A reader question:
Hi Muffy,
Now that March is around the corner, we can start to think about starting to think about the summer. I have always been enchanted with the New England lake resorts (for the families) and camps (for the children). Do you or your readers have pictures and memories of camps and camps from long ago or recommendations for resorts and camps for the current day?
Many thanks and I very much appreciate your blog.
Should you ever decide to take a break from New England, the Stanford Sierra Camp at Fallen Leaf Lake is awfully nice. The sole drawback is one very cold lake.
ReplyDeleteI attended a summer camp in southern New Hampshire and was a counselor at another just north of the Adirondacks in New York. It's fair to say summer camp was a foundational experience that influenced my outlook on life, which is why we gave our children the opportunity to attend. Our son and daughters spent several summers at camps in Maine. Caribou in Winslow, all boys, and Fernwood Cove in Harrison, all girls. Our children were happy at both; it's worth a trip to visit camps if you have younger children, because they vary a great deal, and finding a good fit is worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteWe don't do resorts - had a rather annoying week at one years ago, and we vowed to not repeat it. My younger brother long ago dubbed our summer family weeklong gatherings the 'wild card vacation.' Our extended family rents a large home or two (enough to sleep 20 or so). We've found relatively secluded places around Lake Winnipesaukee are pleasant, so long as we're far enough from the cacophony of town, and there are many gorgeous smaller lakes throughout New England. The same for York, Maine; Belgrade Lakes, Maine; the Rangeley Lakes area in Maine; Martha's Vineyard; parts of Cape Cod; Shelter Island, in the Hamptons; and the Lake Placid area. Haven't been to Watch Hill, Rhode Island in many years, but it was a great place to go at the time.
Camp North Woods (for boys) on Lake Winnpesaukee: https://camps.ymcaboston.org/north-woods/. Many wonderful Summers spent there.
ReplyDeleteQuisisana on Maine's Lake Kezar is the ultimate all-inclusive family place to go. As teenagers friend's talented children worked there as performers (classical music, theatricals) and as staff of all kinds. It was THE experience of their young lives: https://www.quisisanaresort.com/
ReplyDeleteFor the kids, Camps Brookwoods & Deer Run in NH and Moose River Outpost in ME: https://www.christiancamps.net/
ReplyDeleteBryant Pond Maine. You will thank me later.
ReplyDeleteCairbou!
ReplyDeleteWe did Wyonegonic for my daughter and Winona for my son. My daughter moved on to Camp Farwell in VT because Wyonegonic wasn't horsey enough.
ReplyDeleteThe Birches Resort in Rockwood, Maine on Mooshead Lake is nice. The cabins are very rustic but nice.
ReplyDeleteNote: just some Maine lingo. Resort is, well, a resort: lodging, activities, dining etc. "Camps" can mean Sporting Camps: For example, Cobb's Camps; Grey Ghost Camps which are usually geared for hunting and fishing; they have hunting and fishing guides. These camps are usually quiet, relaxing, ,very rustic and extremely remote and of course, the obviou, Summer Camps private or public for kids.
Agawam in Raymond, Maine, "on the shore of Crescent Lake"
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