How To Find The Best Boys Summer Camp In The U.S.

Choosing a summer camp for your son can feel overwhelming. With hundreds of options across the country, each promising character development and memorable experiences, how do you identify which program will truly benefit your child? This guide breaks down the essential factors parents should evaluate when selecting a boys summer camp in 2026.

Start With Safety and Structure

Before considering activities or location, verify that any camp you’re considering meets basic safety standards. Look for accreditation from the American Camp Association (ACA), which requires camps to meet comprehensive standards covering everything from staff training to emergency procedures. Accreditation keeps camps accountable — it’s an annual process that ensures we’re constantly double-checking how we do things, refreshing our protocols, and staying on top of best practices.

Beyond accreditation, ask camps directly about the things that matter most to you as a parent:

• What is the camper-to-counselor ratio?
• Are staff members trained in CPR and first aid?
• Is there medical personnel on-site 24/7?
• How does the camp handle emergencies?

These questions represent the foundation of trust that allows your son to take healthy risks and grow in a protected environment.

One thing I always share with parents is our Rule of Three — no child is ever alone. There are always at least three people together at any given time. That’s built into everything we do, and it’s the kind of structural detail that goes beyond a checkbox on an accreditation form.

Camp Highlander is ACA accredited and located on 240 acres of pristine North Carolina wilderness, with the Blue Ridge Mountains practically sitting in our backyard. We offer over 40 incredible activities — both on and off-camp — including kayaking, canoeing, archery, whitewater rafting, ropes courses, and so much more.

Want to learn more and talk to our staff? Contact us today or give us a call at (828) 891-7721.

Understand Your Son’s Developmental Stage

Boys between ages 6 and 16 have vastly different needs. A first-grader seeking fun and friendship requires different programming than a teenager ready for leadership challenges.

Quality camps structure their programs by age groups:

• Elementary ages (6–10): Focus on playful exploration, building confidence through success in new activities. At this age, most kids don’t fully understand what camp is yet — and that’s okay. They just need to feel safe, have fun, and start building independence.
• Middle school ages (11–13): Emphasize social connection, teamwork, and developing independence from parents. This is where the cabin dynamic really starts to click — boys learn to navigate friendships, disagreements, and shared responsibility.
• High school ages (14–16): Provide opportunities for real impact, leadership skill development, and authentic challenge. These are the boys cleaning the dining hall on Sundays, taking on real responsibilities, and learning that the community is counting on them.

Ask camps how they differentiate programming for different age groups. Generic “one size fits all” approaches often leave older boys disengaged and younger boys overwhelmed.

Evaluate the Camp Philosophy

Summer camps generally fall into three categories: specialist, traditional generalist, or hybrid. Each serves different purposes.

Specialist camps focus intensely on one area like soccer, coding, or music. These work well for boys who have identified a passion and want to develop advanced skills. However, they may not provide the well-rounded growth that comes from trying multiple new activities.

Traditional generalist camps offer diverse activities from swimming and archery to crafts and campfires. This approach is seeing renewed interest because it prevents boredom, builds adaptability, and lets boys discover hidden talents they never knew existed.

Hybrid camps combine both approaches, offering core traditional activities with optional specialization tracks.

Here’s my take on this, and I’ll be upfront about it: I see too many boys who are hyper-focused on one thing — it’s all one sport or one activity for twelve months out of the year. There’s so much more out there. Camp Highlander is a beginner-friendly, social camp. Your kid might not become the next professional basketball player here. But he might try basketball — or kayaking or building a fire — for the first time, love it, and discover a whole new side of himself. He’s going to try things he’s never tried before, because that’s how the cabin group structure works — your band of brothers goes through the day together, and everybody tries everything.

Consider what your son needs most. If he’s already overscheduled during the school year with elite sports or academics, a generalist approach might provide the balance he’s missing.

Location Matters More Than You Think

The camp’s physical environment shapes the entire experience. Urban day camps offer convenience but limited immersion in nature. Rural residential camps provide complete separation from everyday life, which can be transformative.

Mountain camps, particularly those in regions like Western North Carolina, offer natural advantages: cooler summer temperatures, dramatic terrain for adventure activities, and a sense of being truly away from the everyday world. The geography itself becomes part of the experience.

Consider both the regional location (how far from home) and the specific setting (woods, lake, mountains). First-time campers might do better closer to home, while returning campers may benefit from more distant, intensive experiences.

Screen-Free Policies Are Non-Negotiable

This is critical for 2026. The average teenager receives 257 notifications daily and spends over 20 hours per week on screens. This constant digital stimulation fragments attention and reduces the capacity for deep relationships.

The best boys camps leave the cellphones and tech at the door. While this may seem extreme, research consistently shows that boys initially resistant to unplugged environments quickly find relief in being fully present. Parents should look for camps that help facilitate this transition with clear communication about the policy and strategies for managing homesickness without phone access.

Here’s the reality: when I started at camp back in 2006, we didn’t have cell service.

There were two phones and one computer on the entire property.

And you know what we did? We (the counselors) hung out, we played games, we created stories, we laughed, and we built bonds I still have to this day.

That’s the power of unplugging — it forces real interaction, real conversation, real connection. It mattered for us counselors, and it matters (maybe moreso) for the kids. Kids today are being asked to grow up in a world where they can avoid eye contact all day long. Camp flips that. They’re forced to talk to each other, to work things out face-to-face, and that’s where the magic happens.

Beware of camps that allow phones or tablets during “quiet time.” This defeats the purpose and prevents boys from developing the coping skills that come from working through challenges without a digital escape.

Staff Quality Defines the Experience

Your son’s counselors will influence him more than any activity on the schedule. The best camps invest heavily in staff recruitment, training, and retention.

What you want to see in a camp’s staff:

• Counselors age 18 and older with life experience and maturity
• Extensive training in child development and social-emotional learning
• Many staff members who attended the camp as children — this is a huge signal. When counselors come up through the program as campers, they understand the culture from the inside out.
• Low staff-to-camper ratios (ideally 1:5 or better)

Don’t hesitate to ask about staff qualifications. Quality camps are proud of their counselor training programs and retention rates. At Camp Highlander, many of our counselors started as campers — they grew up here, they know what the experience means, and they bring that authenticity to every interaction with your son.

Social-Emotional Growth Happens Naturally

Boys today face unprecedented rates of anxiety and depression. By high school, 40% of students report persistent sadness or hopelessness. Summer camp can be genuinely transformative — but only when social-emotional growth is woven into the fabric of daily life, not treated as a separate “program.”

The best camps integrate this into activities naturally. When a boy learns to belay a friend on a climbing wall, he’s practicing trust. When his cabin works together to win a scavenger hunt, he’s developing collaboration. When he conquers fear on a ropes course, he’s building resilience.

What I’ve seen in nearly 20 years of working with boys is that this growth happens because of the cabin community. You’ve got 8 to 10 guys from all different walks of life, living together with two counselors. They’re going through the highs and the lows together. I’ve watched the athletic kid — the cocky, good-at-everything guy — start pulling the shy kid along, not because an adult told him to, but because he realizes that the whole group does better when everyone’s included. He figures out on his own: “I can only succeed if he succeeds.” That’s not something you can teach in a lecture. It has to be experienced.

Ask camps how they support boys’ emotional development. Strong programs can articulate specific strategies without making it sound clinical or therapeutic — which can turn off boys who see “help” as weakness.

The Value of “Risky Play”

This concept surprises many parents but it’s backed by solid research. Risky play refers to exciting activities that involve a possibility of physical challenge — not actual hazards. Think zip-lining, white-water rafting, climbing walls with proper safety equipment, or jumping off a rope swing into deep water.

Studies show that boys who engage in adventurous play have significantly lower rates of anxiety and depression. Why? Because these activities teach them about physiological arousal (racing heart, adrenaline) in a controlled context. They learn that those sensations aren’t dangerous, which helps them manage anxiety in other situations.

Look for camps that offer genuine outdoor adventure, not just supervised recreation. The best programs balance calculated risk with appropriate safety measures.

Tradition and Community Building

The most memorable camp experiences often come from traditions: special songs, rituals, campfire ceremonies, and annual events. These create a sense of belonging that boys desperately need in an increasingly isolated world.

At Camp Highlander, one of our biggest traditions is the Highlander Basketball Association — the HBA. It’s been going for over 30 summers. There are plaques in the dining hall from every session’s winning team. Every camper, boy or girl, 6 to 16, can play. We hold a combine, coaches draft teams, and then they compete.

Ask about camp traditions and how long they’ve been practiced. Camps with deep roots often have stronger communities because current campers know they’re part of something bigger than themselves.

Handling Homesickness

This is probably the number one question I get from parents, and I love answering it because homesickness is actually a good sign. It means your kid loves home. It means they have something worth missing.

Here’s how I handle it: when a boy is struggling, I take five minutes with him. We talk, we might get a little emotional, and then we move on with the day.

If he loves basketball, we go shoot hoops.

If he loves Legos, we go build something.

You distract them, you let them get their feelings out, and before you know it, they’re having the time of their life. Every kid is different, and every kid gets through it in their own way.

When you’re evaluating camps, ask how they handle homesickness. A camp that has a clear, compassionate approach — one that treats it as normal rather than a problem — is a camp that knows what they’re doing.

Financial Transparency and Flexibility

Many camps offer sibling discounts, financial aid based on need, payment plans to spread costs over months, and alumni discounts for families with camp history.

Ask about cancellation policies and refunds in case of emergency. Camps that offer flexibility demonstrate they prioritize relationships over transactions.

Visit Before Committing (If Possible)

Nothing replaces seeing a camp in person. Many camps offer fall open houses or spring preview days when families can tour facilities, meet staff, and observe the environment.

If visiting isn’t possible, request video tours or attend virtual information sessions. Watch how staff interact with each other and how they talk about campers. The culture of an organization reveals itself in small moments.

Trust Your Gut and Your Son’s Input

After researching safety, programming, and logistics, pay attention to intuition. Does the camp director listen to your concerns? Does the website and marketing feel authentic or overly polished? Do current families speak genuinely about their experiences?

For boys age 11 and up, involve them in the decision. Show them camp videos, read testimonials together, and gauge their reactions. A camp that looks perfect on paper won’t succeed if your son feels zero connection to it.

I’ll be the first to tell you — I’m not a salesman. I just run camp. That’s what I do. But when a parent gets on a Zoom call with me and their son, and I can see that kid light up when I tell him about fire building or the HBA draft or blobbing at the lake? That’s when I know he’s going to have the summer of his life. And that’s what every parent deserves to see before they commit.

Making the Final Decision

Once you’ve narrowed choices to two or three camps, create a simple comparison based on the factors most important to your family: location, cost, program offerings, camp philosophy, and overall fit for your son’s personality and needs.

Remember that the “best” camp isn’t the most expensive or most well-known. It’s the one that aligns with your son’s developmental needs and your family values. A camp that helps your son discover confidence, build genuine friendships, and develop independence is worth far more than any luxury amenities.

Summer camp can be one of the most formative experiences of boyhood. By taking time to research thoroughly and ask the right questions, you can find a program that doesn’t just occupy your son’s summer but actively shapes the young man he’s becoming.

Looking for a boys camp that combines traditional outdoor adventure with modern character development? Camp Highlander in western North Carolina has served boys ages 6–16 since 1957, offering age-specific programming in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Learn more at camphighlander.com.