(NOT) CHILD'S PLAY
Bring back that summer-camp feeling for adults
With one arm stretched out in front of me holding a bow, I slowly pulled back on the bowstring and lined up my arrow with the square black target. I took a deep breath and let go.
The arrow whizzed ahead, landing with a loud “thunk.” A few moments later, one of my archery classmates at YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park last summer squealed and pointed to an area just beyond the targets. We all looked and immediately spotted what caused her outcry: a deer, standing confidently under the pine trees, without much of a care in the world.
We all watched the deer slowly wander toward us through the brush, flicking her tail and swiveling her ears as she went. Without warning and without much grace, she plopped herself down onto the ground for a rest. I laughed at the goofy expression on her face (I swear she was smiling) and realized I felt just like a kid again — a kid at summer camp, immersed in nature, learning something new, enjoying the warm evening air.
I think we can all agree: Adulting has been especially hard this spring and summer (thanks, coronavirus). We could all surely use a break from adulthood, even if it’s just for a few socially distanced hours. For inspiration, here are 11 ways to bring back that sweet, sweet summer camp feeling as an adult.
Actually go back to camp
If my archery experience intrigues you, you’ll be happy to know that the YMCA of the Rockies is open again and accepting visitors (with many virus-prevention procedures and rules in place). Archery sessions are available, along with tons of other summer camp-esque activities like mini-golf, tennis, disc golf, fly fishing, crafting (think: tie-dye, basket weaving and leather stamping), axe throwing, roller skating and horseback riding, just to name a few.
Sneak out at night
Nothing compares to the adrenaline rush you got as a teen trying to sneak out of your cabin at night without a chaperone noticing. Whispering too loudly, suppressing laughter, not-so-quietly creeping around — it’s a
wonder more of us didn’t get caught. Or was that by design? Sneaking out sure seems like a rite of passage, after all.
You don’t really have to sneak out of your own house as an adult, but you can re-create the same feeling during a full moon paddle at Union Reservoir in Longmont. Hosted by Rocky Mountain Paddleboard throughout the summer, these evening meetups involve kayaking or standup paddleboarding under the stars and the moon. The city of Longmont also organizes full moon kayaking paddle outings at McIntosh Lake throughout the summer.
Visit the vending machine
When I was a kid, I mostly went to “smart camp,” a made-up term for sleepaway academic camps intended to keep kids busy and studying during the months away from school (I know, I know, it’s borderline cruel). As a middle-schooler, I can remember thinking how cool it was to stay in a college dorm room for a week, especially because I could freely walk down the stairs to the basement, where they kept the vending machines. And not just any vending machines — these were legit, with things like Chef Boyardee and Cup Noodles for sale.
The grown-up version of this? The champagne vending machine in the lobby at Grand Hyatt Vail, a resort along Gore Creek at the base of Vail Mountain. To use it, you’ll first purchase a special token from the bartender (who will check your ID!). Instead of chips or a candy bar, a mini 200ml Moet bottle will pop out the bottom. Cheers! The hotel has implemented an array of precautions intended to keep guests and staff members safe and healthy during this new pandemic reopening phase.
Start a band
Band camp’s reputation really suffered because of “American Pie,” which is unfortunate, but it was actually a ton of fun. For me, it involved roaming around the halls of a high school in another town with my friends, with music-related workshops and activities in between, then cozying up in sleeping bags on the floor and giggling after the lights went out.
You might think this feeling is impossible to re-create as an adult. Wrong. You can have an adult sleepover at The Elizabeth Hotel in Fort Collins, then borrow the musical instrument of your choice from the Instrument Lending Library. There are guitars, ukuleles, banjos, pianos, mandolins, keyboards and bass guitars for you to take to your room and play to your heart’s content (or, more likely, until your neighbors call the front desk to complain).
Even better, the front desk can help you set up music lessons during your stay. Hotel staffers are sanitizing the instruments between each use, along with implementing many other coronavirus-related cleaning and safety measures.
Make s’mores
S’mores are indisputably delicious (find me someone who doesn’t like s’mores, I dare you) and lots of Colorado restaurants and bars are doing “grown-up” versions of s’mores, like boozy cocktails and elaborate desserts. One that we especially like can be found at Boulder’s iconic Flagstaff House Restaurant, perched high atop Flagstaff Mountain with views looking out over Boulder.
There, executive chef Chris Royster really amps up the drama with a s’mores flambé. He makes a graham cracker blondie, smothers it with a roasted marshmallow and marshmallow ice cream, then covers the whole concoction with a chilled chocolate dome. He pumps smoke inside the dome before delivering the dish to your table, where he pours rum over the top and sets it on fire. The heated rum melts the chocolate dome and releases the smoke, completing the campfire experience. You’ll probably sit there in awe for a few seconds before greedily digging in. Just be sure to wipe the melted chocolate off your face before you get up to leave.
The restaurant is open at limited capacity (with tables placed more than 6 feet apart) and is encouraging guests to make reservations ahead of time.
Play arcade games (with a twist)
What’s more reminiscent of summer than a trip to the arcade with friends? Ahhh, air conditioning. Well, in true Colorado style, you can hit up the cool arcade ... on the Arkansas River. Yep, you read that right. Our version of playing arcade games is
whitewater rafting over rapids with fun and adventurous names like Pinball, Zoom Flume and Raft Ripper. And while you’re paddling, be sure to look around and take in the scenery of Browns Canyon National Monument.
There are several outfitters offering trips along this stretch of the Arkansas, and you can start your research on the Arkansas River Outfitters Association website (arkansasriveroutfitters.com).
Go for a swim
Is there anything better than rushing out the door of your summer camp cabin to swim in the lake, play on “The Blob” (the giant inflatable toy) and watch the weird not-quite-sand, not-quite-mud, might-be-goose-poop squish between your toes? Maybe you even dared your friends to go skinny dipping once or twice.
Well, you can get that same rush as an adult, if you choose. When the sun sets at Strawberry Park Hot Springs near Steamboat Springs, clothing is optional as you soak in the 104-degree mineral water. It’s a rustic, mostly undeveloped spot with a teepee and heated cabin for changing. As you might expect, there’s very little light, so be sure to take a headlamp or a flashlight.
The hot springs is requiring reservations.
Sing a new song
One of the absolute best parts of summer camp was coming home with a fresh arsenal of camp songs and chants (often complete with hand choreography) that none of your other friends knew, which made you the de facto cool kid on the block, at least for a few days.
As an adult, it can be to sing in the same unbridled, belt-your-heart-out way, outside of your shower or your car. Lucky for you, there are other people out there who want to sing loud and proud, without being too serious about it. The folks at Larimer Chorale host special “Singing on Tap” events at breweries around Northern Colorado, during which anyone can show up, grab a pint and start singing (with direction from chorale members). Similarly, Denver Choir League rehearses in breweries and bars before putting on quarterly performances. So get out there and belt it out!
As you might imagine, many of these choral gettogethers have been postponed or rescheduled because of the coronavirus pandemic, but be sure to bookmark the groups’ websites for virtual choir practice or future in-person meetups.
Do arts and crafts
There are a few quintessential summer camp arts and crafts projects we may all remember: friendship bracelets, tie-dye shirts, macaroni picture frames, pine cone bird feeders and DIY rain sticks, to name a few.
And there are so many ways to do arts and crafts as an adult. From follow along painting classes to pottery studios and custom screenprinting, you could literally spend every night of the week socializing and doing a new craft in Colorado.
Even so, we’ve stumbled across a few crafting classes that are pretty adult. For instance, you can blow your own beer glass or stemless wine goblet during a glassmaking workshop at Solar Flare Glasswork and Design in Steam boat Springs. You can make a pair of funky shoes -- from scratch -- at the Colorado Shoe School in Bellevue (just outside Fort Collins). Or you can drink beer and draw pictures once a month at Wolverine Farm in Fort Collins, just to name a few ideas.
Specific classes may be on hold because of the pandemic, so be sure to call ahead to get the latest information. Many arts and crafts facilities are simply limiting the number of people who can attend each session and requiring social distancing.
Play sports
As a kid, you may have fretted over being picked last for organized sports teams, at summer camp or otherwise. But as an adult, there’s plenty of room for everyone in rec league sports around Colorado. Even if you’re new in town or you can’t form a team of your own, you can always opt to be a free agent and play with a team of strangers — it’s an easy way to make new friends.
For an adult twist, join a “beer in hand” kickball league, which requires you to hold a cup of beer (or water, if you aren’t drinking!) at all times while playing. Of course, this makes the game more challenging, since you’re essentially playing onehanded, but as you can imagine, it also makes it more fun. Check out the KIFAC Denver Kickball League, Play Mile High or Meet Play Chill to join a team.
Many of these leagues are operating this summer, they’re just changing up the rules of the game a bit to make social distancing possible and requiring all players to wear masks and requiring players to under-hard go temperature checks before playing.
Listen to spooky stories
At camp, listening to spooky stories was a nightly ritual around the campfire. In the darkness, every noise became an ax-wielding man just waiting for you to make the long, lonely walk to the bathroom. And suddenly, you really have to go.
As an adult, why wait until Halloween to get your spook on? Though there are tons of epic haunted houses around Denver each October, you can also go on haunted tours and ghost walks all year round. Companies like Colorado Haunted History, Nightly Spirits, Ghost Walk Durango, Dean’s Aspen Tours and others offer regular spooky tours of various Colorado cities throughout the year.
The Aspen Historical Society is also offering a new series of outdoor tours covering the city’s mining, architectural and ranching history. They’re even doing a spooky tour of Red Butte Cemetery, one of Aspen’s oldest cemeteries.
Walking tours are the perfect social distancing-friendly activity, since they’re held outdoors in the fresh air and tour-goers can steer clear of each other.
Learn to cook
Any time your afternoon summer camp crafting session involved food, everyone was instantly more interested in the hands-on activity in front of them — building “ants on a log” (celery sticks topped with peanut butter and raisins) or making “dirt cups” with gummy worms, crushed Oreos and chocolate pudding, for instance.
Here in Colorado, you can “adultify” these snack sessions by taking a cannabis cooking class with chef Jarod Farina through Colorado Cannabis Tours or Puff Pass & Paint. He’ll teach you how to make entrees, ice cream, hard candies, “budder” and other cannabis culinary creations that you can enjoy responsibly while learning a thing or two.
These classes are back on for now, but please be sure to visit the companies’ websites to read about all the coronavirus-related rules and precautions they’ve put in place. They’re taking guests’ temperatures and limiting group sizes for now.