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5 Best Summer Camps In Nashville 2024

nashville summer camps

Nashville, Tennessee, has an incredible, rich culture, serving as the world’s center of country music and a cultural center for the South. It’s a great place for kids to spend their time, and especially during the summer. The beautiful natural Appalachian land is a stunning backdrop, with lots of options for hiking, horseback riding, and learning about the natural world.

Summer camps make great use of this land to provide fun outdoor adventures for kids. Read on to find out about the best summer camps in Nashville, TN. You can also read our Best Summer Camps In Tennessee page.

Best Nashville Summer Camps 

Camp Widjiwagan

Camp Widjiwagan is a summer camp run by the YMCA that sits on a massive amount of natural land in the middle of Tennessee. The camp offers an incredible amount of amenities, including an archery range, rock climbing wall, musical studio, theater, splash park, obstacle courses, sports field, horse barn, and much more. With so many incredible opportunities for fun, it’s impossible for a camper to get bored.

Camp Widjiwagan offers both day camp and overnight camp options for children. Children ages 7+ can stay at the overnight camp, which includes a traditional camp experience and fun-themed programs like Superhero Camp, Broadway Theater Camp, and Percy Jackson Camp. Day camp options extend to those as young as four, with just as many opportunities for unforgettable experiences and themed learning camps. 

Kids can also learn how to ride horses with Ranch Camp, offered for children ages 5-17. Kids can learn rodeo skills, ride ponies, and learn the basics of horse care. Ranch Camp is offered as a day program or weekend overnight programs for kids ages 7-17. 

Deer Run Summer Camp

Deer Run Summer Camp near Nashville is a massive outdoor Christian camp that offers a huge variety of opportunities for kids and families to spend time in nature. Deer Run offers fun activities like swimming, boating, zip-lining, archery, obstacle courses, and pedal cart racing. Older kids in 5th and 6th grade also get a chance to try some more adventurous activities like axe throwing and going for a ride on the camp’s giant swing! 

Summer day camp is available for students five years old to 6th graders, while overnight camp sessions are open to 3rd to 10th-grade students. Families can participate in a family camp, where parents and kids can take a trip together. There are more specific camps like Father/Son Adventure Weekend and a Mother/Daughter Getaway Weekend. 

Camp Marymount

Camp Marymount is a beautiful waterfront retreat run by the Nashville Diocese and sits along the shores of Lever Lake. Camp activities at Camp Marymount include archery, arts and crafts, horseback riding, canoeing, tomahawk tossing, and much more. Campers also get swimming instruction, and older students can go on a one to three-day wilderness excursion outside of camp. Kids also spend their time attending daily prayer services as part of their camp activities. 

Camp Marymount offers sessions for both boys and girls, including one and two-week sessions. The Junior Camp is suitable for 1st to 8th-grade students, while the Senior Camp is for those in 8th grade and above.

Mr. Bond’s Science Guys Camp

For youngsters who one day want to become scientists, researchers, or engineers, Mr. Bond’s Science Guys Camp is the perfect place to spend the summer. Camps are offered at multiple locations all over the Greater Nashville area so that you can find a location convenient for your family. Each week at camp is dedicated to a different subject area of science, including chemistry, medical science, and physics.

Camps are offered throughout the summer, with sessions lasting three to five days, depending on the schedule. Both half-day camps and full-day camps are offered to provide some flexibility to your summer scheduling efforts. Each day at camp is spent learning new scientific concepts, participating in hands-on science experiments, and seeing demonstrations of incredible scientific concepts from teachers. The day programs include plenty of time to play, run outside, and play team games with their friends. 

Camp Sycamore Creek

Camp Sycamore Creek is a Christian camp located on 24 acres of natural wildland in Goodlettsville, TN, only 20 minutes from Nashville. While it’s not exactly a summer camp, it provides the facilities and makes it an ideal place for groups.

The camp facilities include a ropes course, giant swing, zip line, and more. The camp is available to rent by large groups, so it’s a great place to take youth groups, sports teams, or class field trips — to spend quality time bonding outdoors. 

With eleven cabins, a beautiful pavilion, and acres upon acres of incredible natural land to explore, its facilities are top-notch and provide an excellent experience for those who attend.