YMCA Camp Surf — Attraction in Coronado

The YMCA Adventure Guides (Corona-Norco) Mother-Daughter program looks forward to this camp all year!! Join Today!

YMCA Camp Surf is an opportunity for the older, middle and high school, daughters. The expanse of activities, over a good amount of land, the amazing views, helpful and friendly faculty, and charming cabins and overall character of this establishment is worth planning ahead and going with a group.

Meals are provided for lunch & supper on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday. The Dining Hall is a magnificent large space that skillfully highlights the ocean view.

They provide a great agenda to layout your day with several hours chuncked together for free activity time. You choose which activity you would like to do throughout that open block of time.

Wet-suits are rented out for $10 for the day.

Surf and Boogie Boards are accessible on the beach, free of charge (and staff are EMT trained and on-site during specific times of day. They also provide surf lesson/instruction, upon request, free of charge,) limitless craft supplies are provided in the quaint craft area that feels like a you are hanging out in a large open room of a tree house, boardered with paint spattered nice picnic tables, no ceiling and a large grass matt on the floor....it's a private space, away from it all, crafting for as long as you want...fully included in the cost of camp...no extra expense.

Two excellent examples of litter art decorate the wooden fence of the perameter with a positive, uplifting and encouraging message of thought-provoking awareness.

You are welcome to leave camp to explore a local activity and return to camp, and you may order food to be delivered to you if you wish, (you'll need to meet the delivery person in the parking lot). We love the experience of the dining hall and reserve eating at a local spot for prior to the start of camp or after camp, before we head home.

There are 2 great Ga-Ga Ball areas, (one with shade, benches and raisers for little ones to see over the wall,) Archery and Rock Wall Tower climbing (both with staff on location to educate and facilitate), plenty of Basketballs to shoot hoops, and Footballs too. There is also a Volleyball court between the cabins and dining hall with a great view of the shore's breaking waves off in the distance. There is a cute pirate ship stage where skits are done as well as the required safety meeting. The staff make skit night interactive and fun for all!

Campfire pits are located outside cabin areas and on the beach for the tent campers that set-up their camps there rather than using tents. Forewood, lighters and starter pods are available free of charge.

Shout out to the use of cloth napkins, and actual dishes and silverware that are washed and reused!

You can donate a unique coffee mug for future campers to enjoy too! It's a quaint touch to select from an assortment of various coffee mugs when grabbing your hot cocoa or coffee and you get to walk around with them and return them to the dining hall later.

Easily overlooked, yet so important in these times when so many are struggling, is the opportunity to bring canned goods they collect to help a local organization. Bring them to the office!

I hope you get the opportunity to enjoy this experience! Our daughter and I will cherish it for a...

Please think twice before enrolling your child for any length of time in this summer camp. The camp is extremely poorly managed, and the counselors are in way over their heads, especially with the teenaged campers. My son lost his glasses on the second day of camp and we were never notified. I noticed that he didn't have glasses on in one of the posted pictures and contacted the camp. I arrived that night to drop off new glasses and was greeted by a group of counselors at the reception who appeared to be under the influence of something, and had no idea why I was there, despite my lengthy phone discussion with the camp director earlier that day. I later learned that my son was taken on a 20-mile bike ride without his glasses. When they arrived in Coronado, the counselor encouraged the campers to break into a hotel pool, and the kids were caught by hotel staff. The kids were not able to surf or go into the water at the camp at all for the first four days of camp because of elevated fecal counts in the water. One of the campers snuck his phone into the cabin and was permitted to keep for the duration of the camp per an agreement with a counselor who wanted to use his hotspot, since the counselor's Mexican SIM card was not functional in the United States. Teenage campers were taken on a three-day camping trip in North County during which there was very little supervision. Our son had an issue with several older campers and reported to us that he was terrified that they were going to physically harm him during the camping trip. There were several additional situations involving my son and other campers that were poorly managed by the counselors resulting in 3 or 4 out of only a total handful of teenage campers being sent home early from camp. Overall, the camp was an extremely negative experience and I deeply regret...

What It Is YMCA Camp Surf is a seaside camp run by YMCA of San Diego County. It’s located on 45 acres right on the Pacific Coast in Imperial Beach, CA. It offers a variety of programs: • Overnight summer camps • Day camps during school-breaks • Family & group retreats, Scouting weekends, etc. • Outdoor education / environmental leadership programs Facilities include cabins, “cabents” (half-cabin/half-tent style), platform tents, and beach camping. Amenities: large dining hall with ocean views, restrooms/showers, archery, climbing tower, skate-park, supervised waterfront, etc. What’s Good / Strong Points • Location: Right on the beach with oceanfront access. You wake up to the sound of waves. Very scenic. • Variety & programming: There’s more than surfing. The camp includes traditional camp activities (archery, crafts, climbing, team-building), plus ocean and beach experiences. Good for kids who like many things. • Facilities: Lodging is quite varied, letting campers choose something more “comfortable” or more rustic. Dining hall is large and offers decent amenities; food is prepared from scratch, there are healthy options, accommodations for dietary restrictions. • Safety / Staff & Oversight: Staff training is emphasized. CPR/First Aid, behavior management, etc. They have certified lifeguards for waterfront. • Sense of community and growth: Many reviews say kids make friends, gain confidence, enjoy the outdoors. It seems to do well at building belonging.

Overall Impression From what I see: If you want a beach camp with diverse outdoor activities, social interaction, and a chance to do surfing (with caveats), YMCA Camp Surf is a solid choice. It offers good value for the experience, with a strong staff structure, scenic location, and a wide set of...