allows campers to build confidence. Programs are individualized for each camper based upon their goals and interests, with a particular focus on waterfront activities and outdoor living skills.
YMCA Camp of Maine
Winthrop | maineycamp.org
Based upon the three principles of the YMCA—development of mind, body, and spirit—the Maine camp experience aims to foster self-confidence, social growth, and awareness. Activities include campcraft, overnight camping, waterskiing, windsurfing, pottery, dancing, and basket weaving.