11 Overnight Summer Camps Near NYC
Ready to send your kid to sleepaway camp this year? We're gathering parent recommendations for the best overnight camps near NYC...or near enough to be worth the trip for an epic summer experience!
Parent reviews are essential to picking out the right overnight camp, so please add a review below if your kids have attended any of these. NYC parents, if your favorite overnight summer camps in New York or around the Northeast aren't on the list yet, please suggest them as new recommendations to let the community know about them.
Find more summer fun on our full NYC camp guide.
Trail Blazers Summer Camps
Trail Blazers promotes experiential learning through outdoor adventure programs. Day camps include hands-on science experiments, group challenges, team building, nature exploration, art, and lots of outdoor play! Trail Blazers also offers several overnight camp options.
Camp Lakota
A summertime tradition since 1924, Camp Lakota welcomes kids with diverse activities. Athletic programs include soccer, baseball, softball, lacrosse, tennis, volleyball, and more. On the camp's Masten Lake, kids can enjoy waterskiing, sailing, and fishing. There are two indoor, heated pools with the option for instruction, swim team, and water volleyball. There's creative arts, dramatic arts, horseback riding, and extreme sports.
Hands In 4 Youth
Hands In 4 Youth day camps and sleepaway camps have been inspiring young people from diverse backgrounds since 1924. It offers kids all of the summertime fun of a traditional sleepaway camp but with the added support of an environment fostering self-confidence, responsibility, and leadership. There's boating, arts and crafts, nature studies, and creative writing. Kids will learn to swim by American Red Cross-certified instructors. Transportation is provided from NYC, Westchester, and select New Jersey locations at no cost.
Long Lake Camp for the Arts
Long Lake Camp for the Arts, located next door to Long Lake Camp Adventures, focuses on the performing and fine arts. Kids will learn all aspects of theater, improv, drama, magic, and comedy. Kids can even join a rock band. This creative oasis allows kids to craft their own schedule. There's also plenty of time for friends and outdoor summer fun. There are four bus pickup locations for arrival from Westchester, Queens, New Jersey, and Albany.
Long Lake Camp Adventures
Spend the summer completely restoring a vehicle, growing vegetables, working with animals on a sustainable farm or learning survival skills in the Adirondacks at Long Lake Camp Adventures. This is a third-generation, family-run, co-ed camp where kids also venture out for two trips per week, which may include water parks and white water rafting. Situated next door is Long Lake Camp for the Arts. There are four bus pickup locations for arrival from Westchester, Queens, New Jersey, and Albany.
Buck's Rock Performing & Creative Arts Camp
Buck's Rock offers campers total creative freedom and the ability to build a portfolio of work. There are 30 fully equipped and staffed studios for young artists to explore ceramics, costume design, glassblowing, leather-making techniques, sculpture, and the Indonesian art of Batik. Dance, music, theater, and puppetry are just a few of the performance-based options. Campers have the freedom to try it all.
National Computer Camps
National Computer Camps provides a a camp curriculum that consists of the following major areas: video game design, computer languages, web page design, 3D printing, software applications, QR programming, Android App programming, Arduino Computer Lab, fly your drone, and Minecraft Modding. Campers will participate in social activities and reside at a Fairfield University dorm. Virtual camp options also available.
Writopia Lab WriCampia Sleepaway Camp
If your child has an interest in perfecting their writing skills, try Writopia's WriCampia Sleepaway Camp at Camp Danbee. Writers will spend part of the day in workshops led by published authors and produced playwrights. The afternoon will offer a variety of electives. The evenings are focused on traditional sleepaway camp activities such as camp fires and scavenger hunts. All campers will travel to and from camp on buses that leave from Manhattan, Brooklyn, West Orange NJ, Hartsdale NY and Washington DC.
Adirondack Camp
More than 100 years of tradition is packed into every summer at Adirondack Camp. Campers can partake in fishing, sailing, windsurfing and more on Lake George. Get back to nature in New York's Adirondack Park with organized Adirondack Camp Quests focused on walking, hiking, paddling, kayaking, and other challenges and adventures. Kids can improve their skills in archery, basketball, fencing, and tennis. Explore creative arts, performing arts, culinary, and video arts at this co-ed camp.
Camp Claire
For more than 100 years, kids have been enjoying a rustic camp experience at Camp Claire. This is a back-to-basics approach to camp where kids really get to disconnect and enjoy the great outdoors and time with friends. There's arts & crafts, fishing, sailing, swimming, basketball, low ropes, canoeing, kayaking, and sand volleyball.
The Road Less Traveled Summer Travel Programs
Completed grade 6-12
Although it's not your typical summer camp experience, The Road Less Traveled offers wonderful life changing travel opportunities for middle school and high school students. Students can go many places inside the United States or can travel internationally! From community service and language programs to scuba diving and summer adventures, there are lifelong memories to be made at every destination!
Primary photo: Liam Macleod on Unsplash
Upparent collects community-submitted recommendations and reviews, and any ideas that are shared reflect the opinions of individual contributors.