Sleepaway camp can be a wonderful experience for children and adolescents. The idea of making new friends while engaging in adventures is such an exciting feeling. Lisa Kadane writes: “benefits of camp that can be harder to measure: the growth in confidence, responsibility, and resilience born of mastering new skills.”
It is important, of course, to pick the camp that works best for your family and children. We are so lucky because California offers a wide array of camps specializing in different activities. Here is a list of 12 sleepaway camps in California including several options in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties.
MONTEREY BAY AREA
Kennolyn Camps
Campers choose from over 40 activities from horseback riding, ropes and climbing, watersports, arts and crafts, archery, and everything in between. Specialty Camps are offered that combine traditional camp experience with in-depth skill development in one area, including culinary arts, trapeze, surfing, adventure camp, equestrian and marine exploration.
- Location: Soquel
- Duration: 1-2 weeks
- Grade Levels: 1st-9th, 10th graders can be in a 3-year leadership program
- Price: $2295 for 1 week, $3795 for 2 weeks (additional charge for specialty camps)
- Website: www.kennolyncamps.com
Skylark Ranch Girl Scout Camp
Skylark Ranch is an all-girls camp and is the perfect retreat for your nature lover. From hiking through Big Basin, visiting the Northern California beaches, or checking out the camp’s interactive nature center, Skylark Ranch provides the excitement of both land and sea. Activities include horseback riding, zip-lining, sea kayaking, and more.
- Location: Santa Cruz Mountains
- Duration: Varies depending on session
- Grade Levels: 2nd-12th
- Price: $393-$1,040 (depending on session), financial assistance available
- Website: https://camp.gsnorcal.org/summer-camp/camp-locations/skylark-ranch
Carmel Valley Tennis Camp
The mission of the Carmel Valley Tennis Camp is to inspire young people to love the game of tennis in a traditional camp setting.
- Location: Carmel Valley
- Duration: 1-2 weeks
- Grade Levels: 5th-12th (ages 10-18)
- Price: $1,515 for 1 week, $2,645 for 2 weeks
- Website: www.carmelvalleytenniscamp.com
Camp Krem
Camp Krem provides a camp experience for children with developmental disabilities. There are 3 camp experiences available: Main Camp, Outdoor Adventure Camp, and Travel Camp. The typical supervision is 3 campers to 1 counselor but can vary based upon needs. Activities include: music therapy, drama, talent show, sleeping outdoors, and much more.
- Location: Boulder Creek
- Duration: 5-10 days
- Grade Levels: K-12th (adult camps available also)
- Price: $925-$2,600 (depending on session and supervision level)
- Website: https://campingunlimited.org/summer-camp-sessions
Mt. Hermon Christian Camps
Mt. Hermon provides a classic summer camp program, with a Christian emphasis. Activities include horseback riding, mountain biking, swimming, backcountry hiking, and beach days. There is a variety of sessions available including family camps.
- Location: Felton
- Duration: Varies depending on session
- Grade Levels: K-12th
- Price: $475+ (depending on session and meal plan)
- Website: www.mounthermon.org
Stevenson Summer Camp
Stevenson Summer Camp offers a balance of academic enrichment in the morning workshops and sports and fun through the afternoon sports program. The resident campers have additional opportunities included in the evening and weekend program.
- Location: Pebble Beach
- Duration: 5 weeks; June 23 - July 26
- Grade Levels: Ages 9-15
- Price: 5 week boarding camp is $7,000; 5 week day camp is $2600 (one week day rates are also available)
- Website: stevensonschool.org/summer
Summer at Santa Catalina
Resident campers from all over the world and day campers from the local community make the camp a place filled with fun, joy, and learning. From musical theatre, arts, and athletics to robotics and marine biology, attention-grabbing classes spark curiosity and build confidence and independence.
- Location: Monterey
- Duration: 2, 3, and 5 weeks
- Grade Levels: grades 3-9, ages 8-14
- Price: $1,700-$6,400
- Website: www.santacatalina.org/summer-at-sc/
Young Actors’ Theatre Camp
Young Actors’ Theatre Camp is nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains and provides campers with a safe space to discover and develop their talents. The camp provides classes in all types of performing arts for all experience levels.
- Location: Felton
- Duration: 7-10 days
- Grade Levels: 3rd-12th (ages 8-18)
- Price: $2790
- Website: www.campyatc.com
THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA
Woodward Skateboard Camp
Woodward Skateboard Camp provides group instruction lessons, individual progression sessions, and open sessions for your skateboarder. Woodward Tahoe is built with progression option at each skate park so it appropriate for all levels. Instruction is given by the best skateboarding staff from around the country with workshops lead by professional riders.
- Location: Truckee
- Duration: 6 days
- Grade Levels: 2nd-12th (ages 7-17)
- Price: $1,099-$1,249
- Website: www.campwoodward.com/summer-camps/action-sports/skate/tahoe
Two Rivers Soccer Camp
Two Rivers Soccer Camp in the Sierras that combines soccer skill training with a traditional camp experience. Campers will get a chance to take part in some off-site activities during the afternoons including: golf, tennis, horseback riding, high sierra hiking and stand up paddle boarding.
- Location: Graeagle
- Duration: 1-2 weeks
- Grade Levels: 2nd-12th
- Price: $1795-$3940 (depending on duration and program)
- Website: www.tworiverssoccer.com/
Camp Common Ground
A summer camp that brings racially and economically diverse middle schoolers together. Teachings and workshops equip campers with the leadership, social-emotional, and cultural competencies that they’ll use to develop meaningful relationships with each other. Once admitted, youth embark on a 2+ year leadership journey. After the 2-week overnight camp, they return to school with a plan to include those who are excluded because of their identities. Campers have 4 weekend reunions during the yearto support their implementation of these plans.
- Location: Occidental with buses leaving from Oakland
- Duration: 12-night summer camp
- Grade Levels: 7th-9th
- Price: Sliding Scale tuition dependent on income; tuition ranges from $50 (full scholarship) to $2,600 (full paying). Most families get partial scholarships
- Website: http://campcommonground.org
Education Unlimited
Academic and creative arts overnight camps for students entering grades 4 through 12 with a variety of educational summer camps and programs at university campuses in the Bay Area. There are programs both at UC Berkeley and Stanford which include science, science for girls, mock trial, college prep, and actors’ workshops.
- Location: UC Berkeley/Stanford
- Duration: 1-3 weeks
- Grade Levels: 4th-12th
- Price: varies depending on program; financial assistance available
- Website: https://educationunlimited.com
Cazadero Music Camp
“Caz” brings in-depth education to young musicians through skilled faculty and guest conductors while providing a carefree summer camp atmosphere. The camp offers String Orchestra, Choir, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and a Piano Program.
- Location: Sonoma County
- Duration: 1-2 week programs
- Grade Levels: 5th-12th
- Price: $825-$1,835 (depending on program and duration)
- Website: www.cazadero.org/music-camp