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For many kids, summer camp is a sort of rite of passage. If the nostalgia of long days of play, shared meals, and bunk-bed giggles has you wishing you could relive those halcyon days of youth, you’re in luck: Camp No Counselors (CNC), a summer camp for grownups, is hosting its second-ever trip to Colorado this month.
CNC, which was founded by former summer camp-goer Adam Tichauer in 2014 and has since appeared on Shark Tank, aims to create a three-day getaway modeled off an authentic “away at camp” experience. Campers are taken to the site—in this case, a 160-acre campground in Pike National Forest—by bus. Everyone sleeps in bunked cabins, eats meals in a dining hall, participates in classic “camptivities” (think: dodgeball, rope courses, archery, swimming, arts and crafts), and yes—has access to the open bar. When people first hear about an adult summer camp with booze, they might imagine it to be less camp and more frat party in the woods, but CNC spokesperson Renee Felton says its quite the opposite. The weekend of silly games, friendly competition and team building activities encourage meaningful bonding experiences—and leave little space for the tired “So, what do you do?” inquiries.
If you’re wondering who might run the show at a place called Camp No Counselors, there are staff called “non-counselors” who make sure things run smoothly, answer questions, and aid in the event of an emergency (so far, there haven’t been any). Unlike typical counselors, they aren’t in charge of you and won’t be waking you up at the crack of dawn. Phew. Actually, every activity is optional, so you get to choose whether to get up early and hike or lounge all-day by the lake. The camp also steps culinary dining hall experience up a bit by serving scrumptious meals (think: freshly-cooked eggs, pancakes and a mimosa for breakfast; and a succulent rack of ribs and a beer for dinner). There are also showers and indoor toilets, for those who aren’t keen on testing the limits of camp hygiene.
Does a weekend away at adult camp sound like a good time to you? Check it out—and let us know if Camp No Counselors lives up to its motto: “Play like a kid, party like a grown-up.”
Register here; September 22-25; $525 to $600