travel

Planning your summer getaway? If you’re an outdoorsy type, you want might to steer your canoe toward Camp Wandawega: a retro-chic camping resort in Elkhorn, WI that embraces the simple joys of laid-back living.

Some of us never outgrew our love of summer camp, and with a place like Camp Wandawega, we don’t have to. Owned and operated by David Hernandez and his wife Tereasa Surratt, the stylish camp could double as the set of a Wes Anderson film. David’s family summered at the retreat throughout his childhood and, when the camp went up for sale in 2003, he and Tereasa saw an opportunity to preserve a beautiful piece of nature.

Guests have access to a variety of activities, including sunbathing on a private beach, fishing, canoeing, hiking, cycling, playing vintage lawn games (think horse shoes, shuffleboard and archery), lounging in one of the awesome canvas teepees or spending a rainy afternoon reading in the tree house. Get a bonfire going in the evening (with s’mores and a singalong, of course), then retreat to your rustic wooden cabin to rest up before another day of old-school camp fun.

You won’t find modern conveniences or fancy fixtures at Camp Wandawega–their website urges would-be guests to read their Low-Brow Manifesto before booking–but adventurers who love spending their days outside and their evenings under starlit skies will fall in love with the resort’s “back in time” charm and low-tech vibe. (It helps if you don’t mind sharing a shower with toads and/or spiders!)

Before you wave goodbye to camp (the saddest day of anyone’s summer holiday), be sure to check out the souvenir shop and bring home a kitschy reminder of your carefree (and iPhone free) getaway. You’ll feel like a kid all over again.