Our Annual Look at Summer Camps
It’s time again to pick a summer camp for your kids. Whether it’s arts and crafts inside, or camping outside, summer camps provide life-learning opportunities for youngsters who might otherwise spend those dog days watching television or scrolling endlessly with their cell phones. What follows are a few personal impressions by Gableites, and a few recommendations from our marketing partners for summer camps that just might be the perfect fit for yours.
Memories of Camp Merrick
My memories of summer camp are as vivid as the skies of summer. I clearly remember Sports Rooms owned by Miami Dolphin Tim Foley, as I played in the adjacent field at the George Merrick Camp, part of what is now Coral Gables Preparatory Academy. My parents were both working and I was just a handful of energy. I must have been 10 or 11, residing just outside of the Gables on SW 8th street, old enough to enjoy what the city/county had to offer. Not many Hispanics attended (my parents are Cuban) but I did. It was here that I learned about diversity and different cultures. It was always a new experience every summer as my summer friends were from different schools and backgrounds. Most memories are good, but I also clearly remember a bully who kicked me in the groin, for a pain I will never forget. That was a life changing experience, where I learned to stand up for myself. Coming from a working family, I understood the reason why the summer camp, and Merrick Camp was not the only one my mother enrolled me in. But it was memorable, childhood stepping stones that still shape my life today – including people I met. One of the most influential mentors in my life I met in summer camp. Sometimes it is not the parents but the opportunities they provide that make a difference in your life. Thank goodness for summer camps. — Ray Corral, CEO, The Mosaicis
“Thespian Dreams”
My summer camp experience was not somewhere in the woods, but theater camp here in the Gables. I’ll never forget walking into my first workshop at Actors’ Playhouse. The scent of the theatre and the beauty of the building made it feel like pure magic. The Miracle Theatre was still under construction, but to me, it already felt like home. I remember the thrill of working on my script, the excitement of stepping in front of the camera, and the pride I felt recording my Campbell’s soup commercial. I was completely in my element, delivering a fierce: “Mmm mmm good.” In that moment, I felt like a star, and I proudly returned home with the VHS tape to prove it.Now, when I see kids walk through those same doors, eyes wide with wonder, I know exactly what they’re feeling. That first spark of theater is something you never forget. I see them discovering their voices, building confidence and finding joy in performing, just like I did. Some may go on to pursue careers in the arts, while others will carry these experiences with them in different ways, but no matter where life takes them, theater will have left its mark. — Brooke Noble, General Manager, Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre
B-ball All Summer
Every summer, the University of Miami’s men’s basketball camp became my sanctuary, a vibrant tapestry woven with sweat, laughter, and the echo of basketballs bouncing against polished courts. Each morning, I stepped onto the hardwood, filled with anticipation and the scent of fresh sneakers. The camp was a melting pot of aspiring athletes, each driven by dreams, yet united by a shared love for the game. Under the guidance of skilled coaches, I delved into the art of basketball—practicing my shooting form, honing my dribbling skills, and embracing the thrill of competition. The camaraderie among campers was palpable; we were not just rivals but friends, pushing each other to reach new heights. Those summers shaped my understanding of hard work and resilience, teaching me that the joy of the game lies as much in the challenges as in the victories. Each moment spent at camp remains etched in my heart, a cherished chapter of my youth. – Jonah Kaplan, Café Manager, Books & Books
Indian Fantasies
When I was about 10 years old, my parents sent me away to Camp Half Moon in western Massachusetts. It was the first time I had ever been away from home. That summer, and for the next, I went to sleep in a large tent with a wooden floor, watched over by one of the camp counselors. We all had foot lockers, where we kept our comic books and changes of T-shirts, shorts and underwear. The camp was situated on a lake, which did nothing for me because I hadn’t learned to swim yet, so most of my water borne adventures were in a canoe with a life jacket on. The main thing I loved about the camp was its deference to the idea that being an American Indian was one of the coolest things you could ever be. We learned how to do Indian dances around a huge bonfire that was lit at night with a flaming arrow, which came out of the woods and travelled along a wire to ignite the blaze. We wore Indian headbands and stuck feathers in them which we found in the woods. We also held massive water balloon fights, with one half the camp pitted against the other, and did the same with big games of capture the flag. Being from New York City, this was my introduction to the natural world, which forever imbued me with a great love of the outdoors. More than that, it was immense fun.–JP Faber, Editor, Coral Gables Magazine
Want more stories? Read our 2024 guide to summer camps and hear firsthand how camp shaped childhoods in Coral Gables.