BudgetTravel

Minnesota

Concordia Language Villages, Bemidji Five villages on 880 acres around Turtle River Lake. The weeklong family camps offer language immersion and activities that reflect the traditions and celebrations of Finland and Germany. (French, Spanish, and Scandinavian weekend programs also available.) Regional folk dancing, games, songs, and crafts. ACA accredited. Lodging Choose from communal housing reflecting Finnish, German, French, or Spanish traditions. Food Cuisine depends on type of program; served family-style. Dates June 13-18. Price $1,300. 800/222-4750, concordialanguagevillages.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

Family Camp at Camp Lake Hubert, Lake Hubert Ninety-six years old. The camp has a 17-foot-high tree house and is dotted with rope swings and hammocks. Nightly teen campfires with card and board games, puzzles, and snacks. Families take pontoon boats to picnic lunch. ACA accredited. Lodging Families share two-level cabins with three bedrooms, fireplace, and private bath. Linens provided. Food All meals family-style. Coffee and fruit available all day. Dates Aug. 12-18, fills quickly. Price $2,800. 800/242-1909, lincoln-lakehubert.com.

Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, Finland An accredited school overlooking Lake Superior. Focus on learning and exploring habitats. Experienced naturalists lead walks into the wilderness and hold workshops and classes on ecology, rock climbing, astronomy, folk dancing, block printing, and voyageur activities (where kids learn about the fur trade from a costumed staffer). Lodging Dorm-style rooms with two to four bunk beds. Food Three cafeteria-style meals daily in dining hall. Dates Open year-round at select time periods; Aug. 1-6. Price $1,050. 218/353-7414, wolf-ridge.org.

YMCA Camp du Nord, Ely With red pines and rocky shores along inland lakes, it's near one of North America's last timber wolf habitats. Also spot bald eagles,  hawks, loons, and moose. Concentrate on spiritual development and growth. Activities include naturalist presentations, talent nights, sing-alongs, and overnight camping trips. ACA accredited. Lodging Cabins sleep 4 to 14, some have kitchens and private baths; tent sites. Food Buffet breakfast and family-style lunch and dinner in the dining hall. Four meal plans available (from $50). Dates June 18-Sept. 3. Price $1,175. 612/465-0490, dunord.org.

Missouri

Trout Lodge, Potosi On 5,000 wooded acres overlooking a 360-acre lake. Pony-  and hayrides, family-oriented movie nights. Scale the 50-foot Alpine Tower and  the Pines Peak climbing wall, and tackle the summit course with ropes, cables, pulleys, and zipline. Eighteen-hole golf course adjacent, with antiques shops and wineries nearby. ACA accredited. Lodging Hotel-style lodge rooms with queen-size beds, private bath, and lake view; loft suites on top floor. Deluxe two-bedroom, two-bathroom cabins--with heat and A/C--sleep up to 10. Linens provided. Food Three buffets daily. Dates Year-round, two-night minimum on the weekends. Price Lodge room $1,752 (not including $7 temporary YMCA membership fee). 314/241-9622, ymcaoftheozarks.org.

New Hampshire

Alton Bay Christian Conference Center, Alton Bay Celebrating 142 years on Lake Winnipesaukee. The tabernacle hosts Christian concerts Saturdays, with two Sunday services in the chapel. Private beach, Bible school, and inspirational speakers. Lodging 14-unit motel, sleeps up to four per room; 8-room lodging house; 30-unit RV park with tent sites and hookup; and 170 cottages, some over 100 years old. Food Full-service restaurant serves three à la carte meals daily. Dates July 1-Sept. 5, no minimum stay. Price $275, meals extra. 603/875-6161, abccc.org.

Calumet Lutheran Camp and Conference Center, West Ossipee At the base of the White Mountains, with daily Bible study, a nature learning center, and a lakefront beach for swimming and evening singing and prayer. Game nights (sometimes on a six-by-six-foot Scrabble board) and weekly scavenger hunts. ACA accredited. Lodging Conference center sleeps 34 in motel-style rooms, with bathroom down the hall (linens provided); 65 RV sites, most with hookups. Food Pay by the meal. Buffet breakfast and dinner in conference center dining room. Lunch is grilled daily out on the beach. All-you-can-eat ice cream social every Friday night. Dates July 2-Sept. 5, no minimum stay. Price $912, meals extra. 603/539-3223, ext. 220, calumet.org.

Camp Takodah, Richmond Generations of families have returned annually since 1921. Diving tower and slide on Cass Pond. Sailboards, kayaks, and inner tubes. Flag-raising ceremony daily. Activities run by staff and families. Ropes course with 30-foot "pamper" pole, dress-up time, riflery, Frisbee golf, and music nook. Mealtime songs. ACA accredited. Lodging Wooden cabins sleeping up to 10 on built-in bunks and cots, with electric lighting and shared bathhouse. Food Three family-style meals daily in the dining hall. Snacks provided throughout the day. Dates Aug. 28-Sept. 2, three-day minimum stay. Price $1,720. 603/352-0447 (Sept.-June), 603/239-4781 (summer), camptakodah.org.

Purity Spring Resort Family Camp, East Madison On 1,000 acres in the White Mountains. Waterskiing and wakeboarding on mile-long Purity Lake. Sports, fitness programs, canoe trips, kids' talent shows, and scavenger hunts. Lodging Wooden cabins sleep up to eight on twin-size cots, with private toilet and cold-water sink. Shared shower house. Linens provided. Food Three buffets daily. Lobster and steak cookout once a week. Dates Aug. 14-20, two-night minimum stay. Price Cabin $1,362. 800/373-3754, purityspring.com.