Best Sleepaway Camps of 2025
We evaluated the top overnight summer camps on programming quality, safety record, facilities, counselor training, and the overall experience they deliver for kids.
5 items ranked · Last reviewed January 2025
Camp Seagull & Camp Seafarer
North Carolina's legendary twin camps — Seagull for boys, Seafarer for girls — on the Neuse River
Camp Seagull (boys) and Camp Seafarer (girls) are sister camps on the Neuse River in North Carolina that together represent the gold standard of traditional American sleepaway camping. The waterfront programming — sailing, kayaking, water skiing, marine science — is exceptional, and the multigenerational traditions run deep: alumni routinely send their own children back. Families who discover the camps almost never leave them.
PROS
- ✓Nearly 90 years of tradition — waterfront programming on the Neuse River is genuinely unmatched
- ✓Twin camps share the same philosophy and standards — families send sons to Seagull and daughters to Seafarer
- ✓Exceptional counselor culture and staff retention; many counselors are former campers
CONS
- ✕Single-sex camps — boys go to Seagull, girls to Seafarer (separate applications)
- ✕High demand means applying early in the fall is essential
Camp Longhorn
Texas's most beloved summer camp — 80+ years on the Highland Lakes
Camp Longhorn on Inks Lake in the Texas Hill Country has been the defining summer experience for Texas families since 1939. The programming is broad and well-run — water skiing, sailing, archery, horseback riding, athletics — but what sets Longhorn apart is its culture. The sense of belonging and tradition runs so deep that grandparents, parents, and grandchildren often share the same camp memories. The waitlists are real — get on them early.
PROS
- ✓Iconic Texas institution with 80+ years of tradition — the camp generations of families return to
- ✓Spectacular Hill Country setting on Inks Lake with outstanding water and land programming
- ✓Exceptional community culture — campers, counselors, and families form bonds that last decades
CONS
- ✕Extremely high demand — waitlists are common and early registration is critical
- ✕Texas-regional fame means less name recognition outside the state
Camp Walden
Classic Maine camp experience with exceptional arts and athletics programming
Camp Walden has been a New England institution since 1916. Situated on a pristine lake in the Maine woods, the camp offers a beautifully balanced program of arts, athletics, and outdoor adventure in a coed setting. The facilities are genuinely impressive, and the camp's culture emphasizes genuine friendship and personal growth over competition.
PROS
- ✓Beautiful lakefront setting in the Maine woods with exceptional facilities
- ✓Balanced programming across arts, athletics, and outdoor adventure
- ✓Coed camp creates natural social development alongside peers
CONS
- ✕One of the pricier options in New England
- ✕High demand from the NYC metro area means competitive enrollment
Interlochen Arts Camp
The world's most prestigious summer arts camp — music, theater, film, and visual arts
For a kid with a serious passion for music, theater, film, or visual arts, Interlochen is in a class of its own. The faculty are working professionals at the top of their fields, the performances and exhibitions are genuinely high-caliber, and the community of creative kids is transformative for young artists who have always felt out of place elsewhere.
PROS
- ✓Unrivaled arts faculty — alumni include celebrated musicians, actors, and directors
- ✓Immersive arts environment where creative kids find their tribe
- ✓Conservatory-level instruction in music, theater, dance, film, and visual arts
CONS
- ✕Highly selective for advanced programs — audition required for top divisions
- ✕Arts-focused means limited traditional sports and outdoor programming
North Star Camp for Boys
Wisconsin's premier traditional boys' camp in the Northwoods
North Star Camp in Wisconsin's Northwoods is the premier traditional boys' camp in the Midwest. The natural setting — surrounded by lakes and old-growth forest — is breathtaking, and the camp's focus on character, friendship, and self-reliance produces young men that parents notice are different when they come home. A generation-spanning institution for Midwest families.
PROS
- ✓Exceptional Northwoods setting with pristine lakes and forests
- ✓Strong emphasis on character development alongside traditional camp activities
- ✓Outstanding staff retention — many counselors are former campers
CONS
- ✕Boys only
- ✕Remote Wisconsin location requires flight for most families