This crowdsourced greater Los Angeles summer camps list is the ultimate guide for parents who want real-life camp recommendations from fellow moms and dads.
Parents can post personal reviews for every camp included below, or add a new recommendation to help the list keep growing. Please share your experience with any summer camps around Los Angeles, Orange County and greater LA that your kids have attended! Your honest reviews will help other families for years to come.
Explore more favorites on our lists of nature, sports, art, gymnastics, academic, STEM, theater, special needs and overnight camps.
The Little Gym Camps
An indoor gym that caters to tots on up, The Little Gym hosts indoor summer camps that keep kids active. Campers will participate in gymnastics, games, arts & crafts, and more!
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Fairmont Schools Summer Programs
Fairmont Schools offer summer programs full of fun learning and exploration. Summer Camp allows campers to enjoy the outdoors, arts and crafts, sports, team-building activities, and fun academic lessons! Summer School offers a more formal educational setting and focuses on reading, writing, and math skills.
Camp Galileo
Camp Galileo makes learning fun! Campers will participate in traditional day camp activities, wear crazy costumes and engage in art, science and outdoor challenges while learning valuable skills! Programs take place all over greater Los Angeles and Orange County, so there's a convenient spot for every family.
Oak Canyon Nature Center - OAKS Day Camp
OAKS Day Camp will get kids out and explore nature with programs that introduce them to themed art, nature, Native American traditions, games, and more!
Dana Wharf - Kids Fishing Camp
Gina I.: Get out on the salty sea this summer with Dana Wharf! In this fishing camp designed just for kids, participants will take a trip out on a private boat each day for instruction and fishing fundamentals taught by Dana Wharf's experienced crew.
Ocean Institute Summer Camp
Kids have the opportunity to learn about ocean habitats, the animals that live there, and to go on age-appropriate ocean adventures, including boating trips and eco-expeditions in the Dana Point Marine Protected Area.
Bizzy Girls - Summer Entrepreneur Camp
Young girls and tweens get the opportunity to create their own company and product lines during Bizzy Girls Summer Entrepreneur Camp. The aspiring moguls create a variety of products in fashion, home goods and decor, accessories, soaps, and more and learn all about branding, advertising, marketing, logos, cost and profit. At the end, the girls get to set up a pop shop and keep their earnings. Bizzy Boys Entrepreneur Camp is also offered.
Teens Speak Up
This entirely FREE summer theater camp focuses on empowering junior high and high school students to find their unique voice and talent. The six-week program culminates with an original show that campers write and perform for a live audience.
Rolling Robots Summer Camps
These STEM camps with locations throughout Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura Counties encourage creativity and exploration through hands-on and project-based building, coding and design projects. Kids might build robots and battle them, design games, code in Minecraft, Scratch, and littleBits and more at Rolling Robots summer camps.
DanceLova Summer Camp
Erynn: This one-week summer camp will inspire your child's growth in classical ballet, jazz, hip hop, lyrical, and world dance. There are also tumbling and yoga activities, plus musical theatre aspects to camp pursuits. Campers will join peers at a similar skill level for daily classes.
Ages: 6-12
Cost: $199/week
Lil' Chef School - Summer Camp
Kelly R: Lil' Chef cooking school for kids offers hands-on cooking camps. Campers can enjoy the experience with peers as they learn a variety of kitchen skills and cooking techniques.
Project Scientist Summer STEAM Lab
Girls will meet like-minded peers and explore their interests in the sciences, along with guidance from female STEM role models. Campers will experience high-touch, hands-on educational experiences and live programming each day.
Discovery Cube Camp Discovery
This science museum for kids offers great summer camps with age-appropriate, engaging, hands-on science education and STEM activities, including coding & robotics, marine science & conservation - even dinosaur camp!
Language Door - Summer Camp Language Programs
Language Door offers comprehensive language study for all ages in Spanish or ESL. Kids will partake in group activities, play games and watch shows in their new language, and socialize with peers.
Pirate Coast Paddle Company - Kid's Pirate Paddle Camp
Kelly R: A fun and unforgettable week at Pirate Coast Paddle Company's summer camp gives kids a strong foundation in stand up paddle boarding, with new skills and tricks learned each day. In addition to paddle boarding lessons, campers enjoy paddle races, beach games, swimming, and more!
Primary photo: Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Upparent collects community-submitted recommendations and reviews, and any ideas that are shared reflect the opinions of individual contributors.
