Departure from Camp
Please schedule your camper's flight between the hours of 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM. Please note that all campers leaving before 5:00 PM ET/4:00 PM CT may not be able to attend the graduation ceremonies.
We must know how you intend for your camper to leave Culver. Please ensure you have submitted your transportation information to Culver. If circumstances necessitate an early departure of your camper, we require a letter, phone call or email as soon as you are aware of the change. In such cases, you will need to make arrangements for transportation. Last-minute itinerary changes may create difficulties for your child and the Summer Transportation office. Please plan ahead!
All Camper Departures
Camp ends on Saturday, July 29. All campers are required to depart on Saturday, July 29.
It is required that campers who arrive by air have round-trip tickets or firm plans for alternative departure procedures. Any reservations or changes that have to be made while the campers are at Culver must be made by you. Last-minute changes that involve changing tickets at the airport are discouraged as complications may arise when the campers arrive at the airport and try to claim new tickets.
Method of Departure
Departure by Air
New for 2023: It is important to note that Culver Summer Schools & Camps will only be providing transportation to/from Chicago O'Hare International Airport this summer. Please keep this in mind when scheduling transportation from Culver.
Please note that Culver observes Eastern Daylight Time when making travel arrangements. Chicago is one hour behind Culver on Central Daylight Time.
A chartered bus service is provided to Chicago O'Hare on Saturday, July 29. If you want your child to ride the bus to Chicago, you must indicate so by filling out the Arrival and Departure Transportation Form. Please ensure that the departure ticket is on July 29. The Summer Transportation office is unable to make changes in airline tickets and Culver is not responsible for arranging additional overnight stays at the airport unless weather delays cause flight cancellations.
Campers who are not flying, but who are meeting you or family friends at Chicago O'Hare, should meet in the upper level of Terminal 5. You must park and enter the airport to check out your camper from a staff member.
In order to attend camp graduation, it is recommended that flights be arranged to depart after 5:00 PM ET/4:00 PM CT. For flights from other airports or on other dates, it will be necessary for you to make travel arrangements from campus to the airport.
Bus Transportation to/from Airport
Campers utilizing Culver's chartered bus transportation to Chicago O'Hare must complete the online transportation information form. A fee is billed to your Tuition Account for this transportation.
Any flights outside of the following times and date will incur a special trip fee:
- $160 each way to/from Chicago O'Hare on July 29 departing from 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM EST
New for 2023: Shipping Luggage Home
Campers may ship or carry their luggage home at the end of camp. Culver will not be responsible for shipping luggage home for campers. Airport luggage fees will be charged to the camper's tuition account.
This summer, Culver is excited to partner with Ship Camps, a service that will help families safely ship luggage directly from camp to home. Ship Camps will provide real-time tracking information for all luggage and has the capability to ship to and from domestic and international addresses. For more information on international shipping, please click here.
If you are interested in utilizing Ship Camps for your camper’s luggage, please click on the link below to begin the process:
Other Departure Notes
It is possible for a camper to take our chartered bus to Chicago O'Hare airport and then a taxi or bus downtown to depart Chicago by train or bus - provided your follow-on itinerary corresponds with the arrival time of our chartered buses. However, please note that there will not be a staff member available to accompany your child on any other transportation other than the chartered bus service.
In the case of trains or buses from South Bend or some other point, it will be necessary for you to make all transportation arrangements. Please call the Culver Summer Schools & Camps office for possible alternative arrangements.
Taxi/Limousine Service
Culver cannot guarantee the availability of transportation on any dates other than the designated June 17 and July 30 travel dates. Additionally, taxi arrangements can also be made between South Bend Regional Airport and Culver. If Culver transportation is not available, you will need to make arrangements with a local taxi company. Below are some of the available taxi services - Culver does not make any recommendations or endorsements of these taxi services:
Insight Limousine & Sedan (Chicago area only): 773.227.6903
Express Taxi (based out of Plymouth, IN): 574.936.6875
American Cab Company: 800.428.2242 or 574.259.5554
First Choice Limo: 866.908.5466