BudgetTravel

In the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range on 130 acres. High and low ropes courses. Outdoor movie night. Wine tastings. Luau night with limbo contest. Gourd painting, watercolor class, talent show, archery, and tie-dyeing. Sunset cruise, tubing, and wakeboarding on nearby Bullard's Bar Reservoir. Lodging: Wooden cabins with private deck and domed adobe cabins (each sleeps five) with electricity and shared bathhouse; lodge rooms (sleep four) and suite rooms (sleep eight) with shared bath in main lodge. Food: Three buffets daily in dining hall; snacks available in the camp store. Dates: June 18-Aug. 26. Price: $2,332. 800/826-7310, shadycreekcamp.com.

Wonder Valley Family Camp, Sanger

Did you see BT on the Today show? Watch Editor Erik Torkells discuss last year's 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 FAMILY CAMPS • How to Read These Listings • Camp Glossary: Activities! • 50 All-Star Family Camps • The 2005 List MARCH 2006 ISSUE • Table of Contents • Dream Trips: 2006 Edition • The Hungry Man's Tokyo • 50 All-Star Family Camps • Trip Coach: The Caribbean • Road Trip: The Northern Neck, Virginia • 40 Best Vacations

On a private lake in the foothills of Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. Minibike and go-kart tracks, skateboard park. Waterslides, high and low ropes courses, canoeing on the lower Kings River. Waterskiing, personal watercraft. Thursday is parents' night, with child care 5 p.m.-11:30 p.m., prime rib dinner, casino tables, and live entertainment. Full day-care center. ACA accredited. Lodging: Fifty-three motel-style rooms; most sleep seven on doubles, kings, and bunks. Food: Three buffets daily in lakeside dining hall. Dates: Aug. 6-12; Aug. 13-19. Price: $3,956. 800/821-2801, wondervalleyfamilycamp.com.

COLORADO

Cheley Colorado Camps, Estes Park

On 1,600 acres in the Rocky Mountains. Since 1921. Daily hikes and horseback rides through Rocky Mountain National Park and Roosevelt National Forest. Movie making, campfire nights. Technical climbing, fishing. ACA accredited. Lodging: Covered wagons with shared bathhouse sleep four. Food: Three family-style meals daily in dining hall; snacks throughout the day; trail lunch provided. Dates: Aug. 8-13. Price: $2,400. 800/226-7386, cheley.com.

Colorado Heritage Camps, Denver

Ten camps: nine in the Rockies and one in Denver. For families with multicultural and internationally adopted children. Each camp focuses on a specific culture Counselors and teachers share the same heritage as the kids. Chinese, Cambodian, Indian, Nepalese, Filipino, Korean, Latin American, Russian, African-American, and Vietnamese programs. Lodging: Lodge rooms with private bath sleep six in bunk beds; wooden cabins (with full kitchen and shared bath) sleep 10 on twins and bunks; tent and RV sites. Food: Buffet breakfast and dinner; culture-specific cafeteria-style lunch. Dates: June 22-Sept. 4. Price: $480. 303/320-4234, heritagecamps.org.

MAINE

Camp Sunshine At Sebago Lake, Casco

For kids with serious illnesses. On Sebago Lake, 27 miles northwest of Portland. Bass fishing, indoor swimming pool with wheelchair lift, miniature golf, family workshops with counselor, 24-hour doctor, and social worker. ACA accredited. Lodging: Forty family housing suites with private bath sleep six on twin beds, pull-out futon, and built-in bunks. Food: Three buffets daily; once per session there's an adults-only gourmet meal (prime rib, stuffed fish, karaoke). Dates: Feb. 17-Nov. 12. Price: Free (made possible by grants from foundations and private donations). Summer sessions fill quickly. 207/655-3800, campsunshine.org.

Ferry Beach Camp And Conference Center, Saco