As a kid, I never went to overnight camp. My plea to my mother was met with a resounding response: "I won't pay you to go somewhere I know you'll hate." I never let her hear the end of that sentence. This is no surprise to anyone who is or has been a mother, and I now know she was right: I am an accident-prone homebody who gets burned every second in the sun, the definition of hell Trapped in the wilderness with a million species of bugs, sleeping in a room with 20 other kids. I'll ask my mom to pick me up a day later .
So I was initially conflicted when I was invited to HomeGoods' "Finder's Camp," a reimagined, bookable summer camp experience focused on Camp Locanda in New York's Catskill Mountains. Lokanda) Find your favorite home decor fun around the world. On the one hand, it was finally my chance to enjoy a childhood experience I never had, designed by the place where I spent the most time outside of work and family. On the other hand, errors.
No one told me otherwise and I arrived at Camp Locanda for a night with three bottles of repellent. Friendly "guides" in matching shirts (aka Lokanda camp counselors) led me to the HomeGoods Lakeside Lounge, a cozy pavilion with comfy seating patterns. Along the way, I marveled at the staples of summer camp like a kid in a candy store: the vast oceanfront views, the huge pool, the giant fire pit. For a moment, I felt angry again at my parents for depriving me of such an experience. (The next second, an inchworm jumped from the tree into my face.)
After a hearty welcome lunch in the dining room—which features forest views and communal tables filled with vibrant, thoughtfully designed tablescapes—the tour guide handed me a clipboard with a map of the property and a compact journey. I also have a lanyard for my designated cabin, "Grandma's Woods" - considering I do sometimes feel like a 75 year old in a 30 year old body.
Grandma's Grove is one of 10 cabins available at Finder's Camp. Each leans toward a different trendy interior design style: The Grove, for example, is a take on the 2022 coastal granny craze, with delicate floral linens, a wall of classic blue and white china vessels, and beachy and light neutrals . For those who update Goodreads more often than respond to text messages, Bookworm Birch is a moody yet lively cabin for four designed with a wall of bookshelves and a reading nook of your choice. The Western Willow Cottage draws inspiration from Southwestern interiors, while the Pink Pine Cottage resembles a life-size Barbie Dreamhouse.
The rest of my time consisted of adult spins on classic summer camp activities (read: I drank wine and champagne at almost every activity). The first is an old-fashioned scavenger hunt, during which we venture into the forest to find hidden home decor items. I ran up and down the forest paths, darting over fallen trees and peering into the branches, searching for any treasure I could reach. I do this more times than I've ever done it in HomeGoods or Target—in other words, it's the kind of fun I was born for.
Later, in a guided embroidery class, we chose from a range of linens and sewed initials and sweet floral patterns onto them. Sitting in a cool room, listening to soft classical music, doing needlework leisurely, and looking at the lake outside the window, I feel like I am thriving. I get so excited about what I love about my home that I bring that creativity to the gardening gazebo, where an expert guides us in transplanting houseplants, herbs, and vegetables into an eclectic mix that suits a variety of design styles. In a flower pot.
We huddled around piles of pillows and blankets, and elaborate Halloween decorations like towers of glittering gold skulls, colorful pumpkins, and skeletons emerging from the ground. The experience ended with a campfire, eating sandwich cookies, and listening to scary stories. I'm not ashamed to admit that I want to steal. Granted, the scariest story we heard was the strangely familiar one about a woman who felt unbearable fear about choosing what she wanted for her home (cue Maddie in "Euphoria" who says, "This Is the damn drama about us?"), but the atmosphere was terrible. Still, perfect.
If you and your friends are the kind of people who prefer glamping to camping, and you also happen to enjoy participating in HomeGoods runs, you can also experience a weekend at HomeGoods' Finder's Camp. The brand will be available for pre-order here June 7-9 starting Friday, May 17 at 12pm ET for $49.99 per person. You can choose from a number of beautifully decorated cabins, but please note that accommodation is booked on a first-come, first-served basis based on availability and group size.
