You Can Go To Summer Camp... For Adults

What started out as a way for a group of friends to spend a weekend together has turned into an all out weekend camp experience — for adults. In 2013, Camp No Counselors Founder and “Head Camper,” Adam Tichauer was looking for a way to do something unique enough to draw his increasingly busy friends together. So did he throw a barbecue? No. He rented out a kids summer camp during off-season. Can I be friends with this dude?

According to him “What started as a small weekend getaway with my closest friends quickly became a 90-person event as the word spread through friends.”

Tichauer was so inspired by that first successful weekend at camp that he eventually left his job in early 2014 and spread Camp No Counselors beyond his group of pals. Now the camp has grown to include not just two weekends at the New York location, but also additional camp grounds in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Nashville.

My camp experience is limited to the two times I went to week-long church camp. I remember paddle boats on the lake, obsessing over my crush, making new friends, lots of tetherball, and oh yeah, getting baptized in the swimming pool. Just some good, wholesome fun and religion in the woods and sunshine.

That’s basically what I imagine Camp No Counselors is like – just maybe less religion and less wholesome. There are the camp activities we know and love, like The Blob, zip lining, capture the flag, themed dance parties, and talent shows. And then there are the more adult additions such as the fact that cabins are co-ed, there aren’t counselors sleeping by the entrance to make sure you’re in by curfew (if there is a curfew), and there’s a weekend long open bar. In fact, the only rules of Camp No Counselors seem to be that pets aren’t allowed, only people 21 and up can attend (for the aforementioned open bar), and you don’t ask people “what do you do?” As the website says, “this isn’t a networking event,” but a chance for adults to leave behind some of the stress from the workweek with an intense game of dodgeball. Or some arts and crafts, whatever floats your boat. I basically imagine this to be Wet Hot American Summer without the kids. Or Bug Juice… without the kids.

Prices vary slightly by location and registration specifics, but for usually $475, campers get three nights accommodation and lodgings, all meals and activities included, and access to the open bar. For a better idea of what to expect, here’s what a typical day at Camp No Counselors looks like:

9:00 - 10:00am: Breakfast (eggs, French toast, bacon, fresh fruit bar & yogurt, toast bar, cereal, milk, orange juice, coffee, tea and of course mimosas and Bloody Mary's!)

10:30 - 11:30pm: Morning activity period one (choose between ropes course, capture the flag, the blob, arts 'n crafts and many more activities)

11:30 - 12:30pm: Morning activity period two (choose between water skiing, tubing, free swim and many more activities)

1:00 - 2:00pm: Lunch (barbecued grilled chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, fresh salad bar, soup of the day, juice, water and of course a selection of beer and wine)

2:30pm - 3:30pm: Afternoon activity period one (choose between hike, wake-boarding, archery, sunbathing and many more activities)

3:30pm - 4:30pm: Afternoon activity period two (choose between hike, friendship bracelet weaving, slip 'n slide, dodgeball and many more activities)

5:00 - 6:30pm: Nap/shower/relax or maybe we'll surprise you with a camp-wide scavenger hunt

6:30 - 7:30pm: Happy Hour

7:30 - 8:30pm: Dinner (grilled skirt steak, roasted vegetables, baked rosemary potatoes, fresh salad bar, dinner rolls, banana cake, juice, water and a full open bar)

8:30 - 10:00: Camp-wide activity (talent show etc.)

10:00pm - 2am: Dance party

Uh...Sign me up?

Images: CampNoCounselors/Instagram (4)