Adult summer camp craze takes off in Colorado
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Rafter and kayakers prepare to get in the water in Buena Vista. Photo: RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Summer camp isn't just for kids anymore.
The big picture: Adventure and connection seekers in Colorado are increasingly signing up for grownup versions, complete with zip lines, campfires and speed-friending.
Why it matters: Americans are spending less time socializing than they did two decades ago, fueling a loneliness epidemic.
- Adult camps promise something increasingly hard to find: real-world connection.
Driving the news: Summer camps for grownups are booming across the U.S. and Europe, the Economist recently reported.
- Yelp searches for such getaways jumped roughly 350% last year.
Zoom in: Near Colorado's Pike-San Isabel National Forest, Camp Bettie hosts weekend camps for women and nonbinary adults.
- Alongside classics like archery, kayaking and zip-lining, campers can take workshops on power tools, self-defense, astrology and cookie decorating.
- There are also massages, tarot readings, tattoos and, perhaps most importantly, speed-friending and women's circles designed to spark lasting friendships.
What they're saying: "Especially since the pandemic, we find that women are looking for deeper connections, and we provide that," Camp Bettie co-chair and director Maggie Harding tells Axios Denver.
Zoom out: The appeal goes beyond nostalgia.
- Camps offer adults a break from busy schedules. They re-create the carefree fun of childhood. And they encourage campers to swap phones for face-to-face conversations with strangers, who often become friends.
- "We definitely think the concept of adult summer camp is growing in popularity," Harding says.
Yes, but: Escaping to camp isn't cheap.
By the numbers: Camp Bettie costs $339-$429 for a weekend.
- Camp Chief Ouray's adult camp runs about $400.
- All-inclusive luxury options at Vista Verde Ranch start around $5,940 per person.
- Elsewhere, many adult camps charge around $1,000 for a long weekend that includes lodging and meals, according to the Economist.
The bottom line: Camps promise meaningful bonds — and the chance to be a kid again — which, for many, is priceless.