Family Camp

Looking for a special way to spend your family vacation? At Camp Lawrence Family Camp you can swim, hike and play with your family or simply relax in a beautiful, natural setting on Lake Winnipesaukee.

Situated on more than 70 acres on Bear Island, Family Camp is a nine-day summer camp experience that offers a charming, comfortable home away from home and the perfect blend of structured activities balanced with time to do whatever you choose.

Family Camp includes two beautiful sandy beaches (one facing east for the morning sun, one facing west for the afternoon), multipurpose playing fields, a recreation lodge and miles of wonderful hiking trails. Group and individual activities are scheduled throughout the day including fishing, sailing, swimming, waterskiing, arts and crafts, ropes courses and more.

Family Camp

Cabin and Facilities

We offer cabins of all styles to choose from to find the best fit for your family.  Most of our cabins have a combination of single and bunk beds, and can accommodate up to twelve people.  Premier Cabins have attached bathrooms while Deluxe and Regular Cabins use three shared bathroom buildings with modern plumbing and one split shower house.

Delicious, family style meals are served in our Dining Hall.  Breakfast, the least formal meal of the day, begins at 7:00 am and features a hot choice, as well as cereal, toast, oatmeal and fresh fruit.  Lunch is served at 12:30 pm, and dinner is served at 6:00 pm.  On Thursday night of Family Camp, there is an adult dinner while the children enjoy pizza and a sleepover.  On Sunday night of Family Camp, there is a West Beach Party cookout for the entire family.

Programs

Throughout the day you can decide if you want to go fishing, hiking, sailing, swimming, waterskiing, do arts & crafts, conquer the ropes course and more.  Join us for organized activities each night, including Casino Night, Game Night, Trivia Challenge, night ropes course and more.

The tot program is designed for the youngest children and runs from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm every day.  Activities scheduled for each day range from arts to sports to water activities.

There are also specialized events for older children, teens, adults and families. One of the biggest organized events for the entire family is the camper versus staff softball game.  Each year the campers and staff attempt to capture the crown and bragging rights for the next year.

We hope you’ll join us for a week you’ll never forget!

Family Camp FAQ

What are the accommodations like?

Families reside in rustic cabins during their stay. All cabins have two doors and screened in windows with shutters. There is electricity in all cabins, but generally only one outlet. It it’s a good idea to bring a power strip to expand the outlets use.

What will I be sleeping on?

You’ll be staying on the beds in the cabins. Most cabins contain at least five bunk beds and two single beds, all with twin size measurements. Requests for additional bunks or singles can be made but will be dependent on what beds are available to be moved to try and meet requests. A request is not a guarantee of fulfillment.

Where are the bathroom facilities?

Bathroom facilities are shared by all and located throughout camp. Bathrooms are in close proximity to the cabins and most activity areas. Most bathrooms are divided into two sides, one for girls and women, the other for boys and men.

Where do I shower?

The camp shower building will be shared by all for showering needs. There are designated sides for men and women. Each side consists of five shower stalls and a double bay sink.

How are meals served and where do we eat?

Meals are served in the camp Dining Hall. Breakfast is served buffet style from 7am-9am. Lunch and Dinner are served family style at 12:45pm and 6pm respectively unless otherwise noted.

Do I have to sign up for daily activities?

Daily activities are free for you to come and go as you please while they are open. All areas will be run  and supervised by appropriate staff so as to facilitate the activities in the best manner possible.

Is there cell phone service? What about internet access?

There is cell phone service on the island. Reliability will vary by carrier. There is also access to the internet as well. Wi-Fi will be available in the main area of camp. Please realize it is not meant to be commercial grade Wi-Fi and that heavy use will slow speeds down. There are printing capabilities in our office, please just ask staff if you have a need to print.

How do we get to camp?

Getting to camp will be a two stage journey. First you will need to drive to the Y-Landing Marina, located at 102 Powers Rd. in Meredith, New Hampshire. Once there your luggage will be loaded onto our 50 foot passenger launch for the trip out to camp. Parking will be available in the 3rd upper parking lot of the marina.

Part two of the journey is riding out to camp on our 50 foot passenger launch the M/V Bear II. The ride will take about a half hour. Once there we’ll unload the boat, help you find your luggage and assist with bringing it to your cabin.

Are there medical personnel on the island? What do we do in the event of an emergency?

There will be licensed Registered Nurse on staff to help deal with any medical needs. In the event of an emergency, we will contact first responders and then transport the affected party off the island to meet the first responders.

What wildlife will we encounter on the island?

There are a variety of birds, squirrel, deer, spiders, bugs, frogs, small snakes, salamanders and if you’re lucky the occasional sighting of bald eagles. Pretty much anything you would expect to see in a suburban wooded area.

What about plant life? Specifically poison ivy?

There is no poison ivy where we are located or to our knowledge anywhere on the island.

Are we free to swim and be in the water at our own leisure?

Swimming and access to the water front is only granted during the designated activity times while staff and lifeguards are on duty. We ask that for everyone’s safety that no one be in the water if there are not lifeguards present and on duty.