BudgetTravel

Cheley Colorado Camps, Estes Park On 1,600 acres of wilderness, 7,500 feet up. Learn western-style horseback riding, with half-day and full-day rides through Rocky Mountain National Park and Roosevelt National Forest. Stream fishing, technical climbing, and contests like the Dirty Derby--at week's end, the dirtiest camper wins a prize. ACA accredited. Lodging Covered wagons with four single beds and shared bathhouse, linens provided. Food Three family-style meals daily; families eat together in the dining hall. Dates Aug. 9-14, fills quickly. Price $2,300. 800/226-7386, cheley.com.

Estes Park Center, Estes Park On 860 acres, surrounded by 14,000-foot Rocky Mountain peaks. Elk, mule deer, moose, coyotes, and the occasional black bear. Emphasis on the environment: Watch beavers build dams, or learn about the life span of a fish after a hike to the stream. ACA accredited. Lodging 206 cabins, with two to four bedrooms, private bath, fully equipped kitchen, and housekeeping. Seven lodges with 451 hotel-style rooms, all with two queen beds, some with extra bunk beds. Linens provided. Food Three buffets daily. Pay by the meal; American plan (three meals daily, $25 adults, $14 kids) or European (breakfast and dinner, $20 adults, $12 kids). Café open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Dates Open year-round, no minimum stay. Price Lodge from $336, meals extra. 970/586-3341, ext. 1010, ymcarockies.org.

Did you see BT on the Today show? Watch Editor Erik Torkells discuss the list of the best family camps with host Ann Curry. If you don't already have it, you will need MSN Video Player, a free (and easy!) plug-in, to watch the video Watch the video Download MSN Video Player MARCH 2005 ISSUE • Table of Contents • Dream Destinations Around the World • A Romantic Trip to Italy • Driving Mendocino County • How to Buy a Bikini in Rio • 50 All-Star Family Camps: The 2005 List • Ecolodges Let You Sleep at Night with a Clean Conscience • Milking Your Manicure • Spain's New Golden Age

Snow Mountain Ranch, Winter Park Secluded amid thick lodgepole pines on 5,200 acres. Hayrides, indoor swimming, campfire night, and reservoir for canoeing. Chaplain teaches fly-fishing on summer afternoons. On-site dialysis center. ACA accredited. Lodging Campsites with or without hookups; 220 hotel-style lodge rooms with queen beds and bath; 62 cabins with fully equipped kitchen, beds, and private bath. Linens provided. Food Breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets. Three plans: à la carte, American (three meals daily, adults $25, kids $14), European (breakfast and dinner, adults $20, kids $12). The Buckboard Grill serves snacks from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Dates Open year-round, no minimum stay. Price Rooms from $294, meals extra. 970/887-2152, ext. 4110, ymcarockies.org.

Maine

Ferry Beach Camp and Conference Center, Saco Affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association, with activities focused on spirituality. Workshops on eco-smart living, creative writing, dancing, drumming, photography, and fiber arts (weaving, scrapbooking, knitting). Lessons in sea kayaking. Daily service at on-site chapel. Teen programs, like an ongoing home-building service project in a nearby community. Lodging Dorm-style rooms (two to four beds) with bathrooms in corridor. Tent and RV sites. Food Breakfast and lunch buffets, family-style dinners, meal plans optional for tent/RV campers. Cuisine themes include Thai, Mexican, Indian. Dates June 24-Sept. 5, no minimum stay. Price Rooms from $1,900. 207/282-4489, ferrybeach.org.

Medomak Camp for Families, Washington On the three-mile-long Medomak Lake. Yoga, photography, jewelry- and mask-making. Lessons in rowing, sailing, kayaking, canoeing. Massages ($60/hour). Lodging Single-room cabins (sleep six to eight) with private hot showers. Food Family-style with fresh produce from camp garden. Weekly lobster bake with mussels and corn on the cob at an additional $10-$12. Coffee and fruit all day. Once a week, parents can sample local beers and cheese while counselors watch kids. Dates June 26-Aug. 20. Price $2,100. 866/633-6625, medomakcamp.com.

Wyonegonic, Denmark Two miles of piney shoreline with water sports galore: canoeing and sailing; waterskiing and sailboarding for kids over 10. ACA accredited. Lodging Wooden cabins with cots that sleep 6 to 12, no electricity. Linens supplied. Food Family-style breakfast and dinner, buffet lunch, all served at lodge. Weekly cookouts. Dates Aug. 19-28, three-day minimum stay, fills quickly. Price $1,400. 207/452-2051, wyonegonic.com.

Massachusetts

YMCA Camp Hi-Rock, Mount Washington In a thousand-acre Berkshires forest. Swimming, boating, waterskiing on the lake. Hike part of the Appalachian Trail. Evening activities include game-show nights, bingo, campfires, and square dancing. Lodging Cabins sleep eight, with private rooms and bunk beds. Four-season lodge (already booked). Food Optional meal plan ($17.50 daily for adults, $8.50 for kids 7-11) includes three buffets daily. Coffee and fruit throughout the day. Dates Aug. 29-Sept. 5, no minimum stay. Price $1,300. 413/528-1227, ext. 13, camphirock.com.

Michigan

YMCA Camp Pendalouan, Montague More than 150 acres of pine and oak forest near the White River. Rope climbing, skit nights, craft activities, and canoeing on Big Blue Lake. ACA accredited. Lodging Cabins with bunk beds, electricity, and shared bathhouse. Food Three family-style meals daily. Weekly cookouts at Lake Michigan, 10 miles away. Dates July 2-5. Price $625, kids under 5 free. 231/894-4538, pendalouan.org.

YMCA Storer Camps, Jackson Upper midwestern woodland, wetland trails, green meadows, and a 300-acre lake. Supervised waterfront activities such as sailing, canoeing, kayaking. Pie-baking competitions, tile painting, trail rides, nature programs, climbing tower, square dancing, scavenger hunts. ACA accredited. Lodging Wooden cabins with electricity, each with six double bunk beds. Motel-style unit with common rooms and private bath. Food Buffet breakfast and family-style lunch and dinner. Dates June 26-July 2, July 3-9. Price $1,040. 800/536-8607, ymcastorercamps.org.