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Summer camp is a rite of passage for a lot of kids — but not every camp is the right fit for every kid. Where one child likes being outdoors, one may be interested in science, and for every kid interested in science, there’s one into art, travel, or something else.

For parents of children looking for a more out-of-the-box summer camp experience, we offer details on four unique offerings around the world, beginning with one based in metro Detroit.

Tamarack Camps’ Travel Trips

This Oakland County camp — one of the oldest and largest Jewish camps in the world — offers local summer camp experiences divided by grade, as well as special “travel trips.”

During these trips, teens entering grade 10 can participate in a five-week camping experience in the Western U.S., held June 18-July 29 and priced at $8,695, which includes trips to several state and national parks in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming and features white-water rafting, rock climbing, and backpacking. June 25-July 30, teens entering 11th grade can enjoy 48 days in Alaska, during which they will experience the Last Frontier by hiking the historic Klondike Gold Rush trail, climbing a glacier, fishing for salmon, visiting Banff and Jasper national parks, and more, and during a full summer session at Camp Maas, high school seniors can take a trip to Costa Rica this year for $8,695.

In addition, Tamarack Camps offers outpost camps closer to home and its Yachad Inclusion Program for neurodivergent kids. Learn more at .

Scouting America Family Adventure Camp

Thanks to Scouting America, the entire family can get in on the sum-
mer camp experience at Philmont Scout Ranch (the organization’s largest “national high-adventure base”) in New Mexico. Here, campers enjoy a wide variety of activities, including museum tours, hikes, live history sites, a climbing wall, a high ropes course, shooting sports, and so much more in the shadows of the mountains.

Choose from a full week, priced $210-$495 per person, or a half-week for $105-$248 per person. For more information, visit .

Camp Kennedy Space Center

Science, technology, engineering, and math take center stage during the five-day camp experiences offered at NASA’s launch headquarters in Florida. Kids ages 7-16 will participate in astronaut training and special missions including Mars habitation operations, simulated spaceflight, botany lab growth and harvesting, Mars rover robotics, and hands-on STEM challenges. They’ll even get the chance to explore the surface of Mars using virtual reality and check out some of the exhibits and attractions offered at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

Camp Kennedy Space Center offers 10 five-day camps through Aug. 1 priced at $399 per camper. For more details, visit .

Europe: Le Rosey Summer Camps

The Swiss boarding school Le Rosey hosts several fixed-duration camps for kids ages 8-16 at its Lake Geneva and Gstaad Mountain campuses as well as travel trips into the mountains along the sea.

The three-week Le Classique program focuses on the creative arts; the two-to-three-week My Family program offers language classes, activities in the mountains, and the “Ultimate Adventure Week”; and the two-week Excellence Camp includes climbing, hiking, swimming, sailing, and cultural exploration.

Upon completing one of the summer camp programs, kids can also participate in the Chyulu Wilderness Camp in Kenya, where they will explore Africa and learn how animals can be preserved through ecotourism. Prices range from approximately $5,828 to $17,591 USD, depending on the camp. Visit for more.

This story originally appeared in the March 2025 issue of ������ Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of ������ Detroit at a local retail outlet. Our will be available on March 10.