Daily schedule — what a typical camp day looks like
The Chewonki day begins even before the peal of the wake up bell each morning. Campers can get their hands dirty on farm chores, practice their skills of identification on a birdwalk, or experience the crisp morning jolt of a Polar Bear dip at the waterfront. Activity periods, rest hour, choice period at the waterfront, shower hour, dinner, and an evening meeting where campers share their highs, their lows, and their hopes for tomorrow fill out each day.
400-acre peninsula (Chewonki Neck) on the shoreline of Midcoast Maine, with fields, forests, rocky coast, salt marsh, ponds, and farmland.
Ages
8–18
Accreditations stated by camp
American Camping Association
Activities
Waterfront
Swimming
Canoeing
Land Sports
Archery
Arts & Creative
Woodworking
Clues to fit
First-timers — no prior camping or paddling experience required
Not at all! We encourage every camper, at every level, to challenge themselves and support their peers. Our curriculum focuses on teaching campers who have no experience while staying engaging for campers with experience.
At Chewonki, we're really proud to offer a device free summer for our participants. Camp feels like one of the last spaces kids can go without technology and we take the responsibility of cultivating a device-free environment seriously. Campers connect with each other more and build strong relationships. Camp creates a magical time warp where one day feels like a week and because of that friendships form fast and they go deep! Often I hear from our oldest campers that they actually like being off their phones for their time at camp. They like that they can use camp as an excuse to tell their friends "sorry, I'm not available!" without having to seem uncool or disconnected.
Our cabins and yurts house 6 to 10 participants and are furnished with bunk beds, bookshelves, and storage space under the beds. Bathrooms and showers are located nearby. Cabin Counselors provide daily structure and support, guiding each group through routines like Evening Meeting, where campers reflect on the day and look ahead to tomorrow. Many cabins are also paired with a cabin buddy—a support staff member who serves as an additional mentor and role model.
Chewonki's setting — 400-acre saltwater peninsula on the coast of Maine
Camp Chewonki is located on Chewonki Neck, a 400-acre peninsula located on the shoreline of Midcoast Maine. The land supports a diverse array of ecosystems including fields, forests, rocky coast, salt marsh, ponds, and farmland – a rich tapestry for experiential learning.
Carnival — all-camp tradition, campers run booths and bid for prizes
Carnival is a beloved Chewonki tradition in which campers from all parts of camp get to have fun as one big group. Each cabin picks and prepares a booth for other campers to participate in together. Campers collect beans (literally, dried beans) at the booths to pool together as a cabin to bid on prizes.
Chewonki Day — bead ceremony, service projects, and the game Rocks
Three times a session we have "Chewonki Day," which is our day for rest and reflection. In the morning, we hold Community Reflection to meet as a whole community and reflect on a Chewonki value together. Cabins do a "bead ceremony" to share their gratitudes for one another. In the afternoon, campers participate in service projects and in the evening we play the Chewonki classic game, Rocks!
Trip experience — confidence and competence on return
In addition to learning how to travel in the backcountry, trip participants learn about the ecology and human history relevant to their itinerary, they develop their leadership skills, and they develop a tight bond with their trip mates. When returning to campus the participants have a new sense of confidence and competence that comes from overcoming the challenge of thriving in the woods and waters for a few days or weeks.
Food — farm-to-table meals from Salt Marsh Farm, dietary accommodations always available
We aim to provide participants with food that is delicious, nutritious, and sustainably sourced, ideally from our own working farm. Farmers work closely with our kitchen, sharing a philosophy and mission to ensure that the food served at Chewonki fuels the busy bodies and minds of our participants. Meals always include options to accommodate those with dietary restrictions. Campers select their meal from a buffet served by staff ensuring they get a full plate and are always able to go back for seconds!
Campers immerse themselves in fun and educational activities focused on community building, outdoor living skills, natural history, farm and food systems, and watercraft. Additional activities include visual arts, performing arts, woodworking, and archery with opportunities for swimming, sports, and recreation during free time.
