(Information reposted from the individual websites of the organizations shown below.)

JENNETTE’S PIER, NAGS HEAD   Grand Opening – May 21, 2011
Get ready for lots of family fun and solid conservation education in a perfect outdoor classroom setting— on the beach and over the waves! Upon reopening in May 2011, Jennette’s Pier will offer a wide variety of classes, camps, sleepovers, and get-wet adventures in keeping with the Aquariums’ mission to inspire appreciation and conservation of North Carolina’s aquatic environments.

A full schedule of activities is currently being planned for the summer of 2011, including school and scout  programs, invertebrate labs, plankton studies, science camps, marine mammal studies, sea turtle night treks, fishing workshops, surfing lessons, and many others. Some programs and activities will be free, while others will require pre-registration and fees. Parents, teachers, and group leaders: Be sure to check back on this page for updates as the calendar of events is constructed.

ELIZABETHAN GARDENS, ROANOKE ISLAND
Children’s Gardening Camp
Monday, July 11– Friday, July 15, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., for ages 6 – 11 years old. This is a weeklong camp that combines the fun of gardening, educational opportunities and food! Children will learn what herbs and spices were grown in the 1500’s and how we use those same herbs today for kid’s favorite foods like pizza and pasta! Children will be planning, planting and harvesting pizza ingredients from our very own Elizabethan edible garden. Each day the children will have a morning stroll through The Gardens, a “Bugs, Bees and Wiggle Worms” class, “Scratch and Sniff” activity, digging and planting in the edible garden, lunch and story time. Parents are invited on Friday to eat what the children have prepared with fresh herbs. After hour’s camp time also available at an extra charge. Members/Friends $125. Non Members $135.

August 17
Bug Bonanza ~ Bees, Butterflies and Wiggly Worms. Children’s Workshop.

ROANOKE ISLAND FESTIVAL PARK

History Diggers Camp
July 11 – July 15, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., for ages 5 – 6 years old. Summer campers will learn the differences and similarities between American Indian and Elizabethan English culture in a fun filled week of exploring the living history exhibits at Roanoke Island Festival Park and completing craft projects. $70 members of Elizabeth II/ $80 non-members.

Pathfinders Camp
July 18– July 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., for ages 10 – 13 years old.
August 8 – August 12, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., for ages 7 – 9 years old.
Summer campers will explore Roanoke Island Festival Park as Thomas Harriot and John White explored Roanoke Island and the Outer Banks in 1585. Each camper will create a booklet containing their own plant and wildlife observations and participate in hands-on activities in American Indian Town, the Military Settlement, and the Elizabeth II. The camp concludes with an overnight campout at Roanoke Island Festival Park. $140 members of Elizabeth II/ $160 non-members.

Outdoor Adventure Camp
August 15 – August 19, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., for ages 5 – 6 years old. Summer campers will learn about the unique environment of Roanoke Island and the Outer Banks. Each day campers will participate in a craft and a hands-on activity related to blue crabs, wind turbines, oyster reefs, native plant life and more! $70 members of Elizabeth II/$80 non-members.

NC AQUARIUM Summer Day Camps

Registration opens on April 1st for all summer camps. Space is limited. NC Aquarium Society Members receive a 10% discount on all  camp fees. For additional information, or to register your camper, contact our registrar at 252-473-3494, ext. 232.

Sea Squirts
Session I: June 21 – 24, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. For rising 1^st graders. Each session is limited to 10 campers. Young Aquarium campers will learn about our many aquatic environments by exploring the NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island one day and the Nature Conservancy’s Nags Head Woods Preserve three days. These half days will be packed with hikes, water adventures, animal encounters, crafts, and more! $125.

Session II: July 19 – 22, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Young Aquarium campers will have the opportunity to explore the Aquarium and learn more about our animal residents. Sea Squirts will have extra helping hands this week from teen campers in our new Eco-Educators program, as they play animal games, go on scavenger hunts, make crafts, and more! $125.

Jr. Aquatic Adventures
Session I: June 21 – 24, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Tuesday through Friday) for ages 7-9
Session II: July 5 – 8
Session III: August 2 – 5. Each session is limited to 12 campers. Campers will embark on a week of fun and dive into science as we explore the Outer Banks with daily field trips, meet Aquarium animals up close, make camp crafts, splash on a snorkeling venture, and much more. The camp week concludes at the end of the day on Friday with a social and private Aquarium tour for campers and their parents! $150.

Aquatic Adventures
July 26 – 29, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Tuesday through Friday) for ages 10-12.
Friday Overnight at the Aquarium. Space is limited to 12 campers. This week of camp will start where the Junior Aquatic Adventure camp left off – expect more in depth field trips to the Nature Conservancy’s Nags Head Woods Preserve, the beach, a nearby salt marsh, and other natural sites on the Outer Banks. The week culminates in a Friday evening overnight at the Aquarium. $165.

Nocturnal Explorers
Session I: June 14-17, 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. (Tuesday through Friday) for ages 9-12.
Friday Overnight at the Aquarium. Each session is limited to 10 campers. Get plenty of rest because campers will be busy as day turns to night! We will explore the beach, the sounds, the Aquarium, and Nags Head Woods to investigate sea turtles, nocturnal animals, the night sky, and more. The week will conclude with an overnight at the Aquarium on Friday. $150.

Session II: August 2-5, 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. (Tuesday through Friday) for ages 9-12.
Get plenty of rest because campers will be busy as day turns to night! We will explore the Aquarium and Roanoke Island after dark to investigate nocturnal animals, astronomy, and more. The week will conclude with an overnight at the Aquarium on Friday. $150.

Aquarist Camp 
Session I: July 11 – 15, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday) for ages 11-13.
Session II: August 8-12. Each session is limited to 12 campers. Have you ever wondered how we feed hundreds of animals, where we get all that salt water, or how we treat a sick fish? This week of camp will be packed with hands-on activities to show kids what it is like to spend time working behind the scenes at the Aquarium. Campers will help feed our animals, prepare food, clean exhibits, go on a collecting trip, set up a small home aquarium, and learn more about what it takes to care for animals at the Aquarium. A portion of each day will be spent behind the scenes. $175.

Hook, Line, & Sinker Fishing Camp – NEW for Summer 2011!
June 28 – July 1, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Tuesday through Friday) for ages 10-12. Space is limited to 12 campers. From baiting hooks to landing their catch, campers will learn the basics of saltwater fishing. Topics covered include tackle, bait, fish identification, fishing safety, ethical angling, casting, and fish cleaning. Campers will venture to a new fishing spot each day to see what’s biting! The week concludes with a fish dinner on Friday evening at the Aquarium. $175.

Eco-Educators – NEW for Summer 2011!
July 18 – 22, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Monday through Friday) for ages 13-16. Each session is limited to 8 campers. Our new Eco-Educators camp is suited for both new and veteran campers willing to assist younger Sea Squirt campers. Teens will not only train to help with children attending “Sea Squirts” camp, but will also spend the rest of their week training at the touch tanks, assisting with public programming, and learning what it’s like to help out in other areas of the Aquarium. The week provides a sample of what it may be like to be an Aquarium volunteer. $165.]