it was so much fun! the quality is amazing!!!!! food is so good. all though it was expensive it was very fun. service was also amazing. 10/10! Service was so good read more

YMCA Camp Campbell - Summer Camps Near Me - Boulder Creek, California

Stayed here for a family reunion retreat and had the entire camp to ourselves. Overall, we had a great experience and would definitely consider booking this place again in the future! Food: The food was mostly really good, especially considering the staff cooks all the meals for the entire camp. Steak night was a bit disappointing since the steak was overcooked, but the chicken was juicy and delicious. They also did a great job with the pizza, loading it up with tons of toppings. There was a good salad bar at every meal, so there were always plenty of vegetable options. Breakfast came with delicious scones, and they even had ice cream sandwiches for dessert. There was also fresh fruit, including bananas and oranges, as well as cold milk, which was especially refreshing. The staff handles all the cooking and cleanup afterward, so guests just need to sort away their utensils and food scraps. I actually thought this was a great practice for the little ones and a nice way to teach them to clean up after themselves. Activities: There were plenty of fun activities to keep everyone busy, including archery, basketball, gaga ball, volleyball, a pool with a super-fast and fun slide, and a rock climbing wall. There was something for pretty much everyone in the family. Cabins: No major complaints about the cabins. My only issue was that I felt a little hot and cold throughout the night, so the temperature wasn't always comfortable. The bathrooms are shared, and I do wish the stalls offered a bit more privacy, but overall they were perfectly adequate for a camp setting. Overall, we had a fantastic stay at Camp Campbell. It's a great place for a family reunion or group retreat, especially if you want a place where everyone can stay together and have plenty of activities to enjoy. We'll likely book here again in the future! read more

We booked YMCA Family Camp in 2024 and had a very negative experience before even arriving. On the required paperwork, we noted in writing that we had an 11-month-old baby and that sharing a cabin would be very difficult. No one responded, and we only later discovered that all cabins are shared. If YMCA had simply addressed our note, we never would have booked. When we requested a partial refund -- especially since there's a waitlist and our spot could easily be filled -- we were flatly denied. The only explanation given was "policy," with no empathy, no flexibility, and no acknowledgment that our documented concern had been ignored. We are now out $629 and will not be attending. This was handled very poorly for an organization that promotes itself on community values. Families with specific needs, especially with young children, should be cautious when booking -- your concerns may not be reviewed, and you will have no recourse if problems come up. read more

Went there as a school trip, was pretty good, but when we did a skit about a kid being bullyed and the kid eventually was friends with the bully. We spent most of the lat day planning it all to be ruined by a staff member. She said, ours weren't appropriate and made us redo the entire skit. We had about 10 minutes, and we couldn't do it. When who watched the other cabins do it, and all of them were about the same thing, bullying. And since we were outside, she targeted us first. FIRE HER, MEAN Also, cabin leader was really nice, his name was crow read more

I got hurt and my leg got split open all the way to the bone and I got 50 stitches! I prefer not to go here

My daughter and I come to the Mother's Day camp. We really enjoy the outdoor activities and campfires, and the food it is very good. It has options for everybody, including vegan, vegetarian, dairyfree ,and gluten-free. read more

So our friends told us about this opportunity and I tried out the mother/daughter weekend w my 2.5 year old. Pros: -staff: Michael and Lauren really stood out to us. They were so friendly and welcoming! Lauren began to dance w my toddler and my toddler loved her. My toddler loved Michael too and tried to get his attention quite a bit lol. -food: food was actually pretty decent! They had pasta Alfredo one night and tacos for lunch another day. Breakfast was really good - eggs with cheese and potatoes and option for cereal and yogurt etc. - cabin: so beautiful! The location is gorgeous as well. Cabins had communal restrooms Cons: -the drive: it is WINDYYYYYYYY. It makes 17 seem like nothing. If you are prone to getting car sick or if your kiddo is, you should prepare yourself. Fortunately, there are little spots that you can pull over to the side for other fast cars that are tailgating you. I would say that this camp is more age appropriate for 7-12 year olds. Lots more activities like archery and rock climbing! We still had fun though. read more

Lovely place for my fifth graders science camp. Lots of outdoor learning experience with hands on activities . Wish their food choices were more inclusive read more

The staff was friendly and very helpful but it was an emotional experience for me personally!

We went to Camp Campbell for Labor Day Family Camp last weekend and had an amazing time. Our friends got us to sign up last April, so we ended up going along with four other families. It was a fun, wholesome experience that our whole family enjoyed. We stayed in Squirrel Cabin - nice, solid bunk beds with sleeping mats (bring your own sleeping bag and pillows), along with a communal bathroom with two toilets, two showers, and two sinks. We didn't spend much time there other than when we were sleeping and changing. There were activities all day long. The kids loved doing all the crafts - they made leather wallets, baskets, bracelets, tie-dye shirts, and more. They also tried archery, gaga-ball (sort of like dodgeball), and I even convinced them to come on a short hike with me. The nice thing about supervised crafts is that I was able to sneak off for some multi-hour hikes in the surrounding redwoods (my wife stayed with the kids). The elevation picks up quickly around the camp so it's easy to get a good workout in a short amount of time. The hiking trails are very quiet - I didn't run into any other hikers while I was out there. I did most of the Outer Loop, River Trail, and some of the Ridge Trail. Food is served at designated mealtimes. The meals are simple but satisfying, especially after hours of outdoor activity. Don't miss the salad bar in the middle and the fruit bowl. We brought some snacks and had them in our cabin but didn't dig into them much. Other highlights: The pool is nice - a lot of the shallow end is in the shade in the mid-afternoon, and the waterslide is pretty fast. We loved the evening campfires; the skits and stories were funny and heartwarming (and there were smores the second night). There's a thriving vegetable garden right next to the lodge with lots of nice vegetables and flowers. The counselors are super friendly, funny, and patient with children. Whisper hour starts at 9pm and it's lights out around 10pm. We thought we might have trouble getting all the kids (all 10 in our cabin) to go to sleep, but they were so exhausted by the end of the day that they were too tired to talk to each other and be silly. We fell asleep shortly after they did; turns out summer camp is exhausting for parents too. read more

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We spent two nights here for a wedding in December. The place has lodging for 300 people but we had only about 150 guests so had a lot of room to spread out. Location is beautiful, among the tall redwoods. There is a large parking lot right by the entrance although you can also park further up the hill closer to the cabins. If parking in the lower lot they have wheelbarrows you can use for carrying luggage up the hill. The facilities are all in excellent condition. We stayed in one of the lower log cabins which has 10 double decker bunk beds set at slight angles for privacy (there are many others higher up the hill in a "treehouse" structure which seemed to be a more fun location for kids). Our cabin is a rounded shape, feels very new, with skylight on top, a window by each bunk, round table and chairs in the center and shared bathroom with two showers/toilets, one being for handicap access. The beds are very comfortable, with clean and firm mattresses, good sturdy ladders and railings so no fear of falling off the top bunk. The main lodge with the dining room is a nice place to hang out. During the day there are plenty to do - you can hike one the many trails, practice archery, check out the crafts sessions. In the evening sit around a warm fire pit in back (they do put it out about 10 pm to avoid noise issues as there are surrounding residential houses even though you can't really see them). There is also a large outdoor pool which would be nice in summer (closed in winter). Food is good - healthy and tasty options for all three meals. This is the first wedding I've ever attended that's held in a venue like this and it's fantastic. So much more fun for everyone involved! read more

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Great place good food great staff the cabins are nice and warm great bathrooms Great studies read more

This is a beautiful venue, especially for a wedding outdoors with the majestic redwoods all around. It is only about 1.5 hours south of SF, so not at all a bad drive out. The camp itself also looked really nice with a decked out swimming pool, big lodge and cafeteria, and cute garden. I bet kids have a blast at camp here! Since I was here for a wedding, I will speak to that. The backdrop is just gorgeous for an evening wedding. The parking lot seemed small, but it must have been able to accommodate all of the guests. The ceremony was held behind the cute little garden. The "stage" area featured a few redwood stumps, then the grand trees behind to make for a beautiful backdrop in the photographs. The lodge/cafeteria was not set up as the place was closed for this event, but it looked spacious and I bet when the circular tables are set up for the campers, it would be a fun place to hang out. The banquet was held outside the cafeteria on the lawn. There was plenty of space to hold maybe about 12 tables + the head table. Again, magical to be in a forest of redwoods all around. We started dinner a bit early so that the sun did not disappear behind the trees too soon. From the cafeteria leading to the lawn dining area is a little patio that doubled as a stage and then dance floor later. One downside is that because this is a YMCA, we were out of there by 9 pm. It does get quite cold at night and there were no heat lamps, fortunately the planners thought ahead and bought blankets for the guests! read more

YMCA Camp Campbell - Summer Camps Near Me - Boulder Creek, California

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This review is for their wedding venue as a prospective client. I had a tour of their site for a potential wedding, and the space is absolutely breathtaking! I was in awe of the redwood grove and would have loved to have my wedding here. The trees are so tall and dense! I have been to other venues where the redwood trees were very sparse, but you really feel in tune with nature here. Mary was very friendly and knowledgeable about the space, and I definitely did not get a sales pitch type of vibe here, which I appreciate, especially in the wedding industry. Pros: -They have backup generators, so you are covered in the event that there is a power outage -Catering is done in house only - that can be a pro or a con depending on how you view it. I saw it as a pro because it's one less thing to coordinate! -The outdoor space is naturally beautiful and does not require much decor. If you're like us and planning to have a natural, minimalistic, budget-friendly wedding - this could work for you! Cons: -No hard liquor (strict) -We took 2 different routes to get here, and both were pretty windy and twisty. I normally do not get motion sickness, but developed a bit of nausea both ways going in and out. The roads also did not have street lights and would require high beams at night. For these reasons alone, we decided to cross this venue off our list. We were truly bummed to do so, because we both loved it so much, but we want to have a nausea-free wedding and don't want our guests to run into any inconveniences commuting in or out. read more

YMCA Camp Campbell - Wedding ceremony site - Summer Camps Near Me - Boulder Creek, California

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Fantastic place the staff were super nice and I went here and it was amazing honestly I miss going here was a lot of fun and it kinda gives me nostalgia and especially when during the afternoon because the sky looked like orange with the orange clouds and the food was amazing best camp ever 10/20 recommend read more

This place is beautiful for a wedding. The chapel is surrounded by a ring of tall redwoods that go high up and cover the sky with tree branches. It was awe inspiring in itself. The altar is simple and so are the pews. It makes for a very intimate ceremony with just about 100 of your friends and family. The Treetop cabins were very well kept and the facilities were better than expected and clean. I was comfortable staying there with friends and family (sleeps 16 people). The only difficulty you might have is transporting your luggage from the parking lot which is about a 5 min walk. There are large carts available that make it easy to carry luggage but you still need to go up a short hill. The food was pretty good and taco night was my favorite. We also had a campfire with s'mores and that was really cool. Staff was excellent. I participated in a few activities and they were all fun. I recommend doing the Mole Hole and Archery. There was also disc golf and other lawn games for casual fun. I can't recommend this place enough. Our whole party had a blast and it was a great experience full of fond memories. read more

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SO MUCH FUN!!! I went for 1 week. The food was great, my cabin leaders, Lily and Emily were AMAZING, and the activities were fun! The cabins are beautiful and so are the redwoods around the camp! I am coming for the 2-week camp next summer and I am SO excited! Don't listen to the negative reviews, this camp is awesome! read more

We LOVED every single minute of our wedding at Camp Campbell. The space was gorgeous and perfect for our Camp themed Wedding. The staff could not have been more helpful and caring. If you are looking for a Camp wedding this place is true Magic. You have to be willing to plan, take initiative and DIY leading up the day of but it will be worth it. Our wedding was a bit out of the box with a Variety show as our rehearsal dinner. We used Camp Campbells beautiful stage and campfire area as the venue for the show. The camp staff made the fire for us and supplied s'more making materials, they even helped set up AV equipment we used for the show. On Saturday we had an earlier ceremony at 1pm so we as the couple could participate in the fun. We did everything from Axe throwing, archery and even some arts and crafts all organized by the Camp Campbell staff. The staff was so helpful throughout Saturday making the day stress free and perfect. On Sunday we had a soccer game on the back lawn followed by brunch in the lodge. It was a weekend to remember for us and our Guests. All of our guests who stayed in the cabins commented on how much they enjoyed the overall experience from the cabins, the food to the atmosphere. If you are looking to have fun all weekend long have a wedding at YMCA Camp Campbell! read more

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My 9 year old went to the week long overnight camp and had the greatest time! She said she got to swim everyday and they had a slide, they did archery, rope swings, a bunch of fun arts and crafts, made s'mores, and much much more! She said the food was good and the bunk beds were fun for her to sleep in. She made lots of new friends! The camp counselors were very nice and fun. Definitely will be going back next year! read more

This organization is incredibly easy to work with. As a high school counselor/teacher I want to ensure my students have as many opportunities as possible to do good things for our local community while learning about themselves. This week not only provides our high school students with the community service hours required for them to graduate (we require 140 hours at our school) but several after coming back from Camp Campbell want to explore career fields working with youth (which makes me ecstatic because they are thinking about solid career/education goals post high school). The people in charge of the camp are extremely prompt about getting back to you when you call and getting back to students via email etc. about which week they are signed up to go on. Our school does a special program with all of our high school students where they go on a week of learning outside the school. Every year Camp Campbell has been very accommodating and allowed several of our students to go up to their camp as a "field trip" option. If your student is looking for an opportunity to do camp counselor stuff I would look into this organization. read more

I attended Summer camp at Camp Campbell from 1955 to 1963. First an 8 year old camper then counselor. Just yesterday I was in the area and spent a great time just walking around and remembering. The camp has been modernized but still retains that special vibe. I enjoyed listening to the laughter and enjoyment of the families as I toured the grounds. Still a wonderful and beautiful place to make memories. read more

Recently came here for a week long camp and had a blast on the beautiful campus. The new dining hall / lodge is incredible to look at, let alone eat/celebrate in. Yeah, celebrate. They do weddings too! I guess the weddings can take advantage of the parking, the redwoods, and the also new tree-top cabins that are, to say the least, amazing! But I was here for a weeklong kids camp, and still had a blast. The grounds are great, the YMCA staff is very helpful and accommodating, oh, and they also have a new pool and waterslide for the kids. Waahhh! I miss camp already! What do i miss you say? Archery, the 'mole hole', swimming, cabins, redwoods, campfires, hiking, and the comradery.... I would definitely recommend this place for any sort of camp or retreat. Lots of beds, GREAT 'Y' staff, and overall an unforgettable experience. They are currently planning on replacing the old cabins with new ones, but that'll take a while. I would only recommend new mattresses for the old cabins if i had any complaints, as they are a little thin for adults with pillow tops at home. =) read more

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I've never actually stayed there. I drop a member of the family off I was volunteering to be a counselor for a week. Not only did it look like an amazing place, but the screening they put my family member through to volunteer there was exceptional. The family member had a great time and report it that all of the young children there had a wonderful experience too. For me if I volunteer counselor considers making the work their profession because of a one week stay that is telling you something read more

I don't recommend this because they are so angry they scream at you and it's not fun they told the kids that if they would like to return they all said no so that's why I don't recommend this place is not fun and boring they treat you so bad that they scream at you and you will have to Vote for food and they give you fish and white rice that why I don't recommend this place it's horrible they take away your things without telling your parents that's why I "DO NOT RECOMMEND!" read more

Get married here! My husband and I got married at YMCA Camp Campbell in late October 2018. We got married in the outdoor chapel, and had our reception on the lawn outside of Swenson's Lodge. Here are my thoughts: Staff, Food, and Flexibility We worked with Shelby for the early planning, and then transitioned over to Aubrey when Shelby moved onto a new position. Both ladies were professional, friendly, and very responsive! Aubrey even helped keep me calm when a wildfire broke out near the venue the week of my wedding. The day of went perfectly (at least to my knowledge :) ). The food came out on time, and was delicious. The staff was great, and Aubrey was very good at helping us stay with the timeline, while giving us flexibility when we wanted to take photos for a little longer. She definitely went above and beyond to make sure the day went exactly how we pictured it. Value The only reason it doesn't get all 5 stars is because the price for a Saturday wedding is fairly high. For this reason, I chose to get married on a Sunday. The price for the food and venue was lower than any other venue and caterer I found while venue hunting. Plus, as a non-profit they don't charge sales tax and can't accept gratuity/service charge, so theres no 30% extra charge, like there is at other venues. Definitely worth it! Venue My husband and I have been dreaming of our big day for 12 years, and always envisioned being outdoors. I cannot say enough good things about how gorgeous this place is! An outdoor chapel in the redwoods, a wood lodge, and string lights, it doesn't get better than that! As a bride, and event planner, I highly recommend tying the knot here! I would do it again if I could :) read more

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They take away your stuff without telling your parents,they say to bring a sleeping bags but they have beds.

I would actually give the day camp 3.5 stars. My son said 7/10. I first knew of this program when my son attended the wonderful pre-k program at BCE (which I wish was still active). My son was so excited to go to day camp and we talked about it for months. It was kind of a let down. He did get to do activities, but had almost no choice in which to do. Two days in a row he was in a fort making group which was chosen for him. On Wednesday it was camper's choice for activities and he said they still had no choice in activities. They kept saying they would get to go down the water slide on camper's choice day and MY GOD my child was climbing through the car roof to get to go and nope. No slide. No waterslide at all on any swim day. Other groups but not his. He was crushed. By the next day he didn't want to go back. He wasn't getting the activities shown online. No zipline, no water slide. No high walking ropes in the trees. All of which you sign a waiver for and he was excited to try. The last two nights he came home completely melting down (he is 6 1/2). I am actually glad our one week is over. I think it is a good program if you are local and need summer child care where your kid won't die and will be in an outdoor group setting, but he was really letdown. I even messaged the camp director to ask about my son getting to choose the waterslide and another activity as it would mean a lot to him and she did not respond. She also completely ignored my presence at pick up/drop off the next day like my question was offensive or put her off. It was weird. She had been pleasant. The one thing my kid did experience is working through disappointment. It seems petty to care this much, but the kid was heartbroken. Communication isn't great either. I had to call to find out if they were going to send any camp info which finally came the Thursday before camp started My friend who enrolled her son for swim lessons asked if I had ever heard back from the camp as she has no instructions on where to go or a confirmation. She said she showed up and some guy just said Enjoy the pool! Ok...lessons? The program seems ok.It could be leaps and bounds better. read more

Well... I just picked up my son from a two week session. When he previously attended Science Camp he loved it here begging to come back. So of course I signed him up for summer camp ($1200) thinking he would have an amazing time, boy was I wrong. So wrong that I feel like a bad mother for sending him for two weeks (13 days). Well 13 days turned into 12 because the camp called 4 hours ago saying he didn't feel well and as a precaution I needed to pick him up. Apparently other camp leaders fell ill and kids were slowly leaving one by one early from camp due to illness. I appreciate the call, but after I arrived he proceeds to tell me that he hasn't felt good since Tuesday but they wouldn't let him call me. My son said he wrote me a letter asking me to pick him up early, but I haven't received it yet. I asked him if he wanted to write this review to help others decide whether or not to attend, but he is so exhausted he asked me to do it and put himself to bed... it's 4 pm. So here is a list of things he relayed about camp... Negatives... Horrible food, hard brown rice, worst fried rice ever (mushy with hard peas), pizza for breakfast made his stomach hurt, only tap water offered for the entire camp that tastes like chlorine, zero privacy in the showers so he skipped them (kids peeked into the curtain), flies everywhere, barely any pool time, HOT, beds were hard, zero quiet time to relax, nights fluctuated between hot/cold, bullied by an older child in his cabin, and in my opinion worst of all was the lack of hygiene encouraged. So in my opinion it isn't a huge surprise that illness started to spread, he said the cabin leaders didn't encourage or require regular showering. Positives... Cabin leaders were nice, he made 3 good friends, archery, and taking pictures. (Dark room made him nauseous though from chemical smell) When I picked him up he was holding back the tears. I asked him if he wanted to come back next year and he said NO PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME. The further away we drove the happier he got. Stomach stopped hurting, he ate lunch, showered, and he's currently resting peacefully at home. He didn't make a bee line for his phone or game stations... nope. He just wanted to rest and recover. When I arrived at camp to pick him up his bag was ready to go and he was outside waiting because he saw me coming. The online pictures posted were random and it seemed like all the kids were caught off guard. After reading other reviews I agree that they looked unhappy or miserable to, but I thought it was because they weren't expecting a picture to be taken. So there you have it...my child's experience. He said if he could give it zero stars he would. 6/11/17-6/22/17 Update in response- Understandable, but my son said he wasn't feeling well since Tuesday and he was denied a phone call home. It wasn't until Thursday that I was notified and he desperately wanted to come home. If I had know, I would have rushed there MUCH sooner. On top of that issue he wasn't allowed to pack his things. So whomever packed for him forgot his vitamins, swim trunks, and towel. We didn't realize the items were missing until we got home. read more

Camp Campbell is one of the largest hidden gems in the Bay Area. It's facilities are astounding and the wilderness setting is so relaxing. The staff are also so polite and welcoming. If you have kids you owe it for o your family to check it out. read more

I'm not sure what compelled me to write a review other then nostalgia. I had so many fun memories when I was a kid in grade school and going on a field trip here with my class. I remember specifically hiking at night and as an adult now I appreciate the quiet stillness and calmness of nature. I remember singing corny camp songs around the campfire and being silly with some of my camp mates. So this place definitely leaves an imprint for whatever reason you decide to go here! read more

My husband and I got married here in September 2012. Our guests said they had never had so much fun at a wedding and everyone was sad to leave once Sunday rolled around. The staff was great, friendly, and always smiling. Everything went smoothly. Louie and Stacey were a dream to work with, always getting back to us promptly to answer our many questions. The setting is gorgeous and our photographers were able to take full advantage. We couldn't have asked for a better wedding weekend. You can see more pictures of our weekend wedding here: http://ruffledblog.com/california-redwoods-winter-wedding (the wedding was not held in the winter like the title suggests) read more

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such a great experience i went with my class and my other 5th grade class from my school they gave us a list of what to pack and it was all set up !! it's so great 10/10 experience i lived it there and it was so fun and so great my cabin leader was lily and field leader was hailey and alexander definitely recommend i went there for about 3-4 days so great loved it i would definitely want to go again! read more

First time I've attended Camp Campbell was when I was in elementary school. I thought it was the best thing ever & I always wanted to be just like my cabin leader. Later in highschool I started volunteering my time to come & enjoy spending time with kids all around the Bay Area. Next time I go to volunteer it will be my 5th time around. Can't wait :-) #daffodil read more

YMCA Camp Campbell - Summer Camps Near Me - Boulder Creek, California

AMAZING!! We got married here in August 2012. There is too much to say for one little review but if you take one thing away from this review - GET MARRIED HERE!! I have dabbled in wedding coordinating and helped friends with their weddings and this was hands down the most relaxed, helpful, caring, thoughtful group of staff/venue I have ever worked with. Stacie received countless emails and changes to our schedule over the 9 months prior to the wedding and she took it like a champ. She was always quick to respond, happy to help, let us come out to the sight multiple times to measure and plan our reception. They helped us plan the menu according to our budget, even helped us get creative for things we wanted but were slightly out of our budget. My piece of advice to brides and grooms getting married here is DON'T stress! While a weekend long wedding is a much bigger task than a single day event the staff is amazing and so flexible with you. Here are few places I worried/stressed about too much: I was emailing and hounding my guests to give me RSVP's for all the extra meals and activities because I was so worried Camp Campbell needed exact numbers and were going to charge me no matter what. I was really concerned about our guests being too loud - on Friday night I went around shhhh'ing all of the cabins at 10pm. It didn't work that well, 80+ friends and family is loud no matter what. At the end of the weekend Stacie and Louie told us we were great and no problems. I wish I hadn't been so worried about it. Staff was wonderful!!! Very helpful! Overall, all the extra stress and worry was not needed. Our family and friends were in awe over the weekend and can't stop talking about how amazing it was. Don't miss the ropes course, archery, mole hole, swimming pool with water slide, arts and crafts, tie dye, and camp fires!! Thank you YMCA Camp Campbell. You are all sooo wonderful! read more

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Listen. I have four (1+1+1+1) children. It's....a lot of human beings in my care. Sleep away is my jam is what that means. Plus I like things like independence and adventure. And I always *wanted* to go to sleep away camp, but my mom never let me. There might be some projection parenting happening. Clearly I'm winning for parent of the year. Anyhow, our oldest daughter did a week of sleep away camp last year through Girl Scouts. Feedback was....mixed? I'm going to say mixed even though mostly what I heard is she was sooooo homesick and it sucked. Because she ALSO talked about the cool things she did all year long. Plus, one week camps are a recipe for failure. All the kids are homesick for 3-4 days and then it's time to come home. So this year I got smart and started researching two weeks camps for our oldest kiddo (it totally wasn't the idea of a two week reduction of chaos...really.) In addition to projection parenting, we fall firmly in the free-range spectrum of parenting. So my needs were not super high in finding a camp: two weeks, reputable company, not a gazillion dollars. --Enter Camp Campbell Stage Left-- First, I personally love YMCA as an org. It's inclusive, has great programming and seems to always invest back into the programs heavily. Check. It was two weeks. Check. It costs $1000 for two weeks of activities, childcare, food and lodging. Check check check. In our 'burb a one week day camp is likely to cost that much so I'll take it. Imagine my surprise when we got there and it's like the Ritz Carlton of camps. The cabins for the kids are air conditioned (what??), the pool looks like something out of Club Med, the grounds are gorgeous, the staff insanely happy, the process super organized. As we were leaving my oldest looked at me and said 'you know, I could stay here the whole summer.' Me too, kid. Me too. read more

I just picked up my two sons (ages 8 and 11) from a week of sleep away camp. They both had a blast. This was the 2nd year my 11 year old was there and the first time at sleep away camp for my 8 year old. Both kids had great counselors who really get kids. I felt comfortable leaving my boys with them and they had alot of fun. My 11 year old said he would stay all summer if he could. My 8 year old went with no friend and seems to have made friends with his cabin mates very easily. Their favorite things about camp were the Olympics (new this week), archery, capture the flag, and paint war. I specifically asked them about the food and they said they had more than enough to eat and were never hungry. The were talking a lot about the "colors" and how they represent respect, caring, honesty, and responsibility. Just the fact that they are talking about those words so much after picking them up from camp impressed me. They were both exhausted. Both said they could use a little more sleep. But then there would be less time for fun so I'm not sure they really want that. My 11 year old also went here in the Fall of 2009 for Outdoor Science Camp with his school and had a blast. Both boys have VERY different interests and personalities, so the fact that they both loved the experience is great. They are definitely going back next year. read more

I went to science camp the last week and it was AWESOME.The food and the service was Very Good

This review is for their Family Camp. Now to start, I came into this with pretty low expectations. My idea of camping is when the doors of a hotel room are on the outside of the building. I don't do tents, I don't own a pair of tan pants much less cargo pants, I haven't stepped foot in a REI in a decade and I swell up from a billion bug bites the second me and nature meet. But once you have kids you start making sacrifices and when my cousin suggested we join them and their kids at Family Camp in Camp Campbell, I reluctantly said yes. Even though I knew these were cabins vs tents (although they do have tent cabins and campgrounds if you prefer roughing it), I was envisioning dark and damp rooms with army style cots. I pleasantly surprised to see that the rooms are spacious and bright, with modern bunk beds and clean attached restrooms. We brought sheets to go over the plastic mattress and our own blankets and pillows; from what I understand during the mommy-me camps some of the girls get into fancy decorating of their dorms. We heeded the advice of other friends and brought some camp chairs to set up in the middle of the room; otherwise if you want to chill out and chat with your bunkmates you'd be confined to your bunk bed. The camp spans a weekend and there are plenty of activities to meet everyone's needs. What I appreciated is that you can be as social or anti-social as you like - while the counselors encourage participation, there is no pressure to actually do anything. The grounds are clean and they have a great swimming pool with slide for water play. The kids especially enjoyed the Mole Run, which is a dark tube where you can go sledding down super fast. There was so much to see, and it was nice sending them off in a safe environment to explore and be kids. Meals are communal buffets with a decent amount of variety for the picky eater kids and options for vegetarians/gluten free diets. Bowls of fresh fruit are available throughout the day. Food was served at specific times of the day, so if you or your kids get hungry more frequently, it is a good idea to pack some snacks in the room. This is an alcohol free camp so any boozing would have to be done on the DL or in the parking lot. Only very minor areas of improvement: the bathrooms should have some sort of bench next to the showers to lay clothing and to allow for ease of dress. You'll also want to pack a cheap bath mat - the floors get super slick and wet with all the traffic and you don't want to use up a nice bath towel to keep from slipping. The toilet paper is cheap one-ply that comes off the roll one sheet at a time, so you'd be wise to pack a roll as well unless you want to spend an extra 15 minutes trying to get enough paper to do a proper wipe. You'll also want to pack ear plugs if you're sharing the room with people you're not used to - the first night for me was a difficult night of sleep as I tried to block out the symphony of snoring between several cabin mates. It would be nice if there were some activities where you could drop off the kids and go get to know other adults (I heard the UCSB Family Camp there has this option). For this non-adventurer, it was a great time and I look forward to making this an annual event with the family! read more

In the early 80's I went to Science Camp with my 6th Grade Class. As a Teenager, I was blessed to be able to come back a Camp Counselor for the Science Camp and even seen my old 6th-grade teacher. The smells of wood, the banana slugs, Cold showers, Hicks, great food. This is the place to be. My dream to this day is to move onto the property and live out my days. read more

Beautiful but expensive! We did a tour for prospective wedding venues, and we were quoted about 30k for the venue for one night, and about 200 guests. Wonderful venue, just a little out of our price range. read more