Brant Lake Camp

Route 8 on the south shore of Brant Lake. Founded in 1916 and run by the same family ever since, Brant Lake Camp is among the oldest single-family-owned boys' summer camps in the United States. The endurance is the headline, and it shapes the program: traditions are real rather than invented for the marketing, and many staff are camp alumni. The mini-camp system splits enrollment by age: Junior (7 to 11), Intermediate (12 to 13), and Senior (14 to 16). That keeps the peer groups socially right and the coaching age-appropriate. "Sports Done Right" is the on-paper philosophy and the actual focus, with team and individual instruction plus water sports off the camp's dock. Off Route 8, about 3.5 hours from New York City, which defines the audience. The camp publishes a first-time-camper packet, which is worth requesting if you're sending a kid for the first time. Summer-session enrollment only.