janeyb13

Hi, I am new here!

Moving with my family early next year to OC California.

I have an odd question, does USA have the kind of holiday camps we have here in the UK? Park Resort, Haven, Butlins... you know the kind of cheesy tacky places with entertainment for the children (which they love)?

Just wondered, can't find anything specific when I google it

Thanks

steveq

Yes, they call it 'Florida'.... :-)

kimilseung

Well there are the Disney things, and lots and lots of live away camps for kids that free up the adults, and hotel/water park things. Same-same but different.

e.g. Great Wolf Lodge.

Pulaski

Nothing quite like that that I've ever heard of. The closest might be a Kampgrounds of America KOA facility, but I think those are entirely of a "bring your own accommodation" variety, AND don't have the cheesey light entertainment.

Oh! .... I think closest proxy might be found on the cheaper cruise lines, like Disney. They're not exactly "cheap" but I think they have communal activities for children and shows and entertainment and what have you.

But given that British holiday camps were largely a product of a post-war demoralised population and a lot of demobbed residential barrack buildings looking for a new use, it would IMO be surprising if the same kind of cheap and cheerful communal vacationing had spontaneously appeared in the US.

scrubbedexpat099

Christian and other religious sort of camps specially for Children.

There was a song about it.....

sir_eccles

Major resort hotels in the usual holiday destinations (Hawaii, Florida, Sandals, Disney etc) generally have organized kids activities I think.

I wouldn't call such places cheap.

The resorts depicted in films such as "Dirty Dancing" are probably closer to the mark but are long gone I think.

Sally Redux

I didn't know they still had Butlins in the UK.

kins

They have camp/caravan sites (only they call them RVs) with loads of activities and entertainment for the family. It's just not national chains, that I've seen. Google 'RV sites entertainment' or similar for wherever you're looking. I'm in Maine and there are four or five at least here that I specifically avoid because they look so much like Butlins :-)

Melly

I've lived here going on 30yrs and haven't found anything that comes close to what you are describing, unfortunately! I have wonderful memories of the many caravan sites we stayed at. Looking back, what a great place for parents as they could drink till the cows came home, all the while knowing the kids were getting entertained, and worn out!! I used to like the working men's club environment too, also a place to take kids and have a beverage, if one liked. The closest I've come to finding that kind of atmosphere is the local Eagle's Lodge. I agree with the OP regarding KOA campgrounds, but still pretty far off the mark from the UK holiday camps.

robin1234

Yes, they do, but like everything else they've gradually evolved in an attempt to keep pace with changing expectations. The Butlins in Minehead, the town where we used to live, tried to move away from the Butlins image in the 1980s. They rebranded it Somerwest World. Now it's back to being called Butlins again. But take a look at their website; it costs more than the average hotel for a family of four to stay there! Chalets etc. are upgraded, of course, with ensuite facilities and similar, but over a hundred pounds a night?? And the food still looks pretty basic.

Sally Redux

I got a bit lost on the website - it didn't look particularly cheap from what I could see.

robin1234

I just googled "family summer camps" and loads of places and organizations came up. I suspect many of them are based at sites of traditional children's summer camps, which are having to diversify with specialty camps and family camps because the traditional children's camp business is dropping off, for many reasons. That is, some of the old established kids camps are still doing very well, while others can no longer make a go of it.

Facilities are often spartan and outdated at the older summer camps, in my experience. Also keeping pace with health and safety (and fire) regulations can be a challenge too.

Moonshadow_Girl

Camp Sacramento is located on Highway 50 in California about 30-40 miles shy of Lake Tahoe. The camp is run by the City of Sacramento and offers plenty of activities for families of all ages.

Nutek

Englishmum

I've never been to a holiday camp (although I think the current trend in the UK and Holland/Belgium/France/Germany is to go to 'Centerparcs'). I thought I'd read a report a few years ago that a Centerparcs was going to open in the US (can't remember where, probably Florida) but it doesn't seem to have materialised.

http://www.centerparcs.co.uk/ and http://www.centerparcs.com/

The only other place I can think of is the Club Med 'Sandpiper Bay' in Florida which is aimed at family groups from babies to adults...I once saw it featured on a UK holiday TV programme and it looks fantastic; however it's not cheap!

http://www.clubmed.us/cm/resort-sand...007-ac-vh.html