13 Golden Retrievers Gather for Camp Goldie, and It’s as Adorable as It Sounds
13 Golden Retrievers gather for Camp Goldie, and it’s as adorable as it sounds. There are vacations, there are spa days, and then there is apparently a place in New Jersey where 13 Golden Retrievers come barreling toward you all at once. I’m not saying this is what heaven looks like, but I do have questions.
13 Golden Retrievers Welcome Guests to Camp Goldie
It’s called Camp Goldie, and guests can book hour-long playdates with about a dozen Golden Retrievers whose primary job appears to be delivering unreasonable amounts of happiness. The experience begins with something called the “golden greeting,” when the dogs race out of the Besties Barn to meet their newest human friends.
Honestly, if 13 Golden Retrievers came running toward me, I would simply accept that whatever responsibilities I had before that moment no longer mattered, especially if it was a dozen cute little kittens, because I have an entourage of ginger cats that follow me around the homestead.
Golden Retriever Camp Includes Zoomies, Cuddles, and Play
From there, everyone heads to the Zoomie Zone because, of course, it is called the Zoomie Zone. There is water play before guests, and Goldens eventually make their way to the Snuggle Spot for drying, brushing, cuddling, and even dress-up. Somewhere, my laundry is sitting unfolded while a Golden Retriever in New Jersey is being brushed after recreational water activities, and I feel like one of us has made better life choices.
The whole gloriously furry idea began because Patrick Marini wanted to create a special day for his then-girlfriend, Erin. He started calling breeders to ask whether the couple could simply come play with puppies until someone finally said yes. Their first puppy adventure included the dogs bolting into the trees within two minutes and getting completely covered in mud, but Patrick recalled it was still “the best day ever.”
Golden Retrievers Remind Us to Make Room for Joy
That experience planted the seed for Camp Goldie, which has been around for only about a year and is already earning a reputation as “the happiest place in New Jersey.” Frankly, when your business model involves Golden Retrievers, cuddling, zoomies, and absolutely no expectation that I cook dinner afterward, you have understood the assignment.
Maybe we need places like Camp Goldie because grown-up life gets heavy sometimes. We need reminders that God tucked joy into ordinary things, including muddy paws, wagging tails, ridiculous amounts of dog hair, and creatures who greet us as though we are the greatest thing they have seen all day. Sometimes joy really does come running straight toward you on four paws.
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.” Psalm 16:11
WATCH: 13 Golden Retrievers Gather for Camp Goldie, and It’s as Adorable as It Sounds
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h/t: CBS Evening News
Featured Image Credit: YouTube/CBS Evening News
Originally published September 25, 2026.
