How would you like to learn to sail, master a ropes course or relax on the sunny shores of the Chesapeake Bay surrounded by friends? Welp, too bad, you can’t. The following summer plans are for youngsters only. From ziplining to watersports and skateboarding, sleepaway camp has come a long way since we were kids. Try not to be too jealous—and act fast, as sign-ups for some camps are already underway.
Sandy Hill Camp
Boys and girls ages 8 to 16 can learn to sail, go horseback riding and more at this Best of Arlington 2026 winner. Located on 643 acres at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay, this action-packed camp offers one- or two-week sessions. Days are divided into five activity periods: three instructional classes, a cabin activity and a free period. Campers may choose their classes upon registration, with options such as acting, archery, magic, waterskiing, dance and more. The outdoor fun also includes banana boat rides, ziplining, a giant swing and a pontoon boat trip. Drive time from Arlington: 2.5 hours. 3380 Turkey Point Road, North East, Maryland
Camps Airy and Louise
Camp Airy, for boys, and Camp Louise, for girls, provide children with single-gender summer experiences that promote creativity, adventure and a positive sense of Jewish identity. Campers of all faiths and practices are welcome to attend this camp, now celebrating 100 years of summer fun. Activities include swimming, rock climbing, go-carts, ropes courses, music and sports. Registration is open and sessions fill up fast. New campers are eligible for discounts of $500 to $900 off the base cost, depending on the session. Drive time from Arlington: 1.5 hours. 24959 Pen Mar Road, Cascade, Maryland
Camp Brainy Ridge
This nonprofit is dedicated to creating a camp environment safe for children and teens living with chronic health conditions. The camp’s mission is to provide a safe community that promotes independence, self-management and leadership skills with a 3-to-1 staff ratio and a round-the-clock medical team. Campers participate in discussions about well-being and medical self-management with therapists, medical experts and peers. Daily activities include arts and crafts, sports, nature hikes and campfires. Each session has a different medical focus, including autism, heart issues, type 1 diabetes and epilepsy. Drive time from Arlington: 2 hours. Blue Ridge School, St. George, Virginia
Camp Hidden Meadows
Community, confidence and independence are what the organizers of this camp hope to impart to participants. Kids here are responsible for charting their own summer path. There are no required activities; instead, campers choose their own adventures in sessions lasting one to four weeks. They sleep in riverside and hillside cabins at an elevation of about 3,000 feet, where temps are cool and breezy. Activities include climbing, outdoor living skills, organic farming and mountain biking. Older campers finishing 7th through 10th grade can participate in Earth Expeditions, a week of tent camping outside of camp grounds with a group of 10 campers. Drive time from Arlington: 3.5 hours. 17739 Potomac Highland Trail, Bartow, West Virginia
Camp Tall Timbers
Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this camp welcomes boys and girls ages 7 to 16 for sessions lasting from two to seven weeks. Schedules and itineraries are customized to create a personalized program for each camper. Activities include horseback riding, archery, canoeing, drama, hiking and swimming, as well as ziplining, tennis and a rock wall for climbing. Registration is now open. Drive time from Arlington: 2 hours. 1115 Reflection Lane, High View, West Virginia
Camp Tockwogh
Campers can take to the waters of the Chesapeake Bay at this overnight destination for kids from kindergarten through 11th grade. Participants can leran to sail, try out waterskiing or wakeboarding, and paddle in a canoe, kayak or paddleboard. Kids can also cool off in the pool and cruise down the famous Wet-Willy water slide. Target sports include archery, axe throwing and slingshots. Those craving even more water fun can take a look at sister camp Tickwogh, a specialty watersports camp for teens who have completed grades 7-10. Drive time from Arlington: 2 hours, 15 minutes. 24370 Still Pond Neck Road, Worton, Maryland
Camp Twin Creeks
For more than 25 years, kids ages 7 to 16 have enjoyed this camp’s quirky traditions, such as the Olympics (an all-camp team competition), Polar Bear (an extra-early morning dip in the pool followed by hot chocolate) and Fuzzies (cute critters awarded each day to campers for outstanding contributions). Additional activities include horseback riding, high ropes, ziplines and waterfall excursions. Campers may opt for a Super Session in which they can add focused learning periods each day to explore a chosen interest. Drive time from Arlington: 4 hours, 15 minutes. 9235 Huntersville Road, Marlinton, West Virginia
Camp Susquehannock
The Susquehannock camps—one for girls and one for boys—use sports to develop confidence, resilience and independence. Campers take part in 10 different team sports and two individual sports. A typical day includes training and competition in sports ranging from ultimate frisbee or street hockey and mountain biking. Following a skills assessment, each camper is placed on a team with equally-abled peers to allow participation and build self-esteem. The Tripp Lake waterfront features a diving board, slide, trampoline and several boats. Boys and girls enjoy swimming at separate times, and water time includes regattas and swim relays to build team spirit. Drive time from Arlington: 5 hours, 30 minutes. 2308 Tripp Lake Road, Brackney, Pennsylvania
Echo Hill
Providing community and friendship since 1914, Echo Hill encourages campers ages 7 to 16 to gain life skills, independence and a can-do attitude through participation in more than 20 different non-competitive water sports and traditional camp activities. Campers live in large, platform tents for the summer and may choose the activities they do each day. Located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Echo Hill offers a wide range of activities on the Chesapeake Bay, including, sailing, waterskiing, tubing and even crabbing. Participants design their own days and choose their own activities. Drive time from Arlington: 2.5 hours. 13655 Bloomingneck Road, Worton, Maryland
Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia
Outdoor adventures are the focus of two Virginia Girl Scout camps: Camp Pamunkey Ridge, situated on 250 acres of the Pamunkey River north of Richmond, and Camp Kittamaqund, on five miles of shoreline along the Great Wicomico River in Northumberland County. In addition to typical camping fun, each session has a special activity called the ”wow of the week,” featuring activities such as a cardboard regatta, a water carnival and a crazy color dance party. “Lil Bit O’ Camp” mini sessions from Sunday to Tuesday provide a shorter-term taste of sleepaway camp for younger campers. There are also sessions designed for older girls only. The camps are open to all, but non-scouts must pay an additional $35. Drive time to Pamunkey Ridge from Arlington: 1 hour 40 minutes 34009 Discovery Lane, Hanover, Virginia. Drive time to Camp Kittamaqund: 2 hours 30 minutes Pumpkin Hill Road, Heathsville, Virginia
Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital
Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital has three sleepaway camps to choose from: Camp Winona (Hughesville, Maryland), Camp Potomac Woods (Leesburg, Virginia) and Camp May Flather (Mt. Solon, Virginia), each with a variety of camp themes. At Camp May Flather, for example, girls can choose the Wild About Water week to spend most of their time in the pool or on the river, or opt for themed weeks such as Cave Crawlers or Party in the USA. Other programs focus on art, theater, horseback riding and more. Various Locations
International Gymnastics Camp
Tumblers can flip, vault and cartwheel their way though summer at this Poconos-based camp for recreational and competitive gymnasts. IGC’s focus is on teaching technique and proper progressions in five separate gyms, with visits from celebrity gymnasts throughout the summer. Campers engage in six coached rotations daily, plus optional additional gym time in the evenings. The training is combined with other fun experiences such as a giant slip and slide, an ice cream shop, a pool and a ropes course. Founded in 1971, IGC is family owned-and-operated by the Klaus family. Drive time from Arlington: 4.5 hours. 100 Gymnastics Way, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Woodward PA Action Sports Camp
Pack a skateboard with that sleeping bag. Bunking in cabins may be the only “traditional” aspect of this summer sleepaway camp centered on wheeled gear, from scooters, longboards and bikes (BMX or dirt) to roller skates. There’s also a Parkour option. Can’t decide on a favorite? Kids can try them all in the multisport camp, with opportunities to glide up and down a half-pipe, ride the rails and ace the jumps on a dirt bike track. Other activities include electric guitar, go karts and a Gopro lab where campers can film, edit and take home a video of the sweet skills they learned at camp. Drive time from Arlington: 4 hours 134 Sports Camp Drive, Woodward, Pennsylvania