It would be an understatement to say Camp Cayuga has changed my children's lives. My two kids have…read moreexperienced an inclusive, welcoming, and respectful environment that embraces diversity (as in a safe place compared to our sometimes cruel world back at home). My children return from Camp Cayuga markedly more mature, grounded, and confident in who they truly are. The trust and friendships formed between counselors and campers alike is nothing short of extraordinary. Communication with counselors and division directors has been clear and supportive when needed (we have had some things to work through over the years). My spouse and I were not campers, we were never a camp family, and were initially concerned as sleep-away camp is not for every family. Thankfully, Cayuga has been the "just right" experience for us. We have even referred six other families to Camp Cayuga who have also enjoyed their experiences. (if Yelp could weight ratings based on trusted reviewers with more than only one or two reviews, surely they would be closer to getting the ratings more in-line with reality!)

First time for sleepaway camp with my 3 kids ages 6,7,9. I was able to work there while my kids…read moreattended camp and was EXTREMELY blow away. We attended the first half. Everything was so organized and explained that we barely had any questions and when we did the staff was amazing at answering them quickly for us. My 6 & 9 year old boys cried when we left camp and asked why we couldn't stay longer. The had plenty of things for kids to do like lake activities, ceramics, sports and the evening activities were so much fun for them. This is a family run camp and we have already registered for next summer and its only October. I have never done a sleepaway camp as a kid and man did I miss out. I even tried a few things like trapeze and ceramics.

Camp Lohikan is wonderful. I spent a number of summers there as a child and each of my own…read morechildren have attended as well. The activities are endless and the staff are great. The kids are having an amazing time and I would definitely recommend it. They have many options for number of weeks that you can attend (2, 4, 6 and 8). Most camps force you to spend the entire summer, which many not be realistic from a time or cost perspective for some.

This is my son's 5th year going to Camp Lohikan, he has so much fun every year! I truly feel it has…read morehelped him gain maturity, and they have so much fun while they're at camp! There are so many activities available!

I had a great experience with Camp Towanda as a kid. The counselors were so good and the…read moreaccommodations were great. I loved it and looked forward to going every summer.

Best place in the world. The love and friendships will last a lifetime. Towanda is truly a family.read more

Incredible atmospher, family spirit and sports facilities. Never quite seen anything like it and…read moreonce you step foot in the gates you'll truly see how you leave the ordinary and enter the extraordinary. From a counsellor, I have never met such a group of amazing people and I know full well that their work translates to your kids perfectly, and they do everything in their power to make sure your children have the best summer of their lives, every summer.

This camp used to be great and I had recommended it to friends for years. Now I realize this was a…read moremistake! ILC used to be a great place for the "weird" kids who didn't like to play team sports and didn't care about social status, purports to be accepting of all. But as the camp has become more expensive, the campers are different and not for the better - a camp full of those who can afford close to $8,000 (by the time you factor in what you must bring there yourself) for only 3 weeks (!!!) is naturally going to contain more kids who don't understand how much money that is and ridicule kids whose parents still send them because the kids love it even if this is a financial strain. So imagine how disappointing it is to spend a summer around this clientele, which has evolved to include plenty of mean girls who pick on others who don't bring fancy clothes to camp (because why? It's camp!), make rude comments about others' bodies, and allude to other campers' lower socioeconomic status, etc. Unfortunately it's not about the beloved activities anymore. It's about pleasing the richest clientele by throwing "parties" and being a wild display of frivolously spent dollars, minimal supervision (especially of the social situation), and scapegoating those who are bullied. Also, the printed manual discouraging bringing expensive clothing to camp means absolutely nothing. It used to be a camp for nerds by nerds. Now it's a place where the cool, ultra-rich kids always win. So if you have a kid who loves arts activities, send them to French Woods or Buck's Rock. This place is becoming just a lesser version of certain camps most well-known for being attended by spoiled brats.

I've read articles from other people that there are issues with Independent Lake Camp (ILC). Some…read morepeople have excessively high expectations that are impossible to meet. However, if you have realistic expectations, then you'll find ILC is a fantastic experience for your kids. I have and will continue to recommended ILC to my friends and clients. When my younger son went there, he was introverted and uncomfortable meeting new people. After just a summer (2 sessions), he came back out going and totally a new kid. I was so happy to see the transformation that he achieved at ILC. The camp gave him the opportunity try things never he had done before in a safe and encouraging environment. It is so much better than the typical school where our kids attend that do not encourage them to go beyond the comfort zones. My son experienced circus tricks, illusion, unicycle, and even rocketry. All activities he'd never tried before and came back excited and wanting to do more. To me, this outcome indicates the sign of a great camp. If your kid only wants to do sports, then Independent Lake Camp is not the right camp for them. If your child on the other hand wants to explore new things and challenge him or herself (and maybe a little bit nerdy on the inside), then they will find ILC an amazing experience.

Andrea and Billy are wonderful hosts! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Starlight Lodge. The…read moreatmosphere is warm and inviting, making it a perfect retreat to relax and take a break from the daily routine. They were incredibly friendly and attentive, ensuring that everyone had a fantastic experience this weekend. The breakfast was delicious, the property is beautifully maintained, and everything was spotless. We felt completely comfortable throughout our visit. We highly recommend staying here and are already looking forward to coming back!

I recently bought a tiny home here. This main reason: the community. It's as if they were one big…read morehappy family. There's a pool, lodge, some type of event constantly: Friday night dinner, lite Sunday brunches, cards, crafts, pets galore, holiday, drag shows,.....just an all round good time with the friendliest, welcoming bunch of people throughout. I'm fortunate to have found such a gratifying place to stay.

What a beautiful campground, and friendly and caring staff. This is a must-see place to send your…read morekids if you want them to have an amazing summer experience. From air conditioning bunks to world class circus performers, this camp has it all. Top-notch activities, choice every day for campers, and amazing evening programming.

Camp Tioga staff is some sort of criminals. They did not allow my kid to pack things by himself,…read moreneither they allowed to check what they packed. As a result lots of things were left at camp. And I've been emailing and calling them every day for past 7 days and they just ignore me. I have never ever in my life met such disgusting people. As for the camp, I cannot say much. My son received some psychological trauma and he does not speak about it. I assume other kids were bullying him and forced him to do bad things. I cannot judge, maybe such things are normal in summer camps.

Great camp with amazing facilities I've experienced this camp first hand and let me tell you it is…read morefun. The reason I gave the camp 4 stars is because of the bunks/Cabins I may sound spoiled but for the price the camps bunks need a/c. the temperature in the bunks change drastically many nights the weather in the day was very hot which made the bunks very hot and the heat needs like 5 hours once the sun goes down to cool to a reasonable climate sometimes in hot conditions many kids fall asleep on the porch and wait till the climate cools but that takes a long time. Please camp directors act fast because us kids need quality sleep. You may be wondering why I gave this four stars while's I'm just complaining about the bunks but other than that issue everything else about this camps is hands down legendary from the trips to the lakefront and the sports it is the place to be.

I am a former counselor at Camp IHC and it was by far the greatest experience of my life. This…read morecamp has created an environment where there is so much support, joy and satisfaction on a daily basis. It all starts with the leadership of two of the most genuine and caring camp Directors, Joel and Lauren. They constantly go above and beyond to ensure that the experience for every camper and every staff member is something they will cherish forever. That was the case with me! I have been out of the camp world for a few years now and I miss it constantly. One of the reasons I wanted to work at Camp IHC is that they only take the highest quality staff. If you come to Camp IHC as a staff member and underperform or don't give 100% you will not make it there. They only want the best since that what the parents, campers, staff and the Camp Directors have come to expect. The formula obviously works since that is exactly what they get every year! Joel and Lauren have a remarkable talent to discover the best people throughout the world and bring them to one of the most desirable summer camps in the country. I've worked alongside some of the most kind, caring and talented counselors who remain my close friends to this day. Camp IHC builds these lifelong relationships and I am forever thankful for the experience. The facilities, amenities, living conditions, and the food are all superior to anything I have ever seen or experienced from any other camp. I recently read a review saying that the food was "not edible" from a disgruntled former counselor. I couldn't disagree more. The food was incredible with an amazing daily variety of options. Never once did I see a camper go hungry. Another falsehood she mentioned is about the doctor's hours. They have a state-of-the-art Health Center that is open 24/7 with experienced full-time staff always available to take care of the children and counselors. Camp IHC has thought of everything to make the summer experience incredible and they constantly succeed. That is the reason the kids and counselors come back year after year. Camp IHC has one of the highest retention rates in the industry. This is a Camp that will let you be amazing! If you want to be a counselor and know that you can give it all you have, this is the place for you. All others need not apply!