Maybe they're wrong when they say you can't go back.

For many adults, camp may have represented some great memories filled with fun experiences and the start of lifelong friendships. Who could blame them if they wanted to return to all of that? And with the growing popularity of family camp—sessions where the whole family can attend camp together—many are choosing to do just that.

For Carole Kennedy, there's definitely a nostalgic element in going to the family camp at Ryde Lake Camp in Muskoka, Ontario with her husband, Marcus, and their kids. They've been attending for 10 years now. For Kennedy, who went to camp when she was young, it's a chance to relive some of those old experiences and to share them with her husband. "It's just the most gorgeous spot," she says. "There's a lot to do, too—we have access to kayaks, canoes and sports equipment."

Family camp is about more than just nostalgia. Those kinds of experiences can help families grow closer, says Stephen Fine, chair of the National Research Committee for the Canadian Camping Association. "It's a great way to have a shared experience with other members of your family and to bond," he says. "Here's an opportunity where you can get dad off the BlackBerry and get the kids off the computer and just do some fun stuff together and learn some new skills."

It's also cheaper than a trip abroad or a fancy resort, he adds. And for younger kids, it can help them get used to the idea of being at camp before they go off on their own, while still having their parents nearby.

That's exactly what Kennedy found with her youngest child, who was 18 months old when they first started attending the family camp at Ryde Lake and made a smooth transition when she started camp herself. The family also brings a cousin who is mentally challenged, Kennedy says, knowing that it's a safe and inclusive environment.

In fact, all sorts of family units come to the camp, says Fran Sugawara, camp director at Ryde Lake. "There are families with mom and dad and their kids, there are families who use it as a bit of a family reunion with grandma and grandpa and everyone else, and there are others who are here who don't come with little kids and are not families," she says. "We have a group of ladies who are in their 80s now who come every year for a week. They were early Ryde Lake campers."

Photo: Camp Ouareau (by Christine Muschi)