Visiting Days

Parents of FULL SESSION campers are welcome to visit their son and can choose one of our two visiting options. (In the case of shared custody, please contact Danny Kerr to request an exception to the one-visit policy.) This is a wonderful opportunity to see Pemi in action and to get a sense of your son’s “summer home,” where he is sure to want to show you around, introduce you to his new friends, and tell you of his discoveries and accomplishments. Note that due to the shorter duration of the First or Second Session camper experience, Pemi does not offer a visiting option for parents of First or Second Session campers.

Option 1 (one day only) – for FULL SESSION campers:

Saturday, July 17, 2021 | 9:30 AM – 8:45 PM
If leaving camp, boys and parents should return by 7:15 PM for campfire.

Option 2 (one day only) – for FULL SESSION campers:

Saturday, July 31, 2021 | 9:30 AM – 8:45 PM
If leaving camp, boys and parents should return by 7:15 PM for campfire.

Which day should we choose?

Visiting days are “Pemi as usual” with campers involved in sporting events and other activities. Option One is three weeks into camp and tends to fall on a sports day with our neighbor, Kingswood Camp. Option Two is 2 weeks later and lands after First Session boys have left and Second Session boys have come in. Having parents visit, while wonderful, can rekindle some homesickness. Though counterintuitive, some Full Session campers find the second visiting option easier to manage. But don’t worry if the first visiting day is your only option; he’ll be fine!

What if my son is scheduled to play sports on the day that we choose?

If your son’s team is playing in a game, say, with Kingswood (with some age groups playing in events there, seven miles down the road, while others are held at Pemi) and you’d like to watch, we’ll give you directions so you can go cheer him on. Your son can opt to go out with you to a local town or attraction instead of play, though we do encourage our boys to support their teams if at all possible.

What will we do?

Parents of new Full Session campers might want to spend plenty of time in camp with their son as well as out of camp. Allow your son to show you around and enjoy Pemi’s beautiful facilities together. This confirms to your son that Pemi is a special place to be, and that he doesn’t need to be whisked away to have a good visit. And everyone is welcome to enjoy lunch and/or dinner in our mess hall. Feel free to take your son out to explore the surrounding New Hampshire and Vermont landscape and area restaurants. Stop by the office for maps and suggestions. The entire extended camp family gathers around the campfire circle at 7:30, and many parents say this is a highlight event of their summer. A speedy farewell afterwards will facilitate your son’s return to his cabin. Please do not walk your son back to his cabin after campfire. If he is feeling a bit sad at your departure, staff members will be nearby to support him with the transition.

Can we bring treats for our son’s cabin mates?

For reasons that range from critters to allergies, please, no food is to be brought into camp or back to camp after some time out. Thank you for honoring this rule and for supporting the trust and respect for the guidelines that are crucial to our community. And speaking of food, when taking your son out, please do not fill him up with sugar and junk food! Not only might it imply that he’s deprived at camp, but the rest of the community, then, inherits the inevitable emotional sugar crash.

Where to stay?

There are numerous accommodations within an hour of Pemi, ranging from cozy B&Bs to major chain hotels.

Can my son spend the night away from camp with me?

Campers sleep in their cabins and do not join their parents at their overnight accommodations.

Can I take one of my son’s friends out with us?

Boys may leave camp only with members of their immediate family—parents, grandparents, and siblings. If a Full Session boy’s family is unable to visit, he may leave camp with another family only if the directors receive written permission in advance.