Camp Arcadia: A Close Knit Community

There’s something magical about Camp Arcadia—something that turns seven weeks in the woods into memories that last a lifetime. People often ask what makes Camp Arcadia so special, and why the friendships formed there feel deeper, stronger, and more lasting than almost anywhere else. The truth is simple: Camp Arcadia becomes a close-knit community because it brings people together in a way that feels genuine, timeless, and full of heart.

Friends Whom I Will Cherish Forever

At Arcadia, friendships form fast—but they also form deep. When you spend your days adventuring, laughing, and navigating new challenges together, you build bonds that are hard to describe and impossible to forget. The friends you make at JMG testing Camp, the bonds you create with your dock landing partner, the person you ran across the finish line at the Casco Days Road Race, the counselor who noticed you - these aren’t just friends for a season; they become the people you’ll cherish long after the uniforms are packed away and the summer sun fades.

A Home Away From Home

Camp Arcadia has a way of becoming your second home, even if it looks nothing like the one you grew up in. Maybe it’s the familiar sound of the bell in the morning, the bonds created at Closing Circle, the cozy cabins, or the shared traditions like Club Supper and Club Hunt that return year after year. Maybe it’s the feeling of being fully accepted for exactly who you are. Whatever it is, Arcadia wraps you in comfort from the moment you arrive, offering a sense of belonging that makes homesickness become campsickness.

My Favorite Group of People

Every camp has that group—the one that makes you laugh until your stomach hurts, listens when you need support, and turns ordinary moments into unforgettable stories. They’re the ones you look for across the Dining Room and want next to you during campfire songs. The people you meet at Camp Arcadia quickly become your favorites because they see you at your happiest, your silliest, and your most authentic.

It Always Feels Like No Time Has Passed

One of the most beautiful parts of Arcadian friendships is how they survive time and distance. Even after months—or years—apart, the moment you’re reunited, it’s like no time has passed at all. Conversations pick up exactly where they left off. Inside jokes still land. The connection stays effortless. That’s how you know the bond is real.

Sisterhood

For many campers, especially in all-girls or girls-centered programs like Camp Arcadia, the sense of sisterhood is undeniable. It’s a unique blend of support, empowerment, and shared growing-up moments. From cheering each other on at activities to staying up late whispering in bunks, Arcadia builds a sisterhood rooted in trust, love, and shared memories. It’s a bond that feels like family—because in many ways, it is.

Camp Friends Are Friends for Life

Ask anyone who has been to Camp Arcadia, and they’ll tell you the same thing: camp friends are forever. They’re the ones you’ll text years later with the simplest message—“miss you.” They’re the ones who show up at your graduations, weddings, or for late-night calls when life gets complicated. They’re the friendships that grow with you, even as life changes.

In the end, Camp Arcadia creates a close-knit community because it gives people the space to be themselves, to connect deeply, and to build memories that shape who they are.It’s a place where friendships feel like family, time feels suspended, and every camper walks away with relationships that last far beyond the final goodbye. These are relationships that will last long after that final wave as we tearfully say goodbye to the bus as it rolls out the gate.