Camp Reviews Are In!!! Surf And Turf Gets Biggest Thumbs-Up

Patch asked Montclair's kids what they thought about their camp experiences this summer. We received a wide range of reviews. The camp that scored the most positive responses was Surf and Turf. But new camps such as Sew Montclair also garnered a lot of good feedback. See a few of the reviews below. And find out Monday which reviewer(s) will win gift certificates to Watchung Booksellers.

Jen Bratcher, age 13, who attends Montclair High School, said this about Surf and Turf.

"I've only been to Surf and Turf Adventures for a week, but believe me when I say that it is one of the best summer camps in Montclair. This is not only because we visit new and interesting places everyday, it's also because we have amazing counselors and camp-mates by our side throughout our journey. Our counselors joke around a lot, and are very friendly, and they are very responsible and keep us out of danger. Campers are also very nice and easy to make friends with. There's always something to do at Surf and Turf, whether it be eating cheese steaks in Philadelphia, catching crabs at the Red Bank Marina, or even riding go-karts at the Funplex. And even when we go places that are not so fun, it's the people of Surf and Turf who make the whole camp a memorable experience."

Nick Martella said this about Surf and Turf:

"I attended Surf and Turf this summer for four weeks. This was my fourth year there and the camp is awesome. The counselors are very cool and always come up with ways to keep it interesting. We don't actually have a camp but go on a field trip every single day. Sometimes we go to the beach, like Fire Island or Atlantic Highlands and sometimes we go the mountains and hike like in Harriman State park. Or we go in the City. We even rode our bikes over the George Washington Bridge. Hanging out on the bus is fun too. I have been to a lot of camps in Montclair since I was in kindergarten and this is the best of all."

Gia Stewart said this about Surf and Turf:

"I am a student going into 7th grade at Renaissance Middle School. A lot of my friends told me about Surf and Turf being a fun camp with different activities every week.  I asked my mom to sign me up and I was really excited about going to this camp.  Right now I am participating in "Eat It" week and I get to see a lot of different places and eat a lot of different foods. All of my friends are here, and I will definitely come back next year. "

Madison said this about Surf and Turf:

"I have been in Surf and Turf Camp for two weeks, and so far I have had a really good time.  Last week at camp, it was a water week, and we went on a hike to Van Campen Glen and I was able to jump into a watering hole.  It was a picturesque hike and I enjoyed spending time with all of my friends who were also in camp.  Right now I am in EAT IT week and I enjoy going to the beaches and all of the restaurants.  It has been a great two weeks and I can't wait for camp next summer. I am 11 and I recommend this camp to anybody who enjoys adventure."

Just fyi, Surf and Turf is for 10-15 year olds and runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Every day, campers go on a different adventure, starting out at 17 Munn Street, in front of the Renaissance School. There are still spaces available for the week of August 2 and the week of August 9. The cost is $375.

Another great review came from Doris Zeger, age 8, who attends the Charles H. Bullock Elementary School, about Gymnastika.

"Gymnastika is a place for kids to have fun. Gymnastika is located in West Paterson, NJ. Gymnastika is where kids can learn gymnastics. And in the summer, kids can go to camp there. In Gymnastika camp, we learned all sorts of cool stuff, like front handsprings, handstands, roundoffs, and cartwheels. We also went in a ballpit and on a trampoline, and after a long, hot day, we got to go in a kiddie pool and have lunch. On Monday, the counselors divided us into two groups - an older kid group and a younger kid group. But whatever age they were, kids loved it. The activities that we did were really awesome, and I would truly recommend Gymnastika's gymnastics camp to kids who want to have a great time on their summer vacation."

Still another fantastic review came from Josephine Emanuelli, 13, who attends Mount Hebron Middle School, about Camp Lou Henry Hoover.

"Camp Lou Henry Hoover is an all-girls sleep-away camp for girls entering second through twelfth located on Swartswood Lake. It runs six-one week sessions and a variety of programs are offered during each session. Every specialty program still has time to swim, boat, arts-and-crafts, cook-out and do many other camp activities. The specialties range from clay and pottery to sailing. Two programs are two weeks long and Middies spend one week at camp canoeing and learning camping skills and then on the next week go on a week-long canoe trip down the Delaware. Another two-week program is Off the Beaten Path, where the campers spend one week hiking around camp and then go on a week-long trip on the Appalachian Trail.
    One of the most popular programs, Every Night Live is when campers stay up late usually until about 1:00am and then sleep through breakfast. The gymnastics program uses Hoover's state-of-the-art equipment all week long to work on their skills and then at the end of the week they put on a show for the rest of the camp. Another very special program, Hoover Escapades is where campers go on day trips every day such as tubing on the Delaware, going to Bushkill Falls and going to a minor-league baseball game. There are so many great programs at Hoover there is sure to be something for everyone!"

In addition, another new camp that garnered a lot of nice reviews was Sew Montclair.

A young girl named Anna said that: "Chelsea, the camp director, is really nice. Also there are enough sewing machines for everyone. The projects are creative and challenging but we could do them in a day. This week we made funky dolls, bracelets, and decorated sweatshirts. It was really nice to get to sew for three hours straight every day and I got some new tricks for projects I can do at home."