YC
YMCA Camp Marston
Where kids unplug, explore, and grow in the heart of nature.
4.2(5 reviews)
Business
$$
Where kids unplug, explore, and grow in the heart of nature.
YMCA Camp Marston is a premier summer camp and outdoor retreat located in Julian, California, offering unforgettable experiences for children and families. Nestled in a scenic natural setting, we provide a wide range of activities including archery, hiking, swimming, and team-building adventures. Our dedicated staff fosters a safe, supportive environment where kids can build confidence, make new friends, and enjoy an unplugged escape from screens. Ideal for summer camps, school trips, and group events, we focus on personal growth and outdoor fun for all ages.
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Week-long overnight camps for kids with activities like archery, swimming, and hiking in a supervised, fun environment.
Accommodations and activities for school groups, family gatherings, and organizational outings with dorm-style lodging and meals.
Guided outdoor experiences including rope climbing, night hikes, and team sports to promote physical fitness and teamwork.
Structured learning sessions on nature, survival skills, and environmental awareness for children and youth groups.
Weekend or short-stay programs for families to bond through shared activities and cabin accommodations in a rustic setting.
Cabin 7 has a bed bug infestation! Beware!!!! Likely others as well. I didn’t get the sense that the staff was doing preventative measures that would eradicate this issue completely. Staff admitted to knowing of an issue and said they “heat” up the rooms. There was no sense of urgency, a lot of young staff not understanding the implications of how disruptive this gets for families. Any one who has had issues with Bedbugs knows that’s heating up the rooms is not how to control them. They are very difficult to get rid of and the scariest thing is they transplant, meaning it very easy to take them home with you and infest your own household. With what I experienced it is very likely kids and families are coming here and rolling up sleeping bags /packing up clothes and taking them home. If I had not seen one crawling on my sleeping bag, my roommate would have rolled up her blanket which had three adult bed bugs filled with blood, and taken them home to her family. This is a very serious situation. Please beware. The picture I shared is the first one I found that had not fed yet, had I not found it crawling on my sleeping bag.
My kids have attended summer camp at Camp Marston for the last four years and they love it. It's gotten better every year. The counselors are energetic and genuinely care about the kids. There are a wide variety of different activities for the kids to choose from. And my daughter said the food there is much better than what she gets in the school cafeteria, so it got two thumbs up from her. Overall, it's wonderful for them to have an unplugged experience where they try new things and bond with new people.
This will be my daughter's 3rd summer love Marston she had no problems or issues and said everyone in her cabin had a blast. She is 9 she will be in a new program this year vs last year so we will see how that goes :). The only problem she had last summer was it wasn't long enough. See ya in June Marston! Update 7/21/2024 My daughter heads out tomorrow for her 4th year at Marston. She just attended a church camp in big bear earlier this summer...they allowed phones. Let me tell you I am so happy Marston let's kids enjoy nature and making friends and not screens! She is 10 this year she loved last year and is looking forward to this year. Imo you can read all reviews but in the end I'd say go and let your child experience a summer for themselves before you take anyone's word. I was a camper 5 summers before I worked there for 5 summers and 2 school years we worked hard yes but loved every minute of it. I have friends from all over the world because of camp. This generation of kids need camp more than ever my daughter included. We love Marston.
I just went here on the 16th-20th for 6th grade camp. Best councilors had to be Ms.Becca, Ms Patian forgot how to spell her name sorry bout that, and Alexander. Night hike was extremely fun. For y’all people saying Camp marston “sucks” that sounds like a u problem for not having the courage to adapt to the outside world with camping and learning the survival skills. The food is 10/10, u have lots of options to eat. Recess is an hour long sounds amazing Gaga pit is a must, basketball is fun. This camp is a 10/10
This is a YMCA camp located just outside of Julian, California. They have dorm room accommodations and a great cafeteria. The staff are all extremely friendly. I've been here with my daughter for an Adventure Guides event, but more recently with a group of Fathers and Sons involved with an identical program. They offer Archery, rope climbing, swimming, hiking, etc.
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