The Best Summer Camps in Chattanooga
One Parent’s Musing on Missing those Golden Days of Summer
Written by Heather DeGaetano, parent, aunt, hiking enthusiast, summer camp lover, and Reflection Riding supporter.
Last summer, my daughter and many of her friends worked as summer camp counselors, carrying little ones around on their backs and reliving the joy of time spent outside playing games and exploring. It’s hard to believe now that, more than a decade ago, my niece and nephew would come all the way to Chattanooga from Atlanta for summer camp; we also spoiled them rotten, ate lots of sweets, and broke all the bedtime and chores rules in the summer! Those “kids” are in college or almost there now, but those summer camp memories are still strong.
As a parent, I remember looking with my friends for the best summer camps in Chattanooga to make their summers as much fun as they could be. We had one that really wanted to be in constant motion, one who loved art, one who loved animals, one who always wanted to be learning something new. We made spreadsheets to keep track of where our kids would be each week and which friends could go to camp together. Even after all these years, now that I am lucky enough to do some work with Reflection Riding, a few of the best summer camps in Chattanooga popped right into my mind.
Reflection Riding Summer Camp was a huge hit with our kiddos who wanted to be moving and exploring all day long - it was (and still is) the best outdoor summer camp in Chattanooga. I can’t imagine any child who gets to do “Mud Day” would ever forget it! The stories these kids told of the stick forts they built, the animal ambassadors they met, the hikes up the mountain, the overnight campouts, the plants they learned to identify, and learning to use a compass… every day the ride home was an adventure and I’d wish I had been at camp rather than work all day. They slept so well too!
Camp Joe Joe’s was a real surprise for us as we had a camper who wasn’t very artsy, but wanted to go with friends. She came home each day with fabulous, one-of-a-king creations, many of which still have time-honored places in our home and on our Christmas tree. She still talks about all the fun they had creating mobiles, decorating keepsake boxes, and having popsicles, dancing, and doing photography in the park.
GPS Summer Camp was so special that one of us had a camper who asked to go every single week for a whole summer and not do anything else… ever. She loved to swim, do music, learn a new sport, explore science experiments, and have adventures all over town. It was different every day and she couldn’t get enough!
Challenger Center Summer Camp was perfect for the science kid in our group. She got to build her first rocket and shoot it off with a big audience of campers, staff, and parents cheering her on. She got to be part of a simulated space mission that the whole week’s campers figured out together - for a kid who loves puzzles, solving problems, and STEM, this was just the right fit.
I recently noticed newer camp options too that I wish we’d had years ago. For example, the Wauhatchie Forest School Summer Camp is an immersive nature experience for kids who long to be outdoors all the time. Do they have camps for adults? If so, sign me up.
I long for those golden days of summer now that those little kids are all (well, mostly all) grown up. Here’s hoping your kid finds just the right fit and lands at the best summer camp in Chattanooga for them. Happy exploring!
