Planning a school overnight trip takes a lot of coordination. Transportation, meals, activities, lodging, supervision ratios, permission slips — the logistics add up fast. The best trips are the ones where the destination does most of the heavy lifting, and everything flows from one part of the day into the next without a lot of scrambling.
This is what two nights and 48 hours at Adventure Bound looks like for a school group. Every piece of it happens on 40 acres of Maine waterfront in Caratunk, on the Kennebec River. No shuttling between venues. No restaurants to coordinate. Just a full trip that builds on itself from the moment your group arrives.
DAY 1 — ARRIVE, BUILD, CONNECT
Morning: Arrival and Ropes Course
Groups typically arrive mid-day. After checking in and getting settled into cabin tents, the day starts with lunch and then a half-day ropes course session — one of the best ways to open a trip because it immediately puts students into situations where they have to work together. The student get all their energy out after a long bus ride.
The ropes course at Adventure Bound puts students in situations that require communication, trust, and a willingness to try something new and different with their peers. Advisors and teachers consistently tell us it sets the tone for everything that follows.
Afternoon: Free Time on 40 Acres
After the ropes course, the afternoon opens up. The pool and hot tub are available. Disc golf, volleyball, basketball, and the waterfront with canoes give students plenty to choose from. This part of the day matters more than it might look like on paper — unstructured time in a new place, away from phones and screens, is where a lot of the real connecting happens.
It is worth noting that Adventure Bound is an alcohol-free facility. For school groups, that means the environment stays kid focused and friendly, from arrival through departure.
Evening: Dinner, Bonfire, S’mores
Dinner is served at the main building. After dinner, the group gathers around the bonfire. S’mores, stories, and whatever conversations happen when a group of students has been outside all day and the screens are nowhere in sight. The lodge closes at 11 PM, which gives the evening a natural end.
Night 1: Cabin Tents
Students stay in cabin tents on the property — bunkhouse style wooden “tents” just for your group. Cabin tents sleep up to 8-10, have bunkbeds with foam mattresses and overhead lighting, and share bathhouse facilities. Just bring your bedding for an easy camping experience.
DAY 2 — THE RIVER
Morning: Breakfast and Gear Up
Day two starts with a breakfast buffet. After eating, the group gears up and heads to the river. The Kennebec runs at a consistent release from Harris Station Dam all season, which means the whitewater is the same class IV experience whether you come in June or September.
Full Day: Rafting the Kennebec Gorge
The full-day Kennebec trip takes the group through the gorge with a registered Maine guide in every raft. The river does what the river does — it splashes, it fun, and it asks everyone in the boat to pay attention and work together. For most students, it is the biggest physical challenge they have taken on as a group, and that shared experience is exactly what a school trip is supposed to produce.
A grilled BBQ lunch is served riverside at the halfway point.
Afternoon: Photos and Downtime
Back at the property, trip photos are available to view and purchase. The afternoon is a natural rest period — students have earned it. The waterfront and amenities are open.
Evening: Dinner and Climbing Wall
Dinner, then the climbing wall. The indoor climbing wall is at 7:30 PM and requires advance reservation as part of the group itinerary. It is a good closer for day two — even after a day of the river, some students enjoy a focus activity and to try something new.
Night 2: Cabin Tents
A second night in cabin tents. By now the property feels familiar in the way that only happens when you have spent real time somewhere. Enjoy an early night or another bonfire, with firewood always provided.
DAY 3 — MOXIE FALLS AND THE ROAD HOME
Morning: Breakfast and Hike to Moxie Falls
Breakfast, then a hike to Moxie Falls — one of the tallest waterfalls in New England at nearly 90 feet. The trailhead is a short drive from the property and the hike in is manageable 2 miles round trip, for most school groups. Standing at the base of Moxie Falls is the kind of moment that closes a trip the right way.
After the hike, the group loads up and heads home. Most groups are on the road by late morning.
WHAT MAKES THIS WORK FOR SCHOOL GROUPS
Every activity in this itinerary has a purpose. The ropes course builds the trust that makes the rafting trip better. The rafting trip gives the group a shared challenge that the climbing wall can build on. The unstructured time in between is not filler — it is where students figure out how to just be together without an agenda.
Adventure Bound has been running trips for school groups, scout troops, camps, and youth organizations since 1998. The property and the programming are built around groups, not individuals, and the alcohol-free environment means the focus stays exactly where it should be, on the kids.
DOWNLOAD A SAMPLE ITINERARY
Pass it along to your principal or whoever needs to see the schedule before signing off. No pricing included — contact us for a custom quote.
Two-Nights with Ropes Course, Rafting, Moxie Falls →
Two-Nights with Climbing Wall, Full Day Ropes Course, Rafting →
PLAN YOUR SCHOOL TRIP NOW
The most common thing we hear from school groups who want to book is that they waited too long. Popular dates — especially fall and spring weekends — fill well in advance. If your school is thinking about a overnight program for next year, the time to reach out is now. We’re always happy to provide a quote well in advance to get your planning started.
