Who says going to camp is just for kids? Whether you’re simply looking to unplug with your family or round up your friends for a girls weekend with a strong emphasis on relaxation, Camp Friendship has got a weekend camp for you.
From the Family Camp weekends to the Women’s Weekend, there are opportunities for all ages at this camp located in the beautiful forest of Palmyra, Virginia.
Family Camp Weekends
Camp Friendship, a Northern Virginia Magazine 2023 Best Summer Camp, has been offering family camps since the 1970s, however, the seasonal family camp weekends are something director Sarah Ackenbom started six years ago after seeing a need for it.
“Many families with young children are oftentimes overbooked on the weekends between sports and parties and other responsibilities,” she explains. “Family Camp Weekend provides a nice opportunity to just get away from it all, unplug from technology and connect with each other.”
For family weekends — typically held in the spring and fall — families have their own cabin at Camp Friendship and enjoy the simpler side of life. Lodging, programming, and meals are all included in the stay.
Think archery, fishing, boating. And let’s not forget s’mores around the bonfire.
“It’s really just all about unwinding and spending time together with your family and other families who are looking for the same thing,” Ackenbom says.
One popular activity, when it’s in season, is horseback riding.
“When horseback riding isn’t offered, we will often do grooming instead,” Ackenbom says. “With that, families get to learn about horse care and campers can get hands-on experience with our horses and ponies.”
The sunset hayride is another activity that is well-loved at Camp Friendship.
“We have about 200 acres where the kids and families can go out on our hay wagon and it becomes almost like a horse safari for them,” Ackenbom says. “The horses will come right up and you can feed them hay from the wagon. It’s my favorite thing to do with our guests.”
While Ackenbom says they try to switch the special activities up, past weekends have included edible flower classes and a local kombucha tasting.
“We try to offer something a little different each family weekend so that families who come year after year know what to expect, but get a new experience as well,” she adds.
The next Family Camp weekend will be in the fall, October 6 to 8. It’s already full, but you can join a waitlist.
Women’s Weekend
In early 2020, Ackenbom came up with the idea of hosting a retreat weekend specifically for women who are looking to get away for a weekend, disconnect from the stress of daily life, and connect with other women.
“This was just another thing I saw a need for,” says Ackenbom.
So she put it out there and people were interested and signed up. And then the pandemic hit.
“After two years of putting it on hold, I was finally able to hold my first women’s weekend in 2022,” says Ackenbom. “It’s honestly just like one big slumber party kind of vibe.”
The weekend is really all about coming together, taking care of yourself, and forming connections.
You can either lodge with other women you don’t know or come with a group of friends and get a cabin together.
While these weekends still have the traditional camp activities, there is also an emphasis on health and wellness.
“The last women’s weekend, we offered yoga and other gentle group workouts as well as health and mindfulness seminars. We even had an all-female band play on Friday night,” Ackenbom says.
The next women’s weekend will be held over Memorial Day weekend, May 26 to 28.
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