Best Sleepaway Camps In New Hampshire 2024

New Hampshire is a beautiful New England gem that’s a paradise for kids.

The state is a prime destination for summer camps thanks to its vast wilderness, including many large lakes perfect for swimming in like Lake Winnipesaukee, and numerous woodlands.

These summer programs opportunities to bond with each other in the great outdoors and help campers create lifelong memories. Friendships made at camp are some of the ones most people treasure forever and remember with nostalgia as they grow older.

Take a look at some of the best sleepaway camps in New Hampshire that your children won’t want to miss out on.

Best New Hampshire Sleepaway Camps

Summer Camp	Location	Ages	Gender	Session Lengths
Camp Cody	Freedom	7-15	Coed	2, 4 weeks
Camp Robinhood	Freedom	7-16	Coed	4, 6 weeks
Camp Quinebarge	Moultonborough	6-16	Coed	2, 4, 6, 8 weeks
Camp Walt Whitman	Piermont	7-17	Coed	3, 4, 7 weeks
Windsor Mountain	Windsor	7-16	Coed	2, 3.5, 6, 8 weeks
Camp Wa Klo	Dublin	7-17	Girls	2, 3, 4, 7 weeks
YMCA North Woods Camp	Mirror Lake	8-15	Boys	2, 4 weeks
Camp Pemigewasset	Wentworth	8-15	Boys	3, 4, 7 weeks
Camp Tecumseh	Moultonborough	8-16	Boys	3.5 weeks
Copper Cannon Camp	Bethlehem	9-16	Coed	1 week
Camp Mowglis	Hebron	7-15	Boys	3, 4, 7 weeks

1. Camp Cody

Camp Cody is located in the heart of Freedom, NH, overlooking the shoreline of Lake Ossipee. The facility itself is pristine, scenic, and full of exciting activities. Camp Cody offers two and four-week sleep-away camp sessions for boys and girls ages 7 through 15. 

Waterfront activities, including kayaking, paddle boarding, and canoeing, are some of the most beloved activities offered. It also features inflatable obstacle courses on the lake for adventurous campers.

This overnight camp in New Hampshire has many athletic sports available on land, including basketball, field hockey, horseback riding, and volleyball. Campers can also participate in creative activities, such as ballet, cooking, musical theater, and candle-making.

Leadership programs are available for teens ages 16 and 17 in which they take on the responsibility of junior counselors. Camp Cody also has one-week adventure trip options to top destinations like Acadia National Park and Nova Scotia. The entire camp is technology-free, so kids avoid distractions and can truly relish the company of their peers. 

2. Camp Robin Hood

Located minutes from the White Mountain National Forest on 180 acres, Camp Robinhood has solidified its legacy since starting in 1927. The prime location of Camp Robinhood features waterfront access to Lake Ossipee, dense forests, and a large set of modern facilities to make campers feel at home.

Sessions at Camp Robinhood are available for children of all ages. There is a First Session for kids under 6th grade age that is four weeks and a Full Session which is seven weeks long, for kids 7th grade and above.

A typical day at Camp Robinhood is filled with five activity periods throughout. Kids get to choose from three elective activities and two group activities. The list of activities includes solo and team sports of every variety, like soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, and tennis.

There are also loads of opportunities to connect with nature, water skiing, canoeing and rafting, overnight camping, and hiking a challenging range of trails. Camp Robinhood offers something for every type of camper.

3. Camp Quinebarge

Camp Quinebarge is a fantastic coed overnight summer camp in New Hampshire’s famous lake region. Unlike some of the other nearby options, they have programs available for both boys and girls. Camp sessions range from two weeks to eight weeks all summer months.

Campers can expect plenty of fun things to do on the crystalline Lake Kanasatka. Many athletic sports are offered, like archery, kickball, fencing, soccer, tennis, and even Harry Potter-inspired Quidditch tournaments. The camp’s tuition includes horseback riding classes and rides along the ground’s heavily wooded trails. Thrill-seeking youth can enjoy Camp Quinebarge’s low rope course and there top zip lining.

Camp Quinebarge is also home to Monkeytown, a collection of unique treehouses separate from the main camp. It’s a fun town, complete with its own auction, currency, annual carnival, and Olympic games. They won’t find another New England experience like this one.

4. Camp Walt Whitman

Camp Walt Whitman gets its name and philosophy from the beloved American poet of the same name. Community is what makes the experience at Camp Walt Whitman special. Every child gets to experience equality and inclusion.

Activities at Camp Walt Whitman are all about balance. They offer a little bit of everything and encourage participation over competition. The activities are nevertheless tried and true favorites from arts, athletics, outdoor adventure, and watersports.

The community aspect of Camp Whitman is without equal and is reinforced by a set of core values: fostering personal growth, encouraging friendship, equal respect for boys & girls, and teamwork. This gives complete growth for every child and a chance to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

Enrollment is available for all children older than 2nd grade and includes a seven-day Pioneer Camp for first-timers, a 3-week half-session, and a 4-week half-session. The main offering at Camp Walt Whitman is the full summer session which gives every child the chance to get the most out of their summer camp experience.

5. Windsor Mountain

Windsor Mountain is a coed overnight camp located in Windsor, New Hampshire. The summer camp is open to all genders and ages 7-16. 

Windsor Mountain hosts several sessions lasting from 2 to 8 weeks in length. Your children will find endless activities, whether in the water, sports, culinary arts, performing arts, or a nature setting. No matter what interests your child has, Windsor Mountain has something for them to try.

They allow campers to go kayaking, photography, ziplining, painting, rock climbing, and canoeing while at summer camp. Each day consists of 4 activity periods that kids can select independently. The evenings involve camp-wide games and events for all to participate in. 

Their mission is for campers to have meaningful experiences that lead to personal growth and form friendships. Campers eat delicious homecooked meals with local ingredients and spend the night sleeping inside comfortable cabins and dorms. 

6. YMCA North Woods Camp

Situated on beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee, the North Woods YMCA Overnight Camp for Boys has been hosting young men since 1929. Their 2-week program is available for boys 8-16 and includes all of the classic camp activities you would expect from a name you trust, the YMCA.

Over 200 acres of forest and lake provide a great spot for bountiful activities, including swimming, windsurfing, waterskiing, archery, and riflery. There are arts and crafts, music, dancing, and theater. There are over 20 options for group and solo adventures.

Every boy has a chance to become part of a nearly hundred-year-old tradition and be among the ranks of North Woodsmen who came before them. North Woods YMCA promises caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility for every camper and delivers on that promise.

7. Camp Wa-Klo

Located in Dublin, NH, Camp Wa-Klo offers an all-girls progressive program that takes campers on a returning six to eight-year adventure. Camp sessions are divided into distinct age groups with activities catering to their age, so it’s never the same two years in a row.  

Cabins sleep eight with two counselors and have electricity, running water, and toilets. Most younger cabins also include showers. Camp life is totally unplugged from technology. New campers are always paired with returning campers and assigned a Camp Mom, so all feel welcome and at home.

Camp Wa-Klo is teeming with over 30 activities for young campers to engage in. Traditional camp and sports activities are available, as well as pet care for animal lovers. Unique activities include lacrosse, field hockey, fencing, mountain biking, touch rugby, and cricket. 

There are plenty of water recreation activities to participate in, like wakeboarding, windsurfing, rowing, sailing, and lifeguard courses. Creative arts embrace dance, theatre, and various arts and crafts.  

8. Camp Tecumseh

Camp Tecumseh was built on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee by three Olympians in 1903. Since then, it has been serving boys with a comprehensive program centered around a strong sense of community and team-based effort.

Sports activities are a major focus at Camp Tecumseh and allow boys to take their skills to the next level. Every summer session features a two-week clinic where kids choose a specialty and get expert instruction and guidance. Team and solo sports of every kind are available and include classics like baseball, basketball, and football. You can also find fun activities like water polo, paddleboarding, and tubing for excitement on the lake.

Kids who attend Camp Tecumseh can enroll in a 2-week, 3.5-week, or 7-week full session. Each and every session promises lifelong friendships and opportunities for sports excellence.

9. Camp Pemigewasset

If you’re looking for an all-boys summer camp for your son, Camp Pemigewassett is ideal for boys ages 8-15. Since 1908, Camp Pemigewassett has occupied a beautiful little corner of New Hampshire’s lakes region in Wentworth, just 30 miles north of Hanover.

Campers can attend one of the two available 3-week half sessions or the full session, which lasts seven weeks. There are boys in attendance from all over the U.S. Everyone is welcome at Pemi, and they do offer airport pickups for international campers arriving from other countries or states.

Every visitor who attends Pemi gets a custom-made schedule that is tailored to their specific interests and receives progressive instruction for all skill levels. There are instructed activities for three or four hours every day and loads of free time and group activities to fill up the rest of the schedule.

10. Copper Cannon Camp

Copper Cannon Camp offers a tuition-free summer camp for families facing financial difficulties.

Younger campers ages 9-12 experience a traditional sleepaway camp experience with all the same thrilling activities and a few unique opportunities, such as the Salamander hunt and Polar plunge.

Older campers upgrade to experience backpacking, mountain biking, and camping.  Those 16+ are also given the opportunity to partake in the Counselor-In-Training program, where they spend three weeks at camp learning the ropes of being a counselor. 

Campers are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply early and fast. 

11. Camp Mowglis

Named in honor of Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book series protagonist, Camp Mowglis is your one-stop shop for waterfront fun in Hebron. It spans 250 acres with access to the beautiful Newfound Lake. Summer camp sessions are divided into three-week, four-week, and seven-week options. 

Cub programs are for children ages seven through nine, whereas Pack is offered for campers between ten and fifteen years old. Older campers can also choose to participate in the Yearling junior staff program for the entire summer. Students partake in water activities like kayaking and paddle boarding daily. They also participate in other on-land activities, including archery, crafts, hiking, tennis, and riflery. 

The non-profit sleepaway camp that receives around 100 kids each summer has shaped the lives of young men across New England since it first opened in 1903. Camp Onaway, a nearby sister camp, is available for young women who want to partake in all the excitement. They offer similar programs over a seven-week session, including a leadership experience for older teenagers.