Family Camp FAQs

Camp Newfound is located in the beautiful Lakes Region of southwest Maine, right on Long Lake. It's about three hours north of Boston, and a one-hour drive from Portland. About one hour to the east is the beautiful coast of Maine and about one hour to the west is the White Mountains National Forest.

Absolutely. We have a high-speed wireless Internet connection in the counselor’s cabin (located at Owatonna) that you are free to use. Cell phone coverage is a bit spotty, but obtainable. We encourage you to use your cell phones in areas where you will not disturb other campers enjoying the tech-free environment of Camp.

Family units all stay together in one cabin – either by the lake down at Newfound or in a beautiful pine grove up at Owatonna. The size of the cabin will depend on the size of your family. But everyone will have a place to sleep (in single beds or double/queens) and somewhere to put their things. Each family member will also get a “cubie” – their very own personal dressing room. The bathroom, showers, and dining hall are all just a short walk away. Families bring their own bedding--often sleeping bags and pillows, but you are welcome to bring sheets and blankets as well.

The food at Family Camp is amazing! From a turkey dinner on opening night to a lobster cookout at the end of the week, we promise you will not go hungry. There's always a cereal option in the morning, and peanut butter and jelly at lunch if you don't happen to like that day's meal. But really, with offerings like corn chowder, abundant fresh fruit, homemade muffins, a salad bar, and Congo Bars, we're pretty sure you'll be able to find something to eat.

You can find a packing list here.

It’s up to you! The whole idea behind Family Camp is that we do all the work – cooking and cleanup, activity planning and implementation – so you can focus on spending time with your family. The only decision you'll need to make is what to do and when. Unless you decide to just sit and read a book or relax and chat with other family campers.

On a typical day, you'll wake up, enjoy a hearty breakfast, and have some quiet time to read the Bible Lesson before everyone gathers for Morning Meeting. That's where campers can share inspiration from their studies and hear about activities planned for that day. Then the two-and-a-half-hour morning activity period begins – during which you might try paddle boarding or waterskiing, fine-tuning your backhand, creating a lake-inspired collage in our oh-so-tranquil art studio, or just sitting on the beach and catching up with friends old and new.

After a buffet lunch, you'll have an hour to rest or relax before the start of the afternoon activity period. Then there's an opportunity for free swim and dinner. Throughout the day, what you choose to do and how long you choose to do it for, is entirely up to you.

The way you'll really feel Christian Science at Camp is in the atmosphere. At every activity area, incredibly loving and supportive counselors will be just waiting to cheer you on. They won't be particularly concerned that you haven't been near a tennis court in 20 years, have never gotten up on waterskis, or have always felt too artistically challenged to attempt a watercolor. Instead, they'll be seeing your unlimited, God-given potential – and encouraging you to embrace the possibilities yourself.

You'll have opportunities to study and share Christian Science – from time built into your daily schedule to read the weekly Bible Lesson, to inspiring Morning Meetings, a Wednesday evening testimony meeting, and church on Sunday. You're sure to feel the support, encouragement, and love that have been bringing families back to this very special home-away-from-home year after year after year.

Late summer in Maine typically offers warm, sunny days and cool nights, although anything is possible. It's a good idea to be prepared!

All kinds of things. Evening activities run the gamut – from soccer games to square dancing to Wednesday evening testimony meeting, to playing board games and making s’mores in front of the fire on the Newfound beach. And it all culminates with a Council Fire on Saturday night.

The cabins are simple. They do have lights, but you won't be able to plug in a lot of electronic equipment, as our electrical system isn't setup to handle it. The cabins are wood-framed, single-wall structures with screen windows that allow you to appreciate the beauty of our surroundings – from the lapping of the water at Newfound to the aromatic evergreens of Owatonna. Most people think the simplicity of our cabins really contributes to the natural feeling of Camp.

A handful of cabins have bathrooms and can be reserved for an additional fee. However, because the demand for these cabins is usually greater than our supply, occupancy is determined by a combination of family need and date of reservation.

Daily activities range from watersports – swimming, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and bumper-tubing – to tennis, archery, rock-wall climbing, and a zipline. The art studio is always open and often we'll offer special activities for the kids, like a morning on the slip 'n’ slide or a scavenger hunt around our own private island.

Throughout the week, you'll also have opportunities to participate in some of our much-loved Family Camp traditions – starting the day with a half-mile swim to Cherry Island, or canoeing to the Owatonna beach for early morning sticky buns, playing an all-camp soccer game, or being cheered on while you swim-kayak-and-run your way through our very own triathlon.

Yes, we offer child care during Morning Meeting and during both the morning and afternoon activity periods. We also offer a “Moose” program, group activities for children up to about 12, during the morning activity period.

View driving directions here.

The closest airport is Portland International Jetport (PWM), about a one-hour drive from Camp. You can also fly in and out of Manchester Airport (MHT) in New Hampshire and Boston's Logan Airport (BOS) – both of which are about three hours away. We do offer to pick up and drop off Family Campers at the Portland airport for a small fee.

Yes! There will be day trips that explore many of the many amazing natural features to be found nearby. You might choose to climb a local mountain, kayak around Long Lake, or discover the cascades and waterfalls of Diana's Bath or Step Falls. Trips are designed for a wide range of abilities, and some are specifically geared toward families with children.

The two weeks are essentially identical. We offer the same great sports, activities, and day trips during both sessions. The first week does tend to fill up faster, though, and often sells out – as many families find that the earlier timing works better with their children's school schedules. For that reason, the second week of Family Camp is usually a bit more quiet and low-key.