Have you ever watched the Parent Trap and thought, yes, this is the overnight summer camp experience I want for my daughter? You are not the only one! We periodically get asked, is your camp like The Parent Trap? And honestly, like, yes. Okay, there definitely are differences. But the traditional feel, the lakeside activities, the bunks, the pranks, the friendships… it all kinda tracks!
How Camp Jeanne d’Arc is Similar to The Parent Trap
You are very unlikely to find your long-lost twin at Camp Jeanne d’Arc, but twisty plot lines aside, Camp Jeanne d’Arc and Camp Inch/Camp Walden of the Parent Trap movies have striking similarities. Here are some ways we compare:
All-Girls Camp Setting
Both Camp Jeanne d’Arc and The Parent Trap center around a traditional girls’ summer camp experience. In an all-girls setting, girls are empowered to find their voices and learn how to step into themselves with confidence! Girls can dominate at the riflery range, captain their team, lead overnight hikes, deliver morning reflection speeches, and overturn capsized sailboats! They learn how to be their authentic selves in front of a crowd, in the smaller cabin groups, and when navigating their own specific camp journey. The Parent Trap and Camp Jeanne d’Arc both celebrate the all-girls camp experience!
Lakeside Fun!
You know the scene in the 1961 Parent Trap version where the canoe tips over? Did you see the sailboats in the background? The swimmers? The docks? The lakeside scenes from the movies bear a strong resemblance to what you will find at Camp Jeanne d’Arc! Chateaugay Lake is a calm and pristine waterfront perfect for beginner paddlers and sailors. Whether it is the 1961 or the 1998 version, paddling along the lake and jumping in off the docks feels like you’ve stepped inside the set of Parent Trap!
Traditional Camp Vibe
The Parent Trap movies feature bugles sounding off, tetherballs spinning around poles, family-style meals, card games in cabins, wooded trails, pranks – and guess what? Camp Jeanne d’Arc has it all! The depiction of traditional camp life is partly why The Parent Trap became so popular. People like the concept of girls living in cabins in the woods, forming friendships, and engaging in traditions and activities. Why? Because it is full of fun and uniquely empowering!
Sisterhood
Camp starts with strangers, just like the girls in The Parent Trap. But things quickly transform into deep, lasting bonds as the girls experience adventure, try new things, mitigate intra-cabin squabbles, and ultimately form friendships. And while secret sister swapping is definitely off the table, Camp Jeanne d’Arc besties often keep their friendships going in the off-season. It is common for cabinmates to reconnect after Camp via Facetime sessions, city meet-ups, group chats, and even trick-or-treating. Camp Jeanne d’Arc provides an ideal environment for forming and maintaining long-lasting friendships!
Where Camp Jeanne d’Arc is Even Stronger
Camp Jeanne d’Arc is not exactly like Camp Inch and Camp Walden of the Parent Trap. I mean, there are the obvious differences – there are no long-lost twins reconnecting, no butlers in fancy cars, and no isolation cabins. In reality, Camp Jeanne d’Arc is way better! Here’s why:
Real-Life Impact vs. Scripted Story
Camp Jeanne d’Arc isn’t a feel-good movie with predictable plot twists—it’s a lived transformation. A movie needs to create suspense, tension, and character arcs to keep the viewers engaged. What keeps campers coming back year after year is quite different – it’s the sense of belonging, the small-by-design family feel, the confidence gained, and the robust and tight-knit Camp community.
No “Mean Girl” Energy
The pranks in The Parent Trap have a mean-spirited feel. The girls are pitted against each other and prank each other out of spite or revenge. The counselors yell and shout. Heck, campers are punished with isolation! You won’t find “mean girl” energy at Camp Jeanne d’Arc. Our Camp culture is all about girls supporting girls and lifting each other up. Our pranks are more for the fun of it (or for finding ways to hide/secure treats!). Camp Jeanne d’Arc counselors are not like the drill-sergeants at Camp Inch, think more like big sisters! And while we definitely have rules and regulations, our staff is concerned primarily about safety. All of our rules center around keeping campers safe, happy, and healthy.
Camp Roots that Run Deep
Unlike the fictional camps in the Parent Trap movies, Camp Jeanne d’Arc thrives from its multi-generation legacy. During any given summer at JDA, you will find several granddaughters, daughters, nieces, and cousins of former campers. Multi-generation campers love that they share the Camp experience with relatives and look for their names on our Hearth Boards or photos in our archives. Camp origin stories don’t necessarily have to be familial – many campers come to camp from neighbors, high school friends, or even veterinarians (true story!). The common thread is that our camp roots run deep and spread wide!
The Dream Minus the Drama
So, let’s be honest: Camp Jeanne d’Arc gives you everything you love about The Parent Trap—the classic lake setting on pristine Chateaugay Lake, the traditional camp vibe complete with tetherball and cabin card games, and the deep, fast friendships that turn strangers into sisters. You get the dream, minus the drama.
The next time you find yourself watching The Parent Trap, imagine what it would be like at Camp Jeanne d’Arc – jumping off the docks, skipping down wooded trails arm-in-arm with friends, paddling along the lake, and running down the great lawn when the bugle calls for lunch! Almost as if it’s straight out of a movie!
