I'm a huge fan of Crissy Field Center. All of the money that the summer camp generates goes to…read moreproviding camp scholarships for underprivileged youth as well as supporting the Center's outstanding educational programs. The camp helps connect urban youth to the "wilderness" in their own backyard. If you are looking for a fun place to send your kids this summer, give this camp a look. Our children are the future stewards of the environment. The Center makes sure they're ready for the job!

When I have kids when I am a little older I would let them have a Crissy Field Center Summer Camp…read moreexperience! I was a intern for Nicole J. at the Sustainable Art Lab whom review is on the bottom. I wished my parents would've sent me here when I was little. Everything that the campers learn during their session at the camp is useful! They learn about the environment a lot because each workshop has environmentally consciousness in mind! They have FOOD CAMP also, where campers learn to make REAL food that is healthy and good!

My kids LOVE Ucamps. The camp motto is expectance and inclusion. EVERYONE can express who they are…read morewith no judgement. The theme is always about exploring yourself and there is an opportunity to do this through performance. However, no one has to perform. None of my kids are musically inclined but (three of my four kids) joined "rock band" and played the guitar, drums and keyboard for the first time. The fourth had a blast with all the other activities. There are kids from all walks of life, with every hair color (and piercings) but that's ok. Everyone is welcome and my kids (although very conservative) loved this idea and being friends with and accepted by kids of all different backgrounds. All four of my kids are so excited to go back each year. This summer will be three summers in a row. The counselors are exceptional. I have a very challenging bunch of kids and they really understood how to bring out the best in my kids. In fact, my oldest loves this place so much that she plans to become an counselors at Ucamps. Send you kids...they will LOVE it too!

I'm so sad that this amazing camp is now closed. It was beautiful experience of complete…read moreacceptance, love, creativity, and joy for my teens. I have so much appreciation for Bald-E (Doug) and all the staff and counselors who created this slice of heaven. I hope someone will be inspired to start up a camp like this again. (And please, have a separate camp for parents! We need it, too!)

I was in San Francisco for work and signed my kids (8 & 9) up for the City Kid Camp. They LOVED it…read moreand asked to stay longer. They made friends and loved the daily trips and activities. They came home exhausted every day, but happy and excited. The camp is a unique format - the kids are out exploring the city, playing games, learning new things, and developing social skills. Evan and the team that run the camp are great. You can tell that they are really interested in helping the kids have a great experience and develop skills. The kids are definitely in good hands and well supervised and cared for. I also love that it is a device-free environment. My kids are already asking if they can go back next summer....

My 9 yr old son had another fantastic summer with Evan & his staff at SF City Kid camp! We are…read morecontinually impressed with how relaxed and friendly all the staff members are, and how fun, educational and exciting the experiences are! My son always says he would go every week during the summer if he could; he learned so much and always comes home happy.. 2 of his buddies joined him at camp this summer for some of the weeks and they were thrilled as well. Thanks so much to the SF City Kids staff!

Our family had long appreciated the mission and values of Camp Tawonga. One of our children…read moreattended Taste of Camp and had a truly wonderful experience. As someone who works in the Jewish community, I had frequently recommended Tawonga to others, believing in the strength of its programming and community spirit. Unfortunately, our experience left us feeling deeply disappointed. Our child was registered for a summer session but was unable to attend due to the sudden passing of a close family member just days before camp began. As the family member's funeral was held out of state and organized by us, attending camp was simply not possible. We informed camp staff in advance, sharing both the situation and the fact that we are a financial aid family, and asked if any credit or accommodation could be made for a future session. We received single-sentence emails with zero condolences stating that the policy was no refund (which we didn't request) or credit. It was such a strange response we wondered if it was AI. Despite multiple follow-ups from us during a time of grief, we were told nothing could be done because the deadline had passed. At long last, the only acknowledgment of our loss was a brief line hoping the funeral preparations were going well--no further condolences or recognition of our child's disappointment were offered. By contrast, another camp we had registered with for a different child responded with immediate compassion--offering a partial refund without being asked, sending condolences, and even making a small kind gesture when our child was finally able to attend for a shortened period. As a family raising Jewish children and deeply involved in the Jewish community, this lack of empathy from a camp we had held in such high regard was especially painful. We weren't asking for a refund, just understanding and flexibility in a time of extraordinary personal loss. We struggled to name the Jewish value being demonstrated by Tawonga and still do. We will never return to Tawonga in the future--both due to financial constraints and a lack of confidence that our children's emotional needs would be supported in difficult times. The Jewish sleepaway camp we've attended for the past several years has actually lived and walked the values they advertise, and we couldn't be happier. We share this with the hope that it encourages a deeper reflection on how grief, compassion, and community care are handled. We continue to believe in the power of the Jewish community and wish all campers and families positive experiences in the future. -- A Jewish Family in the Bay Area

My kids had an incredible time at Camp Tawonga and will be returning next year. They are a…read morefantastic team, running a fun, safe, joy-filled and child-centered experience.

I sent my daughter here in summer of 2018 to be a counselor/leader in training at age 12. She…read moremostly enjoyed it. She said that being around the young kids was nice because she could help them and also liked the camp's program. I felt that the camp director was very friendly and personal over the phone, and even gave us a small break on the price along with a discounted lunchtime supervision(20 dollars a day). Lets make no mistake about it, this camp is VERY expensive compared to other camps. it was over 700 dollars for a week just to be out in nature for the whole day, which is more than double of what a camp from the East Bay Regional Parks or even San Francisco Parks and Rec would charge. I wanted to give Linda the benefit of the doubt and just assume it would be a great opportunity for my daughter to learn some leadership skills and have fun, while being close to her mom's house, which I am hoping she did. So here is the reason why only the two stars. I requested via email and over the phone leaving a voicemail that Linda provide some feedback on how the camp went for my daughter. She did not even bother answering my email or calling me back. I would have accepted a simple acknowledgement saying she can not do that but would write something up for a fee, but she did not even have the courtesy to do that. For a camp of this price, I am SHOCKED she didn't even bother to reach out to me. I am not sure this is because my ex wife is African American and that my daughter is mixed but I surely hope not. Linda would also not even provide her tax ID so I had to indicate "would not provide" when doing my taxes. I did not have any verbal exchange between her and me that would warrant any ill feelings so it has troubled me to the point that I am leaving this review for yelpers to see. I would say that this camp seems to be a very enriching camp in the Presidio, but is mostly for the elite upper middle class. It does not offer scholarships or is inclusive to the community of children whose parents may not be able to afford such a high price point of a summer camp. I would research other more affordable camps before choosing this one. In the future, it would also help that Linda communicates just as effectively both before and after the camp has concluded.

My 4 year old son did a week with Nature Nurture in the Presidio this summer and he absolutely…read moreloved it! It was a small groups of kids and he really bonded with them. Linda constant and the high school age counselor kept the kids safe. The adventures they went on were all over the Presidio- they rode the bus and walked a lot. They saw parts of the Presidio that I didn't even know existed! My son would definitely do it another summer! Amazing! Linda took photos and posted them in a secure site for the parents to see. She summarized what the children did each day. This was great to see.

I am immensely grateful to Katherine and Caroline and their wonderful colleagues for contributing…read moreso strongly and positively to my son's development in every way. Perhaps I can explain it best like this: when I pick him up at the end of an afternoon session, I'd expect him to be cranky and exhausted, like with everything else! But the opposite is true. He is ruddy-cheeked, bright-eyed, dirty, happy, energized, peaceful. This program installs more confidence, courage, and sense of capability than anything else he does. Not to mention nourishing a deep curiosity about nature and wonder and awe. For a kid that grows up in a city, I know instinctively that this kind of program feels necessary for his little human body and soul. I am a cheerleader for these women and their amazing program. One of the best parts is the intimate nature of the program, the facilitators really know, respect, and nurture your child. It is a small ratio much of the time. My son loves his teachers. They listen to him intently, are cheerful, and guide him expertly. And in return he shows them his very best self. It is really amazing. I still can't get over how he doesn't whine about anything here. It's his happy place. And he always has creations he is excited about and brings home. He even tried to guide us on his own hike to share with us his caring creatives experiences, and be a leader! He also surprises my husband and I already by his knowledge of science - botany, for example. We are constantly delighted with the myriad benefits of this program, and I have a strong feeling we are doing him (and our family) a lifelong favor by this early connection to nature in a safe, nurturing environment. My daughter turns 3 this summer and she is soooo excited to go to "cweeatives." She knows what a special place it is. It is a lot of money to spend, and I gulp at it, admittedly, but we know it is possibly the best money we spend. The expense is the only con, however. It is convenient drop off-pick up, facebook posts with pictures of every session, newsletters - even an amazing mothers day card! the program-home connection is so well nurtured, so kudos to the Coleman sisters for understanding how important it is for parents to be connected to what goes on. What your child will gain is immeasurable. We are so grateful.

I first stumbled upon Caring Creatives a few years ago in the Presidio, when my son was…read more2-going-on-3. That summer, he was getting a little restless as we attended many of the activities intended for kids his age, all of which still required parent participation (which I understand). When I saw this small group of kids enjoying the outdoors with 1 or even 2 group leaders who really had them engaged and totally under control, I asked what they were all about. After checking out their website and learning even more about their offerings, I vowed to enroll my son as soon as he was 3 and potty trained (those are the requirements)! That first summer, we started with 3-hour day camp - just the right amount of time for the average 3-year-old. He was tentative at first (he's not the type to dive into new situations - especially not when he was younger). The group leader at that time, Vanessa, was sooooo sweet. She helped him feel safe in this first "away from Mommy/Daddy" activity, and helped him discover many joys of the outdoors. It wasn't all smooth - he didn't want to potty either outside or inside (there are "proper" bathroom opportunities, as I understand it) - but they were patient with him and I really appreciated what this program was exposing him to. I continued to re-enroll him for day camps during the school year and summers, working up to the 5-hour day camps, and this summer, the 6-hour camp option. One of the best things about this program for parents is that it is incredibly flexible. Those pesky days off from school that aren't holidays for those of us who work are often saved by Caring Creatives, with very little advance planning on my part. There are so many scheduling options, it really is considerate of different families'needs. The biggest gift from Caring Creatives has been the progression in my son's comfort not only with an outdoor experience that might challenge his tolerance of the "elements" (yes, there have been a few rainy and/or very cold days - dress them appropriately and trust Caring Creatives to take care of the rest); but his flexibility in new environments. This summer, he truly blossomed with Jaclyn and the rest of the leaders. He was so excited to go to camp every day - making new friends and challenging himself physically and creatively. And wouldn't you know, this is the only program I've found that offers camp the week before many of the schools start this year after Labor Day - so we'll be joining them again! Truthfully, it is pricey. And the cancellation policy is a little rigid (many are), though it's never posed a problem for me. But in this environment of camps that are often very restrictive in their offerings (age and otherwise) and not year-round, they really are providing something most others aren't (not to mention, you can check up on what your child really was doing all day by perusing their daily Facebook photo posts). Bravo!

My daughters have attended ADTC for many years. They were so scared to go the first year and now…read morethey cannot wait. They have made life-long friends through this camp and they have grown into confident young women. The dance skills they learn and practice are challenging and the teachers really get the best out of the campers while making it fun. The opportunity to "disconnect" from technology for a week and interact with other girls who have similar interests is priceless. My daughters have continued on to the CIT program. My oldest was an instructor this year and my youngest will join her next year!

My daughter attended ADTC in 2024 in Wisconsin. She is neurodivergent. She functions well in social…read moresituations, but sometimes needs prompting for showers due to sensory issues. I asked the ADTC staff to make sure that she showered throughout the week. While returning from an outing, on the bus, one of the instructors decided to prompt my daughter to take a shower by announcing it to the entire bus. This lead to embarrassment as well a ridicule from her fellow campers for the remainder of the week. Before this camp my daughter loved dance more than anything. I thought dance camp would help her self-esteem, but instead it destroyed her spirit. I gave a two instead of a one because the dance camp did seem to be well organized.

We did 2 weeks at Terra out door camp. My son had a hard time at drop off and the teachers were so…read morekind and understanding. I also loved the different locations in San Francisco they went to. One of my son's favorite part was also the shuttle that took him to aftercare. Highly recommend!

Our son has had a great time at camp, his favorite thing is the weekly outdoor field trips! The…read moreteachers are wonderful and the activities are engaging and he is very proud of all his work.