Club Getaway is offering an adult summer camp experience, so I tried it. It’s definitely adult.
contributed by Lauren Wire
I almost didn’t make the bus to Club Getaway, and that would’ve been a mistake of epic proportions. New York City traffic and a crucial last minute blowout that ran late had me breathing down my Uber driver’s neck and playing backseat driver. With minutes to spare I made it to the bus, freshly blown of-the-moment curls still intact, and butterflies in my stomach about the weekend ahead at adult camp. These nerves mirrored the ones that I felt over 20 years ago when as a small child my parents dropped me off for my first sleepaway camp with a trunk full of shorts, bug spray, and all the usual stuff you’d pack for a few smelly weeks.
Being sent away to summer camp is significant in terms of life milestones for many subcultures within the New York area culture as a whole. It could be for the entirety of the summer or perhaps just a weekend with a church or synagogue, high school band, Girl Scouts or a sports team. No matter the theme or length of time, summer camp is a special time in a kid’s life and a much-missed memory for most once they enter adulthood. Club Getaway is offering adults the chance to relive these childhood memories with adult recreations like boozy bug juice and wild dance parties thrown in for the win. The adult summer camp is located at a children’s camp where hundreds of little ones come each week during the summer months. Club Getaway becomes a temporary takeover, an adultification if you will, of a seemingly normal sleepaway camp in the Berkshires.
They also do camp weddings, just in case summer romances make it that far.
The bunks at Club Getaway
On the bus ride I started making friends with a little liquid courage being served up by the “camp counselors.” Going on this journey alone my goal was to chat it up with as many folks as possible and start scoping out the cute boys that I may want to roast some s’mores with around the campfire. The bus ride didn’t leave me feeling anyone too deeply, but I was optimistic. The two hour bus ride flew by with libations and excited conversations about what to expect. As we pulled up to camp we were welcomed by more friendly counselors and the sound of music and laughter from the mess hall. The weekend was officially underway when we signed our liability form (note to self: don’t drown in the lake) and got our bunk assignments. Luckily, or unluckily, I was in a cabin with all girls and we quickly changed into our most impressive, yet outdoor friendly, outfits for the welcome dinner and party.
That’s me, doing adult summer camp!
The first night was a blur of delicious camp food (do those words even make sense together?), flowing drinks, music and the rundown of what the weekend would entail. Was this camp or a sleepover rave? We met our official host of the weekend, promoter and Instagram influencer Kirill aka The Slut Whisperer. That’s a real name. I didn’t make that up to make this article seem more interesting. I swear. It was obvious that Kirill and his entourage were here to play and beyond ready to throw a wild weekend. I’m not sure if it was the fact that we were so far from home or that were partying in such a taboo location, but everyone just let loose like we were 200+ of the closest friends, when in reality, we really didn’t know each other. Friendships were already forming and puppy love connections were being made. My bunk mates and I danced our way through the evening and promised each other that we would wake up early enough to experience all the camp had to offer. I knew it was time to go to bed if I wanted to keep this promise but not before playing tonsil hockey behind an oak tree with a cute southern boy who had flown in from Alabama just for this weekend. Did you know people from Alabama did summer camp? I didn’t. Things were getting hot and heavy, but like the classy gaI I am, I bid him farewell at my cabin door (after locking lips a little longer) and snuggled into my twin bed alone. I can’t say that was the case for the rest of my fellow campers but what happens at adult summer camp stays at adult summer camp.
Alcohol flows freely at Club Getaway
Breakfast is served bright and early with activities immediately following. I crawled to breakfast with a bit of hangover and actively tried to avoid my Southern charmer until I drank some coffee. The bounty of food served was a sure difference from the childhood camping days I rememberd. Gone were the camp days where food tasted like Styrofoam. The buffet was 5-star quality just like the food from the evening before. It looked like everyone was feeling the effects of the night before but all I could focus on was what fun I was going to have during the day.
According to the activity board, color war was the only “mandatory” activity later in the afternoon so I threw on my finest athleisure and headed off to try my hand at archery, paddle boarding, kayaking, slip n ’slide kickball, trapeze and arts and crafts. After running around the outdoor playground like kid in a candy shop, I made my way to the afternoon color war games — but not before running into Mr. Alabama. We laughed off the prior night’s escapades and I flirted a bit more hoping to set the stage for that romantic s’mores session I had in mind for the evening campfire.
Color war was a success and our team won by dominating egg toss, a dizzy bat race and other kiddie games that were made more fun because we had started drinking again at lunch. Are you sensing an alcohol-driven theme, here? The rest of the day was spent lounging by the pool and waiting for the “Let’s Get Shipfaced” happy hour. As the band who was hired from New York City began to play at the pirate-themed party, everyone made their way to the makeshift dance floor by the lake. I danced with my new gal squad and continued to make eyes at my beau du Alabama. The band played their last tune and everyone made their way to the cabins to get ready for Prom, the Saturday night theme of the weekend. Some campers went all out wearing Cinderella-style dresses and outrageous tuxedos.
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Dinner was served in a decked out room complete with disco balls, glow sticks and a male appendage shaped ice luge (why, though?). The meal was once again hearty and drinks were aplenty. I could feel the alcohol pulsing through me, so I went in search of my favorite southern delight.
I found him on the porch overlooking the lake and charmed him with my dumb jokes, useless knowledge of Game of Thrones and the fact that I had just run a half marathon in Disney World without dying. As we went our separate ways to fetch a new drink and use the ladies room I gave myself a pat on the back and mentally prepared how I would eloquently eat s’mores with Alabama without getting chocolate all over my face. A little while later I made my way to the now bustling campfire and found a seat with my bunk mates. Much to my surprise and disappointment, there was Alabama, canoodling with another girl he had met at Prom and intimately roasting marshmallows like they had known each other for years. I was equal parts sad and angry – had we not just basically had two dates in one weekend? I would not let this ruin summer camp. No. Instead I proceeded to enjoy the rest of the evening and flirt with the other eligible bachelors of the weekend.
We hit up the “Prom” in style, obviously
The next morning, less hungover for sure, I made it my mission to experience the rest of camp activities. I managed to zip line, play in the aerial park, attempt yet fail at leaping off the Geronimo and enjoying a group bike ride to the adorable town of Kent. I also managed to avoid my now ex-Alabama like the plague. He saw me multiple times traversing camp and tried to make eye contact and wave, but I would have none of that. Instead I focused on finishing the day with my new friends and planning our return – and perhaps more successful male encounter – at a future camp. I did not find love in hopeless place but I did make new friends that one month later I’m still keeping in touch with and got to escape the city to a beautiful camp ground ripe for outdoor fun.
Adult summer camps are all the rage but there is just something special about Club Getaway.
Get the lowdown on the whole adult summer camp experience here.
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