My daughter started going to this camp when she was 9 years old. She has had a tremendous…read moreexperience. She keeps in touch with a few other girls and visits them during the school year. She will be going for 6 weeks this summer and can't wait. Sue and her staff are amazing.

Great camp! My son went for the first time last summer and will be back this summer as well. This…read moretime he's coordinating to join a really sweet friend he met there last summer, who he has kept in touch with ever since. Camp Emerson is the most kid-centered place I've ever seen. The number and range of activities are amazing and there is great flexibility in allowing kids to try new things and adjust their schedules when they find what they love. As a result my son really stretched himself and had some amazing new experiences. The Camp's management of food allergies is unparalleled. My son felt safe and included the whole time and loved the food. The Director was so accessible and reassuring. All of my questions got answered and I felt totally comfortable while my son as there. We highly recommend this special place!

This camp has gone downhill. They invest in the facilities but the camp culture is horrible. Tons…read moreof bullying, hazing and generally poor management. They now have over 500 campers and simply cannot manage it. I don't think this camp is a safe place for children. My child told me a bunch of horror stories that I confirmed with other parents. Young children (12yo) were made to run around in the middle of the night in their underwear (under the watch of the counselors). Many of them were crying. Endless bullying was reported and nothing was done. I had numerous talks with the camp directors and they did nothing. My child was traumatized by the entire camp experience.

Incredible and caring leadership, amazing traditional and modern activities and the kids that go…read morehere are just wonderful. My son has made friends for life.

Spent four years as a camper and one as a member of their AIDES program. Excellent place for boys…read moreto develop their character, make lifelong friends, and create incredible memories.

tldr: great views of nature, friendly staff, and good accommodations…read more Came here with a group of peers for a bonding overnight stay in late fall. Food was good and accommodated dietary restrictions, and sleeping accommodation provided a bathroom and mattress but no sheets (we brought sleeping bags and pillows). Everyone really enjoyed the big swing and Alpine tower activity. Our group was large enough that they split us up to do each activity - my group enjoyed the firestarting/survival shelter activity but not as much as the swing/tower. The swing is doable for anyone, and you can decide how high you are pulled up before swinging. The tower is challenging and only one or two of our 15-person mini-group was able to reach the top. Plan to wear clothes that you can move around a lot, and walk in the woods in. They did not have a large indoor meeting to sit 30-40 people, but we were able to fit in a room off the main cafeteria, with some people sitting on tables/the floor. The campfire at night was set up ahead of time for us, and they included materials for s'mores. The guide was sure we'd have enough supplies but we ended up running out of some parts (they're called s'mores for a reason!). The staff there ran a cultural sensitivity activity for us, which we enjoyed with everyone in our large group.

If the shire is open in 2020, this will be my fifth year at camp. To say that i love going is an…read moreunderstatement. it's the highlight of my year, and it has been for the past five years. to anyone who says that it's "unsafe", or that safety regulations are not met, that is just simply not true. camp is where i feel the safest, and i know i am not the only one who feels this way. shire village is so accepting of everyone, and it is the only place where some kids can be themselves. all people, no matter their background, are wholeheartedly accepted at this camp, and i've found that that is not that case at many other camps. the staff goes above and beyond to ensure that everyone feels accepted and loved. therefore, it is impossible to slip through the cracks at shire, everyone knows everyone else, and the activities are curated in order to give kids the chance to explore nature and their artistic abilities. this is in no way saying that the staff forces us to do any activities, everyone is able to find their desired hobby, as there are so many options every single day. going on, i have made some friendships that i am positive will last a lifetime, and if shire didn't give us the freedom that it does, i'm not sure if these bonds would be as strong. in a past review, the author wrote about the pool and the walk to the pool. they made it seem like the walk to the pool was a death sentence. it's a walk down a hill, and the staff makes sure that campers are safe. campers always walk down in groups of two or more, which eliminates the possibility of a camper getting "stranded" in the middle of the road with an injury. in addition, the staff in the office walkie-talkies the lifeguard that campers are walking down. there was a remark about the lifeguard. i have always felt safe in the pool and lake, even when i was learning how to swim. there was a remark about the lifeguard not giving his full attention to the campers. the said lifeguard was one of the most caring and responsible people that i have ever met, and the said female that he was said to be talking to was most likely the female lifeguard.... i'd want my lifeguards to have a good relationship, i'm not sure about you. finally, the author wrote that the pool fence could be jumped? no one has ever done that in all the five years of me going here nor the seven years of my friend. and if i may be frank, no one would want to walk down to the pool and jump the fence, it gets really cold at night and the bunks are nice and warm. in conclusion, shire village is an amazing camp and i highly recommend it. it is such a warm and loving place, i really hope that it is open this year.

My husband went to Shire Village in the 1970's, and my kids go there now. It is a warm,…read moreprogressive, horizon-expanding, truly life-changing place. I wouldn't send them anywhere else.

This review is for the General Skills baseball camp. It was $700 for an overnight camper. The…read morepromotional material described 1-2 games with your age group per day. Despite there being only 4-6 kids in the age 8-11 group (4 after two left early), they still held the session. $700 for stretching and drills. I've never seen my son sadder or more disappointed.

What a difference a couple of years make! I read the review from the Dad in 2012, and he was right…read moreon. BUT, the past 3 years things have changed for the better! Check it out again, the programs are much more robust than in the past, and you can only look to the current management because of it! It still needs some work (more investment in the facilities), but that typically takes years for places like this.

The YMCA advertises they're handicap accessible yet the parking lot is in back. On weekends the…read moreback door is locked so you have to climb 100 stairs to get to the front door. It's incredibly difficult for people with limited mobility or wheelchairs to climb stairs. Kids are allowed to roam the building unsupervised for hours on end. During the summer months parents will drop off their kids for the day. A young man once followed me around making me incredibly uncomfortable. When I reported it to the front staff manager I was told "well this is a community center". I immediately cancelled my membership. It used to be open longer hours and the back door adjacent to the parking lot, was open during business hours. Limited operating hours, unwelcoming staff, and high prices make this place a no. I do not recommend this fitness center at all.

Friendly staff and great classes! The front desk is always helpful and there are things for my…read morefamily to do together.

We were visiting from California on the way to the 12u Cooperstown tournament and were looking for…read morea way for my kid to get some reps in batting and pitching. Called the Infield and they told us to come on in. When we got there, Mike had already set up a cage for us with a machine, a bucket of balls, and a tee. He was coaching another child while we were there but we were able to squeeze in some conversation. You can tell he loves baseball. He told us about the baseball history of Pittsfield, and at the end he gave my son an Infield t-shirt and a bunch of blemished baseballs to take to his team for warmups in Cooperstown. We only used the cages but it looks like they have a whole other section that would be appropriate for fielding practice. Thanks, Mike, for making our Cooperstown trip a little bit better.

From the owner: The Infield is a full service sports indoor training facility featuring a 5,000 sq foot arena (wood…read moresurface), three 65 ft batting cages, event space 1,300 sq ft. We offer private instruction in baseball and softball, camps, batting cage rentals, arena rentals, birthday parties, practice rentals, leagues, and event rentals.