Weekend Vaction Lake, Pool, Fishing, Roping, Canoeing, Etc.. Any Ideas

My son goes to Sky Ranch in Van for one week each summer and he absolutely loves it. He is 6 and says he is not ready for overnights, so he doesn't do the "spend the night camp".

This camp (in Van) also picks up in Dallas, I think (for certain weeks).

-L.

Y. - Sky Ranch is a very nice camp - my kids have been once or twice. However, they actually prefer Rockin C Ranch - it's a working ranch - the kids get to help with chores (collecting eggs, bottle feeding calves). It is very christian based and the camp director is amazing. It is also much less expensive than Sky Ranch, which is more like a resort camp for the kids. Sky Ranch will charge extra for horseback riding and some other items. Rockin C includes all the activities for one price. You might also try Pine Cove. I haven't been, but my boss and his family absolutely love it! I would look around - there are lots of good camp options out there! Rockin C also has air conditioned cabins, Zip Lines, Blob and great counselors.

My kids love Pine Cove. They have 2 locations, one east of Dallas, and one near Houston. It, too, is a Christian camp. I have heard comments of preference for Pine Cove b/c the age groups are divided into different camps down the road from each other. So kids never see kids from different aged camps. The couselors are super-charged and full of energy. And they have fun theme nights each night of camp. I would encourage you to look at the web sites for both Sky Ranch and Pine Cove. I'm sure that both would be a safe / fun experience for your son. He can go alone and make new friends (easy to do) or sign up with a friend.

Yes, Y., Sky Ranch is a camp but you may check into it at SkyRanch.org because I believe they do offer Family Weekends too...I'm not familiar with them though.

My son 14 just got back from a week at Sky and LOVED every minute of it! We went when he was in 5th grade too and I chaperoned in the girls cabin and that was a great experience too! The camp has grown soo much in 3 years that I couldn't believe it! So many new cabins, new facilities, swim pools, crazy slides, rock walls, zip lines, an incredible ~ very well organized camp! I was amazed at how smoothly EVERYTHING goes from arriving to drop off your kids to picking them up...their luggage ready and labeled and loaded 4 you, lost and found table, p/u medicine table, empty your childs bank account, and 2 places to sign out your student...with your ID..very careful and lots of safely precautions in place! I was in awe at how it all flowed so perfectly and in such a timely manner! Tons of counselors who have been trained extensively prior to our prize possessions arriving! They are so fired up and full of excitement and on-fire for the Lord too! I have nothing but praises to sing for Sky Ranch Camp and I would encourage everyone to send their child at least once for a summer week! They have day camp for the younger ones too.

Some have mentioned about it being very expensive...I would like to pass along this information that they told us on Saturday at Pick up...don't let the price of camp keep your student away! There are scholarships to be had, they do offer specials at different times of the summer, for instance if the 1st and 2nd week hasn't filled up you may can get in for much less! The last week also has some issues with back to school timing too so there could be openings there. Just ask! Also if you pre-register for the next summer they offer $100 discount, and you can pay it all year. And 1st and last week special pricing of $455 too. The middle weeks are $755. So, there ARE options out there! Our FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) from our school went to the 1st week for an incredible deal of $200 per student...I think there were 40 in the group...what an incredible blessing for them to experience this week where it might not have been a possibility otherwise! Praise the Lord for that!

Now, on the flip side of this I feel like I should mention that Sky Ranch is a non-profit operation and depends totally on donations, etc. Currently they have a financial need of 1.8 million dollars. 1st of all and most importantly they request prayer from everyone for this situation. Their main building was struck by lightening and burned to the ground a couple of yrs ago and they were rushed to rebuild due to some insurance stipulations...not sure of all these details...but they have only been moved into the new building, the Legacy Center, for 3 weeks now. They have a Legacy Tree that you can make a $2000 donation and have your name or family name placed on a plaque on the Legacy Tree and you can pledge it over a 5 yr period too. They also are building a Wall of Prayer and you can buy or donate anywhere from a $250 pavement stone to a $2000 polished marble stone engraved with your choice of name, in memory of, or whatever you would like to put on it, and again can be pledged over 5 yrs. If I were rich I would be a main supporter of this operation! It is so incredibly awesome that I can't sing it's praises too much! I think this is the best camp EVER! I know that there are people blessed financially out there who could be great supporters of this Camp and Ministry! They are also in need of IN-Kind gifts like tables, chairs, bunks, stuff like that so if you know of someone who might could help in that way just contact them to see what they need. They could be helped in so many ways from the smallest of donations to the largest! Their website is www.skyranch.org if you want to look them up to find out more information! I'm not an employee or anything like that, just a parent of a fired up son who had a once in a lifetime moving experience at Sky Ranch last week. I feel a need to promote them and spread the word!

Thanks and I hope that this helps someone in some way! God Bless You all and thanks for reading this! And Y., I hope you find what you're looking for and that you and your family have a great vacation! ♥ D.

Anything better? I don't know.

I do have a 14 yr old daughter. At 10 she went to an all girls camp in Kerrville called Kickapoo Kamp and it was pretty much "camping" as in no AC, lot of bug spray but she liked the horseback riding and crafts. She hated the water activities because there were no pools, only a lake. I went with her on a mom/daughter weekend and it was fun however, on the lake part I cracked a rib and it was not the most fun rest of the weekend for me. It was a good camp though. Just fun based and family owned.

Sky Ranch was the following year. MUCH better facilities with lake and pool. Still, she was not crazy about it but she spent the week with no issues...just not the thing for her. We found out on the way to camp she needed a Bible and the Church part of the camp was new to her. NOT SAYING we are not Christian....we did not realize it was Christain camp.

I asked her which was better and she said Sky Ranch because the cabins did have AC and facilities were much better. She liked the co-ed activities vs the all girls camp Kickapoo offered.

Kickapoo was more like a "camping" event for a week.

She loved Camp Classen when she was there for a week in 5th grade which is in OK. She was with a large group of friends vs being with 1-2 frinds with the other camps.

Good luck.

I don't know about Sky Ranch. Both of my kids went to Camp Winshape (in Rome, Ga). I know it's a long way, but it's well worth it. It's on the mountain campus at Winshape, which is at Berry College. Founded by Chick-fil-A founder, Truett & Jeannette Cathey - it's a two week camp with Christian principals. My kids went from the time they were 8 until they were 16. http://www.winshape.org/camps/camp07/

There's also Rockin C Ranch - http://www.rockincranch.org/
Don't know much about it except that it's also Christian based and locate in Lindale, TX.

And, there's Pine Cove - http://www.pinecove.com/ - here at Tyler.

No matter where you decide for your son to go, my kids still - from time-to-time - talk about their camp experience and how much fun they had. I sometimes wish I could go!

TbarM Sportscamp in New Braunfels and TbarM Camp Travis in Spicewood on Lake Travis are the ONLY Camps I trust my kids to. We've been going as a family for 20++ years & my kids started at Day Camp ...... and now some are currently counselors.

Yes, Sky Ranch is a great camp.
Tyler State Park is quite nice. You can check them out on web. We also like to go to Beaver's Bend State Park. Its not too far away and its beautiful up there.
Happy Summer,
S.

My kids attended Sky Ranch for several years. They absolutely loved it. Depending on their ages, not only do they have horseback riding, canoeing, zip lines, water slides, great pools, a lake, remote control car track, they also have jet skis. It is a vacation, and Christian based. They met lots of friends,and would go back every year! The cabins are air conditioned and many of the staff and counselors have been there for years. It is FABULOUS!

My 14 year old went to Sky Ranch on a 5th grade class trip and loved it. My 10 year old will be doing the same 5th grade trip this fall. I didn't get to chaperone, but I understand there is lots of learning, but also lots of fun, and the facilities are pretty good. I think her only complaint was lack of hot water!

I have also heard that the Collin County Adventure Camp is good, http://www.collincountyadventurecamp.org/index.cfm?FuseAc...

We have a timeshare near Tyler that we love to go to on weekends. TONS to do there and almost all of it is free. Yes, you do have to go through their presentation, but it's not bad..you get 3 days and 2 nights to enjoy their resort...swimming pool, tennis, archery, putt-putt, volleyball, movies, board games, they have a pier/dock area for fishing, paddle boats, and more...horse back riding (a small cost for this) and a new indoor water park (fee for this as well)...

Let me know if you are interested. I can be reached at ###-###-####. All they need is your name and phone number to set up a date...

hi
our church actually had a ladies retreat out there...i'm almost 30 and i as 27 when i went.... i loved it!!! they have lots to do and great food!!! its quiet and pretty!
S.

My daughter, now 24, went to Sky Ranch two years in a row. I think it was a great experience for her. Both years she went with a friend which helps so much if your child is shy about meeting new people.

Hello,
My family and I have done the family weekend there and had one of the best vacation weekends EVER! We can't afford the kids week - but if you can send your child, go for it. It's fabulous.

I know you've received a lot of great responses...I just wanted to let you know my 2 kids have gone to Sky Ranch with their schools for 3 day overnight educational programs. They said it was okay.

Just a tip - the camp requires you sign a medical release form that says you understand, there is NO MEDICAL HOSPITAL, within something like 30-60 miles away..This was a little worrisome to me. Yes, they have a nurse to administer first-aid, but if there is a major injury (fall off a horse or zip line or something major), there is no hospital around. Just something to think about.

~H.
(mom to 13 yr old girl, 11 yr old boy, 5 yr old boy)

sky ranch is awesome! i bet your son would love it. my family has been up there lots w/ my husband to lead worship on a several different occasions. the counselors have hears of gold and love those kids.