If you want to escape urban heat and explore the wilderness, without spending a fortune to stay at a fancy resort, check out the Appalachian Mountain Club's "Stay 4 Nights, Get the 5th Free" and "Save up to 20% on our extended stay" discounts. (The discounts include child rates, and private and family rooms. Rates are available Sunday-Friday at any combination of Huts and Lodges in New Hampshire and Maine during the full-service summer season.)
Haven't heard of the Appalachian Mountain Club? AMC offers more than 8,000 trips a year -- including some free guided hikes -- and has about 90,000 members in 12 chapters. If you want to go day - or multi-day hiking in the Northeast, check out the Appalachian Mountain Club.
I wish we had a chapter like this in West Virginia.
It seems that there is a lack of organized groups in our area.