We love Camp Kupugani! Looking forward to going back again this summer. This summer would be our…read morefamily's 3rd summer doing parent-child camp.

Took my son there for parent child weekend this summer. Was hands-down the highlight of our summer…read more The Director, Kevin and his team do an absolutely incredible job of organizing activities, keeping everyone, happy and comfortable, and overall systems well thought out and planned. we will definitely be going back next summer.

Fun camp! Came here in college for weekend retreats, now returning 30 years later as a counselor…read morefor high school retreats. Nice lodges that can fit 15-100 easily, several 16-bed bunkhouses, fireplaces, outdoor bonfire pits, nice bathroom/showers. Trails, outdoor swimming pool & frisbee golf.

From the owner: Camping and Retreat Center Summer Camp…read moreYouth and children's ministries Adult Ministry Outdoor living

Now I'm only 10, but I love camp shalom, first it's super fun but I only went to it I was in 2nd…read moregrade so some of this might not be there anymore, but from what I remember there was arts and craft. we made lanyards and other things and there was a rock wall to. We all would sleep in cabins and the bunk beds we slept in where really good so I hope this helped.

This place was not what I expected at all, but honestly that just added to my experience and made…read moreit funnier. Upon walking into my cabin, I started to die laughing because of how bare it was. I should mention that our door was extremely hard to open and we had to thrust ourselves upon it to open it. Needless to say, if there was a fire I don't think we would make it. Also, our windows were nailed shut, further decreasing our chances of survival. We turned on our heater because it was about 40° outside and began to smell something burning. However, we left for dinner and when we came back our cabin was still standing, so it should be safe. There is also a smoke alarm, so hopefully you'll hear it and try and get the door open before you die of smoke inhalation. Overall I enjoyed staying here because all of my basic needs were met and the cabin was laughibly bad. I would stay here again.

We did the Sky Tours Zip lines here twice now. We really enjoy it, great guides, and 2 hours of…read morefun. Great for day trips. They now added full moon night zips, and we will be back! This is on the grounds of the old Union Electric fairgrounds, and the guides add a historical overview as part of the zip. Don't forget to tip your guides as they are often putting themselves through school.

My hubby and I had a blast with Max and Jake during the Sky Tours Zip line! They were hilarious and…read moremade the trip a lot of fun! Celebrating our anniversary and it was definitely worth the trip!!!

We took our Girl Scout troop to an Adventure Camp at Camp Benson and were thoroughly impressed with…read morethe clean conditions, professional and friendly staff and attention to safety in all the activities. Our girls had a blast! Will definitely consider going back if another opportunity arises. Keep up the great work!

From the owner: YMCA Camp Benson is a premier YMCA summer camp and year-round retreat center.read more

Between the animals feeds and the family style outdoor meals, you couldn't ask for a better family…read morevacation. Every kiddo asked to come back next year. The cabins have beds and A/C which is all you need to encourage the kiddos to play with the animals and explore the farm. Thank you, Amstutz Family Farm, we will be back next year!

My review is about the overnight/resident camp. This camp is so far off of what is advertised on…read morethe website and apparently no amount of research (I thought I was thorough) can prepare you. There were only 2 cabins of children... one boys, one girls, all ages, attached, with one female counselor between the 2, so connecting doors were left open at night. After the day campers left, that one counselor was also the lifeguard, the activities director, the cook. There were ZERO campfires in the evenings. Instead they were put in front of a movie 3 of the 5 nights... with microwaved s'mores and frozen pizza one night. They did not get to pick their activities... horseback riding, archery, games, sports, outdoor cooking, fishing were not offered. They attended prescribed activities that were mostly the same every day. There was no teambuilding, no traditions, no fun clubs, nothing that we were expecting. Kids told to 'stop crying' if they were homesick. I even emailed prior with a couple questions that would have given the perfect opportunity to set the expectation and let the parent decide if this type of environment was right for our children. So disappointed in this camp, which I know USED to be good bc I went there as a kid. So disappointed in the YMCA for not doing better and for ruining my daughter's idea of overnight camp.

Nick is the best part of Camp Abe Lincoln. He's the director but I say the best part because of the…read moreCORE Values he instills into our children. Our daughter Danika has been going to the overnight camps going on her 6th summer now. It being closed last year due to the pandemic was probably the worst transition our daughter went thru during these uncertain times. If you live in the Quad Cities the you heard the scream from Danika's mouth when she heard "Papa Smurfs "voice when I answered the phone. We drop our little girl off & her dad cries every time cuz this is his baby but we know she's safe & she comes home with so much knowledge & understanding. She feels so peaceful while at camp. She's not afraid to try new things. We've never been turned away when we've struggled to pay for camp. This is the best thing you can do for your children is send them to Camp Abe Lincoln. They don't have any electronics but you can email them & Nicks up bright and early printing them off before 5am so your camper gets them every morning at breakfast time. Please look into it. You will Not regret it. Thank you Nick & all the staff

went here for a man retreat in 2011. the castle was…read more OFF. THE. HOOK. very nice castle. lots of bedrooms, places to hide etc.

Apple River Canyon (ARC) is my favorite campground in Illinois. No question. I'll start with a…read moreexcerpt from the Illinois DNR website: "Apple River Canyon State Park is in the hilly northwest corner of Illinois in Jo Daviess County near the Wisconsin border. Limestone bluffs, deep ravines, springs, streams and wildlife characterize this area. Once a part of a vast sea bottom that stretched from the Alleghenies to the Rockies, the scenic canyon area was formed by the action of the winding waters of the Apple River." My husband and I have been coming here since the late 90's. We love it here. Pros: + Only 2 1/2 hours from Chicago. + Did you read that paragraph above that I took from the website? It's BEAUTIFUL here. + 5 awesome hiking trails; some of them easier than others. + Hike (or drive) down to the river from your campsite. There's some good fishing. And our dogs love to swim in it. (Swimming for you is prohibited, however.) + 2 big loops in the campground. Most of them are nicely sized and thoughtfully spaced apart. + Only 15 minutes to Stockton (the closest town) for groceries and firewood. + Eight bucks per night for a non-electrical site. Cons: - I am not there right now. I am at my desk, rotting under flourescent lighting. This is the kind of place that, as soon as we arrive, I'm already saying, "I don't want to go home!" But I want to be completely honest - there are no showers here, and only pit toilets. There are, of course, 2 or 3 water stations in each loop (pump). So, if maintaining hygiene is the number one most important thing for you during a camping weekend, you may not find ARC as perfect as I do. Me? I try my best to make do. You're camping for God's sake! Shower when you go home! See you at Apple River Canyon!

My review may be a bit different than other people but during my time here I absolutely enjoy the…read moreviews but what I did not enjoy here were the amenities featured. The bathrooms here were absolutely in shambles and the maintenance at the park is pretty bad. Please be cautious that your GPS will not work in this area either. Poorly labeled trails as well where you can get lost.