If your kids are a bit more independent and want to escape the heat of the desert, there are many options for sleep-away camps.
One of the most popular is Camp Oakes in Big Bear, offered by the YMCA of the Desert. Kids 8-15 take a bus from the YMCA at Civic Center Park in Palm Desert on Saturday June 15th and return on the 22nd. It costs $540 for the week, but 16 and 17-year-old junior counselors pay just $300. They offer archery, rock climbing, and canoeing, zip line and more, and are famous for the 3 walled cabins and the song and skit-filled campfires. Info: (760) 341-9622 or www.ymcaofthedesert.org/camp-oakes/
The YMCA also offers a week of snorkeling, fishing, archery, aquarium study pools, tubing, paddleboards, frisbee golf and evening camp fires at Camp Fox on Catalina Island. However, parents do have to drive campers to and from the Port of Long Beach. The program is offered for kids 12-17 on July 28th-August 3rd, and for kids 8-17 August 4th-10th. It costs $670. Francoise DeGraeve, whose grandson loves Camp Fox, says, “At this camp teenagers have fun and learn confidence and values. The leaders are well trained and help the boys and girls with life skills. The exceptional outdoor environment provides endless and outstanding physical activities and healthy living experiences. And the food is good, too!”
Another great camp, and not too far away – is Pathfinder Ranch in Mountain Center. They six sessions that start on June 24th. They cost $587 per week, or $297 for day camp. In the past, the YMCA of the Desert has had a limited number of camperships for low-income kids that make this camp only $50 per week. The camp aims to give kids 7-14 a taste of activities they might not get to do in their daily lives, including horseback riding, archery, canoeing, rock climbing, arts & crafts, hiking, campfires and more. Info: www.pathfinderranch.com/departments/summer-camp/
For dedicated swimmers, UC San Diego has four sleep-away swimming camps this summer for kids 10 and over, that range cost $998 per week. They offer a $50 discount if you register by May 15th. Their coaches will analyze your strokes and give feedback. Campers stay on campus. Info: www.ucsandiegoswimmingcamps.com/
The Experience Camp is a free week-long camp at Green Oak Ranch in Vista, north of San Diego. It is a special place for kids ages who have lost a loved one. Local mom Jennifer Loza says “It is literally the best week ever for these kids.” She says her son Steven sees everyone at Experience Camp as family to him. He comes home each year stronger, with a renewed sense of himself and relieved to grieve and have fun with other kids just like him. I am eternally grateful for all they give grieving children and as a mother of a grieving child I know my son is having the best 5 days of his life that carry him until the following year. It truly is the only and best camp of its kind!” Info: www.experience.camp/
Astro Camp in Idyllwild offers one-week sleepaway camps for kids 8-11 that cost $1500-$1600, and a two-week option for kids 12-17 that cost $2800. Activities focus on science and space exploration, with programs on rocketry and planetary science plus mountain biking, archery and rock climbing. Info: (800)-645-1423 or https://astrocampsummer.org/
The Boy Scouts of America runs the oldest continuously-running Boy Scout camp west of the Mississippi at the Boseker Scout Reservation in Idyllwild. And this year is their 100th birthday! The program now includes boys and girls – and all are welcome at summer camps geared toward kids grades K-5 with archery, BB, crafts, swimming, games, hikes, and campfire programs to make memories for a lifetime. Children K-3rd grade must attend with a parent, so it’s a family affair. They also offer a separate, more-high-adventure type program for scouts aged 11-17. Membership in Scouts BSA or Cub Scouts required. Info: www.bsa-ciec.org/camping/cub-camp-wiley/70586 To join BSA: www.beascout.org
The Girl Scouts of San Gorgonio Council also have some wonderful camp experiences this summer. Girls can choose from Camp Azalea Trails and Camp Skylands Ranch, which has a program that specializes in horseback riding. Local mom Sabrina Montoya says, “My daughter and I attended the Mommy and Me camp at Skyland Ranch! The serene atmosphere was a great escape from our busy life and allowed us to embrace the nature that surrounds us. We participated in art workshops, rode horses, became fans of archery and even got a chance to perform on stage! The smiles that glowed through the light of the campfire as we sang nostalgic Girl Scout songs will be a cherished memory I share with my daughter forever!” Membership in GSUSA required.Info: https://www.gssgc.org/en/camp/sleepaway-camp.html
