You’re never too old for summer camp—these 8 getaways prove it

As a kid, you probably roasted marshmallows over bonfires, maybe learned to horseback ride or tie a knot, or canoed across mountain lakes—all things that required presence rather than productivity. It sounded perfect then, and possibly even better now as an adult. “It was those packed days and early-to-bed nights that reminded me so much of childhood spent at camp,” says Kate Loweth, recalling a recent visit to Paws Up Ranch in Montana, a place where summer camp meets the Wild West. 

Travelers are craving experiences that feel refreshingly analog and destinations that promise permission to play rather than pressure to perform. The hospitality industry has taken notice of this shift. From a Colorado ghost town to a Baja beachfront sanctuary, properties across North America are rolling out programming that feels part summer camp, part luxury retreat.

“These trips keep us young at heart by reconnecting us with the simple joys we loved as kids,” says Hampton Peace, a frequent guest of Islands of Islamorada, where the adult-friendly camp experiences tap into a collective yearning for simpler times. “It’s a powerful reminder of who we really are beneath all the layers of age and responsibility.” 

Here are eight places adults should consider visiting that offer an opportunity to play without purpose.

Mountain & Forest Escapes

1. Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, British Columbia, Canada

Accessible only by seaplane or boat, Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge occupies a pristine corner of Vancouver Island’s west coast, where temperate rainforest meets the Pacific. In this remote sanctuary, guests sleep in 25 canvas safari tents that perfectly blend prospector nostalgia with contemporary comfort—think heated bathroom floors, fireplaces, and outdoor showers. The Wi-Fi instructions remind you that the best connection is the one with nature, while the menu of activities reads like an adrenaline junkie’s wishlist: canyoning, horseback riding through old-growth forests, paddleboarding, and heli-hiking where the payoff is a jaw-dropping vista of sea and forest paired with a glass of bubbly. Between these adventures, black bears, bald eagles, and whales provide the entertainment. And at night, a symphony of forest creatures lulls you to sleep. The vibe is rugged enough to feel authentic, yet refined enough to include gourmet dining, spa treatments, and potent cocktails in a stylish lounge overlooking the water.

(Whales, wilderness, and whisky: A traveler’s guide to the east side of Vancouver Island)

2. The Green O, Montana, U.S.

Set at the edge of Paws Up Ranch in Montana is The Green O, an adults-only wilderness sanctuary where sophistication meets playfulness. Elevated 23 feet above the forest floor with floor-to-ceiling windows and dual decks that put guests at canopy level, the property’s signature Tree Haus epitomizes this balance. With activities like clay shooting, cattle driving, ATV tours, white water rafting, and high-ropes courses, it’s not just the architecture that’s indulgent. Between heart-pounding pursuits, guests retreat to private hot tubs and sip a glass of Pinot by the wood-burning fireplaces. The Green O proves that grown-up camp doesn’t need to abandon luxury.

(Big Sky, brighter stars: Why Montana is 2025's ultimate stargazing destination)

3. Dunton Hot Springs, Colorado, U.S.

Playing make-believe comes naturally in this 1885 ghost town turned luxury resort at 8,600 feet. There are 13 perfectly restored cabins scattered between a saloon, dance hall, chapel, boathouse, and library where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid once hid after robbing the Telluride bank. At Dunton Hot Springs, this all-inclusive experience eliminates modern predicaments, such as having to choose between guided hikes, fly fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, and rock climbing, when you can do it all. The old saloon serves contemporary cuisine, and the mineral pool in the bathhouse is a heavenly proposition for weary muscles. Come nighttime, guests sink into natural hot springs with nothing but stars overhead. 

(Travel back to the Wild West at these 10 historic Colorado hotels)

Urban Escapes

4. Southall Farm & Inn, Tennessee, U.S. 

Just outside Nashville, Southall Farm & Inn turns grown-ups into gleeful participants in activities they forgot they’ve forgotten they loved, such as picking berries, painting outdoors, or learning about beekeeping. Accommodations include 62 guestrooms and 16 separate cottages. Guests can spend their days trying their hand at activities such as archery, ax throwing, mountain biking, or falconry, all between farm-to-table meals. The property strikes that sweet spot where luxury meets authenticity. You might find yourself genuinely excited about collecting eggs or picking berries. This farm and inn is the kind of place where city dwellers won’t mind getting a bit of dirt under their fingernails.

(Nashville is one of the hottest destinations in the U.S. Here’s why you should go.)

5. Rancho La Puerta, Tecate, Mexico

A short drive south of the San Diego border near Tecate, this 85-year-old wellness pioneer turns healthy living into the ultimate grown-up camp. Spread across 4,000 acres and featuring 40 miles of hiking trails, Rancho La Puerta is the kind of quirky place where guests are encouraged to tuck their cellphones into the miniature pouches provided in their rooms, allowing adventuring and play to take place without distractions. Guests wake up for sunrise hikes that lead to breakfast at La Cocina Que Canta, the cooking school located on the organic farm. They can then spend their afternoons mastering circuit training, improving their swimming strokes, salsa dancing, or drifting off to sleep during sound bath sessions. By week’s end, guests realize that the Saturday-to-Saturday schedule wasn’t just convenient timing, but designed to make the days seamlessly blur together. 

(We planned the perfect day in San Diego for 3 types of travelers.)

6. The Lodge at Blue Sky, Utah, U.S.

Just 35 minutes from Salt Lake City airport, The Lodge at Blue Sky is a chic mountain retreat that blends adrenaline-pumping activities with decadent comforts. There’s rock climbing and fly fishing by day; heated bathroom floors and outdoor terraces with fireplaces by night. Other activities include archery, sporting clays, mountain biking, axe throwing, culinary classes, mountaintop yurt dining, and helicopter excursions. There’s also plenty of opportunity to slow down with yoga sessions, cold plunges, and cultural sage ceremonies with the Shoshone tribe. The dramatic Utah landscape provides a cinematic backdrop where even the most screen-obsessed guests rediscover the thrill of the outdoors and forget to check their phone notifications. 

(How to experience Utah like a local)

7. The Chatwal Lodge, New York, U.S.

Deep in the Catskills, the Chatwal Lodge proves to East Coasters that camp doesn’t require cross-country travel. Archery sessions, stargazing, baking classes, arts and crafts, bowling, and billiards create a surprisingly comprehensive roster for adults who thought they’d outgrown rec centers. Guests might spend the morning hiking or learning how to draw a tree properly, then find themselves genuinely absorbed in a post-lunch class on dried flower arrangement. Afternoon tea with warm drinks and baked goods, s’mores by the bonfire, plus movie screenings in the on-site theater add a cozy vibe that feels authentically nostalgic. This lodge is like a camp for grown-ups who appreciate that the best counselors understand wine pairings as well as wilderness skills. 

(In search of lost magical summers in the Catskills)

Coastal Bliss

8. Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas, Baja Sur, Mexico 

Costa Palmas is an oceanfront sanctuary that shows that adult camp doesn’t require mountain air. Sometimes saltwater does the trick. The Baja Peninsula setting encourages activities that feel both adventurous and sophisticated: deep-sea fishing that requires skill, hiking to a pristine waterfall for a refreshing dip in a swimming hole, and diving in Cabo Pulmo, where silence is a profound experience. Sunset cruises or horseback rides along sun-kissed beaches create those pinch-me moments you keep thinking about when you return home. The property understands that grown-up play often involves trying something genuinely challenging rather than just checking boxes. Between world-class dining (there’s a Mozza restaurant from Chef Nancy Silverton) and spa treatments, guests rediscover the joy of being thoroughly exhausted from activities they chose.

(How to plan an epic road trip through Baja California)