January 9Jan 9 Hi All, Looking for summer camp recommendations for my kids: Daughter, age 12: 1-2 week overnight camp themed 1 week day camp (Creative writing, fine arts, digital art, coding). Son, age 9: 1 week overnight. He might be a little young to go to a solo overnight camp, so maybe just day camp 2-3 weeks of day camps (Sports, football, math, outdoors/fishing) Long-term, I'd like them to go to the same overnight camp through high school. I'm ok with driving a couple hours each way for overnight camps... or if it's perfect a flight. Thanks! Edited January 9Jan 9 by Masshole Horn
January 9Jan 9 West Austin Youth Association has a bunch of day camps your kids might like. We sent our two boys there a couple of times and they had a great time. I don't see their summer camp schedule up yet, it might be worth a call. WAYA
January 9Jan 9 Both of my kids and my stepdaughter have attended Camp Champions outside of Marble Falls and love it. And my daughter was a counselor her last summer before going off to college. At this point in the year they may be full or close to full, but I highly recommend checking it out. https://campchampions.com/
January 9Jan 9 Author 12 minutes ago, South Austin said: Both of my kids and my stepdaughter have attended Camp Champions outside of Marble Falls and love it. And my daughter was a counselor her last summer before going off to college. At this point in the year they may be full or close to full, but I highly recommend checking it out. https://campchampions.com/ How many weeks did your kids generally attend?
January 9Jan 9 1 hour ago, Masshole Horn said: How many weeks did your kids generally attend? Generally two. But after my daughter’s sophomore year of high school, she did their counselor-in-training program which is three weeks. It was a lot of work and she was exhausted when it was over, but she loved it.
January 9Jan 9 I went to Kanakuk in the 90’s. They had a Jerry Sandusky type leader that ended up molesting dozens of boys that they covered up for 15+ years. He’s now doing life in prison. I didn’t get diddled but would not recommend.
January 10Jan 10 Full Disclosure: My kids did not go to camp here, but my daughter works year-round at this camp in Marble Falls. https://campiscool.com/
January 13Jan 13 I went to Camp Longhorn (near Burnet) for four years as a camper and four as a counselor. Sent my kids there too, starting around 2010. Camp Champions is probably similar. Camp Longhorn has three camps, Inks Lake is the original, Indian Springs was the second, and they have a C3 camp on Inks with shorter terms. Inks Lake and Indian Springs offer two and three week terms. When you are young, three weeks is a long time to be away from home. But when you are older, you don't want it to end. Terms at the start of the summer are going to be cooler but the water is going to be colder. The terms towards the end of the summer can be really hot but the water is warmer. I also did a Scouting trek at Philmont when I was 15. At Philmont, you are part of a crew that hikes from camp to camp for about 10 days. I think we covered about 65 miles but I can't remember. My troop had a qualifying hike that you had to pass before you could sign up. I wasn't ready at thirteen. Two years later the qualifier was easy, and Philmont was a challenge but doable and I'm glad I waited. Edited January 13Jan 13 by Texas Jeff
January 13Jan 13 FWIW I started 4 week overnight camp at 8-9, I wouldn’t say it’s too long for 1-2 weeks at all. You can get a lot from that as a little kid as far as maturity and independence go. I would say go for it if you think he’s at all up to it. Edited February 2Feb 2 by Etexhorn13
January 13Jan 13 On 1/10/2025 at 10:39 AM, huge said: Ozark - Camp OTX Oh that’s cool that they have a thing in Texas now. I went to Ozark in Arkansas as a kid and it was really some of the best times of my life.
January 13Jan 13 40 minutes ago, Celery Man said: Oh that’s cool that they have a thing in Texas now. I went to Ozark in Arkansas as a kid and it was really some of the best times of my life. The OG is better but OTX isnt bad. FWIW I went to Longhorn (Inks 1st term) and send my 10 year old (4th term) there but shiiiiiiit camp is expensive these days.
January 13Jan 13 On 1/9/2025 at 2:38 PM, Firemans4Horn said: I went to Kanakuk in the 90’s. They had a Jerry Sandusky type leader that ended up molesting dozens of boys that they covered up for 15+ years. He’s now doing life in prison. I didn’t get diddled but would not recommend.
January 13Jan 13 On 1/10/2025 at 9:39 AM, huge said: Ozark - Camp OTX My kids do Ozark in Arky. The owners, the Torn family, are awesome people despite being Aggies. Highly recommend the camp. Depends on the kid. But my daughter started doing 2 weeks at age 7. And she had zero homesickness. Edited January 13Jan 13 by Frank Drebin
January 15Jan 15 Have sent all three kids over years to Camp Longhorn (Indian Springs) they have all enjoyed it and really looked forward to going back each year. It gets tough with Football or Summer baseball as kids gets older so mine all aged out once they hit HS
January 30Jan 30 On 1/9/2025 at 2:38 PM, Firemans4Horn said: I went to Kanakuk in the 90’s. They had a Jerry Sandusky type leader that ended up molesting dozens of boys that they covered up for 15+ years. He’s now doing life in prison. I didn’t get diddled but would not recommend. Baptists. Inevitable scandal. On 1/9/2025 at 4:52 PM, ChickenSandwich said: Camp Olympia https://www.campolympia.com Great memories of the blob and sailing to Ant island.
January 31Jan 31 Champions is the best known one. I went to Olympia and Rio Vista (Don't know if it is still around). Rio Vista and Champions were the most popular back then. I think Longhorn was popular as well, though. I am old. Later on I went to a camp in Wisconsin near Minnesota. The Wisconsin camp blew away any camp in Texas. I've heard Maine camps are great as well. You do things like canoeing, backpacking, horse trips, etc. in those states while the Texas camps are mainly sports oriented. All have things like archery, rifle and horseback riding though. Edited January 31Jan 31 by Bevo
February 5Feb 5 On 1/30/2025 at 7:37 PM, Bevo said: Champions is the best known one. I went to Olympia and Rio Vista (Don't know if it is still around). Rio Vista and Champions were the most popular back then. I think Longhorn was popular as well, though. I am old. Later on I went to a camp in Wisconsin near Minnesota. The Wisconsin camp blew away any camp in Texas. I've heard Maine camps are great as well. You do things like canoeing, backpacking, horse trips, etc. in those states while the Texas camps are mainly sports oriented. All have things like archery, rifle and horseback riding though. I attended one summer camp with some cousins when I was 13 that had archery, a rifle range, horseback riding, canoeing and hiking. I cannot remember the name or where it took place but it was fun as hell. I spent every morning shooting a .22 then would go horseback riding. I think it was somewhere near Kerrville.
February 5Feb 5 3 minutes ago, F250 said: I attended one summer camp with some cousins when I was 13 that had archery, a rifle range, horseback riding, canoeing and hiking. I cannot remember the name or where it took place but it was fun as hell. I spent every morning shooting a .22 then would go horseback riding. I think it was somewhere near Kerrville. Stewart LaJunta Rio Vista Are probably the main boys camps in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram area.
February 5Feb 5 6 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said: Stewart LaJunta Rio Vista Are probably the main boys camps in Kerrville, Hunt, Ingram area. After going over those camps, I want to say it might have been La Junta. I know it's not Stewart because I've been there a couple of times in my 20's, my friend got us a cabin there for a couple of hunting trips. I think it was probably La Junta. I attended the camp right after attending Glen Lake. I assume you may have attended Glen Lake yourself being a Methodist.
March 2Mar 2 On 2/4/2025 at 9:30 PM, F250 said: I attended one summer camp with some cousins when I was 13 that had archery, a rifle range, horseback riding, canoeing and hiking. I cannot remember the name or where it took place but it was fun as hell. I spent every morning shooting a .22 then would go horseback riding. I think it was somewhere near Kerrville. Stewart?
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