February 5, 2014
Overnight summer camp is a fun way for youth to get outdoors, and it’s an extremely powerful youth development experience. Finding the right summer camp can be a time consuming process. Finding the best summer camp for your family’s needs is a process that begins early and involves lots of research and talking to people with sleepaway camp experience. Let’s face it, summer camp is a place that is all about people.
Austin has the distinct advantage of being smack in the middle of Texas, which is great. It gives you a lot of options for summer camp in Texas! Austin has a plethora of summer camping options that are not overnight. This post will provide the top resources for beginning your search in Austin Summer Camps. Additonally, we will provide a list of the best overnight summer camps in the Austin area.
The Austin Family Summer Camp Fair has been put on every year for the past 16 years by the Austin Family Magazine. The event is put on every year at the Palmer Events Center, usually in late January. It is free to attend and offers a variety of camps to come and meet.
January 2014 Austin Family Camp Fair Event: at the Palmer Events Center, January 26th, 12 PM - 4 PM
The Austin Camp Fair is a great way to meet the Directors of many of the camps you are considering and to ask them the questions you really need answers to. (See the link at the bottom of the page for a helpful guide with best questions to ask a camp director). Doing research before the event will really increase the usefulness of the fair for your summer camp search.Austin is on the foothills of Hill Country, the heart of the traditional summer camp experience in Texas. There is an entire post on all the top overnight summer camps for Texas Hill Country (read more). However, here is a highlight of some of the top overnight camps in the Hill Country.
CYJ Texas is a coed Jewish camp that serves children who have graduated from 1st through 8th grades. CYJ offers one, two and three week terms. CYJ has a strong commitment to strengthening Jewish identity, strengthening devotion to Israel and developing strong leaders who forge lifelong friends at camp. CYJ has over 45 activities for campers to choose from including new selections like advanced tennis, yoga and magic tricks.
Learn more: http://www.cyjtexas.org/
Camp Longhorn is located on Inks Lake in Texas Hill Country. Campers can attend for two or three week camp sessions. All the Longhorn Camps are coed. Campers must have completed 2nd grade to enroll but you can begin the enrollment process the summer after 1st grade. An interview with the director is required for placement in one of the camps.
Learn more: http://www.camplonghorn.com/
Camp Champions is located on the beautiful shores of Lake LBJ in Texas Hill Country, just 50 miles west of Austin for kids aged 6 - 17. Campers can attend two or three week camp terms (or longer combination sessions) during the summer. One week camp terms are also available for the youngest campers. Campers can choose from over 40 activities during the day to learn new skills and develop life long interests. Each night is capped with a celebration of the day’s Torchlighter, best exemplifying the 4 R’s. Camp Champions has a strong focus on youth development and pushing campers to reach new heights.
Learn More - http://www.campchampions.com/
See Full list of Texas Hill Country Overnight Summer Camps
URJ Greene Family Camp is a coed Reform Jewish summer camp that serves kids entering 2nd grade to 8th grade at its Main Camp and kids 9th through 12th grade in its High School program. Greene Family Camp offers 3 week term options as well as half term sessions. The camp overs of 60 activities campers can choose between balancing both skill development and personal enjoyment.
Learn more - http://greene.urjcamps.org/
T Bar M is a non-denominational, Christian summer camp that serves girls and boys in grades 1st through 11th at two separate properties. T Bar M runs a teenage adventure camp for children in grades 7th - 11th at its Lake Travis property. There is an overnight Sports Camp for campers in grades 1st - 6th where they can choose from 11 specialty sports programs. Both camps offer one week terms.
Learn more - http://www.tbarmcamps.org/
If you would like to learn more about choosing the right Texas summer camp, we have several resources to help you do so:
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