Which Scouting America Family Adventure Camp is for you?

If you asked 10 different families what makes an ideal vacation, there’s a good chance you’d get 10 different answers.

Some love the idea of an action-packed adventure. Others prefer a more laid-back itinerary.

Some don’t mind sleeping in a tent, while for others, sleeping in anything that isn’t under a roof is an absolute deal-breaker.

For all these families, Scouting America Family Adventure Camp has a vacation for you.

“It really comes down to families getting outdoors together and having those moments that you just can’t get anywhere else,” says Andrea Watson, Scouting America’s Family Adventure Camp coordinator. “Maybe you have older kids, or maybe you have younger kids. Maybe you have grandma and grandpa too.

“You want to experience the outdoors as a family, and that’s what Family Adventure Camp can provide.”

Watson was kind enough to join us for a recent episode of #CubChatLive to talk about all that the Scouting America Family Adventure Camp program has to offer. You can watch the discussion in its entirety in the video below. Read on for a few highlights.

Where can you go to Scouting America Family Adventure Camp?

There are currently four Scouting America Family Adventure Camp properties.

The Summit Bechtel Reserve is located in West Virginia. It’s drivable from many cities along the East Coast and much of the Midwest and offers families the opportunity to experience the beauty of the New River Gorge and surrounding area.

Philmont Scout Ranch sits along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains in New Mexico and is drivable from as far west as California and into the central part of the United States. Philmont, an iconic Scouting destination for generations, is now an adventure base for folks of all ages.

Sea Base, a tropical adventure paradise, offers family adventure options during the winter, when the weather is cooler and adults and kids of all ages can experience all that the Florida Keys have to offer.

And then there’s the newest Family Adventure Camp, Camp Tahuaya: A Family Adventure Campground, located near Waco, Texas, designed to give families the chance to connect with nature through a wide variety of activities.

When can you go to Scouting America Family Adventure Camp?

The Summit, Sea Base and Tahuaya have family adventure options year-round. Sea Base operates Family Adventure Camp in the winter months.

“A unique piece of Family Adventure Camp is the ability to go any time of the year,” Watson says. “Maybe you’re looking for summer vacation, spring vacation, or fall or winter vacation. We have something for all those time frames.”

Who can go to Scouting America Family Adventure Camp?

Scouting America Family Adventure Camps are open to families, friends and groups across the country, even non-Scouting families.

What can you do at Scouting America Family Adventure Camp?

So many things!

Each location has its own unique programs, experiences and landscapes, but in short, you can go on a hike, ride a bike, ride a horse, swim in a river, go fishing, climb rocks, experience whitewater rapids, go snorkeling, participate in target sports, do arts and crafts, play games, or any combination of the above.

The newly revamped Family Adventure Camp website lets you sort the camps by activities.

Then again, if the best part of your vacation is relaxation, you can also choose to do nothing.

What are the facilities like at Scouting America Family Adventure Camp?

If you come from a family of experienced campers, you can bring your own gear and sleep out under the stars. If you prefer a bed with a roof over your head, there are cabins and a variety of glamping options.

There’s heat. There’s air conditioning. Or there’s the natural breeze. Whatever you prefer.

There are also clean, well-maintained bathrooms at each location.

“You can pick and choose your adventure and build a pricing package that makes more sense for your family and what you would really like to do,” Watson says. “It’s just a great opportunity for families to grow closer together.”

Click here to learn more about the Scouting America Family Adventure Camp program.

Click here to learn more about Camp Tahuaya: A Family Adventure Campground.

Photo by Truman Attaway taken during the autumn Family Adventure Camp at Philmont Scout Ranch