Camp Curious taps into the beauty of place, and talents of people, in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It also taps into your ability to explore, experience, learn, play, and grow in an ethical, inclusive, supported, fun space.
We've put together a variety of themed one-week sessions featuring unique experiences. You could join us to learn about the fascinating Indigenous history of Niagara; how to identify clouds; where to start with beekeeping; how to identify trees (in all seasons); how government works in a small town; how to grow crops or raise livestock....
Book your experience by dates and/or theme. Not sure which experience to book? Use our handy filter!
Then arrange your lodgings and transportation, and you're all set! Light, casual lunches are included in the programming.
(Campers are responsible for their own lodging and transportation, as well as morning and evening meals. Camp Curious can make suggestions if you need some help.)
Try forest bathing; make pottery on a wheel; taste beer and see how it's made; learn about LEEDS certification and biodynamic growing in wineries; explore kayaking and paddleboarding; learn orienteering; try some acting exercises; learn the basics of aerial acrobatics....
The world will be saved by curiosity and connection.
WEEK ONE
example
June 2–6, 2025
Alternative (anti-colonial) history,
with a natural frolic
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
AM
PM
kayaking on Lake Ontario and the Niagara River, using an Indigenous lens
lunch
forest bathing in an
old-growth
oak savannah
Underground Railroad guided walk with sensitivity to Black history and Black present
lunch
cloud identification session
so you want to be another Harriet
Tubman? How to
start a revolution
lunch
tree identification tour through old growth forest, with Indigenous historical lens
follow your attention: learn to see what you're naturally drawn to
lunch
pick local fruit in season
is it an arrowhead? a tool? learn to see the Indigenous weapons and tools in rocks and fossils
lunch
make a zine of your experiences of the week and your plans for the future
WEEK TWO
example
June 9–13, 2025
Find your voice
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
AM
PM
forest bathing in an old-growth oak savannah
lunch
connect with music by learning how to really listen to it
learn voice projection from a professional theatre actor
lunch
how to write a deposition to your local town/city council
learn some fundamentals of American Sign Language
lunch
an introduction to Anishinaabemowin
fiction writing experiment
lunch
how to make a decision quickly
old-fashioned camp singalong—with some learning
lunch
make a zine of your experiences of the week and your plans for the future
AM
PM
WEEKEND 1
Truth & Recreation
Saturday
Sunday
WEEKEND 2
From Seed to Sea
Saturday
Sunday
learn about the Truth & Reconciliation Commission of Canada's 94 Calls to Action
lunch
paddleboarding (in season) or forest bathing
Indigenous past, present & future in Niagara
lunch
an introduction to Anishinaabemowin while on a guided walking tour of NotL
seed-saving instruction
lunch
growing food: start where you are, use what you have, do what you can
learn to identify water currents
lunch
kayaking (in season) or guided lakeside walk
-
12 participants per week maximum
-
All leaders/teachers are experts in their fields, and are representatives of their communities (never about us without us)
-
Leaders/teachers are local, and are well compensated
-
$200 per person per week, $100 pp/weekend includes all learning and lunches
-
activities run year-round, changing through the seasons
-
Lodging and transportation not included
-
5% of income goes to the Nii’kinaaganaa Foundation: Collecting rent and redistributing it to Indigenous People (payyourrent.ca)
Sample themes
Anti-Colonial History with a Natural Frolic
See sample Week 1, above
Connectapalooza
socializing for introverts
networking for people who hate networking
make connections between ideas
connect activists to causes
create community around causes
Growing Sustainability
Find Your Voice
see sample Week 2, above
Move and Be Moved
paddleboarding
emotional regulation
empathy and inclusion
forest bathing
yoga
organic/natural farming
seed saving
Stratus Vineyards: LEEDS certified building + organic growing
Southbrook Vineyards: biodynamic growing
beekeeping
Beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake
Photos taken in Niagara-on-the-Lake, by Lauren O'Malley
More ideas for potential activities
-
one day primer of how to sail
-
brewery tour, beermaking lesson, and lunch (Oast)
-
winery tour, winemaking lesson, and lunch
-
pick fruit in season: peaches, cherries, apples, blueberries, etc
-
paddle boarding—lessons, yoga, sunset paddle
-
kayaking
-
beer making
-
wine making
-
growing food
-
gelato making
-
hat making
-
pottery
-
beekeeping
-
history: local, Black, Indigenous
-
orienteering
-
learn about trees; tree identification, all seasons
-
forest bathing
-
farming—animals/crops
-
yoga
-
Ghost Walk
-
politics of a small town
-
sourdough
-
kombucha
a fermentation afternoon,
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cycling tours
-
discover your cognitive biases
-
repair cafe
-
visible mending
-
horse and carriage tours—Black history, Indigenous history
-
photography
-
contemplative photography (Kim Manley Ort)
-
following your attention (KMO)
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singing
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backstage at the Shaw: costumes, sets, etc,
-
acting lessons from a Shaw pro
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other lessons in performing, voice, speaking, from theatre pros
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a green package environmental tour of Niagara-on-the-Lake include Stratus Vineyards, Bartel Organic Farms, Southbrook biodynamic vineyards and farm, etc
-
gorge tour for rock formations, native plants, water flow, river study
-
architectural tour, historical —> modern
-
horseback riding lesson
-
learn about how to interact with a horse, horse psychology, etc
-
birding
-
cloud identification
-
read water patterns and currents
-
learn how to stage a protest
-
how to make a deposition to your town/city council
-
seed saving
-
vocal coaching
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activism
-
emotional regulation
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meditation
