What happens at a outdoor camp?

Outdoor and adventure camps are built around being outside — hiking, nature study, farm work, creek exploration, climbing, and field trips. Most of the day outdoors regardless of heat, with shade and water breaks. Hands-on nature activities, trail time, or animal and farm care. Off-site trips are common, so drop-off and pickup times can be strict.

How should we prepare for a outdoor camp?

Closed-toe shoes that are allowed to get muddy and wet, plus a full change of clothes daily. Insect repellent and sunscreen applied before arrival; ask the camp's policy on reapplication. A tick check at the end of each day is worth building into the routine in this region. Send a backpack your child can carry themselves on a trail.

What should we ask before booking a outdoor camp?

What is the plan for extreme heat, storms, or poor air quality? Are there off-site trips, and how do campers travel? How close is water, and what supervision applies near it?

Activity guide

Outdoor camps

Outdoor and adventure camps are built around being outside — hiking, nature study, farm work, creek exploration, climbing, and field trips.

Find outdoor camps near you

277 camps on Campser mention outdoor activities. Narrow by area and your child's age.

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What a day usually looks like

Most of the day outdoors regardless of heat, with shade and water breaks
Hands-on nature activities, trail time, or animal and farm care
Off-site trips are common, so drop-off and pickup times can be strict

How to prepare

Closed-toe shoes that are allowed to get muddy and wet, plus a full change of clothes daily.
Insect repellent and sunscreen applied before arrival; ask the camp's policy on reapplication.
A tick check at the end of each day is worth building into the routine in this region.
Send a backpack your child can carry themselves on a trail.

Worth asking before you book

What is the plan for extreme heat, storms, or poor air quality?
Are there off-site trips, and how do campers travel?
How close is water, and what supervision applies near it?

Field trips can shift the day's start and end times. Check the schedule for trip days before arranging work coverage.

What Campser lists

277 camps mention outdoor activities in their verified source text, from 84 providers.
Published prices run from $175 to $6,120.
Most are in Alexandria, VA (43), Springfield, VA (25), Annandale, VA (23), Herndon, VA (18), Falls Church, VA (14), McLean, VA (13).
Last verified July 14, 2026 — see how we verify camps.

The guidance above is Campser's general advice about this kind of camp, not a claim about any listing below. Camp facts come only from each provider's own site. Coverage is Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, Bethesda, MD, Chevy Chase, MD, and nearby communities.

Congressional Camp

School & General Day

Ages: Ages 4-14; filters include rising Jr. Kindergarten-Kindergarten, rising 1st-2nd, rising 3rd-4th, rising 5th-6th, and rising 7th-9th grade
Price: 2026 weekly camp rates shown: Day Camp $725; Great Adventures $725; Travel Camps $875; Specialty Camps at Sleepy Hollow $500; Pre-Season Week $575; Encore Week $850
Location: Main Campus at Congressional School, 3229 Sleepy Hollow Road, Falls Church, VA 22042; satellite location at Sleepy Hollow Elementary, Falls Church, VA

2026 details verified · 2026-06-29