The best sleepaway camps in California, ranked by families
We track 109 open California overnight camps; 44 meet the minimum for this ranking, with 616 family ratings between them. These 15 leading camps have 227 family ratings, and are ranked by those ratings, not by payment or editors’ picks.
Find the camp that fits your child
Descriptions and fit notes are our editorial reading of the linked camp information.
Activity key: Signature focus = a defining program or setting; Offered = listed in the program; Not confirmed = we could not verify it. These indicators describe program emphasis, not quality scores or family ratings. Activities can vary by age and session.
Dates and tuition carry their season; older figures are context, not 2027 quotes. Confirm fees and eligibility with the camp, especially for troop or family stays.
Screen-free notes separate camper and staff rules, including exceptions and time-off access. Missing notes mean we could not verify a relevant policy; “not confirmed” does not mean devices are permitted.
Hume Lake pairs Sierra Nevada camp life with explicitly Christian teaching and worship. Separate programs serve younger children, middle-schoolers and high-schoolers; the Ponderosa program combines team competitions, outdoor recreation and small-group faith conversations.
At a glance
Campers: Coed youth programs; confirm arrangements by program
Ages / grades: Wagon Train: 8–11; Meadow Ranch: middle school; Ponderosa: high school
Session length: Ponderosa: Sunday–Saturday
Price: 2027 Ponderosa: $969 with your group’s counselor, or $1,149 with a Hume counselor; early-bird group discount available
Starts: 2027 Ponderosa: June 6, 13, 20, 27; July 4, 11, 18, 25; August 1
Setting: Hume Lake, Sierra Nevada
Activity emphasis
Watersports
OfferedSwimming
Land sports
OfferedRecreation competitions
Arts & music
Not confirmed
Nature exposure
Signature focusSierra Nevada setting
Outdoor adventure
OfferedOutdoor adventures
Animals & riding
Not confirmed
Screen-free policies
Campers: Ponderosa’s camper packing rules say not to bring electronic devices. We have not confirmed the rules for every Hume Lake youth program. Policy source
Staff: Not confirmed in the public sources reviewed. Ask the camp about staff device use while supervising campers and during time off.
Ocean Pines sits in a Monterey pine forest above the Pacific in Cambria. Main Camp blends ocean kayaking and beach trips with crafts, animal encounters and performing arts, with campers choosing activities rather than following one specialty all week.
At a glance
Campers: Coed; multiple cabin gender options
Ages / grades: Main Camp: 7–15; separate teen programs available
Session length: Main Camp: 6 or 13 days
Price: 2027 Main Camp: $2,050–$2,550 for 6 days; $3,200–$3,700 for 13 days, depending on pricing tier
Starts: 2027: June 13, 20; July 4, 11, 25; August 1
River Way is a broad-choice camp near the Sierra foothills, with waterskiing, riding, creative arts and ropes activities among its options. Younger Buckaroos move through the day with their cabin; older campers choose their activity schedule.
At a glance
Campers: Coed
Ages / grades: 7–16; separate counselor-in-training program
Session length: 1 or 2 weeks
Price: 2027 tuition supplied on request by the camp
Starts: 2027 session dates and availability supplied on request
Campers: Personal phones, tablets, smartwatches, gaming consoles and other electronic or Wi-Fi devices are prohibited during camp. Airline travelers must turn in their phone on arrival. Policy source
Staff: No personal phone or cellular-device use while on duty supervising or caring for children. Staff may use devices during breaks in designated locations; devices are stored in the staff lounge. Policy source
Jenness Park combines a Sierra Nevada setting with a faith-centered week run by Word of Life. The published program includes paintball, a climbing tower, zipline, court sports and team competitions alongside worship and Bible teaching.
At a glance
Campers: Coed / cabin enrollment details not confirmed in reviewed sources; check with camp
Gold Arrow’s Huntington Lake setting makes waterfront activities a major draw, from sailing to waterskiing. Most activities happen with the cabin group, with time for individual choices; the camp describes its outdoor recreation as non-competitive.
Campers: Phones, games, e-readers and connected devices are prohibited. Limited non-connected lights, watches and cameras without apps, games or messaging are allowed; simple activity trackers are also permitted. Policy source
Staff: Not confirmed in the public sources reviewed. Ask the camp about staff device use while supervising campers and during time off.
Jack Hazard emphasizes outdoor adventure in the High Sierra. Its resident week includes a two-night backpacking trip, alongside challenge-course activities and familiar camp traditions; a shorter Rookie program introduces younger campers to sleeping away.
At a glance
Campers: Coed
Ages / grades: Resident: 8–15; Rookie: 6–10 (registration link says 6–9—confirm with camp)
Session length: Resident: about a week; Rookie: 4 days / 3 nights
Price: 2027: $665 Rookie; $925 reduced resident session or $995 full resident session; $30 registration fee after December 31, 2026
Starts: 2027: June 26, July 10 or 17 (resident); July 7 (Rookie)
Setting: High Sierra near Dardanelle; Modesto is the office location
Mount Hermon offers distinct Christian youth programs among the Santa Cruz Mountains’ redwoods. Redwood Camp serves younger children; Ponderosa Lodge combines teen community and worship with swimming, laser tag, climbing and team competitions.
At a glance
Campers: Coed youth programs
Ages / grades: Redwood: grades 2–6 (2026 listing); Ponderosa: junior high / high school
Session length: Ponderosa: 7 days; separate shorter discipleship program
Price: 2027 Ponderosa: $1,049 per week; Redwood’s $799 listing is for 2026
Starts: 2027 Ponderosa: June 13, 20, 27; July 11, 18, 25; Redwood’s 2027 dates not confirmed
Campers: Redwood Camp’s published 2026 packing rules prohibit phones, music players and electronic games unless cleared with the director. Ponderosa’s camper device rules are not confirmed here. Policy source
Staff: Published summer-staff guidance permits personal phones and laptops, with Wi-Fi in staff lounges. It does not establish an on-duty screen-use rule; a blanket staff screen-free claim is not supported. Policy source
Azalea Trails is a rustic Girl Scout property near Idyllwild, surrounded by pine and oak forest. Current council information emphasizes troop and family stays, with yurts, hiking, archery and campfires rather than a published 2027 individual sleepaway session.
At a glance
Campers: Girl Scout troop / family programs; eligibility varies
Ages / grades: 2027 age or grade limits not confirmed
Session length: Troop / family stays; 2027 session lengths not confirmed
Gindling Hilltop’s Jewish camp community currently operates with Wilshire Boulevard Temple Camps in Carlsbad, rather than at its historic Malibu site. Beach activities, arts and electives sit alongside Jewish learning, song and Shabbat.
At a glance
Campers: Coed / cabin enrollment details not confirmed in reviewed sources; check with camp
Ages / grades: Hilltop’s 2026 sessions served grades 3–10, depending on session; confirm 2027
Session length: 2026 Hilltop sessions: 15 or 22 days; 2027 not confirmed
Price: 2027 not confirmed; 2026 Hilltop fees were $4,600–$7,120, depending on session
Starts: 2027 not confirmed; 2026 Hilltop starts included June 16 and July 12 or 19
Setting: Current campus: Carlsbad; historical listing: Malibu
Kennolyn’s Santa Cruz Mountains camp lets children build a schedule from a wide mix of activities, returning to lessons throughout the session. Riding, creative projects, court sports and ropes courses make it a place to explore several interests in one stay.
Session length: 1 or 2 weeks at the Santa Cruz Mountains site
Price: 2027: $3,525 for 1 week; $5,450 for 2 weeks; $125 application fee; specialty add-ons extra
Starts: 2027: June 14, 21, 28; July 12, 26; August 9
Setting: Soquel, Santa Cruz Mountains; separate Huntington Lake program
Activity emphasis
Watersports
OfferedSwimming, diving & water polo
Land sports
OfferedTennis, fencing & court sports
Arts & music
OfferedDrama, ceramics & music
Nature exposure
OfferedForest exploration & gardening
Outdoor adventure
OfferedClimbing & age-specific ropes courses
Animals & riding
Signature focusRiding, vaulting & horse care
Screen-free policies
Campers: Phones and devices that connect to the internet are prohibited. The current overnight FAQ allows basic offline music players and Kindles, so this is not a ban on every screen. Travel devices are stored during camp. Policy source
Staff: Not confirmed in the public sources reviewed. Ask the camp about staff device use while supervising campers and during time off.
Skylark Ranch is rebuilding after wildfire damage and currently advertises group and family camping. Cabins, pop-up tents and hammocks are part of the property’s phased return; families should distinguish these stays from an individual drop-off sleepaway program.
At a glance
Campers: Girl Scout troop / family groups; check session eligibility
Ages / grades: 2027 age or grade limits not confirmed
Session length: Group stays; 2027 lengths not confirmed
Price: 2027 prices not confirmed
Starts: 2027 dates not confirmed
Setting: Pescadero; historical listing: Santa Cruz
My daughter cannot wait to return to Skylark and I have to say I was very impressed with the facilities: new shower house, dining hall, horse country, etc.
Angeles Crest Mountains (Sierra Madre mailing address)
4.9 from 5 family ratings
Bellis is a music-centered week in the Angeles Crest Mountains. Band, string orchestra, symphony and chamber rehearsals shape the day; recreation, evening performances and camp traditions fill the time between music sessions.
At a glance
Campers: Coed; inclusive admissions policy
Ages / grades: 2026: grades 7–8, or grade 6 with two years’ music experience; confirm 2027
Session length: Last published session: one week
Price: 2027 not confirmed; 2026 tuition was $975
Starts: 2027 not confirmed; last published start was July 26, 2026
Setting: Angeles Crest Christian Camp; Sierra Madre is the mailing address
Farm Camp combines a working-farm routine with traditional camp activities in Sonoma County’s redwoods. Campers contribute through chores such as animal care or dining tasks, then explore choices including riding, crafts, forest games and water activities.
At a glance
Campers: Coed
Ages / grades: 8–17
Session length: 1, 2 or 4 weeks in the last published schedule
Price: 2027 not confirmed; 2026 tuition was $2,600 / 1 week, $5,200 / 2 weeks, or $9,800 / 4 weeks
Starts: 2027 dates not confirmed; camp says updates are due in early November
Setting: Cazadero, Sonoma County redwood forest
Activity emphasis
Watersports
OfferedSwimming, Canoeing, Kayaking, hatchet throwing, stand up paddle boarding
Campers: Electronic devices are prohibited, including phones, music players, games, e-readers and laptops. The rule also applies on camp buses; cameras are allowed. Policy source
Staff: Not confirmed in the public sources reviewed. Ask the camp about staff device use while supervising campers and during time off.
Listed historically as Camp Wintaka, this Camp Fire Long Beach program is now presented as Camp Reid. A pine-and-oak mountain setting supports swimming, archery and nature activities, with outdoor-living and leadership tracks for older campers.
At a glance
Campers: Coed
Ages / grades: Entering grades 2–10 in the 2026 program; confirm 2027
Session length: 2026 session: 6 days
Price: 2027 not confirmed; 2026 tuition was $830 plus $50 registration, with extra fees for older units
Starts: 2027 not confirmed; last published start was July 13, 2026
Setting: Running Springs, San Bernardino Mountains
These four groups cover all 252 California listings. The sleepaway and day groups exclude known closed or non-operating camps; the other group includes travel and campus programs and listings with an unconfirmed type. Historical ratings can appear in every group.
