Stayed at Emerald Bay over the summer (my son as a scout, and myself as a adult leader), and we had…read morea great time. This was my first time at a summer camp, so I didn't know much to expect. The location was beautiful with the calm ocean, beach, and trails. My son learned a lot in the merit badge programs (including shooting a shotgun), and I even got to try scuba diving. Parson's Landing is a gorgeous beach there, and the staff there were excellent. In addition, the food was good too (for a scout camp). I totally recommend Emerald Bay as a fun summer camp for scouts!

A great experience, kids enjoyed it. Plenty of activities to do and a nice hike. I recommend it.read more

I chaperoned my child's middle school trip in September 2025 and was very impressed by the…read moreexperience. To clarify: this is a camp. It's not a resort, hotel, or glamping and so my review is of a camp. The staff are attentive, well trained, coordinated, knowledgeable, friendly, and fun. The food is good camp food. The program is educational and fun. There's a strong emphasis on safety and creating a safe space. The equipment is good quality and well maintained. The bunk houses are standard camp bunk houses: a safe and comfortable place to sleep. That's it. They're clean enough but they're bunkhouses with bunks. I, my child, and the rest of the class enjoyed the boat ride to and from, the activities, the food, and the staff. Highly recommend this experience.

My son went here as part of AP Biology class and he had a great time. One of my daughter's friends…read morefrom a different school also went as part of her AP Biology class and she also said it was the best time ever. You have to take a ferry ride from California. You then stay in a small cabin which has about 10-11 kids together (see photo). Room is messy but remember these are AP Bio kids. There are educational lectures but also some swimming with wetsuits and hiking. Not alot of sleep but a great time. The food is catered. One day was orange chicken. They did need to bring something for breakfast on Friday, the day of arrival. One big benefit to being tortured in AP Biology.

To improve, 1.when you say the class schedule is going to be emailed on Friday then send it…read more Instead, told on Friday will get it when we arrive. We asked when we arrive to drop off still no list of what they are doing and when. 2. Just pretend that Jacque might care when kids are bullying your child. He went to her the first day and said he needed a new cabin because the kids were mean and the counselor in the cabin and she refused. Pretty much said handle it. After that he did not want to go to any of the classes he signed up for because there was always one of the kids from the bullies in that class. Then it was hard because there was no direction on the classes for a kid with dyslexia. I could go on and on but I'll just say unless your child or teen is going with a friend find a different camp.

Both my sons went to Catalina Sea Camp one week session. My 9 year old has adhd I was told by Jaqui…read morethat they are not counselors or therapists so they cannot accommodate him. My 11 year old was accused of cussing at a camper and jaqui made him sit out for the last day of camp. I spoke to my son and he told me he didnt cuss and I believe him when I asked him how camp was he told me he wasn't having fun and that Jaqui was mean to him based off of her connection with the other camper. I thought my kids were going to have a great experience instead it was the total opposite when I asked to speak to my son jaqui hung up the phone. I called back and asked to speak to a supervisor. Spoke with a gentleman named Paul I will say that Paul was respectful and very understanding and willing to fix the situation I think they should fire Jaqui to be honest. Ruining a child's summer experience based off hear say is totally not fair. Just want to give parents a heads up before they send their kid.

Catalina island was the most thrilling, exhilarating, lively, stimulating, and engaging, time…read moreever!!!! I went there for science camp in 6th grade and it was a blast! I would never say no to this place. I was very impressed with the food, one night it was spaghetti with garlic bread and the next night was tacos and burritos, you would never know what you would get! but always expect something good. Now talk about the cabins, the cabins were actually really nice, 4 bunk beds, that fit my cabin group perfectly. Next to the bathrooms, the showers were really nice and warm for a deserted island but make sure when you are in the bathrooms you make sure you leave nothing in there, because my friend left her brand new expensive hat in the bathroom, and next time she saw it it was in the toilet. They do have a lost and found but just make sure you don't lose anything. But try not to just leave your stuff in the bathroom but even at your cabins there's a lot of wild animals out there, when i was there i saw a lot of deer and also when i went on a 5 mile hike up on a huge hill we saw a rattle snake, foxes, and even bison. We also went snorkeling and it was so cool and amazing to the all the fish I saw a lot of garibaldi, and I even got to tough one it was kind of difficult but very, very cool. Garibaldi fish are named after the 19th-century Italian general, Giuseppe Garibaldi, whose followers were famous for wearing bright orange shirts. This is a fitting tribute to the fish's brilliant orange-red coloration and its fiery, territorial nature. tide pools were super duper fun. My class got to walk in the tide pools and see fish and a lot of crabs. but don't make the mistake of wearing adidas while walking in the tide pools. I definitely recommend crocs, water shoes, or booties. especially for when you are going in the water, this was one of my least favorite things at all, you had to walk on a bunch of rocks and it was clear so you could see all the rocks but still hurt a lot. Also one of my favorite things was kayaking. We kayaked more than 2 miles, 1.4 miles to our stopping point and obviously 1.4 miles back. For kayaking I would definitely recommend wearing shorts, a bathing suit and a lot of sunscreen like for real I got very sunburnt there so just make sure you were sunscreen.

My family and I have been going to this camp for 35 years--in fact, my parents went in the 1960s…read more The rustic setting and gorgeous ocean view with palm trees and an iconic rock jetty always bring me a deep sense of peace and joy as I get to experience the wonder of nature. I have been so blessed by this camp that I now volunteer my time there when I am able. I have been three times this summer, and each time the staff have been incredibly gracious and hospitable. The food is delicious, prepared from scratch by hand, and it's amazing the quality they consistently produce for groups of 200 or 250, including their fresh-baked bread and famous cinnamon rolls. I highly recommend this camp for groups. Even a weekend-getaway or a midweek conference will be enhanced by the incredible setting and hospitality, and it always makes the hour-long boat ride across the channel well worth it.

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.

My son attended his first season at Camp Adventurewood in 2023 - it was his first experience at a…read moresummer camp and he was a little nervous and shy but all his counselors made him feel so welcome and comfortable and after the first day he was hooked! He loved the variety of activities and made so many new friends. He came home with fun stories each day. I loved that they offered a variety of options from 2 days/week to 5 days. We returned last summer and an unexpected and sudden medical event threw our summer for a loop. They were beyond kind and accommodating. Michael, the owner, personally made sure we were taken care of at a very scary time and was just incredibly kind and communicative. I can't thank him and his staff enough for the support. I would recommend this camp for any family. Its like a classic, old-school summer day camp experience!

My son attended Adventurewood camp for the first time this week. For the most part he enjoyed…read morehimself -- particularly the characters they introduce throughout the week. However, we decided to pull him out for next week because of a very disturbing situation. He shared that a counselor had pushed him with both hands on his shoulders during a capture the flag activity. He had dropped his flag and was putting it back on when a counselor (he didn't know her name) pushed him back hard enough to make him lose his balance and fall. She also barked "you need to reset!" She didn't ask if he was ok or help him up. You'd think if this was an accidental push and he fell over she would say something like "sorry bud are you ok? Here let me help you up" but nope, not a word. A friend he's attending camp with witnessed the whole incident. Since I pick them both up in the afternoons they both recounted this situation to me and both of them noted how inappropriate her behavior was. I immediately reached out to Michael, the owner of the camp. He said he wanted to identify this counselor and get her side of the story. Understandable. My son felt uncomfortable going back the next day but I reassured him it would be handled and offered to drop him off in the morning and stick around to talk to Michael and the counselor. I wanted him to feel safe. Michael identified her (her name is Carson) and said he wanted to talk to her first, which he did a few feet away from me. I heard her say she didn't push him. They then walked over to me and she again denied everything. So we asked both kids to come over and recount what happened. They both did -- in front of her -- and reiterated she pushed him. She denied even touching him. So Michael suggests at this point that perhaps it was an accident and my son responds by saying "how do you push someone like that by accident?!" No response. So I ask her, are you saying these kids are lying? She again said she didn't touch him and at this point we send the kids away. I'm incensed because not only does she gaslight both of them to their face but tells this bold faced lie to her boss in front of the campers and me. I tell her I believe them and I think she's the one lying. At this point she gives me this dirty look - angry, irritated and almost rolls her eyes at me. I turn to Michael and say "and now she's giving ME an attitude?!" Unbelievable. In a follow up call, he tells me how good of a person she is and that this is shocking for him to hear but that she doesn't seem like someone who would do something like this...that she's getting her teacher credentials and he knows her really well. I am getting the vibe he doesn't actually believe any of this and he sounds very skeptical. I respond by telling him that it's almost always surprising when people exhibit bad behavior and that even teachers do bad things...that doesn't make her any more credible in my eyes. He acknowledged that. In fact, it's worse because I would be really concerned to have someone like that teaching a kid. Lack of empathy, accountability, and integrity. I mean, I think it's great he's trying to have her back but there are moments in life when you need to draw a line and act swiftly...these are one of those moments. Because ultimately, this impacts the reputation of your camp. I told him that it would be good to offer training to his staff in case this ever happens again in the future and honestly he sounded baffled and asked me to clarify...I said well maybe tell your staff not to give dirty looks to a mom who's clearly upset that her son just got pushed by a grown adult at summer camp?? I told him that the response to this situation could've resulted in a totally different outcome. Had she said something like "I really don't recall pushing you but if I inadvertently did and made you feel bad I'm sorry - I didn't mean to do that" - I would've went home that morning feeling fine about the situation. When I told him this he said that he's not going to police all her reactions, that she's still young, that she's still learning and made all kinds of excuses for her. Exhausting. Apparently she got a "warning" and will sit out of the flag activity (umm, ok...). He seems like a smart guy and wish him nothing but success in the future and I was earnestly trying to offer advice for how to handle a situation like this better but it fell on deaf ears. I really hope that some kind of learning comes out of this for both of them. Oh and to top it off, my son's friend told her mom that Carson was giving her looks several times throughout the day today and when she asked what kind she said "side eye" looks. NOT COOL. My son also said she was kind of mean to him but wondering why they were even in close proximity when Michael said they'd absolutely be separated and would not see each other? Validates we both made the right choice by pulling them both out. He offered a refund but I'm still pissed about the situation.

My boys just got home from Camp Nawakwa and had the time of their lives!…read more My older son was homesick and his cabin counselor, Squirrel, did amazing calming him and getting him involved. There was lots of activities and they had options so they could choose the things that interested them. Swimming, crafts, archery, drama, rock climbing. They had a dance and camp fires, they performed skits. When I went to pick them up my little one had lost his voice from singing and cheering so much. My homesick boy didn't want to leave... He even asked to go back for the next weeks session. Days later they are still singing their cabin songs and telling stories about what they did while they were there. I know my kids can't wait to go back and I'm so thankful they had this experience. And I'm going to make sure they return to Camp Nawakwa because they have made memories they will cherish for a lifetime...and they'll make even more in the summers to come

Camp Nawakwa-Angelus Forest Site I went on a camping trip…read morewith our church Agape Christian Center on June 5-7, 2015. I wanted to take a moment to compliment you on the cleanliness of your camp! I was pleasantly surprised. Your staff were all very friendly,courteous, and helpful. I specially wanted to thank your head chef, (I hope I have the name right, Shawn?)I have a gluten free kid and he was so nice, and helpful. He completely went out of his way, his food was delish!He made my job of having to pack gluten free food obsolete! I am so thankful! All in all had a great time, we Will definitely be back!!! See you soon! Delia Ybarra

We love the Laurel Foundation it has been so amazing at creating a community for our family which…read moreinclude: summer camps, outings, and social hours with other parents. We are deeply grateful for Margot and her team. We highly recommend all programming at the Laurel foundation.

Thank you so much to everyone at the Laurel Foundation for Camp Mulberry! My 15-year-old just got…read moreback from camp - it was her first time away from home without one of us with her, and it was her first camp experience. She had what I can only describe as a transformative time. She came home so much more self-confident, joyful and the most comfortable I've ever seen her in her body. After years of suffering from depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation, seeing this kind of change and growth in my child in such a short amount of time made me teary eyed. I'm forever grateful.

One of the top camping experiences ever. This place is so gorgeous and fun!…read more It IS somewhat expensive for a weekend but you won't regret it (site was $340 plus $250 ferry) The views are incredible and the beach is gorgeous. There's rentals for kayaks, paddle boards, and some cliff jumping. It feels like adult summer camp. The walk to the site was fine. It's not too far but can be a little challenging if you have a lot of gear. We just used our backpacking backpacks to haul everything. Our friends used their wagon. You can do a gear haul for $7 each way I think, you pay when you check in if needed. We did one of the safari tents and it was a great location. I did feel like lots of bugs though- they can get through the floor cracks and spiders. Also there are little foxes that swipe food so recommend to put in a cooler, or tie it up! We used the bins provided and the ants took over! So seal really well. Super nice to have the restaurant and general store in town too. We got drinks and dinner one night as well as Icecream. This is a must do if you live in socal.

We stayed here recently since we were doing the trans Catalina trail. Our campsite was near the…read morebeach which should have been lovely but our stay was horrible. After a long day of hiking we needed some rest. But there was a loud party at a near campsite. Loud techno music until well past 2am. There's no camp host or anyone else you can ask for help. Amplified music is not allowed at any time and quiet hours are after 10pm. But this is not at all enforced. I got hardly any sleep on this site. The loud party until well past 2am and in the morning I woke up from the portapotty door slamming that started at 5.30 am since hikers had to get up early. We complained at the visitor center the next day since they run the campground. They were not surprised and informed us that the same group had a similar party the previous night and they had received similar complaints from other campers. WTF???? They knew about the issue but didn't care? Why didn't they ask the group violating the campground rules to leave? or why didn't they check in on the campsite to make sure the group wouldn't party again like they did the first night? The campsites are expensive and I didn't ask for much, just a place to get some rest between long hiking days. Loud music is probably also not good for the wildlife. There's a lot of talk about the environment on this island but really it's mostly a money grab.