TaconicSummer Day Camp

Lake, 4 full basketball court indoor gymnasium, professional soccer field, dormitories, mini-​golf, multiple cabins, and huge indoor playroom and state of the art climbing tower/​zip line… they’re all well hidden by the acres of trees and hills. You could live in Rhinebeck for 4 years (as we have), and you might not discover this 220 acre retreat center. It’s an astounding buried treasure of a day camp. But the real treasure is how inexpensive it is. We were lucky to persevere in our search for a camp that values time outdoors, eschews electronic devices and doesn’t cost thousands of dollars a summer. This is it, and we’re one of the first ones to find it. I’m writing this review in hopes that you’ll visit, love it, and send you kids. A treasure of a day camp is great but it’s the kids that really make it.
They’ve been closed for renovation for two years but it’s back. Finding them online was as tricky as finding this real bricks, logs and mortar, hidden gem. Our first visit was overwhelmingly charming; it was enchanting. This led to a strange feeling that we had found Brigadoon and it was going to disappear when we drove away or woke up.
It didn’t disappear.
In the summer, this extraordinary Conference and Retreat center turns into a Summer Camp. Parts of their year round staff return to their roots as teachers, outdoorsman, parents, and Summer Camp Staff (they are joined by summer counselors). The climbing tower that grownups use to challenge themselves and their spirits, is flipped into a vertical playground by the same State of the Art Climbing structure builders that built the Ropes course at the Renowned Camp Ramapo. It’s super cool and really tall.
I’m back after summer with a report. 11 and 9 year old boys spent 5 weeks at TaconicSummer and they say it was the best camp they’ve ver been to.