I Took A Pre-Fall "Adult Summer Camp" Trip & It Kind Of Fixed Me

The competition was neck and neck. Down a point, up a point, tied. A bull’s-eye. We were really holding our own — until a couple entirely off-the-board flings sealed our fate, proving we were no match for our opponents: trash-talking tweens on a family vacation.

Mercifully, the skies opened up and a steady rain cut the competition short. But as I turned to my teammates, aka my real-life coworkers, we realized we were still having the time of our lives. Loss and all.

This memorable kickoff took place during that perfect, crisp pre-fall transition, when a few Elite Daily editors were hosted by Mohonk Mountain House up in New Paltz, New York, for two days of “adult summer camp.” Because let's be honest: Your morning coffee hits completely different when you’re drinking it in a rocking chair overlooking a misty lake (even if you are actively answering Slack notifications between sips).

As it turned out, we weren’t the only ones itching to touch grass. When Yelp released its Trend Forecast charting the movement, it clocked a 347% surge in searches for “adult camps.” And Airbnb found that Gen Z is more likely than any other generation to search for “nature” experiences and prioritize outdoor wellness.

If a campcation has been sitting in your Notes app, consider this your sign — and your itinerary — to head to Upstate NY with your own off-the-grid(-ish) crew.

Monday

7 a.m.: Road Trip Playlist

My coworker Sarah rolled up to my apartment in an enormous Infiniti QX80 on loan from the brand. “This car is a dream to drive,” she told me as we blasted Olivia Rodrigo and settled in for the two-plus-hour ride.

Naturally, she’d been nervous about parallel parking such a massive vehicle in the tight city streets of her Brooklyn neighborhood. But the SUV’s high-tech backup camera, 360-degree top view, and motion detection came in clutch: “I probably could have parked in my sleep.”

9:30 a.m.: The Grand Entrance

The approach to Mohonk Mountain House is epic. After winding up wooded roads, the hotel appeared: a Victorian castle with a gorgeously spooky, slightly haunted vibe — and I was here for it. (Think: the grand, historic hotel from The Shining, minus the horror.) After checking in, we ate breakfast on one of the sprawling wraparound porches overlooking the lake and the Shawangunk Mountains, with the Catskills hazy in the distance.

“This place brings back memories of the lake house in Kentucky I used to visit with my family growing up,” Sarah observed. “It’s rustic while still being unbelievably cozy; I could sit in those rocking chairs and sip coffee every morning forever and never get tired of it.”

11 a.m.: Choose Your Own Adventure

My coworker Kaitlin showed up about a half hour later, and almost immediately took a kayak out on the lake. “As a born and raised city girl, I’ve never been one with nature, but Mohonk’s offerings made me realize I should touch grass more often,” she told us after we staged an impromptu photo shoot on the water. “My solo kayaking journey was so peaceful. I could’ve stayed out there for hours.”

Sarah, for her part, went on a stroll and was delighted to spot deer and other wildlife roaming the property.

I followed my bliss straight to the spa, where I made full use of the sauna, steam room, and outdoor mineral pool, before curling up with my book by the fireplace in the zen solarium. Then a massage therapist used hot stones, stretching, and her knuckles to unkink my muscles. It hurt so good that I dozed off for part of it.

1 p.m.: Lunch With A View

The gang regrouped for lunch at an outdoor cookout overlooking Lake Mohonk and Sky Top Tower, the century-old stone observation tower on the property’s highest point. (Fun fact: If you climb its 100 steps on a clear day, you can see six states.)

With red-and-white checked tablecloths and an ice cream stand, we suspected the food here was way better than your average summer camp’s. Kaitlin couldn’t stop raving about the fall-apart-tender brisket.

2 p.m.: Tomahawk Throwing

You can trust-fall for team building, but I prefer hurling a weapon to really build camaraderie. Our instructor split the big group — which basically consisted of a few vacationing families and us — into teams. We laughed at our mishaps: tomahawks flying off the handles (literally), bouncing off the top of the target, and generally missing the bull’s-eye.

We graduated to throwing two tomahawks at once, then to a full-on competition where we kept the score deadlocked against those trash-talking tweens — right up until the moment they eked out a victory as the rain fell harder and harder.

4 p.m.: Cookies & Wine Tasting

Every afternoon brings fresh-baked cookies and tea service in the lakeside lounge. We happened to be there during a wine tasting from a Hudson Valley vineyard. Win-win-win.

Again, we pulled up rocking chairs on the porch overlooking the lake. We nibbled cookies, sipped tea (and spilled it), then moved on to the wine. If only our usual coffee breaks at the office could be this calming. Hey, who’s saying they can’t be?

6 p.m.: Dinner By Fire

I’m a sucker for anything cooked over an open flame, so I booked an early dinner at Founders, Mohonk’s newest restaurant. The menu leans international, with dishes cooked over fire. Think: a wood-burning grill, a wok, and a tandoor.

At the table, Kaitlin just had to text her friends, “I’m fairly confident I’m eating one of the best meals of my life,” noting that “the bread starter alone was *chef’s kiss*, and the curry lobster and shrimp entrée still lives in my mind rent-free. I literally want to go back for the cornmeal-laden flan alone.”

10 p.m.: Lights Out

Back in my room, I stepped onto my balcony overlooking the lake and FaceTimed my husband. “Wish you were here,” I said, and I meant it. I can’t wait to bring our toddler to Mohonk one day. She’d love the kids’ activities, splashing in the pool, and, of course, the all-you-can-eat dessert.

Tuesday

9 a.m.: Camp Friends Are Real

At breakfast, a woman approached my table. She’d seen me doing some activities solo and wanted to know my story. Turns out, she’s a journalist, too. I invited her to sit with me, and we realized we were both signed up for flower crown making that afternoon. A new friend! Is this what summer camp is actually like?

10:30 a.m.: Rainy-Day Yoga

Kaitlin and I had originally planned a hike-and-yoga combo, but it was pouring by this point, so the hiking portion was canceled. That didn't stop us from leaning into a cozy indoor flow, though.

Our instructor asked what was bugging us so she could teach targeted moves for our aches. She even suggested pillow types based on how we sleep. Her hands-on adjustments really opened up my scrunched posture. (Thanks, laptop and phone hunching.)

“The yoga session was such a great stretch,” Kaitlin said afterward. “I swear I felt the benefits from it for days because we were able to target my specific pain points.”

3 p.m.: Flower Crown Workshop

I met my new journalist friend and her friend at the flower crown workshop, which was run by a local florist. In the middle of the room: buckets of flowers, leaves, and berries. In front of us: wire, ribbons, and a crown frame. I’m usually meticulous (read: type A) about symmetry; I’ve been known to overthink flower arranging. But that day I went for a wilder, messier, more natural assortment.

The crown turned out better than I’d hoped. Maybe some of that looseness will rub off on the rest of my life. I’m already planning to recreate it with my daughter and her friends at the park near our apartment.

5 p.m.: The Luxe Ride Home

Alas, all good things must end. We each left Mohonk at different times, and as New Yorkers, none of us own cars. Some of us booked Blacklane car service for the trip back. (Full disclosure: Blacklane provided our rides. It was very Parent Trap Annie James pulling up to Camp Walden in a limo, minus Martin the butler.)

“If you’re gonna go luxe, go luxe all the way,” said Kaitlin, who noted that the app was incredibly user-friendly. Plus, the chauffeurs went out of their way to make the trip comfortable. On the way up, her driver offered his charger, and on the way back, another driver asked what kind of music she wanted to listen to. (’80s soft rock set the vibe.)

The Post-Camp Evaluation

As the SUV finally pulled back into the city, the real-world dread of returning to our everyday routines officially set in. But unlike summer camp, we won’t have to wait a whole year to see each other again. Weeks later, we’re still talking about the trip — and are already plotting a winter retreat.