Family Getaway Program

Activities that do not require certified staff are open to families during Family Getaway Weekends. Families can fish (we provide the gear and bait), make crafts, play in the Sports Barn, take a hike, visit the tree house, hunt for fossils, make a campfire and roast s’mores, take field trips to nearby attractions like Dinosaur Valley and Fossil Rim, and so much more. The ropes course, pool, boating area, archery range, and horseback riding area all require certified staff assistance, and are therefore not open during Family Getaway Weekends.

Families stay in one of the Family Lodges, which sleep 4-6 comfortably on either twin beds or pull-out sofas. Families can also bring sleeping bags to accommodate additional guests. Each lodge has an accessible bathroom, living and dining area, washer and dryer, and a kitchenette (with a microwave, sink, electric griddle, and small refrigerator).  Click here for pictures of the space: Lodges & Onsite Accomodations

Each family provides their own food and prepares their own meals for the entire weekend. There are fire pits and grills for cooking outside near the lodges and a microwave inside each lodge. A stove and oven are available in the Silo Teaching Kitchen. Many families also enjoy eating out during the weekend. A list of local restaurants can be found in the information binder kept in each lodge.

Family Getaway Weekends are free of charge. However, families must provide all of their meals for the weekend and transportation to and from Camp John Marc.

Camp John Marc is able to serve seven families each Family Getaway Weekend. A CJM host will also be on site throughout the weekend. The host can answer questions, serve as a resource, and help in case of an emergency. The host is not available to lead activities or provide supervision.

Family Getaway Weekends are hosted when there are no other scheduled programs happening at Camp John Marc.  Traditionally this occurs during December and February.

• Families with children 18 years of age or under who are currently served by one of the Camp John Marc summer or weekend camps
• Families served by a clinic, department, or medical/child life staff affiliated with a camp that comes to Camp John Marc
• Any family living in the Dallas/Fort Worth area raising a child or children 18 years or younger diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis

• To accommodate as many families as possible, each family may only participate in one Family Getaway Weekend per year.
• Family Getaway Weekends are for family members who currently live in the same household and grandparents. Friends and family members not currently living in the same household should not attend. Consideration is given to special circumstances. Please let us know your needs.
• Family Getaway Weekend spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

A button to the application will appear below after the application opens. You will be notified when your application has been received and then we will follow up with more information regarding the rest of the process. All spaces are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, so reply as soon as possible with your scheduling preferences, as spaces fill quickly.

In order to protect our immunocompromised campers and the staff that work with them daily, for these reasons, anyone with potential COVID-19 or other influenza-like illness is not permitted to participate in the scheduled camp activity/program. Prior to arriving at, attending a scheduled camp activity/program, and/or visiting Camp John Marc property, please attest that you have not had a temperature of 100.0 degrees F or higher in the last 7 days or worsening signs or symptoms of possible COVID-19 or other influenza-like illness.

Additional camp safety information can be found here: https://www.campjohnmarc.org/campers-families/camp-safety/