LOS ANGELES SUMMER CAMPS BLOG

Unfortunately we've had to cancel the LA Camp Fair at Dodger Stadium which was set to take place March 6.

This was not an easy decision to make. In the end, we determined there were too many variables in play that could make the quality of this event less than ideal.

Our goal is to provide an authentic and genuine camp fair experience for every event. We will never host an event we don't feel like would meet our standards and be successful for you, so we've decided not to hold the camp fair event at Dodger Stadium this year.

The good news is, the UCLA, Calabasas and San Diego events are going to be lively and wonderful with lots of camps for your to meet. Please get your tickets to those events with the links below so we can make sure we have room for you because we are expecting huge crowds.

• UCLA Camp Fair information and tickets
  
• Calabasas Camp Fair tickets and information
• San Diego Camp Fair tickets, details and information

We'll see you at the Camp Fairs!

If you run a summer camp or program and want to reach the L.A. camper market, signing up for the upcoming L.A. Camp Fair events is phenomenal opportunity to get out in front of 100's if not thousands of Los Angeles area families to meet them, answer their questions, distribute your marketing materials and more.

We have three upcoming Los Angeles Camp Fair events you won't to miss to showcase your camp to the public. These are real, in-person camp fairs where you will meet lots of families interested in learning more about your program. This is NOT a virtual camp fair on zoom....it's a live event just like the old days before COVID!

Here are the different camp fair opportunities you can sign up for:

• Sunday, March 6 at Dodger Stadium
• Saturday, March 12 in Calabasas
• Saturday, March 13 at UCLA

Here's the registration form to sign up, including prices. We realize budgets are still pretty tight as camps make a COVID comeback, so we've priced the camp fairs affordably.

However, if the prices still aren't within your range, let us know. We don't want you to miss out. Let us know a price that's comfortable for you to pay and we'll do our best to accommodate you.

Looking forward to hosting you at the Camp Fairs and helping you get more campers in 2022

The L.A. Camp Fair at Dodger Stadium takes place Sunday, March 6 inside the Stadium on the 3rd base line field level concourse. 

Attending the Camp Fair is a fantastic way to learn about many different camp opportunities available to your children this summer.
Over 60 different summer camps and programs are coming together in one central location (Dodger Stadium!) to meet you in person and showcase their program offerings so you can make an informed summer camp choice this year.

If you are attending the Camp Fair at Dodger Stadium, you might be wondering where to park. We are pleased to say camp fair parking is absolutely free and only a few steps from the camp fair entrance.

The address for Dodger Stadium is:

1000 Vin Scully Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Visitor Parking Instructions - Left Field Plaza/Concourse

• Enter through the Sunset Gate A located at the intersection of Stadium Way and Vin Scully Ave.
  
• Stop at the visitor's security gate at the far right side of the entrance*
  
• Tell the guard you are here for the L.A. Camp Fair
• They will direct you through the Stadium parking to that will take you to Parking Lot G
• You will see gates that say "Left Field" where you can enter the Camp Fair
• Enter the Stadium at the Left Field Plaza
  
• The Camp Fair takes place inside Dodger Stadium on the 3rd base line (left field), field level concourse, directly adjacent to the Left Field Plaza
  
• There will also be signs and helpful Camp Fair concierges directing you where to go
  

(*This is the only gate open on non-game days. Please bring your driver's license as you will be asked to present it at security. Face masks are required while on property.)

Free tickets to the Camp Fair at Dodger Stadium are available now, but they're going fast. It's especially important you grab your free tickets today because we are limiting attendee capacity to follow COVID protocol. Free tickets are available here. We'll see you at the Camp Fair!

We are pleased to say we can confirm the L.A. Camp Fair in Calabasas will take place Saturday, March 12 at AC Stelle Middle School in Calabasas. We will provide more details soon including how to get your free tickets to this event soon.

We like to highlight certain camps we think would be exciting for parents and kids to learn about.

Firecracker Math is and academic summer camp for curious and challenge-loving kids ages 6 to 16. 

Morning classes cover selected topics from number theory, algebra, geometry, combinatorics, graph theory, logic, and the basics of computer science. Instruction employs math games, math-based magic tricks, curious paradoxes, and contests to spark kids’ interest and boost their skills and confidence in math and other STEM subjects.

Math lessons and topics are covered over two week sessions. The third week of camp may have repeat information, so please check with the director if you are interested in registering your child for a third week.

The daily schedule for each age group will be posted one week prior to the start day. After lunch, full day students will participate in a variety of fun afternoon activities. Previous years’ activities included chess, art, robotics, dance, yoga, games, and more. Depending on current CDC protocols afternoon activities may take place outdoors.

Visit the camp's website for more information.

​Parents are hungrier than EVER to send their kids to camp this summer. How do we know? Because the Sunday, March 13 L.A. Camp Fair at UCLA's RSVP numbers are off the chart.

FREE TICKETS TO L.A. Camp Fair at UCLA

Over 500 families have already notified us they plan to attend the Camp Fair. We are so excited to meet everyone! There will be over 50 camps and program exhibitors ready to meet your and showcase their programs for summer 2022. 

If you are looking to find a great summer camp this year, you can't afford to miss this free event. It's the ideal opportunity for you to meet camp representatives face-to-face, ask questions and learn about their programs.

With so many camps on display, you're bound to find the right camp for your child. 

But remember: COVID health and safety protocols will be in place and strictly enforced.  One of these protocols means limited capacity.  With over 500 families already indicating they're coming to the Camp Fair, it's CRUCIAL for you to get your free tickets right away before we close admission for good.

With only a few hundred more tickets left, it's crucial you grab yours today before they're gone and then you'd miss the Camp Fair. Get your free tickets now!

For over a decade, lasummercamps.com has been L.A area families go-to resource for summer camp news, resources and information.  But until recently, the search functionality on our site was less than ideal. 

It consisted of a basic search box where you could enter keywords and phrases just like any search engine, but you couldn't customize your search and the results weren't always as relevant as they could be.

This made it hard to find exactly what you were looking for.

Thanks to our new and improved search feature, that's all different now. 

You'll be glad to know we've completely streamlined and upgraded the search functionality on lasummercamps.com. Our new and improved website search tool enables you to find the best L.A. summer camps faster and easier than before. You can completely customize your search according to the camp-finding criteria important to you such as type of camp, camp price, camp location, and more. Relevant, high-confidence results are then delivered to you instantly matching anything you might be looking for.

Where to find the new search tool on the site

Not only is using the search tool on our site easy to use, it's also easy to find. It's located in the middle of the home page as well as the upper-right side of the header menu and on nearly every page on the site. It works as well on your phone and other mobile devices as your computer, enabling you to quickly find accurate information.

What will L.A. Summer Camps.com look like going forward?

Not much different, but a whole lot better! We will always be committed to bringing you the latest important news and information relating to Los Angeles summer camps. That won't ever change. 

What's changing -- for the better -- is how you'll search for, and find, camps on our site.  With our new search feature, you will be able to find accurate information quickly and easily so you can choose the best camp for your child this summer. 

Happy searching!

It's getting easier and easier for Los Angeles families to find the best summer camps for their kids.

In addition to the  L.A. Camp Fair expo taking place Sunday, March 13 at UCLA, the organizers of the Los Angeles summer camp expo have added another date and location for their popular "find a summer camp" family of summer camp expos. This additional camp fair happens Sunday, March 6 at Dodger Stadium.

Over 50 camps and program will be on display at both venues. Get your free tickets to the UCLA event here or the Dodger Stadium event here.

We came across an article on CampSearch.com, one of the top another summer camp search engines, discussing the importance of choosing a stable camp as it relates to emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. We advise reading it.

​The article points out various points of considerations parents should be aware of not just from a financial perspective, but from staffing and others with respect to various challenges certain camps could be facing in a post-pandemic world.

​It's an interesting and high-value read, especially for those families wanting to send their kids to camp next summer while making sure the selected camp is in a strong position financially and operationally.

Join us online Sunday, May 2 as we host our final virtual summer camp fair of the 2021 camp season.

All sorts of L.A. summer camps and programs will be online to meet you.

Though this is a virtual camp fair in an online environment, the principal purpose of this event is to help you find the best in-person summer camp for your kids this year.

You'll be able to meet camp representatives from local Los Angeles day camps, sleepaway camps, sports camps, STEAM and STEM camps, dance camps, baseball camps, cooking camps and just about any other type of summer camp or program  you can think of.

Please don't miss this free event! RSVP today (it's FREE!) to save your space for the Virtual Camp Fair.

We're looking forward to seeing you May 2!

Meet and interact via live chat and video with camp representatives right from  your own computer. Gather free brochures, win free swag and find the best in-person summer camp for your kids  at this free online event.

Reserve your FREE tickets to the Virtual Camp Fair today!

One camp director in Los Angeles, who preferred to remain anonymous because his camp is almost full and he wants to make sure everyone gets a fair chance at grabbing the few remaining enrollment slots, told us last week, "Families are signing up fast and furious. We haven't seen a consistent registration activity day-after-day like this in years."

While it's relatively unusual for many camps to fill up this early (it's still only February, after all), three side effects" of the the coronavirus have created a race among families to sign up for camp sooner rather than later for summer 2021.

Camp registration is as competitive as its ever been because:

1. There are fewer camps than before. Unfortunately, many popular camps have not recovered from the aftereffects of the pandemic. The wreckage was just too great, sadly causing many programs to close their doors for good. But even though there are fewer camps, just as many kids as before, if not more, still want to attend camp this summer.

2. Demand for camp is at an all-time high.  Since kids have been cooped up inside for so long they are ITCHING to get outside and enjoy a camp experience where they can run, play and have fun with their friends.

3. Camps are required to reduce capacity by 25% to 50% of normal enrollment summer.  Fewer campers means less likelihood of spreading COVID-19 at camp, so camps are admitting only has as many kids.

Remember, the early bird gets the worm. Don't let your child miss out on a wonderful camp experience this year because you waited too long to sign up. Now is the time to find the best Los Angeles summer camp for your child and lock in your space today.

We're always on the lookout to help you find the best camps for your kids. Especially for this upcoming 2021 summer, the ability to participate in a outdoor camp program is a much-needed treat for the millions and millions of kids who've been cooped up inside for so long because of COVID-19.

In general, our main purpose here is to help you find a camp in and around Los Angeles. But we don't want to stop there, principally because we know many families visiting our site might be looking for overnight camps or summer program opportunities in other areas of the state or country.

We don't want you to miss any of them, so we just wanted to call your attention to a new website that promises to help you find the best summer camp for your kids according to their interests and other criteria important to you when choosing a summer program.

CampSearch.com is a relatively new website, but we've been tracking its activity lately every day.  It's definitely gaining traction. There appears to be more camps placing their profiles on the site every hour. So if you have a few minutes and want to find a camp outside of L.A. you now have a place to find it.

Most of the people who visit our website are families looking for the best summer 2021 summer camps in Los Angeles for their kids.

But dozens of camp professionals visit our site each day because they are interested in advertising their programs on our site.

If you're a camp director, we have several easy and affordable online advertising options to help you fill your camp with kids.

1. Standard Website Listing. The Standard Website Listing includes a listing in the category of your choice (day camps, overnight camps, sports camps or specialty camps). Your listing includes a program description, a photo and full camp contact information, and links to your website. Here's our current day camp listing page and overnight camps listing page so you can see what your listing would look like. The price to join is $195 for a full year.  Here's more information and a sign up form.  (We are adding a "virtual" / online summer camp section soon, too. Let us know if you're interested in joining that one!)

2. L.A. Camp Guide. The L.A. Camp Guide is a comprehensive full page website listing where you can include photos, videos, text, reviews, audio, contact forms, social media and website links -- literally anything you want to showcase your camp to the world and connect with family prospects and get more campers in 2021. Here's an existing camp's full page listing on in the Camp Guide so you can see what yours can look like. Here's another one. Your page can look any way you like. Unlike other online Camp Guides, we keep ours large enough to be a valuable resource for parents, but small enough participating camps don't get lost in the crowd. The price to participate is $299 for a year.  Here's a more info including a sign up form.

3. Bundle the Standard Website Listing and L.A. Camp Guide together for a $95 Discount. Many camps decide they'd like to purchase a Standard Website Listing and participate in the L.A. Camp Guide, so we offer a $95 discount if you'd like to sign up for both. Purchased separately, participating in both would cost $494, but we're offering this special deal until Jan. 31 where you can combine both advertising opportunities for a total price of just $399. Here's more information and a form to sign up, if interested.

Questions? Leave a comment and we'll connect with you right away. Stay safe!

As  you may know, L.A. SummerCamps.com sponsors the annual L.A. Camp Fair family of in-person events.

You'll be able to connect face-to-face with camp counselors and directors via live chat and video, gather free brochures, play games, win prizes, pick-up free swag, and learn about all the amazing camp opportunities so you can make informed camp decisions for your kids this summer.

Reserve your spot for the virtual camp fair here.

We hope you are healthy and safe amid the latest COVID-19 surge in cases. What a year it's been.

We hear from parents every day how much their kids missed going to camp last summer after the coronavirus forced so many camps to close.

We know how much kids depend on the camp experience to enjoy the outdoors, make lots of new friends, and have tons of fun. After being cooped up inside for the balance of the spring semester last school year, not camp to look forward to was flat-out devastating for kids everywhere.

The L.A. Camp Fairs were not immune. We had to cancel five different Camp Fairs planned at UCLA, in Calabasas, Santa Barbara, Los Feliz, and Cal State Northridge.  We were so sad do to this because we know how much L.A. area parents and families depend on the Camp Fairs to help them find suitable camps for their kids.

When we were forced to cancel last year's events, we hoped it was an aberration and we'd get back to normal in 2021. We are still crossing our fingers, so we have tentative plans to resume in-person camp fairs for the spring at all the locations mentioned above. There's even talk of a vaccine right now, which makes us even more optimistic we can have Camp Fairs again in 2021.

At the same time,  it's important to understand the live event industry will likely be among the last to come back in the age of coronavirus. Even small get-togethers will likely be prohibited for the foreseeable future, let alone large social gatherings among strangers like Camp Fairs.

Just in case the COVID-19 pandemic prevents us from having in-person camp fairs in 2021, all is not lost. We will have virtual camp fairs instead! But don't worry, we understand when you hear the world "virtual" it conjures up thoughts of boring online meetings and home-school experiences we've all had to tolerate the past year.

No, we're talking the real deal instead! You will be happy to know we just got a hold of an amazing digital camp fair platform that rivals the in-person experience. You will be able to meet camp directors and counselors online, view camp photos and videos, download camp brochures, and so much more all in real time.

So please, stay tuned. We'll keep you apprised of the status of the L.A. Camp Fairs frequently in this space. We hope to see you at the camp fairs soon!

In fact, camps have already begun planning for how best to host campers next summer in such a manner that protects their health and safety while preventing and mitigates the spread of COVID-19 at camp.

Kids need camp now more than ever.  You know that, we know that, and every camp director knows it, too. Accordingly, as part of your camp selection process in the coming year, be sure to ask the Camp Director to explain his or her health and safety strategies to operate camp in the midst of COVID-19.

By following public health guidelines outlined by the CDC and state and local authorities, we expect camps to make the proper adjustments including capacity limits, distancing requirements and enhanced hygiene protocols, among others, for the purposes of implementing safe and engaging summer camp programs, activities and experiences in 2021.

Fingers crossed!

If you live in Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, or anywhere in the Conejo Valley and you're looking for a day camp, sleepaway camp, specialty camp, or any other kind of summer camp for your kids this year, you'll find as many programs as you can handle at the Conjeo Valley Summer Camp Fair this April.

Designed specifically for Conejo Valley families who have camp and school-age kids, the Camp Fair takes place at the Lakeside Pavilion at Conejo Creek North Park in Thousand Oaks.

This is an outdoor event with all COVID-19 CDC health and safety guidelines in place.  Can't wait to see you at the Conejo Valley Camp Fair. Get your free tickets today!

While the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic makes advance planning difficult, we are pleased to say we're on track for many safe, fun and informative Camp Fair events in Spring 2021. 

Though we have not determined the specific dates of each event, we currently have Camp Fair events planned for March, April and May in:

• Los Angeles (Los Feliz)
  
• West Los Angeles (UCLA)
• San Fernando Valley (Agoura, Calabasas and Northridge); and
• Thousand Oaks (Conejo Creek North Park)

Our team is diligently working with state and local officials to develop safety protocols in line with industry-best standards to ensure your health and safety at the Camp Fairs.  We will announce specific dates of each event by February, 2021. Meanwhile, if circumstances surrounding the coronavirus have not improved significantly by March, we may need to reschedule the planned events. We will notify you immediately of any changes. Meanwhile, we encourage you to visit our new Virtual Camp Fair website where you can find a camp safely and comfortably from your own home.

We are looking forward to seeing  you at the L.A. Camp Fairs this Spring!

Many summer camps in Los Angeles are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Others are still operating. California Governor Gavin Newsom gave permission for day camps to open with modifications, but left the ultimate decision to each individual county as to whether day camps could open.

Many of the camps that remained closed based their decisions on various factors. Some felt they could not safely or feasibly comply with the various modifications required for them to operate. Others have decided to remain closed given L.A. County's soaring coronavirus case numbers.  Those camps that have decided to operate have done so based on their commitment to complying with new modifications.

As a parent, it's ultimately up to you to decide whether to send your child to camp this summer. Some families feel completely fine sending their kids to camp amid the coronavirus outbreak. Others feel it's not worth the risk.  For instance, COVID-19 cases are increasing among camp counselor age kids, so families  might be hesitant about having their kids hang out with their 19-year old counselor who may be potentially be infected with the coronavirus disease.

Again, it's a personal choice. But whatever you decide, it's important for you to remember that camp itself is the direct opposite of social distancing.  Summer camp is based on kids and their counselors interacting in a close community.  It's important for you to take this into account before deciding to send your kids to camp this summer. It's also important for you to make sure, if you do decide to send your kids to camp, the camp you're choosing is fully complying with the new guidelines. Such guidelines include, but are not limited to, campers and staff wearing masks at camp, social distancing guidelines and more. 

Before sending your kids to camp, the American Camp Association advises parents to ask the Camp Director a series of questions regarding it's COVID-19 policy health and safety procedures.  Here's how the YMCA camps in Northridge are doing it, just as a reference point. If you decided to send your kids to camp this summer, just make sure the camp is taking all the right precautions, and that you feel completely comfortable and confident with your decision.

Fitness by the Sea Beach Camp, and Malibu Makos surf camp, decided to open their respective day camps this summer amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  Unfortunately Fitness by the Sea closed after just one day, and Malibu Makos completely changed course, deciding against even reopening in the first place, due to rising coronavirus cases in Los Angeles. This is an unfortunate situation, especially because kids need camp now more than ever.  Let's all hope for better days ahead!