Get Connected at Family Camp

What: Family Sleep Away Camp
Where: Camp Arrowhead, Tuxedo, NC
When: Memorial Day Weekend, Fri. May 22 – Sun. May 24
Cost: $225 per adult, $100 per child, $50 children under 6
Mention Field Trips with Sue for a 10 percent discount

Located in the mountains of Western North Carolina, Camp Arrowhead is a Christian, high-adventure camp for boys aged 6 – 16. For those of us that don’t fit into that demographic, there is another way to enjoy the beauty and adventure of Arrowhead through Family Camp.

Family camp is an all inclusive getaway over Memorial Day weekend. There are less than 20 families participating, so it is a very intimate setting. Families are assigned their own cabin which has bunk beds and bathrooms with hot water showers. The bunks are fine, but I would double up on the mattresses for added comfort. You bring your own sheets, blankets and towels. All meals are prepared for you and are quite tasty. Last year’s chef previously worked on cruise ships. Hopefully he’ll be back again. Each day the family assembles to choose from an array of activities that can include: arts and crafts, rock climbing, horseback riding, mountain biking, kayaking, archery, riflery, blacksmithing, woodworking and more. Family members can stay together or split up. Trips such as rock climbing at a nearby formation, fishing or hiking are planned for those that want a little more adventure. Afternoons are spent swimming, “blobbing” and listening to your kids coax you down the zip line.

The staff goes out of their way to accommodate any and all requests. My youngest (3 at the time) wanted to go in a canoe on the lake. Not something that can be done during the swimming hour. However, not five minutes later, someone needed “saving” from the zip line and little Jake got in the canoe to make the rescue. The older ones love the freedom and I can see the confidence building in all of them as they push themselves to reach a little higher, paddle a little faster or try something new.

You don’t have to be sending a son to summer camp to enjoy family camp, but it’s a great idea if you do, since you’ll get to meet all his counselors and see first hand what he’ll be doing while away. You don’t even have to have boys to attend family camp, so bring your daughters along. I believe that shared memories are what keep family and friends connected. Family camp is not only a relaxing vacation, it has created lots of wonderful memories for my clan and we start the summer connected. That’s something we all need, especially in today’s world.