Best Girls Summer Camp in Maine
Best Darn Girls Camp Evah!
Camp Runoia is a boutique style camp community located on the land that the First People, the Abenaki of the Penobscot Nation, of the Eastern Woodlands lived on before Farmer Wentworth lived and ultimately Camp Runoia resides. This is a camp community where the directors know all the campers very well and see them many times a day. New campers feel right at home and returning campers connect with their summer sisters. Camp Runoia is a community of people who want to be part of summer friendships that last a lifetime. Runoia’s Family atmosphere provides organic big sister/little sister connections. Runoia is a place where girls get to know girls of different ages from our relaxed and structured meal time to sailing in a boat together, playing at recreational swim or singing at campfire together. Girls of all ages interact with everyone in camp. With unstructured play time being part of daily life in camp, campers play and develop valuable 21st century skills. Campers have time where they can relax in the camp library, take a hike on the nature path, hang with friends in the lookout tower or play gaga or tether ball in their free time.
At Camp Runoia girls are encouraged to practice their best-self and to see the best in others as well. Self exploration through camp activities encourages a camper to try things without the pressure to be good at it yet. Personal best and setting goals to better ones own skills is a theme at Runoia. Trying new things in a supportive environment allows campers to develop in activities they thought they couldn’t do before they came to Runoia. At Runoia, a camper can be an athlete and an artist. There is something for everyone at our diverse, well-rounded program from water sports to target sports and crafts to stained glass, riding to sailing, she can explore so many new things and get better at things she already loves. In sports, our competition is focused on team work and personal best and girls support each other to do their best. Our campers have choice in their activities. They are encouraged to try different things and they design their schedule.
At Runoia, our camper to staff ratio is 3:1. This allows for small classes, individual coaching, great supervision. Also we are a camp with many grown ups who help support the camp experience and provide youth development. A range of staff ages and life experiences provide girls with role models at different points in their lives. The support of camp moms helps campers adjust and have a safe, fun time at Runoia. The longevity in leadership at Runoia provides security and consistency in the direction of camp, the continuation of traditions and the quality of the experience.
Traditions at Runoia are an important and meaningful part of our lives. From our weekend campfire gatherings to Blue White team sports, girls get a sense of a place that is bigger than themselves. Runoia’s well maintained facilities still feel like camp from another era on our crystal clear Maine lake called Great Pond. Nestled in the midst of the famous Belgrade Lakes, Great Pond is the crown jewel with over 8000 acres of lake and minimal lake-shore development, the images of “On Golden Pond” are real at Camp Runoia.
At Runoia we celebrate diversity and welcome everyone to be part of the Runoia experience. As Runoia has grown to be more diverse than most camps, like-minded families have found Runoia to be the best place for their daughter. Jewish families looking for a non-Jewish camp love the feel of Runoia where their daughter will have Jewish and non-Jewish friends. Runoia does not have any religious affiliation and welcomes everyone!