If your family needs a sleepaway break from the hustle and bustle of city life, then Connecticut’s Club Getaway family camp may be what you’re looking for. Club Getaway is best known for its adult summer camps, of course, but there’s always a family-welcome period at this almost all-inclusive place in summer.
For 45 years, they have been one of the few weekend family camps in the Northeast. So, they are quite good at it. If a multitude of throwback summer camp activities sounds intriguing, do something unconventional and book the family at Club Getaway.
Your kids can spend all day in the fully supervised Kids Club and Teen Club, or join you for hiking, biking, swimming, and lounging by the lake. As they like to say — and we love to hear — “the choice is yours.”
What Families Can Look Forward To at Club Getaway
Club Getaway offers all-inclusive packages that provide outdoor adventure for all ages. Their top-value family weekends include all meals plus wine with dinner, activities, and cabin accommodations. Check out the rave reviews from adult groups, such as friends, girlfriend getaways and mother-daughter bonding weekends. Fans love the counselors and retro outdoor adventures. Haters criticize the insects and rustic camp cabin accommodations. But if summer camp is what you’re after, look no further.
The property of 300 grassy acres is on a beautiful lake in Kent, Connecticut. It’s surrounded by verdant forests lining the Litchfield Hills. Beyond, enjoy the sloping foothills of the Berkshire Mountains.
A lot of the Club Getaway business model is based on weekday programs for young campers. Throughout the region, day camps, Scout troops, school classes, church organizations and other associations use Club Getaway facilities for overnights or mini sleep-a-way camp experiences.
Family Camp Makes a Fun Getaway for Kids of All Ages
A few special times a year, this destination opens its doors to families so parents and their kids can go back to camp together. For many repeat families, those weekends are priceless.
During these times, children ages 4-17 can be part of the all-day, supervised Kids or Teens Club. Kids keep busy with zip lines, archery or the Bungee Trampoline. Encourage them to play volleyball, canoe, climb the rock wall, hike, glide along the zip line, ride bikes, swim, play with arts and crafts, and more.
The Kids Club starts at 9:30am and runs until you meet your children for lunch and Family Hour. After the family break, kids return to the Club activities until you pick them up after dinner. Kids love the water trampoline, paddleboards and acting like they’re part of the circus on the flying trapeze.
Hire a babysitter (available for a reasonable hourly rate) if traveling with younger children ages 2 and 3. At our visit, the supervised daily toddler activity was limited to two hours in the morning and two in the afternoon.
Parents partake in many of the same activities that children enjoy, stay fit, or simply relax. Adult group activities include Pilates, cardio kickboxing, even a game of poker. Take out a kayak, bike, play golf, water ski, or go sailing. There’s plenty of time to chill out on the man-made beach surrounding the lake. The list of adventures is endless. Camp Getaway’s advice: Bring good shoes!
Good Times Together and Apart at Full Day Camp Programs
Each night, parents can enjoy an adults-only cocktail party. When it’s dinnertime, children can either eat with their parents or choose to dine with new friends. Parents can enjoy free wine with dinner, but other alcoholic beverages are an additional charge. After cocktails and dinner, parents can watch their kids show off new skills as they perform special trapeze shows, or dance and sing on stage.
When I visited Club Getaway, the children sang and danced to the music of “Grease.” Each child had a part in the performance and appeared to enjoy their time on stage as the crowd cheered. After the Kids Show, families can retreat to their wooden cabins or enjoy making marshmallow and cracker S’mores around the campfire.
Meet Your Fellow Families at Camp Getaway
Most of the guests at Club Getaway family camp are return visitors, so that definitely says something about customer satisfaction. Aside from return guests, many staff members are volunteers who simply love the natural beauty and fun offered at Club Getaway.
Everyone I spoke to during my summer weekend was having fun. Guests have no complaints — except maybe about bugs! Most love the wide variety of family programs and only mention the simplicity (‘bare bones’ and ‘spartan’ to some) of the cabins as a downside. Actually, the cabins are very much like the basic cabins you may remember from camp as a child. There are no TVs, no phones and no locks on the doors. Each room has beds, a bathroom and towels, an air conditioner, and daily maid service. I guess they really want you to have no choice but to enjoy the outdoor fun!
Why did the successful Club Getaway venture into the family market? According to the camp, Club Getaway weekend adventures were originally designed to resemble the “swinging singles” version of Club Med. The long-standing “adults only” packages were the only getaways offered, until single parents who came hoping to meet a mate expressed an interest in bringing their children along.
Apparently, many of the Club’s regulars met their partners in Kent and settled down. After marriage, some guests began requesting family weekends so they could bring families of their own. True to their policy of customer satisfaction, Club Getaway complied.
Meals and Rates at Club Getaway Family Camps
Club Getaway has evolved to keep up with the times and accommodates all interests and many special needs. Their all-inclusive meal plan can accommodate gluten-free, kosher, and vegetarian diets, for example. Weekends are reasonably priced for cabins that sleep four. Children ages 4-17 pay half price and children 3 and under stay free. All activities and group events are included in the basic rate.
Younger campers enjoy their own special dinner parties, with kid-friendly menus and entertainment. Meanwhile, grownups dine nearby on gourmet entrees paired with delicious reds and whites. Or, if you’re a stressed out dual income family who never eats together, here you can dine at a delicious family-style meal.
Sound like fun? Remember, unlike Club Med that mostly hosts vacations outside of the States, Club Getaway is a quick car ride away for most New England singles, couples or families with children.
Rates include all lodging, meals (wine with dinner), activities, Kids and Teens Clubs, themed parties and live entertainment. It also includes all bedding and bath towels in your cabin. It does not cover some offsite excursions, babysitters, certain alcohol-based activities, nor does it include daytime beverages (neither alcoholic nor non-alcoholic).
Plan ahead to book your Camp Getaway family escape by visiting the website at www.clubgetaway.com.
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