My art education group had a fantastic time at camp Wa-Ri-Ki, and I wanted to shout out the on site…read moremanager Autumn, who was a tremendous help and so incredibly accommodating to helping our group get settled in on such short notice. There was a big variety in terms of indoor spaces we had access to for when it rained, and gorgeous views of a nearby river when it was nice out. I hope we get to use this site again in the near future, it was super close and convenient for those of us coming up from Portland.

A great site located less than two hours from Portland OR and Vancouver WA. Kitchen it well…read moreequipped, barrack style sleeping space houses a significant number of people, paths are well traversable, and the views are lovely.

My daughter went to Tanzania for one month this summer with Shape NW. Great focus on cultural…read moreexperience, teamwork, unplugging and volunteering.

My son went Tanzania with the Shape NW program. It was a life experience for him. The staff were…read morethe absolute greatest. Daily updates on activities were provided. My son volunteered at a Seaweed Farm, an orphanage, and did construction projects. He was completely immersed in local culture during his trip. Trip and activities provided him with a snap shot of how the rest of the world lives. Highly highly recommend

I went last year as a camper and it was not fun. my counselors were gone almost every day and the…read moreother counselors had to sub in and take care of us. one of the counselors (I had 2 in my cabin) was super uptight and rude towards all the girls in my cabin. for example she yelled at my friend for leaving her bunk light on on accident. she was very unsupportive and the counselors seemed to care more about hanging out with each other than taking care of us. I didn't feel comfortable and happy in my cabin and was actually waiting to go home at the end. it says on the website that you can see your friends from other cabins and sit with them at mealtime, but I was barely allowed to go talk to them real quick then come back to my table. you can see them if you somehow tell them to come to the same daily activity as you. but the worst part was one rainy day we were playing bingo inside and I guess my counselors got bored because they were telling me a bunch of different times that certain squares had been called, so that I would get a failed bingo. I stood up and said bingo and obviously it wasn't valid so I just got humiliated while they sat there giggling. it was unnecessary and cruel and I definitely don't recommend this camp to anyone.

BULLYING AND ASSAULT AT CAMP…read more 1 star for activities and food Edit- after a review by the YMCA director in response to my complaint and this review below, they found that "no paperwork existed for this incident" which is very strange. Since then we have connected with the family of the boy who stepped in to help my son and they confirmed this incident. I am shocked that paperwork disappeared but frankly, not surprised... Is this really who you'd trust your child to? And it is pretty expensive as far as camps go... My 10 year-old son attended this camp and, on the way home, told us about his week. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to hear that he was repeatedly bullied by his cabin mates but also his counselor, "Nebula", who seemed to have it out for him. She refused to sign his memento on the last day, told him he couldn't participate in the talent show, berated him at mealtimes, and found fault in everything he did. My kid isn't perfect, but he's friendly, smart, empathetic, and makes friends easily. To make matters worse , he was also physically assaulted by another camper, punched in the face, and bitten in the leg. Another camper intervened (we have confirmation of events from this camper and his family!) and also got punched (This has now been verified by 3 campers!). The kid who assaulted them both didn't get sent home and no one contacted us to let us know of this but eventually, the counselor did intervene, apparently, so there is a record of this at the camp. I'm so frustrated that this was his first camp experience and immediately contacted the camp director, who is addressing this, but I feel that others should be warned. My son says the camp activities were great, but the people were just awful. This is a shocking review from a super positive child, and I feel bad that he spent a week in this toxic environment. If you are thinking you might want to send your child to YMCA Camp Collins, I'd seriously reconsider.

I'm not happy that my granddaughter was told by her cabin counselor it was "disrespectful" to wear…read morea necklace with a cross on it. Is this the camps religious belief or just the cabin counselor?

I really want to give Trout Creek 5 stars, but I just can't at this point…read more They have adopted a drop off/pick up process for the kids that's like being in line at chickfilet. The drop off stresses me out. It is so rushed that we barely get a chance to say goodbye as 2 counselors are taking his stuff out of the car for him, another is ushering him to the field and another is talking to me to check him in and is asking for cards/gifts for him. Not even time for a quick picture and I got a surprised look from the counselor when I got out of the car for a hug. He went to Trout Creek last year as well and it was the same thing then. I sent an email to the office mid-year after receiving a newsletter from them with questions about why they have adopted this process and how cool it would be to actually be able to see the camp!! (No response back.) My kid isn't a big chatter, so we don't hear much about what happens. We rely on viewing the photos they post (thank you!) to learn more about the camp and see what it looks like. It is interesting that they let the kids pick their counselor and their cabin after check-in concludes. If that was figured out ahead of time and cabins were assigned, maybe other parts of check- in could be easier? I did see on their website this morning before drop off that they offered an open house on June 14 from 1-4pm. That's awesome!! A time families can come check out the camp. The only problem is I don't remember any notice of that in newsletters that were sent out or on the registration page. We would have loved to come! All this said, my kid had a great time at camp last year and wanted to come back. I just wish I could recommend the camp and the $350+/week price But without seeing the facilities or really meeting any of the staff - there isn't a lot to go on. Hopefully, I can do a review update soon with a better score!! I really do want this can to succeed and grow! No pictures because I couldn't take any!

This was a very beautiful and peaceful spot for a leisurely walk. The paths are nicely maintained…read moreand the scenery just breathtaking. Highly recommended!!

It was very pretty, diverse plant life, easy to walk. I got to strap my baby on with a carrier and…read morewalk the whole way with no issues! :) nice easy even path. Pay attention to maps though, a few people I saw walking seemed lost.

An October late afternoon was spent here wandering through Lewisville Regional Park, and by the end…read moreI felt like I'd stumbled into a slice of old‑school nature magic. The park's 2.8‑mile trail winds through a mix of dense forest and sunlit meadows along the East Fork Lewis River, giving you moments of peaceful reflection and wide-open breathing room. We decided to spend our time taking Halloween photos all over the park. While enjoying ourselves, it was great inspiration. There is something grounding about the tall Douglas firs and the hum of the river nearby. I found a quiet spot on one of the gravel paths, sat down for a bit, and just watched as the river ran. Apparently it's not just a walking park, either..there are places to picnic, horseshoe pits, and even a small boat launch if you want to get out on the water. There are lots of picnic tables and covered shelters too, perfect for a family gathering or a chill afternoon with friends. I heard on warm days, people swim here..though heads up, there are no lifeguards and the river currents can be strong. Parking is simple, though there's a daily fee (around $3 for a car). If you come here often, the annual pass is a pretty good deal. If you're craving a place to get away from the city, stretch your legs, or just be near water and trees, Lewisville Regional Park is the perffffect place. It's peaceful, historic (hello, WPA-era charm), and deeply rooted in nature. See my pictures for yourself hehe

This park is fabulous. After a very frustrating entrance I figured there was no way the park…read morecould impress, but it won me over. We took the loop trail, about 3 miles around the park, into the forest and along the river. There are multiple large grassy areas, play areas, and courts. The pavilions are superb. They are fully equipped, including a water source and fire pit, and are spread out throughout the acreage. The trail was great as well. The paths are very wide and well maintained, a dog walkers paradise. I was also impressed with the amount of trash cans, no excuse for litter in this park. There was a very small thing that really impressed me, hadn't seen it before...a container near the waters edge to place used fishing line. Would love to see those more often! The ONLY negative experience we had was trying to get in. Neither of the parking pass machines were working well and consistently. It took us about 10 tries to get a ticket. After multiple swipes of the credit card and attempts with some bills, we finally got one. And it wasn't us, we had a long line behind us and multiple people out trying to get them to work. When we left the park we noticed the same traffic jam...they definitely need addressed! As frustrating as the parking machines were, the park made up for it. Fabulous place to spend an afternoon!

My mom enrolled me for this camp a few years ago, and I never got the chance to share my experience…read moreuntil I found out this camp was still operating. before you sign your kid up for this I need you to know that this camp does NOT support the LGBTQ+ community, in fact when I was there I was punished for talking about being nonbinary, and was lectured by a lady named Ms. Stephanie about how god will hate me. If your kid is queer, please do not sign them up for this camp.

We had such high hopes for this summer camp and looked forward to it for over a month. Yes the…read moreexperience being on a farm was good for our kids but the owner, Stephanie was a nightmare. The way in which she spoke to my kids, her teenage staff members and me as a parent was absolutely appalling to say the least. Her attitude in person and via email was not professional AT ALL and I was disgusted by her behavior. I feel bad for her staff members who have to deal with that every day. I will not be recommending this camp to anyone and my kids will not be enrolling again. It's too bad it ended up this way, we spent a lot of money for my kids to be picked up crying everyday because of her.

Lucia Falls is tucked along the East Fork of the Lewis River. I stopped by on a spontaneous…read moreafternoon, and it felt like stepping into a sanctuary, untouched corner of nature. The walk in is easy, about a 1‑mile loop with gentle gravel paths, enough shade to feel cool but also patches where sunlight filters through the trees in the most beautiful way. I saw a woman with her stroller here, but had leave it half way through because there is an upward path. When I reached the waterfall, I was struck by how graceful it was, the river cascades over a basalt-rock ledge, wide and steady. One of the most magical things..the park is a front-row seat for steelhead trout leaping upstream. There are picnic tables nearby, so I ended up opening up my book and just reading, listening to the water, hearing frogs, and feeling completely grounded. And honestly sometimes running away from bees! Oh the great outdoors! But a very important heads-up: no swimming allowed. The area near the falls is a sensitive fish spawning ground, and the park strictly protects it. Parking is easy enough and the park is open from 7a.m. to dusk. If you're looking for a peaceful afternoon where you can unwind, enjoy a modest but lovely waterfall, go visit Lucia Falls.

It's a beautiful autumn day and I decided to take a drive up here to these falls. I have never been…read moreand I am so glad I did. The park area was very nice. Clean and well kept. There were a lot of people enjoying picnics at the abundant picnic tables that are on the site. The waterfalls were really great. I enjoyed watching the people walk down by the Falls and the children. There is no fee to come and visit this waterfall. I recommend it if you are looking for relaxing afternoon in a great view.