154 camps found • Ages 3–18 • Prices from $7/week
Oakland's summer camp scene reflects the city's creative, community-driven character. The market spans an unusually wide range — from the well-resourced programs clustered around Rockridge and Montclair to community-focused, sliding-scale programs in Fruitvale and East Oakland. Families who dig into Oakland's camp ecosystem often discover that the city punches well above its weight for quality and variety.
Lake Merritt is Oakland's central camp anchor. The Rotary Nature Center at Lake Merritt runs nature education programs that introduce kids to the lake's wildlife and urban ecology — genuinely unique in the Bay Area context. Feather River and other paddling programs use the lake for kayak and canoe instruction. The Oakland Museum of California runs summer programs adjacent to the lake, leaning into art, history, and California identity.
The Oakland Zoo in Knowland Park hosts one of the most popular summer camp programs in the East Bay. Zoo camps blend wildlife education with hands-on science and run from late June through August. These programs book out fast — typically by March — and serve ages 4–12.
In the hills, Redwood Regional Park and Joaquin Miller Park serve as the backdrop for several outdoor adventure and wilderness skills camps. These programs are popular with Montclair and Piedmont-adjacent families, though Piedmont itself is a separate municipality. Rock climbing instruction through organizations like Touchstone Climbing also runs summer camps accessible from Oakland.
The Temescal neighborhood has become a hub for arts and maker-oriented camps, with several small-batch programs in ceramics, printmaking, and digital media that are hard to find elsewhere in the Bay Area. For STEM-focused families, a number of coding and robotics programs operate in the Uptown and Grand Lake areas.
Oakland Unified School District runs summer learning programs at select sites with subsidized pricing. Oakland Parks and Recreation offers sports and recreation camps at neighborhood parks — a strong entry point for families on a tight budget. Financial aid is more widely available across Oakland's camp ecosystem than in most Bay Area cities, reflecting the community's commitment to accessibility.
Last updated: 2026-05-03
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Dribbling, passing, shooting, small‑sided games, technical skill work, goalkeeping drills, and futsal sessions
210 Hegenberger Loop, Oakland, CA, 94621
At 3DMAKERCAMP, kids engage in hands-on STEM activities like 3D printing, robotics, and graphic design, fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
2744 East 11th Street
At 3DMAKERCAMP, kids engage in hands-on STEM activities like 3D printing, robotics, and graphic design, fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
2744 East 11th Street
At 3DMAKERCAMP, kids engage in hands-on STEM activities like 3D printing, robotics, and graphic design, fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
2744 East 11th Street
At 3DMAKERCAMP, kids engage in hands-on STEM activities like 3D printing, robotics, and graphic design, fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
2744 East 11th Street
At 3DMAKERCAMP, kids engage in hands-on STEM activities like 3D printing, robotics, and graphic design, fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
2744 East 11th Street
At 3DMAKERCAMP, kids engage in hands-on STEM activities like 3D printing, robotics, and graphic design, fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
2744 East 11th Street
At 3DMAKERCAMP, kids engage in hands-on STEM activities like 3D printing, robotics, and graphic design, fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
2744 East 11th Street
At 3DMAKERCAMP, kids engage in hands-on STEM activities like 3D printing, robotics, and graphic design, fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
2744 East 11th Street
At 3DMAKERCAMP, kids engage in hands-on STEM activities like 3D printing, robotics, and graphic design, fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
2744 East 11th Street
At 3DMAKERCAMP, kids engage in hands-on STEM activities like 3D printing, robotics, and graphic design, fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
2744 East 11th Street
Builds on sailing skills with a focus on basic racing techniques in high-performance sailing dinghies on the Oakland Estuary.
Jack London Aquatic Center
Adventure Kids is an exclusively mobile, excursion/field trip type adventure camp with daily activities that include Six Flags, Waterworld, Mini Golf, Laser Tag, Go Karts, Movies, Bowling, Ice Skating, Archery, Hiking, Rock Climbing, Beaches & much more.
6900 Broadway
Campers explore Static Trapeze, Aerial hoop, Aerial Silk, Plate Balancing, Juggling, Clowning Skits, and Acrobatics, ending the week with a final performance.
3840 MacArthur Blvd
ANTS Sports Explorers camp in San Francisco offers a non-competitive, multi-sport program for kids ages 5-11 with expert coaches and fun themes each week.
4401 39th Ave
Onsite basecamp program focused on archery, woodworking, and outdoor craft skills in the scenic El Cerrito hills.
Camp Herms
Master the art of the bow and learn wilderness awareness during this overnight camp experience.
Camp Herms
A community-based art camp featuring classes led by master artists in music, dance, ceramics, painting, drawing, web design, textiles, and more.
365 45th St
A multi-week immersion in circus arts, musical theater, and hip-hop dance, including crafts, field trips, and a final stage performance.
3840 MacArthur Blvd
A weekly summer arts camp program held at Redwood Heights Elementary School in Oakland.
Redwood Heights Elementary School
Advanced multi-sport outdoor adventures for older campers, involving local excursions and skill mastery in the Bay Area.
Oakland, CA 94612
A one-week multi-sport camp for kids entering Kindergarten or 1st Grade, focusing on outdoor adventuring with a 5:1 camper-to-staff ratio.
Oakland, CA 94612
Aspiring cyclists ages 3.5 to 6 learn the joys of self-sufficient cycling in a supportive environment with a 5:1 camper-to-staff ratio, progressing from balance to pedaling.
3710 Dorisa Ave
A one-week multi-sport adventure camp for 2nd-7th graders that focuses on mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, and paddling (SUP/kayak) in authentic outdoor settings.
3710 Dorisa Ave
Designed for children entering Kindergarten or 1st Grade, this camp features a 5:1 camper-to-staff ratio and introduces kids to outdoor adventuring.
Oakland, CA 94612
Axé Oakland's mission is to heal, nurture, and build community through movement and culture.
3700 East 12th Street
Axé Oakland's mission is to heal, nurture, and build community through movement and culture.
3700 East 12th Street
Connect with friends this summer and learn real outdoor skills with expert guides in a program designed for Kindergarten and 1st grade students.
Oakland, CA 94612
An entry-level sailing class where campers learn sailboat parts, wind direction, and vessel control through games and water drills.
568 Bellevue Avenue
Bay Area Role Playing Games hosts D&D games for all ages in the Bay Area, offering camps, private sessions, and birthday parties in a safe and inclusive environment.
3718 MacArthur Blvd
Showing 30 of 154 camps
Oakland summer camps range from free (OUSD learning programs, city park programs for qualifying families) to $600/week for specialty arts or science camps. The average private day camp runs $300–$450/week — generally lower than SF or Palo Alto. Many providers offer financial aid; ask directly or look for the badge on KidPlanr.
Oakland's camp scene skews more arts-forward and community-rooted than Silicon Valley cities. You'll find more ceramics, printmaking, theater, and community-focused outdoor programs. The Oakland Zoo camp, Lake Merritt-based nature programs, and Redwood Regional Park wilderness camps are genuinely unique to Oakland.
Yes — Rockridge and Temescal have some of the highest camp density in Oakland. Several arts programs, a strong YMCA presence, and private school summer programs cluster in this corridor. The Rockridge BART station makes drop-off convenient for families commuting from other East Bay cities.
More Oakland camps offer financial aid than in most Bay Area cities. YMCA East Bay, Oakland Museum of California, Oakland Zoo camps, and many independent providers have scholarship programs. Start applications in January — most financial aid decisions are made by March.
Most Oakland camps open registration in January or February. The Oakland Zoo camp and Oakland Museum programs open in late January and fill quickly. City recreation programs often open in March. Check KidPlanr for registration links and camp-specific opening dates.
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