Unplug and relax within a friendly, supportive community of LGBTQ singles and couples – and make new, lifelong friends! Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, the welcoming smiles you’ll find at Camp will make you feel at home in short order. You may come to Camp not knowing anyone else, but our Campers are some of the most open and welcoming folks on the planet, so you’ll make fast friends in no time.
more than just a vacation
If you are looking for a fun and unique one-time LGBTQ vacation, ‘Camp’ Camp is, of course, the perfect choice. But many people find Camp is much more than just another gay vacation: it’s an ongoing community of fun and friendly LGBTQ men and women of all ages, backgrounds, and interests from across the globe.
Since its inception, Camp has grown into a community of people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, or somewhere in between (and, yes, a few even identify as straight) who also enjoy a variety of social, athletic, and cultural activities together throughout the year. While our week-long gay summer camp is our flagship event, social networking sites such as Facebook have made it easy for the Camp community to stay in touch and gather for other smaller, Camper-planned events throughout the year.
Whether it’s dinner and a Broadway show in Manhattan, Sunday brunch in Los Angeles, or a relaxing afternoon amble through the woods of Massachusetts, Camp offers an opportunity to be part of a network of fun and friendly LGBTQ men and women from all over the U.S. – not to mention Canada, the U.K., and beyond – who come together throughout the year to enjoy the company of the friends they made while having the best time ever during one late-summer week in Maine.
the people & the place are why
Not many other vacation destinations can boast of an annual return rate of over 75% – but ‘Camp’ Camp can. What brings people back to Camp time and again? Well, when we ask our new Campers what surprises them most about Camp, the response we hear more than any other is “the people.” And when we ask our returning Campers why they’ll be coming back, the most popular answer is again “the people.”
Additionally, unlike other adult summer camps, ‘Camp’ Camp is an entire week long, not just a quick three or four days. Our extended sleep-away summer camp experience – unplugging (literally) in a gorgeous, outdoor environment where the support & encouragement to both be yourself and to try something new & challenging are the norm – simply facilitates real, true connections between people of all ages and genders, the kind of genuine, personal connections that seem to be sorely lacking in today’s tech-obsessed world.
don’t just take our word for it
Here’s what some recent first-year Campers had to say:
I met some really amazing and very special people that I otherwise would have never crossed paths with. My heart doubled in size in just one week.
– Gina Y., Houston, TX
I was surprised by the complete and uninhibited acceptance of me by everyone there, as well as the diversity of the group.
– Keith P., Lafayette, IN
I felt very welcome and included. … I got to try many new things and now have many new friends. The little acts of kindness made the week magical. Someone loaned me a hat for the Barn Dance, someone took my pillow home and said they would store it and bring it back for me next year, lots of smiles and hugs and words of encouragement. Those kinds of things.
– Jan G., Clearwater, FL
I was most surprised at how welcoming EVERYONE was. From the moment at the airport to the first person I saw at Camp, everyone was amazingly open and welcoming of me. I felt like I fit in from the second I was greeted. …The diversity was wonderful – not a surprise, but lovely. Truly anyone from the community can attend ‘Camp’ Camp and be accepted.
– Larry T., San Francisco, CA
I’m not a terribly social person and large groups can make me uncomfortable. That being said, I never felt safer in a group of people so quickly before.
– Shelley D., Nashville, TN
My friends never stop talking about it, and now I know why!
– Jason S., Brooklyn, NY
I was surprised at the effort people made to get to know each other. I’ve been to festivals and conventions, and even camp as a kid, and been overwhelmed by the number of people, and felt lost in the shuffle. That didn’t happen here! Returning Campers and Staff, as well as other first-years, were very friendly. I never felt alone or isolated.
– Nicole Y., Ann Arbor, MI
From the moment I stepped out of my car at ‘Camp’ Camp until I reached the end of the driveway leaving, I was overwhelmed by the caring, kindness, and unconditional love given to me by every single person I met. There was never one uncomfortable moment of judgment, not one unkind word spoken to me or ever a spirit of negativity experienced by me while I was there! … I left healed, revived, burning inside to share unconditional love again with a world in desperate need.
– Bron G., Wichita, KS
I was surprised at how strong the community already is, and how welcoming you are to new people. Also very pleased to see so much diversity in age.
– David S., Austin, TX
You guys showed me how to have fun, laugh and allowed me to be me.
– Sharon B., Binghamton, NY
I was surprised at how welcoming, caring and lovely each and every Camper and Staff member was.
– Sage W., New Orleans, LA
