Camp isn’t just for tweens and teens anymore. Club Getaway is a fairly new vacation alternative for kids and adults (Yes adults!) looking to enjoy nature and the thrill of summer camp. The club experience combines camp themed activities with grown-up perks like booze and nightlife. We had the immense pleasure of spending the Summer season’s inaugural weekend at the expansive resort in Connecticut. The weekend of our visit was for the first ever Kirill’s Wet Hot American Weekend, hosted by Kirill Bichutsky. Though Kirill’s reputation is that of an insane party animal, this particular weekend was more about shared experiences and less about his famous “champagne facial” photoshoots. The point of the weekend was to push adult worries to the side and enjoy some fun carefree activities.
Getting to camp was easy. The campgrounds are in Kent, CT, a ninety-minute drive from Manhattan. You can drive yourself or take advantage of the Club Getaway shuttle for an additional fee. We chose the latter and met the shuttle on 11th Avenue. The check in process was easy and brief and in no time at all, we were on the highway in an air-conditioned charter bus, a far cry from the hot sticky yellow buses of our youth. Once the trip was underway, we enjoyed cocktails and excited chatter with the crew and the other passengers. The bus had a mixture of single travelers as well as small groups. With little to no encouragement single passengers seemed to pair up and form fast friendships. The bus ride served as a mobile cocktail party allowing guests to mingle a little and break the ice. Just before our arrival, we were handed the weekend’s itinerary. By the time we reached Kent everyone was looking forward to the multitude of activities offered over the weekend. We arrived just in time for dinner but first, we had to check in. The check in was a smooth process and we were quickly ushered to our room by one of the camp’s volunteers.
The rooms are comfortable and cozy. Our room had two twin sized beds a bathroom and one small closet. We put our bags down and ventured out to enjoy dinner with our fellow campers. The camp is surprisingly well lit and we had no trouble finding our way around. Dinner was more refined than we had imagined. It wasn’t just a quick grilled meal, it was a dinner party complete with white table cloths and Belaire Champagne, White and Red Wine on every table. The food was an assortment of international stations offering a variety of foods ranging from pasta to fried chicken. Dinner was only the start of the evening. Afterward, we head down by the lake for a Pirate themed dance party and an open bar. The party was followed by late night Drag Queen Karaoke! Needless to say by the time we finally went back to our cabin we were ready to call it a night. By some miracle, we awoke in time to enjoy a breakfast buffet before getting into the day’s activities. Breakfast was delicious, there was literally something for everyone. Our favorite was the omelet station. Access to all of the activities is included in the cost, so we recommend you try as much as you can. With our schedules and map in hand, we carved out an action packed day. Some of the activities offered include:
Yoga
Archery
Archery is not as easy as it looks but practice makes perfect.
Bike Tours
I love biking in the city but biking in Kent was on another level. The scenic bike tour was amazing. Check out some shots in the gallery.
Sip and Paint
Sip and Paint was a fun way to relax and enjoy the views of the campground.
Zip Lining
My first time zipping, and I would do it over and over again.
Slip and Slide Kickball
It was fun just to sit back and watch the teams battle it out. You can’t go wrong with a little Slip and Slide.
Stunt Swing
Piece of cake…so fun!
Rock Climbing
Don’t let the picture fool you, this is as far as I got! Don’t judge me! lol
Water Sports
Club Getaway offers so many great activities on the waterfront. They have a mini water park where campers can so all kinds of activities, like water skiing.
Color Wars
Teams are randomly put together for a chance to play a few silly games. It’s even more entertaining after a round of drinks!
The list of activities goes on and on. Most activities were lead by a Camp Counselor and highly trained volunteers. We always felt safe when taking on risky activities, like zip lining.
By lunchtime, we were famished. Lunch as with breakfast was another buffet, this time with burgers and hot dogs. We considered it a brief intermission between activities. Afterward, we head down to the lake for live music from The Fresh Kids of Bel-Air. They had the whole camp jumping as they belted classic hits from the 90s. The night did not end there, after the live show, campers had a little down time before Saturday Night’s big Prom Themed party. With a theme campgrounds prom, our expectations were high and we were not disappointed. The lakeside bar we had visited earlier in the day was transformed with round tables big balloons, streamers, and banners. The music was mostly 90’s pop and guests mingled and danced the night away. After the prom, everyone took part in a late night bonfire complete with a live musician and smores. As we had the night before we found our way back to our room and promptly passed out. Sunday, our final day at camp was as eventful as Saturday had been with activities planned from 8 am until just before our scheduled departure at 4.
Accommodations: The Cabins are clean and well kept. The beds were surprisingly comfortable and we had AC to control the climate. The location of the AC was a bit tricky, it was in a high window and we couldn’t see the knobs, but we figured it out quickly. This may vary with each cabin. The bathroom and shower were also clean.
Service: The staff is friendly and approachable. You can find someone at any time to assist with any issues you may have. We had a small issue with our bathroom and needed only to alert a team member on our way to the bonfire. The issue was handled well before we went back to our room. We cannot express enough how excellent the service was. There was not one bad apple in the bunch. Kudos to the Club Getaway team!
Food: The food was abundant and delicious. We never felt hungry, even after rigorous activities. There were more than enough options to please the palate.
Activities/Excursions: Club Getaway as something for everyone. One of us is very active and the other, not so much. Despite our differences, we both had an amazing time. The activity schedule is jammed with things to do each day. There were enough activities to keep us both happy and engaged. Though we spent the bulk of the weekend together we had no trouble branching off and enjoying activities separately. Most of the activities take place on the campgrounds with just a few excursions. Club Getaway is a great place to visit for your adventurous and non-adventurous friends.
Check out ClubGetaway.com for their many packages and be on the lookout for Kirill’s Wet Hot American Weekend in 2018. We are looking forward to going back!
Happy camping!