Exploring Maine on Maine Camp Trips

As February break has come and gone, we are back to thinking and planning our next vacation. Though there are so many destinations to choose from, we find ourselves drawn to the East Coast for our summer vacation travels time and time again. Campers attending Maine Camp Experience (MCE) camps are lucky enough to get to explore Maine all summer long. They’re able to enjoy their camp, the surrounding town, and beyond. All our MCE camps take advantage of the unique beauty and fun of the state of Maine— from the mountains to coastal towns to the hopping city of Portland.Campers at our Maine Camp Experience camps begin taking trips “off campus” when they begin camp. MCE camps’ trip programs often start off small— for our youngest campers, trips might be a day hike, or even, as MCE blogger Emma remembers, a “camping” trip on her MCE camp’s own front lawn! As campers grow and mature throughout the school years, and return to camp each summer, their trips develop with them. After campers have grown comfortable with day trips, they can experience an overnight— be it hiking and camping for a night or two at nearby mountains, or taking advantage of lakes and rivers for canoeing and kayaking trips. Many of our MCE camps offer campers the experience to climb Mt. Katahdin, bike in Acadia National Park, or even, tour Canadian cities just a few hours away. Some of our MCE camps provide these opportunities as an optional experience, while others encourage all campers to attend each trip. Either way, campers return from each program with a smile on their face and countless stories to share!!  Each summer, MCE camps continually allow campers to explore Maine, while simultaneously encouraging campers to grow and challenge themselves, developing new skills as trips develop summer after summer. Not only are MCE trip programs a fun and exciting activity to break up and enhance campers’ everyday schedules, but they are also a chance to push kids out of their comfort zone, and teach new skills. MCE blogger Emma reflects on her time at camp and says, “I never considered myself a hiker or a camper, but my camp trips to Mt. Washington, Bar Harbor, and Franconia challenged me with experiences I otherwise would never have had. After each one, I returned feeling so happy that I had gone and so proud of the new skills I had developed. Now, though I might not be one to hike every weekend, I love taking day hikes in New Hampshire where I go to school, and when I do, I am constantly reminded of the amazing experiences I had in Maine. I am thankful for everything I learned through camp trips!”There are many places to send your kids to camp, but one of the countless benefits of attending an MCE camp, is being able to enjoy Maine and the surrounding area. The value of MCE camps’ trip programs is immeasurable— we can’t help but be jealous of the opportunities for campers to grow, explore and have so much fun!! — Maine Camp Experience Resources & Tools

You can share your own Maine camps memories & expressions of gratitude on our Memories of Camp section of our website.

Looking for the perfect Maine camp for your child?  Try out our helpful tool where you can select a camp by choosing: type of camp (girls, boys or coed) and session length (1-8 weeks).  It helps to narrow down a few camps to a manageable list that includes rates.  Then you can research these camps in more depth.

Next, be sure to  to discuss these camps as well as for free, year-round advice and assistance on choosing a great Maine summer camp for your child.