California makes a terrific summer camp destination for children. Kids can expect fantastic weather and abundant natural beauty. Since the state has some beautiful landscapes for children to explore, with the beautiful Catalina Island and the picturesque Huntington lake, plus many mountain ranges, the summer camps are spread throughout California.
Whether your child wants something more sports-focused, traditional, or performing art options, you’ll find some great choices. There are a variety of different summer programs, ranging from day to sleepaway camps, on this list.
Catalina Sea Camp
For a truly impactful camp experience for your child, check out Catalina Sea Camp. This overnight summer camp is located in Avalon, on South Catalina Island. It focuses on providing children with a unique opportunity for discovery in an island and ocean setting. These programs are through a guided, group setting which allows for a supportive, nurturing environment.
The activities list is unique and fits the surroundings perfectly. Kids can participate in traditional activities like archery, arts and crafts, or tubing, and they can also immerse themselves in the ocean with snorkeling, sailing, scuba diving, and underwater photography. Campers can create their own schedule and make use of the camp’s facilities which include science labs, waterfront with boating facilities, and hillside cabins. While it offers a summer full of adventure, it’s also a great pre-college program as it has a marine biology focus.
Sessions are based on age range and include one-week sessions for kids between eight and thirteen and three-week sessions for twelve to seventeen-year-olds. It’s hard to find another camp in California that offers the same level of ocean education and adventure.
Pali Adventures
Pali Adventures believes that summer camp should be awesome, and they mean to prove it. Conveniently located just outside San Bernardino in Running Springs, the summer camp boasts three off-road tracks, basketball courts, a skate park, zipline and ropes courses, and a huge event hall.
Specialties are all the rage at Pali Adventures. When campers arrive, they get to choose from specialized categories of activities like adventure, creative, and performance. Once they choose a specialty, kids get to participate in their choice of twenty-nine activities. Some popular specialty camps include culinary, dance, motorsports, gymnastics, water sports, film, action-adventure, and more. Plus, there are also electives that can be taken with any program, including arts and crafts, archery, sports, laser tag, water sports, mountain biking, paintball, and much more.
This freedom allows children to pursue what they find exciting and makes the camp experience unique to their personality. Campers can sign up for one-week programs, which include access to all unique specialties and a long list of elective activities for free time.
Skylake Yosemite Camp
Fifteen miles outside of Yosemite is Skylake Camp, which has been serving families since 1945. From deep in the Sierra National Forest, Skylake Camp delivers on promises of lifelong friendships and memories with all of the hallmarks of summer camp.
Children can choose how they spend their entire stay at summer camp. Whether they’re looking for an exciting, packed schedule or a relaxed, easy-going pace, it’s entirely up to them. There is no shortage of activities and fun. Campers can go swimming, kayaking, and water polo on Lake Bass. Or they can participate in sports, trail hikes, and horseback riding on the ample grounds and forest trails. They can make use of the art rooms and work on their ceramics or build crafts.
The overnight summer camps last two or four weeks and can be combined for four weeks or eight weeks. This provides enough time for campers to experience the beauty of their natural surroundings, form bonds with each other, and build long-lasting memories.
PlanetBravo
PlanetBravo is the perfect option if you’re looking to enroll your children in a STEM summer camp. It’s easy to find one of their day camps in your vicinity as they’re spread all over Southern California.
You can find their summer programs in cities like Beverly Hills, Irvine, Hollywood, and Pasadena. Visit their website for a full list of camp locations. Your children can learn how to code, design, and create video games, animation, 3D modeling, and more. Children get inside and outside time, so they don’t spend their entire day in class and can enjoy fun outdoor activities like sports and games. They learn in small groups with an 8:1 camper-to-staff ratio.
The summer day camps run each weekday from 9 am to 3 pm, with early check-in available. Their camps are affordable, and scholarships are available for families who qualify. PlanetBravo provides children with modern technology skills in a fun environment that can inspire them to reach their potential.
Maccabi Sports Camp
Jewish families searching for a camp option for their children can check out Maccabi Sports Camp in Atherton, California, on the gorgeous Menlo College campus. The sports camp was founded in 2013 by Josh Steinharter to serve Jewish families with a sports-centered summer camp experience.
Participation in team sports is what brings the children together at Maccabi. Through skill development and the associated boost in confidence under the mentorship of experienced sports coaches, kids can learn about themselves and how to work in a team. Core sports form the activity focus and include baseball, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, and volleyball.
There is a Rookie Session for students in grades 3 to 7, which lasts one week in June. The main programs are for those in 3 to 11th grade and last three weeks. There is an older teens program where participants can continue building their skills while receiving the opportunity for leadership roles.
Kennolyn Camps
Spread over 450 acres of private forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Kennolyn Camp immerses children in California’s signature wooded environment. The property includes a centrally located lodge and their signature Town Square.
There is an expansive list of activities with nearly 50 options for kids. The list includes traditional favorites like basketball, equestrian, riflery, outdoor adventure, and swimming. Campers can also sign up for performing arts like dance and drama or other indoor activities like chess and ceramics. Some unique options are horseback vaulting, LEGO building, and ropes courses for climbing adventures.
The attentive camp directors and counselors provide a great balance of supervision and freedom for the campers. This allows them to be themselves and spend time making new friends and memories while engaging in fun camp activities.
Kids of all ages are welcome at Kennolyn Camp, with programs available for grades one through twelve. One-week and two-week sessions are available, but slots fill up quickly. They offer both sleepaway camps and day camps if that’s your preference.
Golden Arrow Camp
Golden Arrow Camp is situated on Huntington Lake in the center of the Sierra National Forest. This location provides ample opportunities for kids ages 6-14 to engage in water and wilderness activities.
There is a set schedule every day for campers to follow. Early risers can get in an optional session of waterskiing, fishing, or horse care before the day begins in earnest at 7:30 am. Each day features an assembly, followed by morning activities until lunch. Rest time and two hours of activities after lunch are followed by dinner and daily campfires. Water skiing, mountain biking, rock climbing, waker boarding, sailing, hiking, and arts and crafts are just a few of the many things to do at camp.
Activities are assigned by cabin groups for the morning and afternoon activity periods. This will provide an additional structure which is a hallmark of Golden Arrow Camp.
Parents can choose between one-week mini-sessions, two-week, and three-week sessions for their children. The safety and wellness of the campers are a top priority, so they hire nurses, offer healthy meals, and maintain a 1:4 camper-to-counselor ratio per group.
Canyon Creek
Located in the Angeles National Forest, Canyon Creek Summer Camp covers acres of rolling hills and forest. The convenient location in Southern California is only an hour and a half from Los Angeles.
Canyon Creek encourages an environment of non-competition so children can grow in confidence and independence without any pressure. Group activities are ample and encouraged, but more in community spirit. The list of options is vast and gives every kid a chance to shine in their way. Half of the day is dedicated to traditional camp activities, including categories packed full of sports, go-karts, arts, laser tag, scuba diving, ropes courses, skating, and more.
All-camp events happen every day in the evenings and encourage the community aspect that is a central focus of any summer camp experience. Children ages 7 through 14 are welcome at Canyon Creek for one-week or two-week overnight camps throughout the season. They have a counselor-in-training program ideal for older teenagers who want to keep coming to camp while building leadership skills.
Camp Augusta
Camp August is nestled between the Plumas and Eldorado National Forests, providing children with a memorable time. Camp Augusta focuses on developing a child’s character through independence and self-confidence.
There are over 150 things to do here, with interests for every personality type. They foster what children are interested in while encouraging growth and exploration into new territory. Activities include climbing, waterfront, field games, equestrian, arts & crafts, skilled sports, outdoor and nature, dance, music, theater, and more.
Instilling core values is a crucial component of Camp Augusta’s goal, as it is more than a camp — it’s preparation for life. Campers ages 7 to 8 can enroll in a mini-camp session of two days, while those 8 through 13 can choose between one-week and two-week options. Camp Augusta also hosts wilderness trips and a family camp.
Cali Camp
Cali Camp is a summer day camp for kids in the Los Angeles area in Topanga Canyon. Rather than a traditional sleepaway camp, children are shuttled in and out daily. It focuses on providing campers with a balance of education and fun. They don’t see camp as just a summer with friends, but a way for kids to learn about the world. Every personality has a place at Cali Camp.
The activities support every child in their journey of self-discovery and include the broad categories of action & adventure, sports, creative arts, and natural excursions. Within each category is a wide selection of classic activities.
Kids from 3 to 15 can attend two one-week day camp sessions. The day camps occur during any two weeks of the open season, consecutively or otherwise. With a location in the Santa Monica Mountains, it’s one of the few California day camps with such natural environments.
YMCA Camp Loma Mar
Camp Loma Mar is a YMCA summer camp located in the Pescadero Valley that sits conveniently just outside San Jose and San Francisco. The property features all the natural beauty often associated with the area, like pristine forests, rolling hills, and open creekbeds.
Through the tried and true expertise of the professionals of the YMCA, children experience summer camp at its finest. There are numerous hiking trails, a swimming pool, a zipline, basketball and volleyball courts, and a climbing wall. The heated cabins, new bathrooms, and large dining halls ensure that campers remain comfortable during their time here.
The YMCA camp is a trusted name for enriching the lives of countless children. Camp sessions are offered to three groups of campers, arranged by grade level. Each program lasts around a week, with eight different starting dates available. Families can also sign up for their family camp to enjoy three days of fun with one another. Camp Loma Mar is also a great place to host a retreat or act as a conference center.
Camp Winnarainbow
Come one, come all to the circus and performances at Camp Winnarainbow in Laytonville, California. This one-of-a-kind experience takes place in Northern California with beautiful mountains and forestlands around the campus.
It offers a welcoming environment for free-spirited and creative children to shine bright with their peers and engage in lively performances. Group camp games include waterslides, carnivals, ping pong, and card games. The list of classes is wonderfully whimsical and includes all kinds of unique activities. Circus-themed classes feature trapeze, silks, the cloud swing, and ropes. There is stilt walking, clowning, and juggling. There are also programs for acting, songwriting, poetry, visual arts, social justice art, and so on.
Camps are offered in one and two-week lengths to children ages 7 to 14. Older campers can enroll in their Teen Leadership Program to work alongside camp counselors and camp directors and achieve various goals, including teaching classes and participating in their own fun activities.