Strong Tower Ranch is an awesome place that helps kids who need it the most. They have day camps…read moreand horsemanship programs and offer sponsorship for those who wouldn't be able to have this type of opportunity otherwise. I've known several kids who've had wonderful experiences there, and return year after year. Many have gone on to become mentors and leaders at the ranch and in their communities. The Ranch also rents the property for private gatherings. The property is gorgeous with a lake (beach, swimming, fishing, kayaks, paddle boats, and canoes), open fields, horse pastures, trails, pavilion, kitchen, nice restroom and shower facilities, bunkhouse, RV and tent sites, and much more. There's even a beautiful butterfly garden! Over the years, our family has rented the property for graduation parties and family reunions, and I've attended several special events there. I highly recommend them for their kids' programs and private use of the amenities!

From the owner: Strong Tower Ranch is a Christ-centered refuge offering hope and mentoring to youth, especially…read morethose at risk. Our Mission: We feature horsemanship and day camps with the goal of providing quality programs that are entertaining, character building, and rehabilitating. "Strong Tower" reminds us that we have a mighty fortress in Christ. We want children, teens and adults who come here to find love and refuge from a harsh world. We are non-denominational, non-profit and dependent on prayers, financial support and volunteer help. How Can We Serve You? Located on 107 acres in Foristell, Missouri, we are prepared to host programs and events for area families, churches and civic groups. The Horsemanship program serves children from age seven and up, teens, and adults. The Day Camp program serves children ages 8-14. People come to volunteer expecting to be a blessing and leave saying they received more than they gave. The training for those who serve in programs is very valuable, especially to young people (15+) who wish to develop leadership skills. If you would like more information about our programs, summer mission trips, volunteer opportunities, or property reservations, send us a message.

Three years ago I attended my first ever Wall Ball; Wall Ball is the large annual fundraiser for…read moreSCOSAG, it was where I first learned about SCOSAG, and it is one of the best fundraising events in St. Louis. They have hundreds of artists create pieces live in front of you throughout the event and then they auction off the pieces to fund the studio. I was immediately intrigued and addicted. We have been every year since. Since that first event, St. Louis City Open Studios and Gallery has become one of my top "kid friendly" places in this city. They offer fun and educational art-centered classes for kids as well as open studio hours six days a week. Your "little" can learn how to throw some clay onto a wheel, string their own necklace, or illustrate their own book. My personal favorite is the kid and me class on Saturday afternoons. For one hundred bucks you get six weeks of uninterrupted quality family time with all of the art supplies as well as an art instructor provided. Who knows...you may have given birth to the next Picasso and never have known it with all that time they spend on the Wii. I am all for getting out and getting hands on and SCOSAG provides the perfect environment for good ole fashion fun. Love Live Creativity!

From the owner: Artscope is a youth arts organization located in the heart of Tower Grove Park, dedicated to making…read morecreative exploration accessible, inclusive, and meaningful for St. Louis children and families. Since 2002, we've offered nature-connected, multidisciplinary arts programs that nurture creativity, confidence, and critical thinking—whether through our beloved Summer Camp Create, school-year workshops, or partnerships with local schools and community organizations. Led by professional Teaching Artists, our programs emphasize self-expression, environmental awareness, and equitable access to the arts. From sculpture and storytelling to eco-art and animation, we help young people discover the joy of making, imagining, and building the future they want to see. Come visit us in our historic cottage, nestled inside one of the city's most beautiful parks—and see how creativity thrives here!

Grateful doesn't adequately capture our family's appreciation for Camp Jumpstart. Our daughter,…read morewho also struggles with an intellectual disability, was given an enormous gift this Summer -- the opportunity to reclaim her sense of self-worth and build life long healthy habits. She was a camper for eight weeks and her personal transformation was remarkable. She gained much more than the 23 pounds she lost -- confidence, discipline, new friends, a set of "tools", and a sunny outlook on life. She is committed to continuing-on with what she's learned at camp and we are supporting her by fully modeling and adopting the same lifestyle. Thank you Jean, Jeremy,,camp staff and counselors -- you are life savers. Jean - your good name is invoked regularly at the kitchen table. To anyone considering this camp: we found this to be a safe and exceptionally well-run organization. Important caveat: Jean expects full engagement not only from the campers but also from parents and siblings as well. That was a deep attraction for us!

Camp Jump Start is an absolute blessing to those that attend, as well as the families of the…read morecampers. We were feeling desperate and scared...we knew change had to happen for our daughter, truly for all of us in the family....and it needed to happen outside of our home. When we found Camp Jump Start we knew it was our solution. The environment of unyielding encouragement, focus on self awareness, positive emotional mantras and the ability to find resilience in herself has changed her. From the very first phone call after one week, we could hear the change in her voice....the hope in her words. It literally brought us to tears. She left camp after 4 weeks, having lost 20 lbs, but looking like she felt 100 lbs lighter, with a spirit of accomplishment that allowed her to know she could do "it"- whatever it was. Jean and her staff at Camp Jump Start truly care about making change, one child at a time. The mission is clear, unyielding, supportive and successful- in so many more ways than numbers on a scale. They have our continued support, gratefulness and recommendation.

This is a very popular facility. Easy to get in, the attendants are very kind and friendly. I…read morehaven't gotten to the pool yet, but I will soon. It is a great value for the monthly fees because of the convenience, and all of the classes offered.

Just because a facility is older, doesn't mean it can't be maintained properly. The lobby & main…read moreareas are fine & the staff is extremely friendly. The steam room & sauna have aged but seem to work okay. However, the pool tile (floor) is in terrible shape & the Men's locker room is NASTY!!! The old carpeting needs to be replaced with vinyl that won't harbor mold & mildew. And the lockers are absolutely DISGUSTING!!! They either need to be replaced or professionally primed & painted. It is dark & dreary! Brightening it up would make a HUGE difference & would probably help members be more cheery!!!

Great place for a large group float! We stayed at the Riverview cabin with a group of 19. The…read morecabin is beautiful with gorgeous wood everywhere, AC, fans, giant porch, and great tall ceilings. It has 4 bedrooms with queen beds, a loft with 2 queen beds, multiple pull outs or room for air mattresses. It's a wonderful place for a group of friends or family to stay and spend some time together. They pick you up from the cabin for the float and drop you back off at the cabin, making it very easy!!! Easy check in/check out at main lodge.

We've been going to bass river resort for about 13 years in a row for an annual friends float trip…read more It's a convenient 1.5 hrs from Stl and although the river is cram packed every year that adds to the great people watching and chaos that we've come to enjoy and look forward to every year. Last year we splurged and upgraded to the a 20 person cabin and for the little bit extra you get A LOT of value. The views amazing, the cabin beautiful and brand new and although camping is fun, the dedicated bus pickup and drop off and a cool cabin to shower and chill in after a hot float is top notch relaxation. We'll continue to go every year. The staff is great, efficient, and its well oiled machine that delivers every year. If you're going to camp, camp by the bathroom, it's totally worth being by the bathroom but it's not so close it smells or anything. Depending on the amount of rain the floats usually 4 to 6 hours on rafts. Enjoy!

My daughter ( 8 years old) spent her first week away from home at Cub Creek. She loved it. Her only…read morecomplaint is that at check in they only had adult size tee shirts. She enjoyed it so much we are already signed up to attend for a week next summer!

My son loves this camp, he has been going for 3 years straight. Don't just read all the negative…read morereviews on Yelp, check out Google for many more positive reviews. Only giving 4 starts instead of 5 due to the high cost, but I'm sure that's necessary. My son would give it 10 stars if he could, it has been life-changing for him. The counselors are very professional and meet kids where they are, he has nothing bad to say about the food. You can leave a bag of snacks for your kid in case they get hungry between meals or don't like the options. My son loves meeting and taking care of the animals. It's very well organized, especially the drop-off process. Pickup is fun, the kids take their families on a tour. My son loves this part. He has made some great friends at camp. Another negative is their email communication system changed from the first year, doesn't seem to be as smooth, it is a more complicated process than the app they used to use. But at least it's free, where before you had to pay. But that's minor. They also take tons of pics and post them every day so it's nice to see smiles on your kiddo when you miss them. I would recommend to send your kids here, you won't regret it!

We love the open gym & everything they have to offer. My daughter's muscles & agility are growing…read moreminute x minute.

Nice facility with lots of seating for parents. We enrolled in summer session which I was told…read moreusually has more kids to teacher ratio. Only wish is that there was more time each session for each kid to learn more skills and be able to practice more.

This place is great. Very spacious and the pool area is so big. There was a tall slide, water…read morewaves pool and an area for toddlers. The facility looks clean. The gym looks spacious. Overall lots of parking spots. Great facility to swim or to workout with the numerous gym equipments.

This is a fantastic community resource for not only St. Louis county residents, but for everyone. I…read morelive in St. Charles county, but in the summer I enjoy visiting the outdoor and indoor pool areas. The lazy river is great and the lap lanes in the indoor pool are nice (but few), except when they run the wave pool every 20 minutes... Then it's a fight for your life to get out before being bashed by people riding the waves in the provided pool tubes. Seriously. ;) For corporate events and family gatherings, the meeting room spaces are bright and well maintained and very affordable to rent. Melissa in the Parks & Recs department is a joy to work with.

Honestly, Courtney, who is over the YMCA summer program is very kind…read more However, our family and I including my ex whom is my daughters father have had MULTIPLE issues with payments and being charged incorrectly. The staff at the Y club does not require IDs however, if you go in the staff at the front desk, always ask for a photo ID and will not take my safe at home ID, which is what I am required to carry. Every single time it's an issue and they have to call Courtney over. When you pick up for aftercare the gentleman that is always there sits at a makeshift desk and refuses to get up to come to your car to have you sign out your kids, not a big big deal but when you have an infant in your car all the time it's very inconvenient and I do not like leaving him in the car alone. I say this every single time and every single time he refuses to come to my car so I can sign the girls out. There have been a couple other instances and I'm hoping the school year just goes a lot smoother.

Great place to raise your heart rate and get a workout on quality gym equipment and facilities. We…read moretry to come here several times a week and enjoy the cleanliness and professional staff.

I spent 3 summers working here as a college student, and just got back from volunteering for a 5…read moreday session with 7 & 8 year old kids. This camp offers kids from any income level the opportunity to go away to camp. They can learn to swim, climb a tower, perfect their artistic talents and so much more. The leadership program includes wilderness adventures of hiking and canoeing, takes them on college visits, lets them experience how volunteer service feels and gives them to skills to get to a job at the end of the 4 year program. While the kids think they are just having fun, the real goal is to give them the skills and desire to further their education...college or vocational...and break the cycle of poverty. It also is a wonderful work experience for young adults. Teaching them responsibility, exposing them to diversity and hopefully influencing their attitudes about the potential of all children if they are just given the opportunities and skills needed to succeed. If you are thinking of sending your kids to camp, SFC is a nurturing environment that will challenge them. They'll walk through the woods and sing songs around campfires. They'll make friends and learn the value of teamwork. They'll spend hours in the library and try new foods. They'll grow up with camp their second home. Start them young and keep sending them back.

All of my kids have been going through their program. Two of them have completed their program and…read moreare moving on to counselors in training. Not sure where they would be without the experience and leadership training that they received!