Adirondack Camp

★★★★★wbmitch

Adirondack Camp, Lake George, NY The summer of 1973, I was seven years old and absolutely terrified. I had never been away from home. I didn't know a single person at Adirondack Camp. I was homesick. And then, paraphrasing fifty years of memory here, I fell completely and irrevocably in love with a peninsula on the north end of Lake George that I still consider one of the most important places of my life. I've been connected to Adirondack Camp ever since, first as a camper, then as a counselor and Head of Sailing, then as a parent of two campers, and for the past two decades as an advisor to camp leadership and a board member of the Adirondack Camp Scholarship Fund. My views represent about as inside a perspective as you'll find. So let me try to be useful rather than merely enthusiastic. Adirondack Camp sits on a peninsula on the north end of Lake George in the Adirondack Mountains, one of the most beautiful fresh-water settings in the Northeast. It is deliberately, unapologetically rustic: open-air cabins with no electricity, no screens, no paved roads. A live bugler marks the day with Reveille and Taps. The flag comes down each evening in a ceremony called Retreat, complete with a cannon blast. These aren't gimmicks. They create a world that feels complete, self-contained, and genuinely different from ordinary life. The philosophy is holistic and explicitly non-competitive. Kids choose their own activities from 30+ options across water sports, land sports, arts, and wilderness trips. The goal isn't mastery of any one discipline; it's the accumulation of personal accomplishments over time that build confidence, resilience, and grit week by week. Counselor ratios are exceptional (one per three campers), and with only 150–200 campers per session, no child is invisible. About 20% of campers come from other countries, from the UK, France, Spain, Germany, Venezuela, Israel, Taiwan, and more, making ADK genuinely international in a way that meaningfully broadens every child's sense of the world. What I observed in my own children, and what the research on summer camp consistently confirms, is that kids return from Adirondack Camp different. More confident. More patient. More curious about the physical world around them and less dependent on screens. The change is visible and compounds year over year and it lasts a lifetime. The Adirondack Camp Scholarship Fund, established in 2003 by alumni, has provided access to more than 100 children from families who couldn't otherwise afford it. That's not a footnote; it says something important about the community's values. If you're a parent trying to decide whether Adirondack Camp is right for your child: probably yes, if your child is curious, reasonably open, and not wedded to their devices. It's hard to imagine a child who couldn't find something to love here, and in finding it, find a truer version of themselves. The ultimate value of Adirondack Camp is not just the activities it offers, but the kind of adults its campers often become: independent, resilient, empathetic, confident, and connected to both people and the natural world. After more than fifty years of involvement as camper, counselor, department head, parent, advisor, and scholarship advocate, that conclusion is not sentiment. It is evidence.

★★★★★Peter K.

What an amazing / idyllic summer camp! Last year was my son's first time and he had the best time. So many great traditions (he came and now addresses me, "yes, sir"). As an eight year old I was for him to be away from home for almost 4 weeks, but he loved it. The amazing staff come from all over the world and having such amazing skills. The fencing coach is on an Olympic team. They were all so nice and caring. Looking forward to this year; I am trying to convince him to learn sailing so he can come home and teach me. I cant imagine a better summer camp!

★★★★★Nicole Nero

After capturing a wedding at Adirondack Camp, experiencing their staff and food, I cannot say enough great things about them! The location and views are stunning, the food is remarkable and the staff is endlessly helpful. If you are looking for an upstate New York wedding location, this is a wonderful one!

★★★★★Cleo Bosgra

Adirondack Camp is a magical place where you can experience new adventures and is a great place to grow in a safe and friendly environment. The staff and other campers are always there to cheer you on in any achievement whether it’s baking your first cupcake to standing up on your waterskis. There’s a wide range of activities for all to enjoy both indoor and outdoor.

★★★★★Kevin B

I sent my three children to this camp. One for 2 years, one for 5, and the third for 8 years. I can say without question as a parent that this was one of the best experiences of their lives in terms of both having fun and making friends, but also for developing self-reliance, confidence, and social skills. The team in place - from the owner to key staff members and counselors - are all top notch. Many have 20 or more years experience and are teachers during the year, so they bring a wealth of experience working with kids this age. They had so much fun as well - the first year I took my then-12 year old he went for 4 weeks, and when I picked him up his first words were 'Dad, it's like you just left!'. His second sentence was, "We have to buy a sailboat!" -- he'd taken sailing and fell in love with it. He later developed a love of kayaking and now years later still whitewater kayaks and guides beginners. This was also a kid who we struggled to keep off computers and phones -- but he willingly gave up gaming for camp each summer. Adirondack's 'no phones/no social media' policy works well and was a godsend in terms of giving him time away from electronics. I could not recommend this place more. My children are better, more confident people today because of their time at ADK.