When we dropped off our son in Hinsdale, we weren’t exactly prepared for what we were met with; the unrestrained joy.  With music blasting, people dancing, and energetic staff waving us in, we were overwhelmed with happiness that such a place was available to our son.  We drove away feeling over the moon.  

Fast forward two weeks.  At pickup we wondered how much he missed us or how anxious he was to get home.  Again, Emerson exceeded our expectations.  Upon seeing us, he burst into tears expressing how hard it was to leave. He went on about how much he loved his counselors and leaders, how they were so good to him, how he connected with his bunkmates – making a camp bestie he felt very close to – how he made so many friends and how he already can’t wait until next year. We look forward to the future as an Emerson family!

- Angela and Mark, Massachusetts

Thank you so much for allowing our children to attend Camp Emerson. We appreciate all of the camp staff so much. Our daughters had a great experience meeting new friends and loved all the staff. They felt so welcomed! Now that they are home they miss their friends and counselors!

- Jake and Lauren, Florida

My daughter truly had an amazing time at camp! She joyfully talked about it for our entire 3 hour drive home. She can’t stop telling camp stories, talking about new friends, looking at pictures, and playing camp music. She loved everything about camp and it’s so clear that you have amazing staff who have built a very special place and experience. Please extend our thanks to your entire team!

- Meg, New Jersey

Camp Emerson really delivers a total experience: relevant activities, boundless enthusiasm, safe exploration and genuinely caring staff. They go the distance to make it worthwhile and it shows in how much our son enjoys it.

- Dan, Connecticut

The tears in her eyes leaving at the end of six weeks speak volumes for us. She loves her time at Camp Emerson and we are so thankful we found such an amazing summer camp for her.

- Jessica, New York

Thank you for giving my children such a phenomenal camp experience for the third year in a row. From the attentive counselors and staff, to new friends and bunkmates, to the many activities, both of them truly love every minute of being at Emerson. It’s always non-stop talking about camp for the first 3 days they are home. We know how hard all of the staff works and the effort and time that goes into each and every day and we are so appreciative of everything. I’ve relayed this story before, but when we first started talking about sleep away camp 3 years ago, one of my children was adamant about not going and fully dug in his heels. Over time, he hesitantly moved to a ‘maybe’ and eventually (and with a lot of encouragement) he agreed to try camp. Even at drop off that first year, he wasn’t fully on board. But when I drove up on the last day of that first year, I saw him run- more like sprint- to give his counselor a big hug before getting in the car. Now, three years later, Emerson is the highlight of our year and my children eagerly count down the days until they can return to their home away from home. If that change isn’t proof of all that Camp Emerson encompasses, I’m not sure what is. Thank you for providing a warm and welcoming community where my children can be themselves, feel included, aren’t afraid to try new things, and most of all, have FUN!

- Pam, Texas