Archive

10 Most Expensive Summer Camps

Four-star summer camps, from a $25,000 social-entrepreneur boot camp to an $8,500 week in Stalin’s mansion.

galleries/2011/07/05/expensive-summer-camps/expensive-camps-teaser_hxvvdj
galleries/2011/07/05/expensive-summer-camps/expensive-camps-teaser_qnmuab

The American institution of summer camp may never be the same now that preteens and teens start polishing their college-ready skills before puberty—July and August are now viewed as an opportunity to get ahead.

Some traditional sleepaway camps in rural oases have padded their roster of offerings to keep campers (and parents) coming back, but other companies are serving up carefully curated tours of foreign cultures, adventurous itineraries to some of the world’s wonders, or the chance to hone talents from some of the nation’s leading professionals. Of course, those opportunities come with a cost.

On the Equestrian Teen Tour of Russia, campers depart New York City for Moscow, where they’ll sharpen their horse-riding skills in the stables of Stalin’s former estate and spend afternoons sightseeing. Price tag for the week: $8,500. For precocious campers with an eye for business and a life of privilege, the Global Fellows in Social Enterprise program promises to help students polish entrepreneurial and philanthropic skills in six weeks for $25,000. Weekend getaways to the Hamptons are included.

To get a glimpse of some of the grand offerings, The Daily Beast sorted through program guidebooks and brochures to compile a list of some of the priciest options. We ranked the camps based on the average price per week. Most offer four-star-hotel accommodations and immersion in academic or cultural studies, as well as community service, but in order to rank on this list, all the programs had to be offered by an American-based company.

galleries/2011/07/05/expensive-summer-camps/camps-russia_n19lcx

International Riding Camp

Weekly cost: $8,500

Duration: 1 week

Location: Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia

Activities: Morning riding lessons, museum and cultural tours of Moscow and St. Petersburg, ballet and opera performances

Amenities: Four-star-resort accommodations at Stalin’s former estate—with indoor riding ring, stables, and a private lake; includes roundtrip flights from New York City to Moscow and Moscow to St. Petersburg

galleries/2011/07/05/expensive-summer-camps/expensive-camps-social-enterprise_gprdkl

Weekly cost: $4,166

Duration: 6 weeks

Location: New York

Activities: Classes on entrepreneurship and charitable giving; business-plan competition with coaching from business-strategy experts; four-week internship with a nonprofit; weekend trips to the Hamptons, Cape Cod, and the Berkshires

Amenities: Residency at NYU, with custom travel, entertaining, and restaurant services

galleries/2011/07/05/expensive-summer-camps/camps-europe-teen_nxhyfw

Westcoast Connection

Weekly cost: $2,799 (plus airfare)

Duration: 3 weeks

Locations: France, Italy, Switzerland

Activities: Tours of landmarks in Paris, the French Riviera, Versailles, Pisa, Rome, and Florence, plus boating in the Mediterranean, gondola rides in Venice, skiing the Swiss Alps, and classes at an Italian cooking school

Amenities: Four-star-hotel accommodations in most cities, with a pool in Paris, a view of the Tiber River in Rome, and a location in the heart of the historical district in Florence

galleries/2011/07/05/expensive-summer-camps/camps-a-plus-high-school_wdpomy

Education Unlimited

Weekly cost: $2,695

Duration: 1 week

Location: Stanford, Calif.

Activities: Classes in critical reading, problem solving, persuasive writing

Amenities: Students stay on the Stanford University campus, with access to attractions including the Rodin sculpture garden and world-class libraries

galleries/2011/07/05/expensive-summer-camps/camps-galapagos-longacre_tdbe4m

Longacre Expeditions

Weekly cost: $2,195

Duration: 22 days

Locations: Ecuador and Peru

Activities: Checking out rare wildlife on the Galapagos Islands, snorkeling in a marine sanctuary, surfing near Isabela Island, touring Cuzco, hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, rafting the Upper Urubamba River

galleries/2011/07/05/expensive-summer-camps/camps-sail-caribbean_q4vk2s

Sail Caribbean

Weekly cost: $2,098 (plus airfare)

Duration: 2 weeks

Location: British Virgin Islands

Activities: Scuba and sailing (of course), as well as snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing, and wakeboarding in the waters around the islands, optional courses in lifeguard training or keelboat certification, seminars in marine biology and community service to keep local trails in good condition

Amenities: Campers live aboard a monohull sailboat, with dockside socials at night and deck hammocks to sleep under the stars

galleries/2011/07/05/expensive-summer-camps/camps-billabong-actionquest_d2uhhh

ActionQuest

Weekly cost: $1,995

Duration: 22 days

Location: Australia and the Great Barrier Reef

Activities: Surfing, rainforest treks, sightseeing in Sydney, sailing, snorkeling, whale watching, community service

Amenities: Campers sleep in hotels and hostels during the nights in Australian cities, and aboard a sailing yacht during longer diving sojourn

galleries/2011/07/05/expensive-summer-camps/camps-high-cascade-snowboard_nbn93g

High Cascade

Weekly cost: $1,950

Duration: 8 days

Location: Mount Hood, Oregon

Activities: Snowboarding (of course), waterfall hikes, talent show, dance party, skateboard competition, mountain biking, lake swimming, white-water rafting, paintball

Amenities: “Deluxe” vacation condos with double-bed bunk beds, live-in counselors, home-cooked meals featuring favorites like waffles, burritos, pizza, and Thanksgiving dinner

galleries/2011/07/05/expensive-summer-camps/camps-experiment-international_l04unu

Experiment in International Living

Weekly cost: $1,933

Duration: 3 weeks

Location: Paris, with home stays in smaller French communities

Activities:
Sightseeing in Paris, with visits to the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, the Louvre, and the Jardins de Luxembourg, plus biking, boating, and traveling expeditions

galleries/2011/07/05/expensive-summer-camps/camps-get-fit-enrichment_xofcxu

Julian Krinsky Camps

Weekly cost: $1,715

Duration:
3 weeks

Location: Haverford, Pennsylvania

Activities: Fitness classes including yoga, cross training, Zumba, sports nutrition, and plyometrics, as well as a campus games night, swim party, and talent show; outings to the King of Prussia Mall, IMAX theater, and bowling alley; weekend trips to New York City, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.

Amenities: Air-conditioned dorms on Haverford College campus, with access to athletic fields, computer labs, swimming pool, and tennis courts