A special place for events like Northern Nights Music Festival, and now Lumberstruck. Offers…read morecamping, swimming in the river, and the "Moonlight" mountain silhouette against beautiful star-filled sky at night.

A slice of heaven for kids of all ages! From hikes along damp Douglas Fir forest trails, to sunny…read moreafternoons swimming in the majestic Mattole River, song-filled hayrides, games, arts and crafts, overnight beach backpacking, and camper directed skits at campfire. Plus, the friendly and caring staff is committed to providing an unforgettable, safe and fun-loving camp experience to every camper. Wrap it all up with delicious meals and fresh air cabins and LCC is the place to be!

A great place for kids to spend the summer making friends. Remote and rustic and tons of fun. I've…read moreworked at this camp in the past and it is an amazing place for young people: Hiking on the Beach; Swimming in the Mattole River, Overnight camping in the Mattole Valley; Nightly campfires with songs and story telling; Teen Backpacking trip; Canoes; Mill Creek; Art; Raids; Dance Party; Ropes Course; Friends... I've only ever meet wonderful, caring and compassionate people working for the camp - still friends with many of them. Love this place!

www.campswing.com…read more I've been swing dancing since The Revival back in the mid-90s, but hadn't taken the time to make Camp Swing before this year. The Camp (Camp 1 of The Woodlands) is way up there; try more than four hours( (IF there's no traffic!) from Oakland. I'm glad we heeded everyone's advice and left early Friday and travelled the little windy roads during the daylight. When you get close enough, tune in to the local radio station, KZYZ (or KZYX). The djs are really a hoot. The cabins are quite rustic, no electricity, and, strangely, seemingly insect-free. The cabins are from the 30s, and as with anything that ages, some of the boards on the balcony have rotted a bit. One of our bunkmates fell through while we were there. Be careful, 'kay? We won the "Best dressed cabin" competition. We went on Work Study (where you get reduced fees in conjunction with volunteering your time at camp). We worked in the kitchen on Friday for dinner, Saturday at the bar and then kitchen clean-up on Sunday. I ended up missing enough classes because I worked shifts that I wouldn't choose to go to camp that route. Of the classes I did take, I thought the teachers were fabu. They made themselves accessible, when they weren't teaching and at the dances. I was hoping for a hula class again, but to no avail. The biggest thing missing from this camp is camaraderie. They need to have something at the Friday dance that gets people to meet each other. You know, "Snowball" and "Switch" dances; that sort of thing. It seemed people came up in their little groups and didn't deviate. The creators need to make people mix and mingle more.

Partner dancing in an old fashioned lodge in the Mendocino Woodlands night is like a time trip to…read moreanother era. "Dirty Dancing" during Halloween is the closest movie visual I can think of. Camp Swing in October is a fun weekend getaway whether you know how to dance or not. Leave on Friday during daylight so you can enjoy the North Bay drive, wineries and the autumn leaves turning color. Three hours later, you arrive in the town of Mendocino by the coast. You can stroll the town before descending a long gravely road to arrive at Camp Swing. Jenna--one of the organizers--will be there to greet you with a smile. She's the friendly, but yet kick-ass dancer that used to teach swing at Broadway Studios. For the price of admission you get two days of dance lessons including a combination of: Swing......Salsa......Hula......Balboa...... Hustle......Swing......Charleston...... Lindy Hop......Belly Dancing......Swing......Hip Hop...... The instructors are very good, and GOOD-LOOKING! Did I mention swing? because it's the main emphasis. Breakfast, lunch, dinner provided; two nights of dancing, live music from Stompy Jones, cabin decorating contest, Halloween costume party, bottomless drinks and a "talent" show featuring comedians, improv, singing, two stepping cowboys and sexy can can girls.. Lots of lessons, dancing and socializing to be had. In between lessons I drove into town to take in the ocean and walk the town. The diverse attendance is made of singles, married, straight, gays, young and old. There's a sense of camaraderie that comes together at this camp. By the time Sunday morning rolls around, you're exchanging numbers, hugging goodbyes and singing "Time of My Life" from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack. About The Accommodations: It's generous to call the 1930s cabins "rustic" (read no electricity and in need of a coat of paint). There are 4 bunks to a cabin, which are built on hilly terrain. The tall redwoods that populate the area keep the cabins mostly in the shade, and I noticed the October air to be warmer outdoors than indoors. Community bathrooms with hot showers are easily within walking distance, as are the dining and rec hall. Candles and propane aren't allowed in the cabins, but the camp provides firewood free of charge to burn in the cabin's fireplace. If you volunteer to help with clean up and meals, you'll receive a good discount on the Camp Swing enrollment fee.

When you unplug, magic happens…read more... No mobile phones, no watches, no internet. Leave your real name at home. No discussing work, and age is irrelevant. You won't need alcohol or cigarettes. What you'll gain is real human interaction. When you can't talk about anything shallow, conversation becomes deep quickly, and friendships form based on more than superficial commonalities. Also, it's super fun! Highlights for me were arts and crafts "playshops", the tea yurt, and Condor's fire session. Unlike camp when I was a kid, the food was excellent. It's truly impressive what they managed to make for such a large group. The morning coffee couldn't be better, and grilled cheese sandwiches turned out to be the perfect thing for a cold summer night. But, seriously, why aren't more of you people reviewing it? We're allowed on the web now that we're home.

Summer camp for adults without mobile phones, digital devices, watches, clocks. No work talk. No…read moreage talk. No real names. No alcohol. Annual June retreat. Arrival entails Tech-Check...you turn in your stuff until departure. It was a humorous cross between airport TSA and Star Trek. A hula-hoop is raised from your feet to your head to scan for any concealed contraband tech devices. ...Had to laugh. My favorite event was the Summer Solstice Dinner silent meal. ...One table setting as long as it takes to seat 130 people...on each side! At dusk, candle-lit, on the field, surrounded by redwoods, preceded by a bonfire ceremony, everyone dressed in white. Campers/guests are received by an escort and walked to the bonfire. After a moment with the universe, another escort guides you to your seat. Yes, the entire camp had been silent for the past two hours...and still is. 260 people - n o t o n e w o r d. Food is served and with a motion you are invited to begin. This was the most magical event I have ever been to. Ever. And my "ever" is relatively long. My second favorite event was the theme dance. In 2013 it was The 80's. In 2014 it was the 70's and disco. Those few who didn't buy-in to the costume/dress-up wish they did. DJ and live eight-piece soul/funk band for two hours. ...Well, it felt like two hours...don't really know. Friday night in the tea yurt the five-piece street band performed. They played at numerous times and places throughout the weekend. Other events were Talent Show and Pajama Brunch. Beyond that there were many choices of individual programs such as crafts, yoga, archery, et. al. Swamai Ananda was there. I asked him to teach me something and we sat on a log and talked for 20 minutes. The food was the best I've ever had in such a large group. Fresh, hot, plentiful, healthy. Staff was 1-to-5 campers. They were all high on the spirit of making everyone happy. Anyone who was bored here has only themselves to blame. GNT, aka Woodstock, Session 2, 2014