Camp Friendship

Camp Friendship sits on more than 600 acres in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, with rolling hills, woods, a lake, and frontage along the Rivanna River, a short drive from Charlottesville and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. Founded in 1966 by Chuck Ackenbom, the camp remains family-run today and is accredited by the American Camp Association. While best known as a traditional overnight summer camp, Camp Friendship opens its grounds each spring and fall for weddings and retreats, including family camp weekends and women's weekend getaways. Couples can hold a ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception on site, with spaces such as Council Fire, the Dance Pavilion, and Overlook Lodge — which includes wedding suites for preparation — set among the camp's lakeside and wooded settings. Guests can stay overnight in camp lodging as part of a wedding or retreat weekend and take part in classic camp activities such as waterfront paddling, archery, and a high ropes course. On-site dining features farm-fresh, seasonal fare prepared by the camp's chef, ranging from cookouts to seared salmon.