In-Camp Activities
Archery | Arts & Crafts | Climbing Wall | Disc Golf | Fencing | Golf | Hang Gliding | Kayaking | Low Ropes | Music | Riflery | Slip N’ Slide | Skateboarding | Team Sports | Tennis | Water Front | Video Production | Yoga
Our Commitment to the younger boys, as well as the older ones, transcends throughout our camp program. If you shop camps, you will find that there are few camps, if any that allow boys under twelve to Climb, Bike, Raft or Kayak out of Camp. The diversity of our in-camp program, combined with our extensive tripping program, gives boys an experience they can only get at Camp Carolina.
Every activity at Camp Carolina is available to campers of all ages on a level specifically designed for their age group, with the exception of Surfing, Wakeboarding and Paintball, which are offered to the boys who have finished fifth grade. The only reward a boy can receive at Camp Carolina is for being a positive member of the community. The Old Man of the Mountain award is based on citizenship. Boys do not receive rewards of any significant merit for athletic prowess or excellence in any activity.
Our cost is all inclusive, except for incidentals, prize trips and pizza parties. We run all our own programs. For Instance, the Raft Guides and Climbing Instructors are part of our community, They arrive at Camp with specific skills and are trained at Backcountry Institute. All our staff go through the same rigorous hiring procedures.
We have a lesson plan for every activity for each age group so that all the boys can be safe and successful. We do all the team sports that boys do at home but put camaraderie and sportsmanship first over competition, and boys are more seldom on the same team more than once. We have a strong focus on individual sports that are designed to build confidence and self-esteem.
Archery
Our archery program offers boys the opportunity to hone their hand-eye coordination under the watchful eyes of our qualified instructors who are all certified by the National Archery Association.
We teach the boys all they need to know about the great sport that is Archery.
Learn components of the bow and arrow, the correct shooting technique, the importance of correct arrow nocking, range safety, the correct way to remove arrows and range commands. Once you have mastered the art and learned all there is to learn about Archery you get the chance to show off your skills on an exciting 3D archery field trip or even in an archery competition against one of the girls camps.
Arts and Crafts
Take a Camp Carolina journey and explore your creative talents in so many ways at Arts’n'Crafts. Take the opportunity to be expressive by making some of these popular arts and crafts with guidance from an experienced Camp Carolina counselor:
- Paintings and drawing
- Leather belts and bookmarks
- Tie dye and painted t-shirts
- Mosaics
- Origami
- Sand art
- Paper mache
- Hemp lanyards and bracelets
- Magnets and photo frames
- Masks
- Indian rain sticks
- Dream catchers
- Totem poles
- Pottery
- Woodwork – tables, chairs, cabin signs
- Musical instruments
Sign up for our end of session Hike and Draw where you’ll get the chance to put your free-hand drawing skills to work whilst relaxing in the magnificent settings of the various sites along the Blue Ridge Parkway; Upper Falls of the Yellowstone Pronge, Graveyard Fields, Looking Glass Rock View Point and Devil’s Courthouse to name a few.
Our arts and crafts counselors bring some amazing new ideas along with them each year from all over the world. Their creative knowledge, patience, sense of humor and enthusiasm make any time spent at arts and crafts fun and adventurous!
Climbing Wall
Here at Camp Carolina we have a purpose built climbing wall, the ‘Carolina Wave’. The wall has many different routes to cater for all level of climbers, from very difficult overhanging climbs for the more experienced climber to easier flat wall climbs with larger holds for the beginners.
By providing this wide range of climbs all campers can feel challenged and gain a sense of accomplishment once they reach the top to ring the Carolina Wave Bell. By practicing on the climbing wall the boys feel confident and have trust in the ropes, harness and the instructors at Camp Carolina before tackling the climbs out of camp on the rocks.
Our lead climber is always an experienced passionate climber with extensive experience and in addition all of our mountaineering staff take a 3 day intensive rock climbing course.
Disc Golf
Our professionally designed disc golf course is very popular with the campers. We had Innova (a highly regarded disc golf supplier) help design our 9 hole course which is spread all over Camp Carolina’s undulating grassed areas. Boys of any age can play in teams or individually and love it!
Fencing
This is a unique program which offers boys the opportunity to develop and improve a wide range of skills including balance, coordination, speed and reflexes. All of our fencing instructors are certified by the US Fencing Association.
During fencing boys will learn how to identify and name all the equipment they use, the different stances, how to attack and parry, the different combos which can be used and how scoring points works. We have practice games against each other where boys can implicate and improve the skills they have learnt.
At the end of the session we have 2-day competitions where the boys can show off their newly developed talents.
Golf
Golf is a very popular activity at Camp Carolina. We have a wide range of golf clubs so that any camper will find a club the perfect size for them. Campers are given detailed instruction in the biomechanics of their swing and stance and then have ample opportunities to practice on the Camp Carolina driving range.
The campers may also receive the opportunity to attend the golf prize trip at either Sherwood Forest or Connestee Falls, both premier golf courses in the area for a full day of playing.
Our Golf instructors are all experienced golf players themselves and participate in the golf instructor training course before the campers arrive.
Hang Gliding
Hangliding is definitely one of the most unique activities offered at Camp Carolina. The boys are fitted with a harness and helmet before climbing up the hangliding tower. They are then clipped onto the hanglider, which is attached to a giant zip line.
The boys then run down the ramp and off they go! They fly all the way down dining hall hill, across the car park before landing safely near the office. Then it’d time to run back up Dining Hall Hill for another turn!
Kayaking
In camp kayaking is a great opportunity to hone your boating skills with one of our many qualified instructors on our private lake. We teach the basics of kayaking then progress skills through many interactive games including races, relays and tag games.
We always leave time for a free paddle at the end of the period which almost always ends up with everyone in the lake. Including the counselors!
Low Ropes
The Low Rope course at Camp Carolina is an awesome team building activity and a great way to get the boys thinking and communicating as a whole group. Our purpose built low ropes course on the edge of the forest has many different obstacles or problems for the campers to complete. These obstacles are only considered complete when everybody in the team has succeeded hence making the teamwork very important.
A few of the tasks we currently offer include the ‘spiders web’ which is a bunch of ropes tangled between a frame creating a web like feature and the challenge is to get the team to pass from one side to the other without touching any component of the “web”. Another challenge is the rope swing which is where the team has to swing and land on a maze of logs without landing in the mud pool on the ground. Or another favorite – The wire low ropes which are a test of balance and technique.
Music
We have a huge commitment to our very popular music program. We teach the boys guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard here at Camp Carolina. Our purpose built music room is sound proof and provides the boys with a quiet and productive place to learn and produce music. We have an assortment of Electric, Bass, Nylon and Acoustic guitars, drum kits, keyboards, microphones, PA’s and amplifiers so that the campers can experiment with all instruments and genres of music.
Campers with a strong passion for music may even have the opportunity to form their very own band and get their first demo cut in our recording studio. We encourage the boys to write original songs and record a track of their own while at camp, which can then be burnt to a CD and taken home to show everyone their new found rockstar status!
Our music counselors as a team have extensive experience in all of the instruments we offer and a passion for encouraging the campers to produce original music and enjoy any music they are playing. At the end of session talent show many of the campers like to showcase their new found musical skills, or a new Camp Carolina band may make their debut performance.
Riflery
Riflery here at Camp Carolina is very strict and structured and it is one of the oldest programs we offer. Our qualified instructors are all certified by the National Riflery Association (NRA).
Campers are first taught range safety rules and then familiarized with the different rifles and their components before learn the importance of the safety gear and how it is to be worn on the range. We ensure that the safety gear is always worn correctly and in place at all times whilst on the range. Campers are then taught different shooting positions and the correct placement/positioning of the rifle including the correct way to grip the rifle, how to look through the sight using the correct eye. Finally they learn all the range commands that are used internationally.
Campers who develop a passion for riflery and become an accurate shot can fire away some tight, consistent groups against one of the girl’s camp in our friendly end of session riflery competition.
Slip ‘N Slide
Skateboarding
If a camper has a passion for skating or it is something they have always wanted to try, then Camp Carolina is the place to be! We have an indoor skate park with 1/4 pipes, a 1/2 pipe, wall rides, rails, curbs, and a fun box so that boys of all ages and skill levels have a new challenge to focus on.
We also have the Carolina Four Leaf Clover which is our outdoor skate bowl. Boys who prefer outdoor skating can drop in and carve some serious turns. The Carolina Four Leaf Clover was intricately painted in 2011 and is now a rainbow of colors and patterns.
We have a wide range of skate equipment on offer at Camp Carolina so the boys have the best sized boards to aid in their success. Safety is paramount at the skate park. A helmet, elbow pads and knee pads must be worn before getting on their board.
At the end of each session our really keen skateboarders get the opportunity to go on the skate boarding prize trip to Zero Gravity which is the largest indoor skating facility in Western North Carolina. It is situated only 10 minutes away! The boys spend a whole morning or afternoon carving up the awesome 12,000 sq ft park.
Team Sports
If team sports are your thing, then at Camp Carolina we offer all your favorite games, plus some sports that you may never have even heard of! We offer great facilities to provide a safe area to play for all of the sports offered, including a soccer pitch with full size soccer goals, a baseball field, a beach volleyball court and a basketball court with adjustable net heights for the younger campers.
We also have a huge range of equipment for all sports offered in a range of sizes so all campers have equal opportunity to succeed and advance their skills. We ensure all boys wear appropriate safety equipment for the sport they are participating in.
Boys can participate in and aim to improve their skills in traditional American sports such as:
- Basketball
- Softball
- Soccer
- Baseball
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Badminton
- Volleyball
We offer the boys the opportunity to try out international games that our passionate counselors bring with them such as:
- Cricket
- Aussie rules football
- Touch football
- Touch rugby
Our Team Sports staff are hired from all over the world and have a strong background and passion in at least one of the sports offered and so can provide the campers with the best coaching and supervision possible. Upon arrival at camp they also participate in training courses for all sports offered.
Tennis
Our Tennis program at Camp Carolina is a fun and exciting activity to be a part of during the summer. We have 4 newly surfaced courts and tennis rackets of all sizes so that all of our campers have the chance to progress and improve their tennis skills and game play. Every day at tennis brings a new challenge and some new games to play with your fellow campers.
If your main interest is to play games and have fun with your buddies then our friendly staff will help you come up with a new and exciting game each day. You will be having so much fun you won’t even know that your tennis skills are improving! If however you want to improve your technique and court skills then you can receive some specialized coaching from one of our skilled and dedicated counselors.
Our Tennis staff come from all over the world and bring with them passion and experience, as well as the love of passing on their tennis knowledge to others. They complete a course focusing on tennis instruction before the campers arrive. They will also bring many tennis games with them from their home countries including around the world, murder ball, king of the court, cone head, cross the river and many more.
Campers can also play tennis in free time at Camp Carolina and will often have the opportunity to receive one-on-one coaching or the chance to play against (and beat!) their counselors.
Water Front
The water front is one of the most popular places to hang out and relax at Camp Carolina. The boys must pass the swim test on opening day to swim without a life vest in the free swim area and go on rafting and other water based trips.
We have 2 different swim tests at Camp to cater for the varying ability levels and age groups.
- Swim Test 1- Swim Freestyle for 50 yards then tread water for 2 minutes.
- Swim Test 2- Swim 100 yards, tread water for 2 minutes and dive down to retrieve a rock off the bottom of the lake.
Campers also love to play on the Blob, Aqua Tramp, Aqua Slide, Zip Line and Bike Ramp- All which require the boys to wear helmets and life vests and be supervised by our fully qualified lifeguards at all times.
Our highly trained and mature lifeguards are all very competent and passionate swimmers themselves and are certified by the American Red Cross before the campers arrive.
The water front is open during both free times on weekdays as well as most weekends and is supervised by lifeguards at all times.
Video Production
Boys who love creating movies or acting have the opportunity to produce a movie with Camp Carolina’s video recording and editing software. Any boys interested get to write the script, cast actors, learn how to use the video recorder, record and act out the scenes and then spend time in our video editing studio making the final cuts under the watchful eyes of our talented photo/video team.
We then copy the videos to CD for the boys to take home, plus they are put on the year books each year so all their Camp Carolina buddies get to admire their artistic abilities. Who knows, you might be the next Jerry Bruckheimer, Steve Martin or Matt Damon!
Yoga
Yoga at Camp Carolina is not your standard yoga-its Jedi Yoga! We have a purpose built yoga building set away from the hustle and bustle of camp life. The building has full wall mirrors positioned so that campers can check their form whilst relaxing and strengthening their core muscles.
Our yoga instructors sometimes hold classes in the great outdoors for a breath of fresh mountain air- down by the water front is one of the more popular place for classes to be held.
We also take the boys on hikes to some of the most beautiful areas in Pisgah National Forest for yoga classes. The favorite places are mountain tops with amazing views or somewhere with the sound of a spectacular waterfall as a background noise to spend some reflective, relaxing time away from camp.
