The best summer camp movies aren’t all coming-of-age tales, and the theme of heading out for some summer fun has been explored in nearly every genre. However, almost all summer camp movies see an ensemble cast of characters leaving their homes for a few short weeks to spend time with their peers. Summer camp movies also tend to have a special nostalgia factor for older viewers, while younger audience members are entertained by the general antics of the school-free season.
Although a large sector of summer camp movies feature younger casts going through the awkward stages of growing up, not all films focus on the campers. Some opt to follow the counselors’ stories or explore the larger experience of going to camp. From genre tropes like inter-camp competitions or the threat of a camp’s closure to complete subversions that see slashers on the loose or campers going against authority, there’s a film for every viewer. No matter the tone, all summer camp movies are the perfect way to usher in the season.
10 The Parent Trap (1998)
Lindsay Lohan got her big break with the 1998 summer camp movie The Parent Trap. A remake of the 1961 original, The Parent Trap still holds up today. It follows the uptight Annie (Lohan) and the laid-back Hallie (also Lohan) as they meet at a summer camp for the first time and realize that they’re twins who were separated at birth. After a prank war ensues between the dissimilar pair, they unite forces and switch places before going home in an effort to get their parents, Nick (Dennis Quaid) and Liz (Natasha Richardson), back together.
While only a fraction of the film occurs at camp, it serves as the central meeting place for Annie and Hallie, and the segment features some classic summer camp antics, from piercing each other’s ears to camper-on-camper pranks. Considered formative viewing for ’90s kids, The Parent Trap received positive reviews from critics upon its release, with Lindsay Lohan’s performance in the dual roles winning her a Young Artist Award. The film adds to the 1961 Hayley Mills classic and puts a modern spin on a fun romantic comedy meets coming-of-age tale.
9 Heavyweights (1995)
Heavyweights is one of the most underrated summer camp movies of all time and features Ben Stiller in an iconic role as the health-obsessed Tony Perkins. Armed with some of the funniest Ben Stiller quotes, Heavyweights sees young Gerry Garner (Aaron Schwartz) forced to attend a weight-loss camp known as “Camp Hope.” At first, Gerry meets a rag-tag group of campers, including SNL‘s Kenan Thompson in an early role, and it looks like Camp Hope might not be so awful — until it’s revealed that weight-loss guru Tony Perkins (Stiller) intends to buy the camp from its original owners to enact his own outlandishly strict regime.
The movie is a barrel of laughs from start to finish. Even though Heavyweights is a product of its time, it contains an enduring message about loving and accepting oneself. The summer camp movie is also acclaimed comedy director Judd Apatow’s first feature-length film writing credit, as he penned the screenplay alongside Steven Brill (Mr. Deeds). Though Heavyweights didn’t experience major success at the box office, the movie has since garnered a cult following thanks to its offbeat humor and heartwarming message.
8 Friday The 13th (1980)
While subverting all the summer camp movie tropes from films that came before it, Friday the 13th created a litany of horror tropes that have since shaped the slasher sub-genre. The movie that sparked a 12-film franchise zeroes in on Camp Crystal Lake, a location that’s now infamous in the horror movie lexicon. While the teen camp counselors attempt to enjoy a boozy hormone-fueled summer away from the prying eyes of their parents, a masked killer soon starts picking off camp-goers one by one in an increasingly brutal fashion.
In the original film, camp counselor Alice (Adrienne King) inadvertently finds herself at the center of the mystery as she uncovers a revenge plot sparked by a death that occurred the year prior. Although not every Friday the 13th movie takes place at Camp Crystal Lake, Jason Voorhees is synonymous with his summer camp hunting grounds. Famously, Jason isn’t technically the villain in the first film, but his story is what sparked the expansive franchise and cemented a classic slasher villain. Though it had all the makings of failure with a cast of unknowns, shaky dialogue, and a script that was completed in two weeks, Friday the 13th was a smashing success.
7 Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
David Wain’s satirical take on the genre inadvertently turned out to be one of the best summer camp films of all time. While Wet Hot American Summer is full of running gags, memorable jokes, and slapstick humor, it contains plenty of sweet and heartwarming moments too. Set in 1981, Wet Hot American Summer focuses on the counselors and staff of Camp Firewood as they date, break up, and generally neglect the kids. In the meantime, camp director Beth (Janeane Garofalo) tries to keep everyone in line, and astrophysics professor Henry (David Hyde-Pierce) attempts to save everyone from a piece of NASA’s Skylab that’s plummeting toward Camp Firewood.
While Wet Hot American Summer didn’t garner success upon its release, the film features a now-star-studded cast of actors like Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Rudd, and more. Wain’s comedy quickly gained a cult following; Netflix even gave the movie two follow-ups. The First Day of Camp released in 2015 and served as a prequel, surprisingly seeing many of the main cast clearing their schedules to reprise their roles. Ten Years Later hit Netflix in 2017 and makes good on the counselors’ promise from the original film.
6 But I’m A Cheerleader (1999)
But I’m a Cheerleader is a wholly different type of summer camp movie. A cult-classic LGBTQ+ coming-of-age comedy that was well ahead of its time, But I’m a Cheerleader sees 17-year-old cheerleader and devout Christian Megan (Natasha Lyonne) forced to attend a gay conversion camp known as True Directions. While there, Megan and the rest of the campers are forced to undergo offensive gender-role-affirming training and grapple with the roots of their sexual orientations. However, Megan soon finds herself falling for the sullen Graham (Clea DuVall) and must choose whether to be herself or conform to her parents’ wishes.
But I’m a Cheerleader explored a horrific real-life practice known as conversion therapy in a campy and funny way while still holding true to its important values. One of the best dark teen comedies of the ’90s, the film allows Lyonne to shine as the woefully ignorant Megan; her arc has moments of both triumph and heartbreak as she learns to accept herself. Apart from Lyonne and DuVall, the cult classic features several now-iconic faces, including Rupaul, Michelle Williams, and Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets).
5 Meatballs (1979)
The first time prolific actor and comedian Bill Murray nabbed a starring role was in the 1979 summer camp movie Meatballs. The Canadian comedy film also launched the career of director Ivan Reitman, who later directed classics like Ghostbusters, Animal House, and Kindergarten Cop. Meatballs is about camp counselor Tripper (Murray) attempting to lead a new group of counselors-in-training at the underfunded Camp North Star. Tripper also encounters the lonely Rudy (Chris Makepeace) and takes the camper under his wing.
Meatballs‘ comedy is in the same vein as Reitman’s other works, and certain segments haven’t aged well. While it’s not one of Bill Murray’s best movies, there’s no denying that it contains a heartwarming central relationship between Rudy and Tripper. Though the rest of the ensemble cast is given a fair amount of screen time and subplots, Murray was particularly praised by critics for his performance. Meatballs is also the film that Wet Hot American Summer parodies the most, proving that it’s the ultimate summer camp movie.
4 Camp Nowhere (1994)
Camp Nowhere is an inventive comedy film that remains one of the best summer camp movies because it sees the kids taking over. Starring Christopher Lloyd as the eccentric ex-drama teacher Dennis Van Welker, Camp Nowhere follows preteen Morris “Mud” (Jonathan Jackson), who dreads returning to his boring summer camp. He hatches a plan with his friends to create a fake summer camp — one with no counselors and no rules — and blackmails Dennis Van Welker into assisting them.
Camp Nowhere is a blast from start to finish, and Christopher Lloyd stands out in what is possibly one of his zaniest roles. It’s a celebration of imagination as the kids are in control, falling in step with other ’90s movies like Richie Rich, Home Alone, and Matilda. The kids go to hilarious great lengths to keep their plan from their parents, even making it look like several separate camps when their folks unexpectedly visit. Though Camp Nowhere received wildly mixed reviews, it’s full of summer fun.
3 Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Bill Murray stars in yet another summer camp movie, though with quite a different feel. Wes Anderson’s coming-of-age tale Moonrise Kingdom follows 12-year-old orphan Sam (Jared Gilman) as he attends Camp Ivanhoe on the small New England island of New Penzance. Sam meets 12-year-old Suzy (Kara Hayward) during a church performance, leading the introverted and bookish duo to become pen pals. After promising to run away together, they enact the plan a year later —but the Khaki Scouts are soon hot on their trail.
Undeniably sweet and delightfully spontaneous, the love story between Sam and Suzy is a highlight of Moonrise Kingdom. It’s also the rare summer camp movie that was celebrated upon its release: Moonrise Kingdom was so critically acclaimed that it garnered 59 award nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. In true Wes Anderson fashion, the kids are joined by an all-star cast that features Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, and Tilda Swinton.
2 The Baby-Sitters Club (1995)
Save for a troubling romance between two characters, The Baby-Sitters Club has managed to stand the test of time as one of the best summer camp movies. Following an ensemble cast of seven 13-year-old girls, The Baby-Sitters Club sees the titular society’s president, Kristy (Schuyler Fisk), opening a day camp for their clients in the backyard of fellow club member Mary Anne Spier (Rachael Leigh Cook). In the midst of caring for the kids, each of the preteens is facing their own personal issues, and things only get worse when Mary Anne’s neighbor Mrs. Haberman (Ellen Burstyn), disapproves of the day camp.
The film is based on Ann M. Martin’s beloved book series of the same name, which was more recently adapted into a modern-day Netflix series. Although The Baby-Sitters Club wasn’t a box office hit, it garnered a legacy all its own. The film sees ’90s darling Rachael Leigh Cook in her feature film debut and provides a surprising role for The Exorcist star Ellen Burstyn. Despite the mixed reviews, this heartwarming preteen tale remains one of the best summer camp movies of all time.
1 Addams Family Values (1993)
While it may not seem like a summer camp movie at first glance, Addams Family Values sees Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) forced to attend Camp Chippewa — to hilarious results. After Wednesday and Pugsley try to dispose of their new baby brother, their parents — Gomez (Raul Julia) and Morticia (Anjelica Huston) — hire a nanny, Debby (Joan Cusack), to help. The summer camp Debby ships the Addams siblings off to is run by the perpetually cheerful Grangers — and it’s not just Wednesday who can’t stand the family’s suffocating happiness any longer.
Addams Family Values combines moments of summer camp fun with its brand of deliciously dark humor. Out of every actress who has played Wednesday Addams, Ricci stands out in the role, which led to more screen time for her dour character in the sequel. As one of the best summer camp movies, it took first place at the box office during its opening weekend and is still considered to be one of the few sequels that surpasses the original film.