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Family Camp

Ohana

summer program for people of all ages
A counselor and three campers paddling in a green canoe across the lake.
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Camp Overview

Ohana brings families and friends together to refresh and celebrate their ties, and build new ones with others who enjoy living simply for a time in the out-of-doors, and sharing all that nature has to offer. In the Hawaiian language, ohana means family, community, a circle of good friends, people connected. We welcome family as you define it, and we hope that you will leave Ohana strengthened and reconnected.

The quintessential Vermont family camp, Ohana is one of five renowned summer camps operated by The Aloha Foundation. The camps are the legacy of an adventuresome family who lived and taught in Hawaii in the 19th century, and returned to New England early in the 20th to establish a pioneering wilderness camp for girls in Fairlee, Vermont.

During week-long stays at Ohana, family campers swim, fish, canoe, kayak and sail in Lake Fairlee’s quiet waters; play tennis, volleyball and basketball on the camp’s own courts; try their hands at archery or a variety of arts and crafts; take hiking, biking, and sightseeing excursions through the New England countryside; or just rest and read in a rocking chair. Summer evenings bring campfires, music making, story-telling and s’mores; amateur talent shows and spirited contra dancing; expert talks on cultural and natural history; and other community entertainments.

Dates & Rates
Session
dates
tuition
A lake with sailboats.
Four people in a field holding nets.
Campers swimming in a lake with colorful pool noodles.
A group of women at a bench laughing together.
A young camper doing pottery.
A man speaking to campers outside.
A camper throwing a stick into a firepit.
A camper on a dock, about to swim.
Campers relaxing on chairs in front of a lake.
A woman weaving a basket while sitting on a dock.
Four campers.
Campers sitting on a staircase in front of a lodge.
Two people relaxing on chairs on a porch.
Campers weaving baskets while dipping their feet in a lake.
A puppet show.
Four people in a field holding nets.
A sunset with a lodge in the foreground.
People relaxing on chairs on a porch.
A group of children playing outside.
A family playing basketball together.
A child and two adults on a trail.
Campers kitting.
Campers playing a game.
Campers making art.
Campers sitting under the trees.
The exterior of a camp building.
Campers learning archery.
Ohana family campers holding plants.
Ohana campers working on art.
Ohana campers reading.

Activities

Staff-led activities are offered daily for children, adults and the whole family.

Ohana campers working on art.

Arts

Pottery, mosaic tiles, nature prints, watercolors, jewelry design

A sailboat on a lake.

Boating

Canoeing, kayaking, sailing and paddleboarding

Campers learning how to use the climbing wall.

Challenge

High ropes, climbing tower, off-site hikes

A man showing a young girl a map.

Exploring

Nature walks, gnome homes, nest hunts

A camper sanding a piece of wood.

Hand Work

Woodworking, leather craft, basketry

A girl petting a horse.

Local Attractions

Horseback riding, golf, biking

Campers playing a game.

Sports

Archery, soccer, tennis, disc golf, volleyball, capture the flag

Swimming lanes in the lake.

Waterfront

Swimming, water games, fishing

Campers putting on life vests.

Wee Ones

Varied programs designed with our youngest campers in mind

Two people relaxing on lawn chairs in front of a lodge.

Wellness

Yoga, tai chi, belly dancing

Health & Safety

All of our practices have been developed to meet or exceed guidelines put forth by the American Camp Association (ACA), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), and Vermont’s Department of Health. 

Ohana staff attend pre-camp trainings that cover a wide range of topics. Counselors who are receiving advanced trainings (first aid, lifeguarding, trip leading) also attend Certification Week.

Helpful Resources

Safety at the Aloha Foundation
Vermont Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
American Camp Association

Daily Schedule

  • Schedule

Morning (8am-12pm)

  • 8:00-9:00 am: Breakfast
  • 9:15-10:30 am: Discovery Group period 1
  • 10:45 am-12 pm: Discovery Group period 2

Afternoon (12pm-5pm)

  • 12 pm-1 pm: Lunch
  • 1 pm-5 pm: Open waterfront

Evening (5:45pm-8pm)

  • 5:45 pm: Announcements
  • 6 pm-7 pm: Dinner
  • 7 pm-8 pm: Evening program

Meals

During family camp, Ohana families share varied and delicious homemade breakfasts, lunches, and dinners in the camp’s classic dining hall with its grand stone fireplace and wide covered porch overlooking Lake Fairlee. Ohana’s meals are prepared with fresh produce from local farms and the camp’s own gardens. In fact, we source 80% of our food from New England – and half of that comes from within 100 miles of Ohana. The Ohana kitchen provides meat-free menu selections and we will do our best to accommodate your food allergy or restriction. There is something delicious that will appeal to every member of your family.

A family having a meal together on a porch.

Accommodations

A stay at Ohana Family Camp is the ultimate family vacation. Whether you stay in cabins or in platform tent-cabins, you and your family can relive the joys of summer camp here in Vermont. Each comfortable Ohana cabin contains a living room with a fieldstone fireplace, one to four bedrooms, a bathroom with shower, a kitchenette, and a porch with a view.

An Ohana cabin.

“Our week at Ohana was better than we could have ever imagined. We enjoyed meeting other families, but more than anything appreciated the opportunity to be together, try new things and connect with our kids. This was our first year so we have nothing to compare it to, but we’re so impressed with Scott’s leadership. We can’t wait to come back!”

Ohana Camper

“It was wonderful to be at our VT home again with family, long-time session 4 friends and new friends. Chef Steven out did himself again; the meals were “delicious n nutritious”! The new staff fit right in and we enjoyed their exuberance. It was so great to see the friendly faces of our dear, highly skilled, Cheryl, Wild Bill, Fran and David. Our new Director Scotty is a perfect fit. He has kept the same daily routines, but added his relaxed, love of Ohana stamp to the process.”

Ohana Camper

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A landscape with a lake surrounded by a forest.

Let’s Connect

We offer camps and programs for people of all ages. Let’s talk about you, your child, your family – and discover together which experience you would value most. There are many options and possibilities!

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