Adventure, academics available for campers in Virgina, Maryland

Alexandria Country Day School

The Alexandria Country Day School in Alexandria, Va., is designed for children to forget about their intense daily schedules.

{mosads}Staffers create unique camps that “allow children to forget that time exists,” in one-week sessions from June 20 through Aug. 5. The sessions are priced at $299 and up. Students in grades K-8 are welcome to attend.

Camp Roanoke

Camp Roanoke is an adventure-based residential camp operated under Virginia’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

The camp is for children ages 5 to 17 with a sense of adventure, offering challenge-course and outdoor programs.

Children who enjoy archery, arts and crafts, wall climbing, hiking,  and more should head to Camp Roanoke.

Camp McLean

For those Northern Virginia children ages 3 to 10 looking for a fun yet challenging summer, Camp McLean promises an exciting summer.

Camp McLean is typical summer fun, including trips to theater performances, nature exploration and crafts.

The camp will be held at a Fairfax County public school in McLean, Va.

4-H Camp Tawasentha

Located in Swanton, Md., this camp is an oasis outside of the city. 

On the 24-acre Cunningham Lake, where a lifeguard is present during all water activities, the camp is for truly outdoorsy types. Camp counselors lead special overnight hikes to rustic camping ranges, where campers can enjoy primitive adventures.

The camp also has marksmanship and archery ranges, as well as an orienteering course led by a specialist in World War II history.

Camp Walden at Westminster School

This camp is great for students with multiple interests. Campers can opt for one week of camp activities or stay for the whole summer.

This year, options include an “Iron Chef” week, where students learn to make recipes from around the world, and a “Glee” week, where students sing and dance just like the characters from the hit show.

The Westminster School is located in Annandale, Va.

Camp Olympia

One of the few places you can get a country feel a mere 10 miles from Washington, D.C., Camp Olympia is a summer camp located in Rockville, Md.

The camp has been around for 50 years. What makes the program unique is that it is located at the home of Stephen and Elizabeth Benedek, the camp’s founders. Native Hungarians, the two came to the U.S. when Stephen was a modern pentathlon coach and Elizabeth a member of the national basketball team.

The instructional sports day camp is for children ages 3 to 15.

The Langley School Summer Studio

The Langley School Summer Studio in McLean, Va., is designed for strong academic enrichment and review. Featuring small-group settings for maximum learning, the Langley School’s summer programs are great for students wishing to get ahead academically over the summer months.

In addition to courses in arts, sciences and technology, students have the option of participating in sports, cooking and more.

Burgundy Summer Day Camp

Get out of the city and head to Burgundy’s Summer Day camp in Alexandria, Va.

From 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, students aged 3 years, 8 months through 12 can engage in performing arts, visual arts and science activities.

Rising eighth-graders through 10th-graders can participate in Burgundy’s counselor-in-training program that trains children to eventually become junior counselors.

Burgundy also offers an extended day program, beginning at 7 a.m. and ending at 6 p.m. Bus transportation is available as well.