Summer Camps Near Tuftonboro, NH

Tuftonboro and the surrounding shore of Lake Winnipesaukee have hosted traditional summer camps for well over a century, and the concentration here is genuinely unusual: this is one of the older, denser camp regions in New England. If you’re dropping off a camper, visiting for a family weekend, or just starting to research camps for next summer, it helps to know what’s actually here.

The camps

Camp Belknap, a YMCA camp for boys founded in 1903, is one of the oldest continuously operating camps in the country and sits directly on Lake Winnipesaukee in Tuftonboro. Its program spans more than 30 activities, from archery and riflery to sailing, a ropes course, and studio art.

William Lawrence Camp, also in Center Tuftonboro, is a boys’ camp now past its 100th season, running a well-rounded program with a notably low camper-to-staff ratio.

Camp Sentinel, in the foothills of the Ossipee Mountains in Center Tuftonboro, is a Christian camp (overnight, day, and family programs) established in 1949, with swimming, boating, a ropes course and zip line, and team sports as its core activities.

Camp Winaukee, nearby on the lake, is another long-running, well-regarded camp in the same general area.

Each of these has its own culture, age range, and program philosophy: this is an overview of the landscape, not a recommendation of one over another. If you’re evaluating camps for your own child, the right next step is contacting each camp directly for current session dates, tuition, and availability, all of which change year to year.

Visiting for a camper weekend

Most of these camps run visiting days or family weekends during the summer session, and Tuftonboro’s lodging fills up around those dates. If you’re coming for a specific visiting day, it’s worth booking your stay well ahead rather than assuming last-minute availability.