Visiting Agawam / Directions

Visiting Information

Parents and relatives are welcome to visit on weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) beginning in the third Saturday of each season. One weekend visit during the summer is recommended. We have found that motel accommodations for the weekends in the middle of the season are rapidly booked. Please see the list of places to stay near Agawam to assist you in making your visiting plans.

We hope that parents and other visiting relatives will spend time touring Agawam, meeting our staff and other campers, and seeing our camp program in action. We try not to alter the normal routine of Agawam for visiting purposes. For this reason, we ask that you not request mid-week visits.

1. Number Of Visits: We recommend only one weekend visit for the summer starting the third weekend of camp. We feel that two weekends are too many, unless one of your visits is to pick up your son at the end of camp.
2. Time To Come Into Camp: Saturday and Sunday after 9:30 AM (before 9:30 AM, boys have responsibilities to clean cabins and complete other camp improvement projects). If you arrive in the Raymond area Friday, you are welcome for a quick visit late Friday afternoon, after 4:30 PM. (Boys need to be at dinner at 5:45 PM, and should be in camp Friday evening.)
   
3. Taking Boys Out For Meals: Boys may be taken out for meals on Saturday and Sunday. Please sign your boy out at the office before leaving camp and sign back in upon returning to camp. Due to limited space, we usually are not able to invite you to eat with us.
   You may take another boy out only if his relatives are not coming to visit, and, then, only if we have his parents’ permission.
   
4. Returning Boys To Camp: Saturday by 7 PM for Council Fire, Sunday by 6:00 PM. Often, important camp events are scheduled on Sunday evenings. Please remember to sign in at the office before going to Council or returning to the cabin.
   
5. Rest Hour: This is our quiet period. All activities are closed between 1:30 and 2:30 PM, except tennis.
   
6. In The Morning: Parents may observe activities.
   
7. In The Afternoon: Parents may participate in activities under the guidance and supervision of Agawam staff.
   
8. General Swims: Parents are welcome to swim at either the morning or afternoon swim period. Mothers may change clothes at our office or in the handicapped bathroom in Mason-Yale. Fathers may change clothes at the Boathouse.
   
9. Council Fire: Parents and friends are cordially invited to our Council Fire on Saturday night at 7:20 PM.
   
10. Awards And Vespers: All visitors are welcome at our Vespers on Sunday morning at 10:00 AM, which all campers must attend, and at our Awards Assembly which follows at about 10:30.
    
11. Following Evening Program: Parents are requested not to go to their boy's cabin following any evening program.
12. Pets: Please keep all visiting pets on leashes.
    

The final weekend of camp is not a normal visiting weekend, since many special in-camp events are scheduled then. Parents and relatives who are in the area that weekend are welcome to have brief visits at Camp, but trips out of Camp may cause unfortunate conflicts with boys' in-camp schedules.

We also welcome parents at several special events over the closing weekend — details are provided on the Important Dates section of the website.

When our Awards Night concludes at about 10 PM on our closing night, campers have the option to stay overnight or leave Agawam then with parents. Fifteen-year-olds, concluding their last camper summer, have additional activities that night and should plan to stay overnight and leave the following morning.

Food

Parents and relatives are strongly requested not to send or bring candy, cookies or foodstuffs to camp. A well-balanced diet is maintained and boys may obtain camp-supplied candy at regular intervals. All food and candy brought into camp will be stored in the office or disposed of.

Transportation to Camp

Campers arrive by car, camp bus, or plane.

Personal Car
We would prefer that you arrive in the afternoon of our opening day between 3 and 5 PM. But, if it is necessary for your travel plans, you are welcome to arrive any time after noon. Please notify us if you will be arriving before 3 PM.

Chaperoned Bus
We plan a chartered bus, chaperoned by Agawam staff, originating in Union, NJ, with stops in Darien, CT and Lexington, MA. For preliminary planning purposes:

Union, New Jersey: The meeting place is at the Union McDonald's Restaurant (Vauxhall Service Area), just after Exit 140 on the Garden State Parkway, northbound (where Routes 22 and 82 cross).

Darien, Connecticut: The meeting place is at the Mobil Station and McDonald's restaurant located on the Connecticut Turnpike, Rt. 95 northbound, between exits 12 and 13.

Lexington, Massachusetts: The meeting place is at the Lexington Sunoco and Rest Area on Rt. 128 and I95 northbound lane, at exit 30 (Rt. 2A).

Airplane

We will meet or deliver boys for flights arriving at or departing from the Portland International Jetport, Portland, Maine. Agawam provides staff chaperones who stay with boys until they board, and remain at the airport until the boys' flights actually take off.

Portland International Jetport is served by most major airlines. We would appreciate it if you could schedule travel on flights arriving in Portland from late morning to mid-afternoon on our opening day, and departing Portland between 8 AM and noon on the closing day. Advise us of the flight details. Please be sure to confirm all flights, connections, and "unaccompanied minor" requests. Send any return tickets to the Agawam office for use at the end of the season.

Driving Directions

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Note: The State Of Maine Has Changed Its Highway Numbers & Exit Numbers As Shown Below
Alumni families should note that there is a new bypass around the center of Gray, Maine.

Recommended
From the Maine Turnpike North (Interstate 95N), take exit 63, formerly exit 11 (Gray). Turn left after the toll. At the first traffic light, turn right onto Rt. 26A (new bypass around Gray). Go 2.7 miles from the traffic light (Rt. 26A becomes Rt. 26) until a flashing yellow light at the Dry Mills Store. Turn left at this intersection onto North Raymond Road. Go 1 mile on North Raymond Road and turn left onto Egypt Road. Go 4 miles to the end of Egypt Road, where it intersects with Rt. 85. Turn right on Rt. 85 and go 4 miles until you see the Agawam sign on the right. (This route will have less traffic, and is our first recommendation)

- or -

Alternate
From the Maine Turnpike North (Interstate 95N), take exit 48, formerly exit 8 (Portland-Westbrook). Turn right at end of ramp, and follow Riverside Avenue through several traffic lights to the intersection with Rt. 302. Turn left at this intersection onto Rt. 302 West. Follow Rt. 302 West through Westbrook, North Windham to Raymond, ME. In Raymond, turn right on Rt. 85 North. This intersection has a traffic light and is located near the "Panther Run Rest Area" and The Good Life Market. Follow Rt. 85 N. for 7 mi. until you see the Agawam sign on the right.

Following Either Set Of Directions
Turn in our access road, and follow it to the bottom of the hill, just past our baseball field (on your left), and report to our Camp Office on your arrival. Parking on visiting weekends is in camp near the flagpole. A member of the Sr. Club will be on hand to greet weekend visitors. (Note: If you get to the junction of Rt. 85 North and Rt. 11, you have gone about one-half mile too far on Rt. 85! Turn around and look carefully on your left for the Agawam driveway, just past a cemetery.)

Please drive very slowly and carefully when entering camp as people are everywhere on the property and not used to automobile traffic during most of their time at Agawam.