Camp, but Make It Random
Totally Awesome Random Fun II (TARF II) takes the beloved TARF tradition and turns it loose on 9 to 12 year olds. Every day is a surprise. The activities you think you know get flipped, remixed, and reinvented. Wiffle ball filled with shaving cream. Deep-fried Oreos at snack. Cow Appreciation Day with a real Highland cow in the meadow. Bible Discovery in wherever the randomness takes it. If it sounds wonderfully unpredictable, it belongs at TARF II.
TARF has been a Gretna Glen tradition for decades. The zany games, random acts of kindness, and daily surprises build an energy that campers cannot stop talking about on the ride home. TARF II keeps every ounce of that chaos and aims it at kids old enough to fully commit to the weirdness.
All the Camp Fun, with a TARF Twist
Classic camp activities meet zany surprises, random kindness, and decades of tradition.
The TARF Twist
Every activity gets a random upgrade. Wiffle ball with shaving cream. Creek hiking that somehow ends at a treehouse. Gaga with rules no one has ever played before. The twist is the point, and nothing is ever quite what it seems.
Surprises Every Day
Highland cows making surprise appearances. Snacking in unexpected places. Late-night games no one saw coming. TARF II runs on the joy of the unexpected, and staff plan surprises that keep campers wide-eyed all week.
Random Acts of Kindness
Woven through the week are intentional moments of kindness. Campers learn to encourage each other, look out for the quieter ones, and spread joy in ways that are as creative as they are genuine. Kindness becomes part of the game.
Faith in Unexpected Places
Bible Discovery happens wherever the randomness takes it. By the creek, in the meadow, under a tree, in a treehouse. Worship and reflection are part of the week, but at TARF, even faith gets to be an adventure.
Why TARF Keeps Campers Coming Back
TARF works because underneath all the randomness is a program built on real community. The zany games and daily surprises break down barriers fast. Kids who might normally take a few days to warm up are laughing together by the first evening. When you are chasing the plot of a brand new game nobody has rules for, there is no room for shyness.
That is the real magic of TARF. The randomness is the vehicle, but the destination is always connection. Campers build friendships, grow in confidence, and experience the joy of being part of something delightfully unpredictable. It has been working for decades, and every summer adds new TARF moments that become part of the legend.
WHERE YOU'LL STAY
Campers stay in cabins on Gretna Glen's main campus. Cabins feature bunk beds, a changing area, and a modern shower house built in 2018. This is the classic camp experience, the kind of cabin week campers remember for years.
TARF II is a mainsite program. Campers eat meals in the Dining Hall and have full access to Gretna Glen's main campus facilities, from the lake to the meadow to the treehouse.
WHAT PARENTS SHOULD KNOW
This is a shortened week running over the July 4th holiday weekend. Campers can arrive Sunday evening (5-7 PM) or Monday morning (7:30-9:00 AM). Pick-up is Friday, 5-6 PM.
Gretna Glen is ACA-accredited, meeting over 300 health, safety, and quality standards. Staff are trained specifically for this age group. The cabin setting and modern shower house make this the right fit for confident 9 to 12 year olds ready for a full cabin week.
Flexible Drop-Off
Because this session starts over 4th of July weekend, families can choose Sunday evening (5-7 PM) or Monday morning (7:30-9 AM) drop-off. Pick whichever works best for your holiday plans.
WHO THIS PROGRAM IS FOR
- Kids 9 to 12 who love surprises, silliness, and the joy of the unexpected
- Returning TARF campers ready to graduate from the 6 to 9 session into the full cabin experience
- First-time overnight campers who want a program so fun they forget to be nervous
- Families looking for a shorter session that fits around the July 4th weekend