Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s almost sleepover season. Even if you’ve long since graduated from an appropriate sleepover age, you can still enjoy an adult- or family-themed sleepover.
Here are four out-of-the-ordinary sleepovers that are worth the trip this summer.
Great Horror Campout, Los Angeles, Calif.
If you’re a horror film junkie, you’re going to enjoy this one. The Great Horror Campout (held June 7 and 8 in Los Angeles) has only one rule: that the powers that be can change the rules. As soon as you enter the campgrounds, you’re said to be fair game for torture, whether you’re hiding in your sleeping bag or wandering through the woods. Campers can participate in a horror-themed scavenger hunt, dubbed the “Hell Hunt,” for a chance to win a Golden Ticket for the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride in October. If you prefer to be less hands-on, you can sit around the campfire for a horror movie screening, but be warned: no refunds once you enter the campout.
Smithsonian Sleepover, Washington, D.C.
Looking for something a little more family friendly? The Smithsonian hosts a summer series of sleepovers at the National Museum of Natural History. Children ages 8-12 and their parents can enjoy activities like face-painting and IMAX movie screenings. When it’s time to hit the hay, you’ll unroll your sleeping bag under Phoenix, a life-size whale model, in Ocean Hall. The series runs through August but sells out quickly, so be sure to book in advance.
Penguins+Pajamas, San Francisco, Calif.
At the California Academy of Sciences, kids age five and up can spend the night with penguins at the Penguins+Pajamas sleepover in June. Planetarium showings, animal demonstrations and a late-night rainforest exhibit keep the entire family entertained. Looking for something for the grown-ups? An adults-only sleepover will be held in September.
Sleepover with the Sharks, Baltimore, Md.
Sleep with the sharks this summer at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. This sleepover series includes a behind-the-scenes look at shark food prep, a daring catwalk across a shark tank and hands-on activities. The minimum participant age is eight years old, and there are sleepover dates available all summer long.
(Main image: Aberdeen Proving Ground)
