The sprawling state of Texas offers plenty of ways for children to enjoy the summer months. Whether you’re looking for a beach getaway, state parks, or a cultural city experience, Texas has it all.
Live music, art and culture, outdoor activities, and delicious barbeque are abundant in the Lone Star State. For kids, you can’t go wrong when it comes to sleepaway summer camps.
The beautiful warm weather and various activities make it an excellent choice for outdoor programs, especially around the Texas Hill Country area, where most of the overnight camps in Texas are located. ‘
| Summer Camp | Location | Ages | Gender | Session Lengths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camp Olympia | Trinity | 6-16 | Coed | 7, 14, 21 days |
| Camp Champions | Marble Falls | 5-17 | Coed | 2 weeks |
| Vista Camps | Ingram | 6-16 | Boys and girls (separate) | 13 days |
| Camp Balcones Springs | Marble Falls | 6-17 | Coed | 10 days, 2, 3 weeks |
| Camp Kiowa | Gainesville | 6-17 | Coed | 1-6 weeks |
| Kickapoo Kamp | Kerrville | 7-17 | Girls | 1, 2, 3 weeks |
| CG Victory Legends Camp | Austin | 12-17 | Coed | 1 week |
| Camp Grady Spruce | Graford | 6-16 | Coed | 1 week |
| Camp Mystic | Hunt | 7-17 | Girls | 2, 4 weeks |
1. Camp Olympia
Camp Olympia is nestled among the pines on the beautiful Lake Livingston, just over an hour in a half outside Houston. Camp Olympia was founded in 1968 by University of Texas football players Chris Gilbert and Cory Robertson Jr. The long-established camp provides a diverse environment where kids can connect with campers from all over the world.
Boys and girls ages 6-16 are welcome to enroll in one, two, or three-week overnight sessions. Kids create their own personalized camp schedule choosing from the huge selection of activities. Those with an adventurous spirit will love the outdoor skills class, zip-lining adventure, horseback riding, rock climbing wall, and challenge course.
Summers are very hot in Texas, but kids can cool off at the lake while swimming, sailing, snorkeling, wakeboarding, or water skiing.
Campers can also enjoy yoga classes, ping pong, board games, and mini-golf. In addition, there are various sporting activities to choose from that take place at their sports fields and courts.
2. Camp Champions
Camp Champions is a premier sleepaway camp in Marble Fals for boys and girls in to form lifelong friendships. There are endless fun activities for children to participate in, ranging from waterfront activities, sports, excellent food, and camp games. They can enjoy sailing, kayaking, pickleball, volleyball, ga-ga, and more. Their extensive facilities host large places like a ninja course, climbing wall, archery range, and even a petting zoo.
Through experiences and activities, campers are taught to be independent, gain self-confidence and resilience while also becoming more mature and increasing leadership skills. This is all done in a welcoming and supportive environment surrounded by experienced camp counselors. Their staff is well-trained and hired from different areas to ensure your child is surrounded by the best mentors available.
Camp Champions hosts multiple camp sessions that last between one week, two weeks, three weeks, and up to 6 weeks. There are different start dates each month that run throughout the entire summer.
3. Vista Camps
The longstanding Vista Camps have been creating cherished summer memories since 1921! Vista Camps offers two separate campgrounds in Texas Hill County: Camp Rio Vista for boys and Camp Sierra Vista for girls. Campers ages 6-16 can spend one, two, three, or four weeks.
Children can participate in water sports like kneeboarding, kayaking, and swimming, creative arts, animal care, and plenty of traditional outdoor camp activities. Thrill-seekers can zip through the lake on a banana boat, go horseback riding, or explore new heights on the ropes course.
Animal-lovers can visit the local wildlife rehabilitation center and learn about various interesting animals. Team sports like basketball, soccer, volleyball, and softball are also offered.
The fun doesn’t end outside, campers can also enjoy games and team-building exercises in the stone cabins with caring counselors and new friends. In the evenings, kids are entertained with talent shows, dance parties, and overnight camping.
4. Camp Balcones Springs
You’ll find Camp Balcones Springs (CBS) just 40 miles outside of Austin on a private 10-acre lake in Texas Hill Country. Founded in 1993 on Christian beliefs, CBS welcomes boys and girls 6-17 years old. Overnight sessions run for ten days, two weeks, or three weeks.
There’s plenty to discover at Camp Balcones Springs. The campground includes a private lake, barn, tree house, beachfront, and sports fields. Campers can sign up for activities such as ceramics, outdoor cooking, jewelry making, survival skills, woodworking, water sports, drama, and archery. In addition to learning valuable skills, children also learn how to connect with others and grow spiritually.
In addition to emphasizing Christian values, CBS encourages sustainability by teaching zero-waste practices and cooking camp meals with herbs and vegetables from the camp garden. The focus on character development, sustainability, and spirituality are what really sets this camp apart from the rest of the other Christian summer camps in Texas.
5. Camp Kiowa
With 81 private acres of land in North Texas, Camp Kiowa is the perfect place for kids to enjoy the outdoors during the summer. At Camp Kiowa, campers can discover new interests and hobbies, make lifelong friends, and get away from technology. Boys and girls ages 6-17 can spend 1 to 6 weeks of non-stop fun.
Camp Kiowa has all of the classic summer camp activities like horseback riding, archery, woodworking, water activities, and sports. What makes this camp stand out are its unique programs like culinary arts, paintball, robotics wars, newsletter writing, and health and fitness programs. When campers want to cool off from the heat, they can jump in the lake or play games in the air-conditioned cabins.
After each day, campers gather for exciting evening activities, which include campfire songs, movie nights, dance nights, and more! Kids can build out their schedules to fit their interests, build confidence, and learn new talents. Camp Kiowa is only an hour’s drive from Dallas and Fort Worth.
6. Kickapoo Kamp
Looking for a smaller camp that fosters a family atmosphere for girls? Look no further, Kickapoo Kamp is an overnight all-girls summer camp that’s been running since 1925. The low counselor-camper ratio is one of the aspects that make this camp stand out from the rest.
Kickapoo Kamp is located in the Texas Hill Country, where campers can get lost in the beauty of nature. Girls ages 7-17 can breathe in the fresh air in the rolling hills and crystal-clear tributary of the Guadalupe River. During their one or two-week session, campers stay active with a wide range of outdoor activities like yoga, gymnastics, sports, archery, horseback riding, swimming, crafts, dance, and other exciting water sports.
The rustic cabins and facilities take girls back in time where they can take a break from social media and focus on personal development and building meaningful relationships. Kickapoo Kamp also hosts mother-daughter weekends during the months of April and May.
7. CG Victory Legends Camp
CG Victory’s Legends Camp is for kids in 7th-11th grade who are looking for a more competitive spin on summer camp. This faith-based camp encourages kids to challenge themselves through sports, fitness, and team-building exercises. Their Texas overnight camp known as Legends is offered at Burnet while their day camps are in Austin.
This is the perfect sleepaway camp for youth with an adventurous spirit and competitive edge. During the week-long camp session, participants can enjoy waterfront activities, theme nights, relay races, and sporting competitions. Campers come together each morning to hype each other up for the day. Although the camp emphasizes competition, it’s also big on leadership, sportsmanship, and individual growth.
Their legends camp has only one session that starts near the end of June. If you’re looking for a day camp, they’re aimed at ages 6-12 and run from June to August.
8. Camp Grady Spruce
The YMCA Camp Grady Spruce is located on Possum Kingdom Lake, an hour west of Dallas. Kids ages 6-16 are welcome to spend a week exploring outdoor activities and creating bonds with counselors and other fellow peers. Here, campers can have fun hiking the trails, swimming in the lake, playing sports, and learning outdoor skills.
There are plenty of activities to choose from at Camp Grady Spruce. Some of the highlights are arts and crafts, outdoor survival skills, equestrian, canoeing, water skiing, riflery, sailing, rock wall climbing, and ziplining. Camp Grady Spruce’s mission is to give kids an incredible summer experience that enriches their relationship with God. Having fun is a priority at any summer program, but Camp Grady Spruce offers much more.
Kids develop leadership skills, gain an appreciation for the natural world, and build lifelong friendships in a caring environment. One-week camp sessions run all summer, and each week has a different theme. Some of the themes include color wars, myths & legends, superheroes, wild west, and Olympic games.
9. Camp Mystic
Camp Mystic has two campgrounds, one on the Guadalupe River and one on Cypress Lake. This Christian summer camp invites girls for two-week or four-week sessions. Camp Mystic has been up and running since 1926 with a focus on providing enriching experiences for girls.
At Camp Mystic, campers can bond with each other while learning new skills and enjoying the great outdoors. Some of the exciting activities offered include aerobics, canoeing, kayaking, ceramics, cooking, dance, archery, drama, synchronized swimming, sports, yoga, journalism, and golf. Their unique Beauty Inside and Out activity teaches girls to appreciate physical and mental wellness.
Girls split into tribes upon arrival and spend the week connecting with each other and participating in friendly competitions. Parents can sign kids up for two-week or four-week camp sessions.