come experience adventure
One of our flagship youth opportunities, our Youth Blast programs focus on building community with each other here at Gretna Glen before taking on an adventure off site. Youth Blast campers spend their week eating meals together in the Dining Hall, learning new skills at program activities, playing night games, and feeling the good vibes of Christian camp community as one body.
Waterpark Adventure campers get to experience our first Youth Blast program of the summer. We will spend our week making new friends on the challenge course, adventuring through high ropes elements, and doing special activities no other campers get to do—like hanging out in the new Youth Blast Lounge! Then, we will head to the Poconos for a day at Camelbeach Waterpark in Tannersville, PA where we will splash, float, and have a blast at the biggest outdoor waterpark in Pennsylvania! And to cap off our week, we will have meaningful worship experiences and a service project here at Gretna Glen.
Our Goals for every camper
Our goal for all overnight campers is to create an environment where they can THRIVE:
Try new experiences
Camp is great exposure to new people, news skills, and new challenges.
Hear Good News
We are here to share in the joy of knowing and following Jesus Christ!
Reset and Renew
We work hard to create a place where campers can be themselves, unplug from devices, and rest.
Inspire One Another
Community experiences and culture creation are intentional, key aspects of every week.
Value Themselves
Campers learn they can do more than they thought possible by learning and growing all week long.
Explore Possibilites
Campers are encouraged to ask questions about their faith, their future, and their world.
Why This Program Works
The first days at Gretna Glen are spent forming a group identity. Campers learn each other's names, push through challenges together, and start to trust each other. By the time the Camelbeach trip arrives on Wednesday, they're not a group of strangers at a waterpark — they're a community.
The shared experiences at camp gives the off-site adventure a completely different energy. Campers come back from Camelbeach talking about what they did together, not just what they did.
WHERE YOU'LL STAY
Youth Blast campers stay in the Raab Retreat Lodge, a two-story lodge right on Gretna Glen's main site. The Lodge has bunk-style housing with restrooms in the building. It's comfortable, communal, and close to the Dining Hall and all main camp activities.
WHAT PARENTS SHOULD KNOW
All Gretna Glen children and youth campers will have the opportunity to share in the camp experience filled with singing, Bible Discovery, worship, crafts, nature, swimming, boating, fishing, campfires, hiking, archery, sports, games, and much more. Each program is designed specifically to be age-appropriate, and specialized staff are trained to ensure a high-quality and well-structured program.
The Camelbeach trip is a supervised off-site day. Staff accompany campers for the full day at the waterpark. Transportation is included in the program cost.
Gretna Glen is accredited by the American Camp Association. To earn accreditation, Gretna Glen complies with more than 300 health, safety and program quality standards. This accreditation is vital to the safety of our campers and guests while holding us to a high standard of excellence.
WHO THIS PROGRAM IS FOR
- Teens who want a camp experience that goes beyond the campground
- Campers who thrive on group challenges and team building
- Anyone looking for an action-packed week with a waterpark day built in
- Youth groups or friend groups who want to sign up together