Thirty minutes from Augusta, Maine, amid the pine forests and along beautiful Washington Lake, is Medomak Family Camp, which takes sleepaway camp to a completely new level. Fully inclusive, it is a sleepaway camp for the whole family to enjoy and relax.
There are 12 cabins at Medomak varying in size to accommodate small or large families. Cabins include electricity, a shower and bathroom, which are nicely sized and rustic, giving you that country and natural feeling. There is plenty of room for bringing anything you might need. Night-lights outside the cabins are red, so as to not interfere with the amazing stargazing at night.
Stargazing is a wonderful bonus at Medomak. On a clear night, the sky offers shooting stars, beautiful views of planets and a spectacular Milky Way Galaxy, which is visible to the naked eye. The sky is even more breathtaking if you want to bring a telescope.
Our boys were so taken by the beauty of the night skies that they would stay up as long as they could to see celestial bodies with their eyes and through the telescopes. My husband and I had a good time hiking and learning new things like how to canoe, how to shoot an arrow, and how to play SCAG (a combination of soccer, croquet and golf). We also made some great new friends.
Our oldest son turned out to be a great shot with a bow and arrow, hitting a bull’s-eye in his first lesson, and the younger would have stayed at the lake all day if we had let him. A favorite night was an evening with soda tasting and making for the kids and beer tasting for the adults. There was even barn dancing for all which made for some fun times.
Overall, the Medomak Family Camp experience pays homage to sleepaway camps from our youth. Meals are family style with menu options for even the choosiest of eaters. Hot coffee, tea and fruit are always waiting in the kitchen for the afternoon or the late night snack.
The owners, Holly and George Stone, have created a family atmosphere of ease and fun, the staff and counselors are exceptional and, by the end of your stay, feel like friends and family. By mid-week, everyone at camp knows each other’s name, cabin and family.
Morning activities, such as archery, SCAG (soccer, croquet and golf), volleyball, clay, shop and more, are available for campers of all ages from toddlers to adults. Adults can join in their activities, lounge at the lake, hike or sit back and relax at their cabin. Children can also sit back and relax but usually prefer to shoot an arrow or play a game with their new friends.
How you spend the afternoon will be up to you. The lake is officially open from 2-5, with lifeguards on duty, but you can head there at any time. Kayaks, canoes, rowboats, paddleboats are available at your leisure to enjoy the peace and serenity of the lake, and possibly get a glimpse of an American bald eagle as it flies around the lake.
There are more varied activities throughout the day and evening ranging from fishing, cow-milking, arts and crafts to barn dancing and beer tasting for the adults, and soda tasting for the kids. When there is downtime, kids like to hang out in the barn, a place which houses a basketball hoop, Foosball and Ping-Pong tables, and more.
The end of every day meets with a big campfire and the added treat of marshmallows or Smores. Just like camps from our youth, there is singing, cheering, guitar playing and joke telling.
When your stay comes to an end at Medomak Family Camp, you will surely meet with sadness and pleas for one more day from your children, and possibly your spouse, and you understand because you feel the same way. Medomak Family Camp is the place you will return to year after year, to unplug, reconnect and create forever memories.
