Contact
Camp Information
(805) 564-5418
Camps@SantaBarbaraCA.gov
Summer Camps
Spend the summer with Santa Barbara Parks and Rec! With 20 camp experiences to choose from, campers ages 4-17 can explore topics including art, business, engineering, sports, theater, and water safety. We also offer scholarships and inclusion services for eligible families. More details below!
Registration
Registration for 2023 summer camp is now closed. Stay tuned for 2024 camp details!
2023 Camp Offerings
Introduce your child to a new sport with Basketball Camp! Campers learn fundamental skills like dribbling, passing, shot technique, and the importance of teamwork. Adjustable hoops and appropriately sized basketballs are used to provide just the right amount of challenge while a variety of games and activities keep lessons fun and engaging.
- Age: 6-11
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Location: Carrillo Gym
Start a biz! Bizzy Girls Entrepreneurship Camp helps girls develop their own product line and provides hands-on lessons in business concepts, sales, and marketing. Campers create logos and marketing materials while learning how to present their products through fun role-playing exercises. On the last day of camp, friends and family are invited to a pop-up store where campers display and sell their products. Girls will enjoy using their creativity while gaining confidence as they practice goal-setting, decision-making, and problem-solving.
- Age: 6-12
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Location: Carrillo Recreation Center
Perfect for the camper looking to explore their creative side, Ceramics Camp teaches children the basic techniques of wheel throwing, hand building, and glazing. Campers will explore different artists and cultures to inspire their projects and enjoy flexible studio time to bring their creations to life.
- Age: 8-15
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. or 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Location: Chase Palm Park Craft Center
Looking for the perfect place to send your young jokester this summer? Try Comedy Camp! Campers will build their confidence and strengthen their public speaking skills while exploring joke writing, comedy structure, improv, and storytelling. The week wraps up with a live performance on Friday night for family and friends.
- Age: 9-12 and 13-17
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Location: Community Arts Workshop
Horse Experience Camp introduces horseback riding in a safe and supportive environment for children with and without special needs. In addition to riding lessons with a certified instructor, campers learn horsemanship skills, horse science, and horse care. Children are grouped according to similarities of age, riding experience, and needs to ensure that everyone has an unforgettable horse experience!
- Age: 6-10
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- Location: Hearts Equestrian Center
Stay cool this summer at Ice Skating Camp! Campers of all skill levels will enjoy lessons from professional coaches and the chance to make new friends on and off the ice. Breaks from skating will be filled with arts and crafts and outdoor activities.
- Age: 4-12
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Location: Ice In Paradise
Keep teens busy this summer! The Junior Counselors program gives 13-17-year-olds a chance to gain work experience while ensuring younger kids have a great time at summer camp. Junior Counselor opportunities include Junior Lifeguards, Lobster Jo's Art Camp, Lobster Jo's Beach Camp, Nature Camp, Skate Camp, and Swimming Lessons.
- Age: 13-17
- Time: Varies
- Location: Varies
Not your average summer camp, Junior Lifeguards is a critical program to promote youth ocean safety in Santa Barbara. Participants spend the summer mastering water safety, first aid, surf lifesaving, and more from professional beach lifeguards. Age-appropriate workouts and competitions keep kids active as they learn teamwork and build friendships.
- Age: 7-17
- Time: 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (Early drop-off available)
- Location: East Beach
Looking for a fun engineering camp? Join Play-Well TEKnologies at LEGO® Camp! Following a curriculum designed by engineers, campers have fun solving real-world engineering challenges while exploring concepts in physics, architecture, and engineering. Themed camps explore imaginative worlds that kids know and love, like Star Wars, Minecraft, Pokemon, and Robotics.
- Age: 6-12
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Location: MacKenzie Park Center
Campers will enjoy the best of both worlds at Lobster Jo's Art Camp! Mornings are dedicated to daily art lessons where children can explore their creativity with a variety of art forms, including painting, sculpting, plant pressing, and beading. In the afternoon, campers will head outside for the fun of Lobster Jo's Beach Camp!
- Age: 8-13
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Location: Stik N Stuck Creative Studios/East Beach
The best beach day, every day! At Lobster Jo’s Beach Camp, children enjoy a mix of ocean activities, beach-themed arts and crafts, and plenty of group games. Friendly sandcastle contests, spikeball tournaments, and beach party karaoke are just some of the fun in store for campers at Lobster Jo’s!
- Age: 6-12
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Location: East Beach
Ready for a classic sleepaway camp experience without the sleepaway? Nature Camp has all the traditional summer camp fun you can pack into one week! Campers enjoy singalongs, outdoor games, field trips, nature science, and a special family night with entertaining skits and awards. This Santa Barbara summer experience is one your child will never forget!
- Age: 6-12
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Location: Casa Las Palmas
Designed with conservation, education, and exploration in mind, Ocean Explorers is sure to foster your child's love of the ocean and all its creatures! Campers enjoy a variety of ocean and beach activities, including kayaking, stand-up paddling, and snorkeling, while learning about our local marine environment.
- Age: 5-7 and 8-14
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- Location: Paddle Sports Center
At Pickleball Camp, children of all skill levels can enjoy one of the country's fastest-growing sports! Campers learn shot and volley techniques, proper serving and receiving, and game strategy. This social sport is a great way for children to have fun and make new friends!
- Age: 8-15
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Location: Municipal Tennis and Pickleball Center
Where better to get "shred-ucated" than the coolest skate park on the west coast? Children at Skate Camp learn proper skateboarding technique, practice new skills, and explore the challenges of Santa Barbara's famous Skater's Point. At the end of each day, campers get a chance to show off their skills to family and friends. All skill levels are welcome at Skate Camp!
- Age: 6-12
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Location: Skater's Point
Soccer Camp is the perfect introduction to the world's most popular sport! Campers learn fundamental skills like dribbling, passing, shot technique, and the importance of teamwork. Daily scrimmages provide children with just the right amount of challenge while a variety of games and activities keep lessons fun and engaging.
- Age: 6-11
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Location: Cabrillo Ball Park
The perfect blend of practice and play! At Tennis and Beach Camp, children participate in structured tennis lessons, with breaks spent enjoying the beach. Campers are placed in groups based on age and skill level to learn or practice the fundamentals of tennis. Swimming ability will be assessed, and Lifeguards will be on duty to ensure all campers have a fun, safe time during beach play!
- Age: 7-15
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Location: Pershing Park Tennis Courts
At Theater Camp, children don't just learn a few lines. They help run the show! Campers spend the week singing, dancing, and prepping the set before putting on a special performance for friends and family. Theater Camp is a great way for children to make friends and experience the joy of musical theater!
- Age: 6-12
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Location: Carrillo Recreation Center
Soar above Plaza Vera Cruz! Children at Trapeze Camp take flight on the flying trapeze and explore other circus activities like aerial silks, aerial hoop, juggling, and tumbling. Each week ends with a showcase event where campers can dazzle their friends and family with their new skills!
- Age: 6-14
- Time: M-Th 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. F 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
- Location: Plaza Vera Cruz
A morning of beach volleyball? Yes, please! Children at Volleyball Camp learn correct ball handling, passing, setting, hitting, and serving for each skill level. Campers are assigned to courts with others at the same level, ranging from beginner to AAA, to ensure everyone is having fun and putting their skills to the test.
- Age: 9-17
- Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
- Location: East Beach Volleyball Courts
Inclusion Services
To ensure children of all abilities can enjoy a summer camp experience, inclusion services are available. Inclusion staff will work with families to ensure campers with disabilities are accommodated based on their individual needs throughout their time at camp. Visit Adapted Programs and Inclusion Services for more information.
Scholarships
Eligible families can apply for a scholarship to send children to summer camp at no cost. These scholarships are funded by donations made to the PARC Foundation and distributed through SBPAL’s Campership Alliance program. Families interested in scholarship options can learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply at SBPAL.org/Campership-Alliance.
Summer Camp Policies
No Camp Waitlists
Our activity registration system, PerfectMind, will no longer maintain waitlists for summer camps. From now on, if you see a spot available on PerfectMind, it's available! Please check back regularly, as spots open up when a participant withdraws.
Medical Questionnaire Deadlines
May 15 is the deadline to complete the required medical questionnaire for your child. If your child's medical questionnaire has not been completed by May 15, the PerfectMind system will automatically withdraw them from all camps. If this happens, we will automatically provide you with a full refund.
Online Withdrawal
We've enabled online registration; you can withdraw your child online through your PerfectMind account. Refund fees may apply, depending on when you withdraw your camper(s) from their enrolled camp(s). Please see below for details on fees.
Refund Policy
A 100% refund will be given for activities cancelled by the Parks and Recreation Department. Refund fees are applied based on how soon a camp or activity starts after the withdrawal date. To minimize refund fees, please be aware of the timeframes listed below and the exception for medical reasons:
If you make your cancellation request (or online withdrawal through PerfectMind):
- 15 days or more before the start of the program: 90% refund
- 5 to 14 days before the start of the program: 50% refund
- Less than five days before the start of the program: We will not give refunds for withdrawals or cancellations made less than five days before the start of the enrolled camp.
- Transfers: We will no longer transfer a camper from one camp to another. Instead of transferring, we will process a refund, and you may then register your camper in another camp.
Medical reasons for cancellation
If your camper has a medical emergency or becomes ill, please let us know as soon as you can if this will affect participation in the registered camp or activity. A doctor’s note may be required to process your refund. If a participant cannot transfer to a later camp, a 90% camp refund will be applied.
Registration End Date
Registration for each camp will close at 11:30 p.m. the Wednesday before the camp session starts. Late registration will not be permitted.
Accessibility/Inclusion Services
The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities in accordance with the ADA in order to provide reasonable services and opportunities to those who may have health or special needs. It is the goal of the inclusion services team to plan for reasonable and appropriate program accommodations for a positive recreational experience. To accomplish this we need and value your input. Therefore, please ensure your camper's Medical Conditions Questionnaire and required Supplemental Medical Inclusion Forms are completed at least three (3) weeks prior to the program start date. This provides sufficient time for us to plan the best ways to meet your child's needs and make necessary arrangements for any support. For questions, please call (805) 564-5421 or send an email to Inclusion@SantaBarbaraCA.gov.