Adventure Links
Outdoor adventure is the name of the game at this camp, which includes an introduction for newbies and overnight excursions as far away as New England for experienced campers.
Ages: 8-17 years old
Session dates: June 10-Aug. 30
Fees: $525+
Location: Multiple locations
Brooksfield School
Younger campers can expect tennis, swim lessons and field trips, while the older kids venture off the 5-acre campus more frequently for hiking, archery, canoeing and farm visits.
Ages: 3-10 years old
Session dates: June 10-Aug. 2
Fees: $315+
Location: McLean
Browne Academy
Whether your kid’s main priority is getting in a pool every day or diving into martial arts, drone piloting or cupcake baking, this camp offers both general day camp and specialty camps.
Ages: 3-15 years old
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 19
Fees: $450+
Location: Alexandria
Camp Achva, powered by JCCNV
In addition to traditional day camps with plenty of opportunities to swim, Camp Achva also offers two types of dance camps and a theater camp for older kids.
Ages: K-10th grade
Session dates: June 24-Aug. 16
Fees: $350+
Location: Fairfax
Camp Friendship
This family run camp around since the ’60s sits on 600 acres in the Blue Ridge foothills. Kids can choose from dozens of activities or focus on equestrian camp.
Ages: 7-16 years old
Session dates: June 16-Aug. 17
Fees: $1,300+
Location: Palmyra
Camp Griffin at Westminster School
Depending on the week, younger campers might focus on STEAM, camping or nature, while older kids could opt for golf, cooking or even a French camp.
Ages: 3-14 years old
Session dates: June 10-Aug. 15
Fees: $250+
Location: Annandale
Camp Highroad
Bible studies, camp activities, fellowship and spiritual growth take place on 620 acres at this overnight Christian adventure camp featuring archery, horseback riding and zip lining.
Ages: 3rd-12th grade
Session dates: June 16-Aug. 9
Fees: $350+
Location: Middleburg
Camp Horizons
This overnight camp in the Shenandoah Valley offers age-appropriate fun in the areas of aquatics, outdoors, performing arts, sports, horseback riding and visual arts, among others.
Ages: 6-16 years old
Session dates: June 16-Aug. 17
Fees: $1,500+
Location: Harrisonburg
Camp Rim Rock
This all-girls summer camp sounds like heaven, complete with horseback riding, swimming on a private lake, performing arts and arts and crafts in two-, four- or six-week sessions.
Ages: 6-15 years old
Session dates: June 16-Aug. 10
Fees: $1,475
Location: Yellow Spring, WV
Camp Twin Creeks
Nestled in the Allegheny Mountains, campers will take part in activities like canoeing, ropes courses, archery and woodworking, with add-ons like mountain biking and horseback riding.
Ages: 7-16 years old
Session dates: June 23-Aug. 17
Fees: $1,475
Location: Marlinton
Camp Varsity
Maybe kids won’t notice it’s a digital-free zone when surrounded by 125 acres of farm, mountain, lake and river. If that doesn’t get them, the sports, nature walks and horses will.
Ages: 7-15 years old
Session dates: June 23-Aug. 3
Fees: $725+
Location: Madison
Centreville Preschool Summer Camp
Preschool campers here particularly love the kiddie pool with water slides in addition to playing on the playground, water sensory play, obstacle courses and arts and crafts.
Ages: 2-5 years old
Session dates: May 28-June 7
Fees: $156+
Location: Centreville
City of Alexandria Summer of Smiles Camp
Like most localities, Alexandria offers hundreds of camps that include a traditional day camp, STEM, sports camps, programs for special-needs students and teen travel camps.
Ages: 3-17 years old
Session dates: June 24-Aug. 30
Fees: $65+
Location: Alexandria
City of Fairfax Summer Camps
These camps offer a general roster of fun activities like crafts, games, sports swimming and field trips that are sure to appeal to just about any kid.
Ages: 3-16 years old
Session dates: June 24-Aug. 9
Fees: $160+
Location: Fairfax
Congressional Camps
This camp’s 40-acre campus means plenty of space for fun activities like pitching tents, archery, climbing walls and obstacle courses. Travel and specialty camps are also options.
Ages: 4-14 years old
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 30
Fees: $450
Location: Falls Church
Fairfax County Park Authority Summer Camps
With more than 2,000 sessions and over 150 types of camps, your kid is sure to find something among the cooking, STEM, sports and nature/adventure camps offered.
Ages: 3-15 years old
Session dates: June 10-Aug. 23
Fees: $145+
Location: Fairfax
Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center Summer Camps
Campers can go the traditional day camp route or opt for adventure camp or an educational camp for rock climbing, painting or becoming a certified babysitter.
Ages: 3-15 years old
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 23
Fees: $130+
Location: Manassas
Golden Pond School Summer Camp
Campers are broken up into preschool and school-aged camps, with each enjoying themed weeks like Stargazers, Inventor’s Workshop and Jungle Jamboree—plus weekly water play.
Ages: 2-9 years old
Session dates: June 13-Aug. 14
Fees: $230+
Location: Ashburn
Green Hedges Summer Camp
Green is more than a name at this Montessori-inspired summer camp, which aims to teach “children to use resources mindfully” while delving into a storybook summer theme. Ages: 3-7 years old
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 2
Fees: $450
Location: Vienna
Headfirst Summer Camps
This summer camp powerhouse operates a variety of popular camps throughout the DMV, but note that the offerings at both Northern Virginia campuses vary widely.
Ages: Pre-K-7th grade
Session dates: June 10-Aug. 16
Fees: $395+
Location: Multiple Locations
Hill School Summer Camps
This village-like campus on 137 acres uses themes like Harry Potter, LEGOS, field hockey and history to engage children’s minds while offering a dose of adventure.
Ages: Rising K-8th grade
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 23
Fees: $175+
Location: Middleburg
Loudoun County Parks, Recreation & Community Services Camps
The Daze camp for elementary school kids and the Fest camp for middle schoolers both aim to stimulate campers through such activities as nature, sports and music and drama.
Ages: K-8th grade
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 9
Fees: $175 per week, or $110 for week of July 1
Location: Loudoun County
Merritt Academy Summer Camp
This year’s theme focuses on construction and building, and weekly field trips might include pirate cruises and whitewater rafting. Kids swim daily in the on-campus pool.
Ages: 5-13 years old
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 14
Fees: $385+
Location: Fairfax
Northern Virginia 4-H Camp
This camp is a bargain since the price incredibly includes meals and lodging for five days and four nights, plus daily swimming, fun classes, campfires and scavenger hunts.
Ages: 9-13 years old
Session dates: June 2-July 25
Fees: $350
Location: Multiple Locations
Pinecrest Pavilion
This progressive private school stages a popular summer camp with ultra-creative options like Messy PE (there might be silly string involved), Medieval Times and Create-a-Country.
Ages: Rising K-rising 6th grade
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 16
Fees: $195
Location: Annandale
Primrose School of Ashburn Summer Adventure Club
Adventure meets engineering, art and exploration in the form of design challenges, experiments and themed activities at this stimulating educational camp.
Ages: K-5th grade
Session dates: June 10-Aug. 21
Fees: $325+
Location: Ashburn and Broadlands
Reston Community Center Summer Camps
The organization runs the popular daytrip adventure camps, Camp Goodtimes on the Road for younger kids and Road Rules for older kids, plus a young actor’s theater and customizable half-day camps.
Ages: 6-17 years old
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 16
Fees: $225+
Location: Reston
Serve Camp
Volunteer-minded kids can have fun and make friends while helping others with projects like filling backpacks with donated school supplies and making care packages for people with breast cancer.
Ages: 1st -12th grade
Session dates: June 10-Aug. 9
Fees: $295+
Location: Leesburg
Summer@Potomac
In the summer camp business for more than 50 years, Potomac offers everything from flag football to fiber arts to a musical theater and cooking combo.
Ages: K-12th grade
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 2
Fees: $395+
Location: McLean
Summer Camps at Wakefield
Summer itself inspires this camp, with the first session acting like an intro to summer, the second session focusing on destinations and creativity and the third session preparing kids for going back to school.
Ages: JK-8th grade
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 30
Fees: $175+
Location: The Plains
Summer Cove
Geared specifically toward middle schoolers, campers here can learn how to prepare for a zombie apocalypse, compete in Harry Potter-inspired competitions and delve into Disney.
Ages: Rising 6th-9th grade
Session dates: June 24-Aug. 16
Fees: $300+
Location: Springfield
Summer on the Hill at Flint Hill School
Swim lessons and a STEAM-based camp have been added to the lineup of multi-sport camps and day camps filled with daily water play, music and movement.
Ages: 3-18 years old
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 16
Fees: $250+
Location: Oakton
The Langley School Summer Studio
The more than 50 choices here range from pop star camp to the chemistry of magical spells to a camp geared toward YouTube streamers and gamers.
Ages: 3-13 years old
Session dates: June 17-Aug. 2
Fees: $250+
Location: McLean
Triple C Camp
In addition to water play and go-karts, this Christian camp turns up the fun with field trips to such places as Chuck-E-Cheese, Climb Zone and Shenandoah Discovery Museum.
Ages: K-5th grade
Session dates: June 10-Aug. 9
Fees: $260+
Location: Ashburn
See all of the best summer camps in NoVA here.
