We had a small staff retreat (20 people) there. Living and meeting in Emerson Hall and some of the…read moresurrounding cabins was great. Beautiful setting, serene and tranquil. Camp staff very gracious and accommodating (even when we showed up late for meals a bunch of times!). They are continuing to improve the facilities and add things. Food was very tasty and a notch above typical camp food; they did a great job accommodating our special needs dieters. I love the strong faith emphasis at the center, with banners proclaiming the Christian purposes of the camp. What a great place to come and spend time with Jesus -- or to meet Him for the first time! We definitely plan to come again.

The staff is absolutely incredible (dedicated, joyful, and servant-hearted). The location is…read moreabsolutely beautiful, the campus is clean, and I highly recommend!

I took adult summer classes and I can say it was one of the best weeks of my life! I was in the…read morebeading class led by Jen Ben. She is incredible. The whole class was a group of wonderful, supportive people! The campus, the food, the other students, and teachers and staff all leant to the overall spirit of the week, which was one of unity, respect and joy. There were curated lunch and evening lectures and music that also contributed to the richness and wealth of knowledge that I felt being shared. I highly, highly, recommend the adult summer curriculum to anyone. You will walk away with much more than an art project. Thanks to everyone at Idyllwild Arts. I will be back!!!!

Love everything about Idyllwild Arts Academy! Supportive faculty, beautiful campus, and great all…read morearound arts departments!

Camp is small but nice. Some camp sites have tents which is good if you don't want to lug a lot of…read moregear with you to camp. Meals are in the chow hall, so you don't need to prepare your own meals, which is also nice. Last year we had to bring a cook trailer to camp and tents/cots. His year we were able to pack a little lighter. Staff was very friendly. There merit badge choices aren't as extensive as other camps, but they offer quite a few required merit badges. Camp Emerson is a good place for summer camp!

This is the worst run Boy Scout Camp I have ever had the displeasure of attending. The Camp…read moreDirector and everyone in the headquarters (aside from the Medic) will tell you nothing but lies the entire week you are there. They will promise to fix things yet nothing will change. The Director also has an ABSURD policy to shut down almost EVERY program/activity at the slightest hint of a lightning storm even if there is no lightning or thunder for at least 10 miles. I had to literally threaten the Director to open up the swimming pool just to make sure my boys had a chance to finish their merit badges. We were also placed in the absolute worst campground despite registering very early. This meant we had to trudge/crawl up a massive mountain 5 or 6 times a day in 90 degree weather. We were all exhausted by mid-day and ended up taking down backpacks filled with our daily needs just to avoid climbing up the MASSIVE hill too many times. There is clearly a disconnect and lack of unity between the staff and the upper management. The counselors are trying their best but they are clearly poorly trained and as a result take the brunt of the complaints. We had several boys that just needed to qualify for archery and rifle but because they overbooked the archery and rifle classes they decided to eliminate all shooting for anyone not in class. They even canceled all shooting on Friday which was ridiculous. The food was okay but nothing to write home about and they have no restrooms near the dining hall which makes no sense. I talked to at least 10 scoutmasters and all of them said they would never attend this camp again. I would highly encourage you to look elsewhere for a Boy Scout summer camp. There are much better summer camps to pick from and in much prettier locations.

Me and my mom went to Pathfinder Ranch for a few days in the winter for a field trip and it was so…read moremuch fun! First of all, our naturalists name was Kestrel. She was amazing and made sure that we were all having a good time. We did many activities such as archery and canoeing. All the naturalists put down very strict rules to ensure everybody's safety. Here is a list of all the activities our group did (keep in mind that the activities that your group will partake in will be different depending on what your school bought): making a fire activity, compass activity, night hike, shelter building activity, rock climbing, team challenge, farm, herpetology, mad science fair, gold hill hike, canoeing, horse back riding, and archery. This is the schedule that I went through. Lights on was at 7:00 am, but some woke up earlier to shower. Then breakfast began at around 7:30 and went until 8:00, then we went to do one activity with our activity group after a 15 minute break period. After that activity we would go to lunch from around 11:45-12:30 (I don't remember the exact times those are just an estimate). Then we would go do two more activities with a 15 minute break between the two. We would have dinner around 5:15-6:00. After dinner we would have 1 hour of free time to talk with our friends or go play in the rec room (you should bring a card/board game to play with your friends, I brought twister!). After the hour (so around 7) you would do a night activity. One example of this is the night hike. After the night activity, which is normally an hour long, we went to bed. Lights went out at 9! The schedule was so compact that me and my friends were never bored. Something was always happening, and you were always having fun! The cabin situation was as you would expect for 30 or so kids in one room. It was really chaotic. I would recommend bringing some ear plugs, because the talking was no joke. In the middle of the night it was funny, but once you had to wake up at 7 to go on a 3 hour long hike it wasn't anymore. In each cabin, there were two wings where students would sleep, with one chaperon sleeping area in the middle. Each wing had about 15 bunk beds. In each cabin there were also two bathrooms, which all contained three stalls, three sinks, and three showers. The bathrooms were very clean which I and everybody else who had to use them appreciated. Now for the food. For the taste, it was a hit or miss. Here is a list of some things that we were given (I might have forgotten some): fried chicken, pizza, burgers, tacos, barbecue chicken, pasta, brownies, cookies, and s'mores. The only two meals that I didn't like were the fried chicken and pasta. I did appreciate the salad bar that they had available for any kids who didn't like the food served though. They had a system of having a kid chosen everyday from the table to serve as the "waiter" (they were called a hopper), which I liked as well. If the pitcher needed refilling or there wasn't anymore food on the table the hopper would go and take care of it. Overall, the whole experience was super fun! Though I barely got any sleep, it was a small price to pay for all the fun I had with my friends. 5 stars, will definitely never forget!!

Fantastic nonprofit ranch for children fully supported by Palm Springs Boys & Girls Club. Must see…read moreit to believe it.

My brother got married here this last weekend! When I first heard we were all staying in dorm like…read morebuildings in the mountains I was worried. Was this going to be summer camp with bugs, dirty rooms, etc? It wasn't. At all. The dorms are awesome! 2 bunks (4 beds) in each alcove with curtains and a large middle common area with two diagonal bathrooms (shower, two sinks and a toilet with full walls and a lock.) I had room for my family of 6 plus my grandma and my sister and her husband. The beds were queen or full on the bottom and twins on top. The mattresses are hard and thin but not too bad. They are covered in a plastic/vinyl so no bugs or anything. The walk in showers were hot! The big common building was really nice as well. It has a huge cafeteria and a large room where we held our after-wedding party. The bathrooms are nice and large enough for our large party. The lake in the middle has a dock and my kids and some of the other nephews all played around it. It is also beautiful. I lived in Anza/Aguanga for middle and high school and this is a lot prettier. Huge trees and mountains all around. Gorgeous place for a wedding. At night, we had fire pits with pre-stocked wood that was restocked every morning. We stayed up super late catching up with family and had a great time. I'd definitely recommend renting this place out for a wedding or family get together. It was great.

Sorry, this is LONG…read more.. I did this with my bf, his sister and her family just this past weekend. I didn't know what to expect when we signed up for this. I was just told that we will be staying at the camp for two nights and that we will help out at the camp. We basically signed up to help out with updating, repairing and touching up the camp site before summer camp started for the kids. It was about 2.5 hours drive from Venice to the camp. What to expect: When you sign up, you will be assigned a cabin to stay in. You can request to stay with a family that is also volunteering. Cabins: Sleep 6-25 Has its own toilet and sink Showers are located in another building that is close by Bunkbeds with green air-foamy mattress Wall unit heater Electricity The camp will provide you with breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have their own kitchen staff. The food over the weekend was great! It's as good as it gets for camp food. Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, vegetarian sausages, toast, English muffins, waffles, cinnaman raisin bread, cereal Lunch: Tacos, nachos, vegetarian meat options, salad, fixings for tacos or nachos Dinner: Chicken Alfredo Pasta, vegetarian alfredo pasta, salad, variety of cake desserts, caprese salad Beverages are available 24 hours: Coffee Milk Tea Soda fountain Juices Energy drink Hot chocolate What we did: You can sign up for several duties for the day such as: apply non-slip coating at the pool's ground, repaint cabins, rebuild teepee platforms, staining the fence that surrounds the camp, repairing windows of cabins, repair torned sleeping bags, repair flooring of program office. Overall, this was a rewarding experience and I look forward to doing this again next year. It's a great volunteer event that you can do on your own or with your family! Brian Crater, the camp director is an awesome and amazing man. Thank you Brian and the camp staff!!! www.campronaldmcdonald.org

Our group went on a two-night weekend getaway, parent and child. I was very nervous before the…read moretrip. I hadn't experienced such a trip in the US. I knew there was no cell phone service at the camp, but you could get satellite reception and send a message. There's a phone at the camp for emergencies. The camp is in the mountains; you wake up to birdsong in the morning, and at night you enjoy the starry sky. A family of deer even came to our place for breakfast that morning. Activities for the kids (the adults joined in too) included canoeing and hiking up the mountain. Don't worry, the mountain isn't too high and the hike is easy, and as a bonus, there's cell phone reception. There was also archery, swimming, and art. In the evening, we had a wonderful evening with a campfire, singing, and roasted marshmallows. The staff was wonderful. Special thanks for the snack truck. It showed up perfectly on time, just when you were already thinking about grabbing a bite. Before you could even think about it, a car would pull up next to you and offer you a snack. The singing and jokes around the campfire were also wonderful. Unfortunately, I don't have many photos without other children that I can upload to my review, but I hope the ones I have help convey the camp atmosphere. Thank you, we really enjoyed it!

If I write what I want to say, it will just be taken down. Just do not go there. Its awful.read more

Really enjoyed our retreat stay. It's been several years since our last visit. We noticed their…read morerooms have been remodeled. The bathroom especially is simple but nicely redone. They provide small tubes of shampoo, shower gel and lotion. They have a closet area with hangers but you do have to bring your own hair dryer. They have a main meeting room. And a few smaller meeting areas. The cafeteria is pretty large with plenty of tables. The staff were very friendly and helpful. We felt the cafeteria food wasn't as good as our last stay but it was still tasty but still healthy. Looking forward to our next visit.

Reviewing the grounds more than the camp since we rented it out for our church group for the…read moreweekend. It's nice and a good deal for the price. They have both lodges and cabins if you want a cheaper option or a nice one. The rooms we used for worship and teaching were good and cozy. Pretty easy to get up here, even with a little rain, the roads are pretty safe and there's a lot of parking. They have a big playing field, a basketball court, extra big rooms if you need them for games or meetings or something. The only thing is that it's vegetarian, hard if you're Keto. I'm not keto but it would be hard if you were.

BEST WEDDING VENUE EVER!…read more My husband and I dreamed of a wedding where everyone could stay together onsite, immersed in nature, with no worries about driving after a night of fun, and Camp Osito Rancho made that dream a reality. Our families stayed in the health center, lodge, and electrified cabins, while our friends embraced the adventure of summer cabins and tents. The venue offers so many stunning spaces, from the spacious dining hall for meals to the stage/amphitheater with fire pits--perfect for s'mores and late-night stories. We exchanged vows at the top of a hill near the outdoor pavilion, with a gorgeous backdrop of pine trees and a view of Big Bear Lake in the distance. We were able to offer our guests camp activities like archery and a pool day, as well as had room to setup other activities like craft tables and lawn games. The biggest perk was the complete freedom to choose our own vendors, allowing us to create a truly personalized experience (huge shoutout to Scratch Kitchen for catering--our guests still rave about the food). We spent a year making signs, collecting décor, buying solar lights, and crafting to transform this Girl Scout camp into a full-blown wedding festival. If you're up for planning the details, this venue is the ultimate blank canvas. Last but not least, the Camp Osito Rancho team is absolutely amazing. A huge thanks to Angel for her help throughout the year, Ryan for his help throughout the weekend, and to Gerardo for the tour that sold us from the start. For a wedding that feels like an unforgettable getaway, this place is pure magic

Amazing camp!! Came with sweet elite Girl Scouts 2020. My daughter canoed, rode horses, zip lined,…read morelearned archery. So many activities. Well worth the work. Beautiful campsite.

This theatre is an absolute jewel. A family-run non-profit favorite!…read more They are approaching their 30th year of providing some of the best live theatre in the Valley. They have a polite and professional staff - but one of my favorite aspects is their welcoming volunteers and the mostly volunteer performers who donate so many hours to their art. Bravo! The venue's life began as one of Palm Springs' first school gymnasiums, so it's a bit dated, but in a good way. It's an intimate space with the first row starting immediately at the stage. It has a nostalgic and friendly feel. The steps to the seating are a bit steep, so if guests need a little more physical consideration - try to let the box office know, and they'll graciously try and accomodate them. They have a small but adequate concession area with fair prices. The adjacent parking lot fills up fast, but there's another lot a short block away. There are a host of small eateries nearby, so consider going early to get the best parking and enjoy a full evening of good food and great entertainment. Roger Medanich

This is our fourth play we've seen (One who flew over the cuckoo's nest). The actors as usual are…read moreamazing and spot on. The stage is always so decorated amazingly to what's needed for any show, showing here. The volunteers and staff here go above and beyond, allowing you to enjoy the ambience of a small stage theater. They have drinks and cookies available as well. Which are a nice little addition during the intermission. We have another small theater near us, which is good as well. But not as good as this theater. We enjoy coming here and we will be back many many more times