The American institution of summer camp may never be the same now that preteens and teens start polishing their college-ready skills before puberty—July and August are now viewed as an opportunity to get ahead.
Some traditional sleepaway camps in rural oases have padded their roster of offerings to keep campers (and parents) coming back, but other companies are serving up carefully curated tours of foreign cultures, adventurous itineraries to some of the world’s wonders, or the chance to hone talents from some of the nation’s leading professionals. Of course, those opportunities come with a cost.
On the Equestrian Teen Tour of Russia, campers depart New York City for Moscow, where they’ll sharpen their horse-riding skills in the stables of Stalin’s former estate and spend afternoons sightseeing. Price tag for the week: $8,500. For precocious campers with an eye for business and a life of privilege, the Global Fellows in Social Enterprise program promises to help students polish entrepreneurial and philanthropic skills in six weeks for $25,000. Weekend getaways to the Hamptons are included.
To get a glimpse of some of the grand offerings, The Daily Beast sorted through program guidebooks and brochures to compile a list of some of the priciest options. We ranked the camps based on the average price per week. Most offer four-star-hotel accommodations and immersion in academic or cultural studies, as well as community service, but in order to rank on this list, all the programs had to be offered by an American-based company.
