April 2025
If you’re new to summer camps or new to the area, you might be caught off-guard by just how early registration starts and how quickly those spots get snapped up. Don’t despair! Plenty of places open for registration later in the season, and there are spots to be found even in late spring.
As of the time of publication, these camps still have availability for summer 2025.
1. Camp Invention
| Locations: | 12 locations in Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Chapel Hill, Pittsboro, and beyond. Use their Camp Finder to search for camps by zip code. |
| Ages: | 5 – 12 (rising K – 6th grade) |
| Hours: | 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM (may vary by location; some locations also offer an extended day program) |
Camp Invention® is a program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame® and operates at 1,400 locations nationwide. Most Triangle-area locations are operated out of partnering schools. With hands-on programming designed to inspire curiosity and build STEM skills, campers immerse themselves in the stories of world-changing inventors and enjoy problem-solving games, creative experiences, and a healthy dose of outdoor time.
2. YMCA Camp Clearwater
| Location: | South Chapel Hill 1720 Clearwater Lake Rd., Chapel Hill, NC |
| Ages: | 6 – 14 |
| Hours: | 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
YMCA Camp Clearwater operates 9 weeks of full day camp with generous operating hours for campers ages 6-14. It is a traditional summer camp program near Chapel Hill with lots of outdoor activities and skill development like sports, archery, canoeing, water games, arts and crafts, and more. Swimming is also offered at a nearby off-site YMCA swimming pool.
At the time of writing, all 9 weeks of camp had availability but spaces were limited. Transportation is available from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA.
3. Tennisbloc Multi-Sport Tennis Camps
| Locations: | 12 locations in Raleigh, Cary, Apex, and Pittsboro. Filter by location on their Camp Finder page. |
| Ages: | 6 – 14 |
| Hours: | 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM with optional later pickup depending on session |
Tennisbloc operates tennis/pickleball-centric and multi-sport summer camps in Raleigh, Cary, Apex, and other locations across the Carolinas. Campers enjoy plenty of court-time building tennis and pickleball skills in addition to pool breaks and team-building activities. No prior tennis or pickleball experience is required.
Tennisbloc offers many location and date options, including the last weeks of the summer. At the time of writing, all sessions had availability.
4. Kramden Institute
| Location: | South Durham 5010 NC-55, Durham, NC |
| Ages: | 8 – 17 (rising 3rd-12th grade) |
| Hours: | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
Kramden Institute offers 7 computer-focused summer camp programs for campers from 3rd-12th grade. Topics include PC hardware, introductory coding, drone flight, circuitry, and digital multimedia. Most camps are 5 days, while some are shorter mini camps. Get a 10% discount through May 27 with code MEMORIAL25. Scholarships are available for families who receive free or reduced-price lunch.
At the time of writing, all camps still had availability.
5. Northwest Cary YMCA Camps
Camp Outer Limits: Traditional | Extras | CILTS
Camp Expedition | Sports Camp | Kindercamp | Wee Camp
| Locations: | Northwest Cary YMCA 6903 Carpenter Fire Station Rd., Cary, NC Mill Park Middle School (Camp Outer Limits, most weeks) 441 Mills Park Dr., Cary, NC |
| Ages: | 2 – 14 depending on program |
| Hours: | 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM for Camp Outer Limits and Sports Camp 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM for Camp Expedition 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM for Kindercamp and Wee Camp |
Northwest Cary YMCA offers an array of full day camps for older kids and morning camps for the youngest campers. Camp Outer Limits is a traditional summer day camp operating all 10 weeks of the summer for campers ages 5-14 plus a Campers in Leadership Training (CILT) program for teens ages 14-15. The Extras program focuses on a different topical theme each week, such as robotics, lumbercraft and videography. Camp Expedition offers on-site traditional day camp with lots of field trips, while Sports Camp focuses on particular sports such as jump rope, soccer, and volleyball. Kindercamp and Wee Camp offer half day options for little campers.
At the time of writing, most of the camp options still had availability but some weeks of Sports Camp were full. Availability is most limited for the last weeks in the summer.
6. MacNair’s Country Acres
| Location: | Raleigh/Cary 2721 Dover Farm Rd., Raleigh, NC |
| Ages: | 6 – 14 depending on session |
| Hours: | 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM for full day 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM for half day |
MacNair’s Country Acres offers 10 weeks of summer horse camp on its 200+ acre farm in southwest Raleigh. Kids ages 6-14 participate in daily riding and horsemanship lessons, plus craft activities, swimming, and of course lots of outdoor time. The camp welcomes riders of any experience level, from those who have never ridden to kids who are jumping full courses. Parents can celebrate campers’ achievements at a mini-show each Friday.
At the time of writing, full and half day options were still available for all but the earlier weeks in the summer.
7. ComedyWorx
| Location: | West Raleigh 3801 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC |
| Ages: | 8 – 14 depending on session |
| Hours: | 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
ComedyWorx offers week-long summer camps for kids ages 8-14 that teach the basics of improv including listening, building ideas as a group, supporting each other, and growing performance skills and confidence. Each week wraps up with a small show for parents and friends.
ComedyWorx operates youth summer camp for 8 sessions from mid-June through mid-August, all of which still have availability at the time of writing.
8. Cool Creek Farm
| Location: | Northwest Pittsboro 738 Castle Rock Farm Rd, Pittsboro, NC |
| Ages: | 6 – 9 |
| Hours: | 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM Monday-Thursday |
Cool Creek Farm offers nine weeks of Monday-Thursday summer camp for kids from 6-9 that encourages kids to embrace outdoor free-play. Campers participate in outdoor games, crafts, fort building, campfires, trail walks, creek play, rope swinging, and farm activities. Camp is held on a 26-acre farm in Pittboro and run by a 10+ year veteran of private and charter schools with a degree in Family Studies. Each week has from 6 to 18 campers per day. Camp is held outside but there is a barn shelter in case of inclement weather.
As of mid-April, Cool Creek Farm has availability for all weeks, including the final week of summer, August 18-21. Cool Creek Farm also offers day camp in the spring and fall.
9. Piedmont Wildlife Center
| Locations: | South Durham, also convenient to Chapel Hill 364 Leigh Farm Road Durham, NC Between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough 4215 NC-86, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Northwest Raleigh, at Umstead State Park 8801 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh, NC |
| Ages: | 5 – 12, depending on location Teens aged 13-17 may serve as counselors-in-training (CITs) during these camps after graduating CIT training. |
| Hours: | 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM Plus optional aftercare from 3:00 – 5:30 PM |
Piedmont Wildlife Center offers full-immersion nature camps emphasizing outdoor play and education for all 10 weeks of the summer at 3 locations across the Triangle. Campers spend the days exploring, playing, and learning outdoors on a different theme each week, led by experienced naturalists and trained counselors. Activities include woodland games, creek walking, wildlife encounters, fort building, and much more.
As of late April, Piedmont Wildlife Center still has spaces available in all by 3 sessions at their Orange County and Wake County locations. Besides lots of summer camp options, Piedmont Wildlife Center also offers spring camp, fall camp, winter camp, homeschool opportunities, and scholarships.
10. Raleigh Little Theatre
| Location: | West Raleigh 301 Pogue St., Raleigh, NC |
| Ages: | 4 – 14 (up to rising 9th grade) |
| Hours: | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM with extended care options up to 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM |
Raleigh Little Theatre offers one- and two-week theater camps laying the foundation for a lifelong love of the arts. Guided by experienced teaching artists in a supportive environment, campers explore, create, and collaborate through acting, playwriting, and design. Options range from puppetry and creative play for the youngest campers to full-scale play productions for older campers. Campers share their creations with an audience on the last day of each session.
Several weeks in their summer camp 2025 schedule are already full and going to waitlist, but many more weeks still have availability. Plus, they added a new week at the end of the summer, August 18-22, which still had slots open as of the time of writing.
11. ISLA Verano
| Location: | Northwest Durham, in Eno River State Park 4390 Old Cole Mill Rd., Durham, NC and 6101 Cole Mill Rd., Durham, NC |
| Ages: | 5 – 11 (rising Kindergarten – 5th grade) |
| Hours: | 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM |
ISLA Verano is operated by Immersion for Spanish Language (ISLA), a nonprofit headquartered in Durham with a mission to provide Spanish language education and cultural immersion programs. At ISLA Verano’s summer camp, kids in grades K-5 soak in the Spanish language and culture in the great outdoors of Eno River State Park. No prior exposure to the language is required, and each week explores a different Latin American country by way of crafts, food, games, experiments, costumes, and more.
At the time of writing, there were still openings available for all weeks except the week of June 30.
Camp photo credits: 1. National Inventors Hall of Fame; 2. Tennisbloc; 3. Kramden Institute; MacNair’s Country Acres; 4. Cool Creek Farm; 5. Piedmont Wildlife Center; 5. Raleigh Little Theatre; 6. ISLA Verano.
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