YMCA Family Camp
Parents, if you've been looking for an exciting, affordable vacation for your family, we have a deal for you.
Bear Island Family Camp is a nine day summer camp experience on over 70 acres of Bear Island, Lake Winnipesaukee. Family Camp is the perfect place for family fun and relaxation. The fully screened, wood framed camper cabins nestled in the tall pines make for a charming home away from home.
Centrally located to each cabin area are modern, clean, and well-lighted toilet, shower, and laundry facilities. Food service is family style - Moms are not allowed to bus tables.
Camp offers the full camp experience to all family members. You can participate in as many activities as you wish. There are special events for kids only, for teens only, and for adults only, too. Take this opportunity to look around.
Family Camp Program
Program Facilities include two beautiful sandy beaches (one facing east for the morning sun, one facing west for the afternoon), multi-purpose playing fields, a recreation lodge, and miles of wonderful walking trails. Instruction and supervision are provided in all activity areas. Our day and evening programs have been developed to provide the widest appeal to all ages. Group and individual activities are scheduled throughout the day and participants may choose from these events and activities. In addition to all the summer camp activities you'd expect at a full service camp, we offer special Family Camp programs too:
Special opening and closing ceremonies
Camper vs. Staff softball game
Teen night at Weirs Beach, Meredith
Kids' overnight at the Outpost
Adult Dinner and Dance
Bar-B-Q on the beach
Fishing Derby
Family Talent Show
General Activities
Everything you'd expect at a full service camp is available at our Bear Island Family Camp:
Archery
Arts and Crafts
General Sports (tennis, basketball, softball)
Riflery
Swimming
Waterskiing
High and Low Ropes Course
Sailing, Kayaking, Canoeing
Each program area is covered by experienced staff members who are available for instruction during the activity period. Family campers are free to participate in as many (or as few) activities as they wish. Some of our campers try everything - others spend the day on the dining hall porch with a good book and a great view. In addition to all this, there are special Family Camp activities, too.
Teens, Kids, and Tots
Program emphasis for most of the day is based on three age groups. Moms and Dads have the opportunity to partake in camp activities or to relax in the sun. Either way, they know their children are having fun and are properly supervised.
Supervised programs for teens, kids and tots are provided during the mornings and afternoons. These programs generally last for 2 hours and include such activities as: arts & crafts, sand castle building on our beautiful beaches, short hikes on Bear Island, canoe trips and other general athletic and recreational activities in the camp setting.
Adult Activities
A schedule for the nine days of Family Camp is posted in the dining hall. This schedule will outline the daily times for activities such as waterskiing, tennis, sailing, riflery, ropes course, etc. Adults generally find this schedule flexible enough so they get to try a little bit of everything. Some activities do not require an instructor or supervision such as basketball or sun tanning on the beach!
Special activities include a day of golfing at a nearby golf club, fishing events, canoe trips in our special "Indian War Canoes", hikes to St. John's Chapel located on Bear Island, and the always exciting adult dinner and dance.
Meal Service
If there is one thing family campers share, it is concern with our food. The Family Camp food is top rate! Food service at Family Camp is excellent and moms and grandparents are prohibited from bussing the tables - that's a job for men folk and young folk!
Start each day off at the drop in breakfast between 7:30 am and 9:30 am. However, coffee is available all day beginning at 6:00 am. You can have eggs any way you like them - scrambled, fried, boiled, pouched (camp joke), or whatever. There is usually a special omelet, too. Pancakes or French toast are available along with sausage, bacon, or ham slices depending on the day. There's also oatmeal and a good selection of dry cereals, fruit juices, milk, you know... breakfast.
Family style lunch is the simplest meal of the day. Sandwiches, sometimes hot, like burgers - sometimes cold, like chicken salad - are typical. There's a salad bar and usually some kind of soup.
Spend an afternoon waterskiing, climbing in the ropes course, or sunning on the beach, and you're ready for supper. This is a wonderful meal, just like you'd have every night at home if you had the time. The evening meal is also the time to celebrate the day's anniversaries and birthdays.
The place Family Camp's food service really shines is in our Adult Dinner and Dance. One night, usually Thursday, the tots go to the lodge for a special program, the kids go to the outpost for an overnight, the teens go to Weirs Beach, and the adults have a special party. This is always a night not to be missed.
