Maine is home to a rich history and cultural heritage, as well as a variety of natural landscapes that are perfect for outdoor adventures. These elements combined are a recipe for amazing conditions under which young ones can explore and grow, and what better environment is there than summer camp?
The summer camps in Maine are located in the beautiful outdoors, surrounded by mountains, lakes, and forests. This provides a unique opportunity for children to explore, hike, swim, and participate in water sports. As with many camps, Maine holds traditional activities such as sports, arts, crafts, and team-building exercises. However, many of Maine’s camps incorporate the state’s history and culture into their programming through lighthouse visits and exploring local museums and art galleries.
Here are some of our favorite summer camps in Maine.
Camp Kingswood
After 110 years in action, Kingswood has its programming down to an art. This overnight camp has a large Jewish community focus, offering activities that connect students in grades 2nd through 12th grade to their Jewish heritage.
Located in Bridgton, at the base of the White Mountains, Kingswood has all the means necessary to run land, water, wilderness, and even art programs for its community of young outdoor enthusiasts. This camp is on a mission to build a strong community with the spiritual nature of the camp. Children return here each year to find that different and existing activities are always available to them as they get older.
Camp magic happens here, and Kingswood kids never get bored. Sailing, waterskiing, snorkeling, and fishing are one of the many watersports they can enjoy. Meanwhile, hiking, high ropes courses, sports, arts and crafts, and ceramics are some options they can do on land.
Camp North Star Maine
Camp North Star Maine is a co-ed summer camp located in Poland Spring. It’s situated on a 250-acre property that includes a private lake, sports fields, and a performing arts center. The camp offers a variety of activities for campers, including sports, arts and crafts, performing arts, and water sports, all of which are focused on building skills, friendships, confidence, and resilience.
North Star is open to children ages 7-16 and operates on a traditional overnight camp model, with campers staying in cabins or tents and participating in activities as a group. The camp also has a focus on nutrition, and campers enjoy eating family-style in the property’s gorgeous outdoor picnic area.
You can sign kids up for a multitude of 2, 3, 4, 5, and up to 7-week sessions. They’re broken up by grade levels, so campers are constantly around people their age.
Camp Agawam
Camp Agawam is an all-boys summer camp that holds 3 ⅓ and 7-week sessions, located in Raymond. It’s unique setting on the shores of Panther Pond offers a pristine atmosphere for a traditional and exciting overnight camp experience for 9- to 15-year-old boys.
The 300-acre property offers a variety of sports and activities, including water sports and outdoor adventure programs. The camp is on a waterfront, with a sandy beach and a boathouse with canoes, kayaks, and sailboats. The program includes all of these water-oriented activities, as well as rock climbing, ropes courses, and wilderness trips. Facilities also include sports fields and courts, so they can play soccer, basketball, baseball, and lacrosse.
However, the real value of this camp is that it is a non-profit foundation created and run by volunteers. The campers are boys who otherwise would not have a chance to attend summer camp. Agawam is where “a boy learns to become his best self.”
Birch Rock Camp
The all-boys summer camp, Birch Rock, sits on a property of 100 acres, on the shore of Long Lake, in Waterford. The more intimate size of Birch Rock Camp is actually an asset in that it allows for a close-knit community and individualized attention for each camper. The camp is hyper-focused on character development and personal growth.
The program offers all the mainstay activities of any other summer camp but is more expansive, with activities based on age or for those wanting to become guides themselves. Visitors can expect canoeing, campcraft, team sports, bushcraft, and arts and crafts, among many other things.
Since 1926, Birch Rock has a strong tradition of leadership training and encourages campers to take on leadership roles and responsibilities within the camp community. Stays can last for up to 53 days to cover the entire summer.
Adventurous teenagers can enroll in their three-week wilderness trips, where they head into the Maine wilderness and explore Acadia National Park. Birch Rock Camp also hosts a family camp for parents and children to enjoy together.
YMCA Camp of Maine
The YMCA Camp of Maine is a coed overnight summer camp on Maranacook Lake in Winthrop. It began as an all-boys camp, and its history goes back to 1915 when its founder Jeff Smith wanted to create a way for boys to stay in touch with their natural roots in the face of growing urbanization.
In the early stages of the camp, the boys were actually sent to local farms to volunteer. They learned to work with hay and wood and gained vocational skills that were beginning to lose perceived importance in the cities.
In 1976, however, the camp was opened to girls. In alignment with this movement, the YMCA Camp of Maine focuses on personal growth and leadership development, as well as its commitment to inclusivity and diversity.
The camp’s property is beautiful and holds other large-scale events, including weddings. It’s a tech-free area, so kids can escape the digital world while staying at this YMCA camp.
Camp Chewonki
This summer camp is located in Wiscasset, with the beautiful shores of the Sheepscot River in its backyard. It offers a sleepaway camp experience for children ages 9-15. Although the camp is co-ed, there are separate boys’ and girls’ camps.
While Chewonki’s programming includes the staples (outdoor sports, water sports, and adventure), the main focus is on environmental stewardship and sustainability. It’s committed to giving campers an experiential education with a number of programs that allow them to learn about and engage with the natural environment.
Children can work on a farm or garden and go on wilderness trips. Stays are typically 3 or 5 weeks in duration. The summer programs usually start in July and run through mid-August.
Tripp Lake Camp
Tripp Lake Camp is an all-girls summer camp located in Poland, ME. The property is charming, and the shores of Tripp Lake offer an unbeatable camp experience for ladies ages 7-16. Tripp Lake campers have been wakeboarding, tubing, swimming, and growing into wonderful and fulfilled young adults since 1911 with no signs of stopping.
Watersports are the focus at Tripp Lake Camp, but by no means do they detract from the assortment of other options that keep the girls busy and engaged for 4-6 weeks at a time. They can also spend their days learning archery, hockey, golf, gymnastics, and many other things. Tripp Lake Camp focuses on building confidence and leadership skills in girls, as well as its commitment to inclusivity and diversity.
If you want your daughter to grow in a supportive camp environment where they can try new activities and form long-lasting friendships, then this is the perfect option.
Camp Crescent Cove
On the banks of the clear waters of Crescent Lake, just an hour from Portland, Camp Nashoba offers traditional summer camps. It has wooden cabins with welcoming counselors, sports and artistic pursuits, and many friendly faces. This is a co-ed camp for kids ages 7 to 17 with sleepaway sessions that last 2, 3.5, and 7 weeks.
Campers can create lifelong memories by taking part in carefully-planned and expertly-guided activities. The lake is one of the camp’s biggest stars, as residents have the chance to wakeboard, stand-up paddleboard, and even learn to sail. There are nearby hiking trails and a local farm where kids can learn to take care of baby goats and cows. It’s also quite famous for its horseback riding program.
Thanks to the spacious facilities and indoor studios, children can have fun indoors with arts & crafts, performing arts classes and productions, and some of the best camp cuisine.
Ketcha Outdoors
Ketcha Outdoors offers traditional all-around summer camps and more than 20 specialty camps focusing on specific interests. Some examples include their popular Harry Potter, Fairy Princess, and World of Water programs. Sitting on over 100 acres of gorgeous Scarborough woodlands and fields, the day camps are suitable for children ages 4 to 14 and truly have something for everyone.
Their camp counselors strive to help kids build confidence, try new things, and develop their social skills. This is accomplished through fun and inspiring activities like daily swimming lessons in the pond and pool, music classes and performances, tending an organic garden, and traversing the high-level ropes course.
Apart from its wide variety of summer programs, Ketcha Outdoors also has a Teen Leadership Program. These training sessions are fun and educational, getting young adults ready for future positions as camp counselors and educators. The day camp sessions last around a week each, and kids are separated by various age groups.
Kent’s Hill Sports Camp
If your daughter has a passion for sports, Kent’s Hill Sports Camp is the place to be. Located about an hour outside Portland, the summer camp sits on a massive 400 acres full of sports fields and training grounds. It’s the perfect site for young girls to hone their skills in their favorite sport. Campers ages 8 to 16 come from around the world for this three-week sports camp.
Kent’s Hill provides a safe and fun sports atmosphere where girls can thrive and develop their skills. Kids choose one of eight sports as their focus, with options including volleyball, tennis, lacrosse, basketball, soccer, dance, ice hockey, and field hockey. Each sport has its own set of high-level coaches and staff who will provide your daughter with top-class instruction.
Campers practice their preferred sport through instruction, drills, scrimmages, and even games against other camps. In addition, they can also enjoy fun camp activities like arts and crafts, yoga, horseback riding, and more. Popular camp events include Carnivals and theater performances.
Camp Waziyatah
Disney fans might recognize Camp Waziyatah from the hit show Bug Juice, as this boys and girls camp in Waterford was chosen as the setting for the ideal Maine camp experience. Its no-tech policy helps campers ages 6 to 16 connect with nature and one another. The counselors work to promote personal values and integrity through engaging activities.
There are thrills galore at Camp Waziyatah, with facilities that include a zipline, archery range, adventure park, and of course, the blob that launches campers up and into the lake. The waterfront location provides children with many water activities. Kids leave Camp Waziyatah with tons of new skills and interests, thanks to unique classes in outdoor cooking, stagecraft and performing arts, fencing, and horsemanship.
Camp Wazi also has downtime where kids can relax with fellow campers or enjoy the camp’s delicious and healthy cuisine. With camp sessions ranging from 2 to 8 weeks, it’s easy to fit into your family’s schedule.
