Deciding to go on a trip with Wilderness Adventures is the easy part! Who wouldn’t want to spend their summer exploring, sleeping under the stars, and forming connections with new friends from all over the world?!
The hard part–and one of the most frequently asked questions we receive–is, which trip should I go on? The good news is: you can’t go wrong! But there are certainly steps you can take to ensure that the program you are sending your child on this summer is the right fit for them.
As summer approaches, trips are beginning to fill up, so it’s good practice to have some back-up trip ideas should your top choice be full. Feel free to give the office a call and we can update you on availability.
There are a few key factors to consider when making this decision:
AGE GROUP
What grade is your student currently in? We offer programs for students in 4th-12th+ grade. Age on trip is determined by the grade your student is in for this school year. For example, if they are in 6th grade for the 2021-2022 school year, they should look at programs for 6th graders.
Here is the age group breakdown:
Campout – 4th-6th grade
Discovery – 5th-6th grade
Explorer – 7th-9th grade
High Trails – 9th-12th grade
WALI Gap – 12th+
9th graders! Lucky you! You get to choose if you’d like to go with the Explorer or the High Trails groups.
Now that you know what age group to be looking at, you can begin to use our Find a Program tool here. This will allow you to filter trip options according to age groups, activities, and regions!
DATES
Summer is a busy time! Schools start and end on different dates, family vacations are happening, and the calendar fills up more every day. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
When is my child available? Our earliest program starts on June 7th, and our latest programs begin July 21st.
How long of a trip should my child do? We have programs ranging from 5 days all the way up to 42! Most trips fall somewhere between two and three weeks long. Which length of trip you prefer will depend on your schedule, your child’s comfort in being away from home, and what programs sound fun to them!
The best way to compare trip dates is to head to this comprehensive 2022 Trip List. Trips are separated by age group with dates listed in the middle column.
LOCATION
Where do you want to be this summer?! Up in the mountains of Oregon? At the beach in Honolulu? Maybe you want to explore some place close to home! Our students come from all over the US and the world, so regardless of where you are headed, you are sure to meet lots of new faces.
We offer trips from the West coast to the East coast, over to Europe, down to Peru, and up to Alaska!
Check out the trip list mentioned above to get a quick glance at where trips are located.
ACTIVITIES
One of the main questions to consider: what does your child want to do this summer? Each trip is a little bit different! There are opportunities to backpack, kayak, raft, paddleboard, surf, SCUBA, snorkel, rock climb, canyoneer, and so much more.
Many students joining us do not have experience with the activities on the trip–that’s part of the fun! Our programs are designed with that in mind, and we will always offer instruction before taking part in any activity. All you need to do is show up and be ready to learn and try something new!
An easy way to filter by age group and activity is to head to that Find a Program search. It will allow you to filter out what sounds best to you!
What next?
Once you have a trip picked out, you can sign up by hitting the Enroll button at the top right corner of our website, or clicking here. This will prompt you to create an account through CampInTouch, or allow you access to an existing account. Once your application has been submitted, you can expect to hear from someone on our enrollment team shortly after with next steps!
We know that the trip selection process can be a little bit overwhelming, but regardless of which trip you choose, your student will walk away from this summer with a renewed sense of confidence, a close group of friends, and an excitement about the outdoor world! In the end it doesn’t really matter where you go, it’s the people and the sense of adventure that makes WA trips special.
We can’t wait to see you this summer! If you would like to chat about trip options or run through this checklist together, give our office a call, we would love to hear from you.
