Marine &amp; Ocean Camps in California

All-outdoors, screen-free ocean and nature camps for kids in San Diego.

Ages 5–11$360 per week

Ocean School (is Cool)

All-outdoors, screen-free ocean and nature camps for kids in San Diego.

Ages 5–11

UCSB Surf & Kayak Camp

★★★★★5.0(2 reviews)

Ages 9–15$160–$200 per week

Ocean day camp at UCSB for ages 5-14: surf, kayak, SUP and marine science.

UCSB Surf & Kayak Camp

Ocean day camp at UCSB for ages 5-14: surf, kayak, SUP and marine science.

Ages 9–15

Oceanside Yacht Club Inc

★★★★½4.7(182 reviews)

Ages 8–17$355–$1229 total

Harbor sailing camp, ages 8-17: two-week half-day classes, beginner to racing; scholarships offered.

Oceanside Yacht Club Inc

Ocean Explorers Camp

No reviews yet

Santa Barbara Harbor ocean day camp (9-3): kayak, snorkel, surf; ages 5-7 & 8-14.

Ages 5–14$419 total

Redwood City, CA · San Mateo County

Ocean Explorers Camp

Santa Barbara Harbor ocean day camp (9-3): kayak, snorkel, surf; ages 5-7 & 8-14.

Marine Science Institute

★★★★½4.6(80 reviews)

Week-long marine-science day camp with live animals & research-boat trips, grades K–8 (Redwood City).

Ages 5–13$720–$910 per week

Redwood City, CA · San Mateo County

Emerald Cove Day Camp

★★★★★5.0(6 reviews)

Outdoor day camp in San Juan Capistrano for grades K-4, with archery, horses and beach trips.

$1925 total

Avalon, CA · Los Angeles County

Emerald Cove Day Camp

Outdoor day camp in San Juan Capistrano for grades K-4, with archery, horses and beach trips.

Catalina Sea Camp

★★★★½4.9(11 reviews)

Overnight marine-biology camp on Catalina, ages 8-17; scuba, kayaking & ocean science.

Ages 8–17$3550–$5950 total

Avalon, CA · Los Angeles County

Catalina Sea Camp

Overnight marine-biology camp on Catalina, ages 8-17; scuba, kayaking & ocean science.

Camp Ocean Pines

★★★★½4.8(130 reviews)

Cambria, CA · San Luis Obispo County

Small overnight camp, ages 7-17, in a Cambria pine forest above the ocean.

Ages 7–17$2500–$3700 total

Cambria, CA · San Luis Obispo County

Camp Ocean Pines

Coastal Camp

★★★★★5.0(4 reviews)

NatureBridge day camp, grades K-9, marine biology & ecology in the Marin Headlands.

$460 per week

Dana Point, CA · Orange County

Coastal Camp

NatureBridge day camp, grades K-9, marine biology & ecology in the Marin Headlands.

Ocean Institute

★★★★½4.8(5 reviews)

Marine-science day camp in Dana Point, ages 5-17: tall-ship sailing, tide pools, research cruises.

$360–$660 total

Dana Point, CA · Orange County

Ocean Institute

Marine-science day camp in Dana Point, ages 5-17: tall-ship sailing, tide pools, research cruises.

Los Angeles Maritime Institute (LAMI)

★★★★½4.9(22 reviews)

Ages 7–17Contact for pricing

Tall-ship sail training: 5- or 12-day sleepaway voyages for 10-17, plus a Long Beach day camp for 7-10.

Los Angeles Maritime Institute (LAMI)

Tall-ship sail training: 5- or 12-day sleepaway voyages for 10-17, plus a Long Beach day camp for 7-10.

SeaWorld Adventure Camps San Diego

★★★★★5.0(5 reviews)

Ages 6–18Contact for pricing

ACA-accredited SeaWorld marine science day and resident camps, grades 1-12, San Diego.

Newport Beach, CA · Orange County

SeaWorld Adventure Camps San Diego

Newport Sea Base

★★★★½4.8(33 reviews)

Scout-run Newport Beach waterfront camp, ages 5-17: sailing, kayaking, fishing and STEM.

$335–$399 per week

Newport Beach, CA · Orange County

Newport Sea Base

Camp Ramah in Northern California

★★★★★5.0(2 reviews)

Watsonville, CA · Santa Cruz County

Jewish overnight camp near Monterey Bay with ocean, adventure and arts tracks.

$1575–$12125 total

Watsonville, CA · Santa Cruz County

Camp Ramah in Northern California

Jewish overnight camp near Monterey Bay with ocean, adventure and arts tracks.

Summer at Santa Catalina

★★★★4.3(6 reviews)

Ages 7–14$1000–$9600 total

All-girls day & overnight camp, grades 2-9, in Monterey; choose-your-own classes.

Summer at Santa Catalina

All-girls day & overnight camp, grades 2-9, in Monterey; choose-your-own classes.

San Diego Youth Aquatics Center

★★★★½4.8(5 reviews)

Scouting waterfront resident and day camp on Mission Bay; sailing, kayaking and merit badges.

$420–$740 total

Vista, CA · San Diego County

San Diego Youth Aquatics Center

Scouting waterfront resident and day camp on Mission Bay; sailing, kayaking and merit badges.

Coastal Gymnastics Academy

★★★★4.4(31 reviews)

Gymnastics summer camp, ages 4-16, weekly sessions with games and themed activities.

$425 per week

Vista, CA · San Diego County

Coastal Gymnastics Academy

The Watersports Camp at Mission Bay Aquatic Center

★★★★4.2(5 reviews)

Ages 6–17Contact for pricing

San Diego youth watersports camp (ages 6-17): surf, sail, wakeboard, kayak, marine science

The Watersports Camp at Mission Bay Aquatic Center

San Diego youth watersports camp (ages 6-17): surf, sail, wakeboard, kayak, marine science

Catalina Sea Camp

★★★★★5.0(10 reviews)

Ages 8–17Contact for pricing

Overnight marine-science camp, ages 8–17, on Catalina: scuba, snorkel, sail, marine bio.

San Gregorio, CA · San Mateo County

Catalina Sea Camp

Overnight marine-science camp, ages 8–17, on Catalina: scuba, snorkel, sail, marine bio.

Vida Verde Nature Education

★★★★½4.9(27 reviews)

Free three-day overnight nature and farm program for ages 9-12, booked by school groups.

Ages 9–12Contact for pricing

San Gregorio, CA · San Mateo County

Vida Verde Nature Education

Summer Springboard

★★★★½4.5(26 reviews)

Ages 12–18Contact for pricing

Pre-college academic camps on university campuses, grades 7-12, residential or commuter, ACA-accredited.

Santa Monica, CA · Los Angeles County

Summer Springboard

Pre-college academic camps on university campuses, grades 7-12, residential or commuter, ACA-accredited.

Coastal Kids L.A.

★★★★4.3(12 reviews)

Santa Monica outdoor beach/nature day camp (ages 2+), ~9-2; small groups, extended day.

Ages 2+Contact for pricing

Santa Monica, CA · Los Angeles County

Coastal Kids L.A.

Santa Monica outdoor beach/nature day camp (ages 2+), ~9-2; small groups, extended day.

Ages 2+

Sea League

★★★★★5.0(13 reviews)

Nonprofit ocean camp: week-long overnight summer sessions + after-school surf/SUP/kayak (Santa Barbara).

Sea League

Nonprofit ocean camp: week-long overnight summer sessions + after-school surf/SUP/kayak (Santa Barbara).

SEACAMP San Diego

★★★★4.3(51 reviews)

Marine-science day and residential camp on Mission Bay, San Diego (grades 5-12).

$1725 total

SEACAMP San Diego

Marine-science day and residential camp on Mission Bay, San Diego (grades 5-12).

NatureBridge Golden Gate Conference and Retreat Center

★★★★½4.5(21 reviews)

Day camp in a national park: marine biology and coastal ecology, grades K-12, scholarships offered.

Pasadena, CA · Los Angeles County

NatureBridge Golden Gate Conference and Retreat Center

Day camp in a national park: marine biology and coastal ecology, grades K-12, scholarships offered.

Education Unlimited Summer Camps

★★★3.0(2 reviews)

Academic and arts camps at Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA and Caltech, grades 4-12, overnight or day.

Ages 9–18Contact for pricing

Pasadena, CA · Los Angeles County

Education Unlimited Summer Camps

Academic and arts camps at Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA and Caltech, grades 4-12, overnight or day.

Ages 9–18

Science Camp

★★★★★5.0(1 review)

Museum hands-on science day camp, pre-K–grade 8; Los Angeles

Science Camp

Museum hands-on science day camp, pre-K–grade 8; Los Angeles

Torrance, CA · Los Angeles County

★★★★★ 5.0 (1)

Club SciKidz Southbay-OC

★★★★★5.0(8 reviews)

STEAM summer day camp (ages 4-14) in Torrance with 70+ themed week-long sessions

Torrance, CA · Los Angeles County

Club SciKidz Southbay-OC

STEAM summer day camp (ages 4-14) in Torrance with 70+ themed week-long sessions

Bechtel Family Center for Ocean Education and Leadership

★★★★★5.0(8 reviews)

Monterey Bay Aquarium education building housing free school and teen ocean programs, not a camp.

Bechtel Family Center for Ocean Education and Leadership

Monterey Bay Aquarium education building housing free school and teen ocean programs, not a camp.

Lyceum of Monterey County

★★★★4.0(1 review)

Nonprofit STEM enrichment day camps (robotics, coding, science) in Monterey County.

Lyceum of Monterey County

Nonprofit STEM enrichment day camps (robotics, coding, science) in Monterey County.

Oceanside Gymnastics

★★★½3.7(50 reviews)

Ages 4–17Contact for pricing

Gymnastics day camp with games, activities, and daily gymnastics instruction.