289 camps found • Ages 1–19 • Prices from $50/week
San Francisco's summer camp market is shaped by the city's dense geography and distinct neighborhood character. Unlike sprawling South Bay cities, SF camps cluster around a handful of anchor institutions — the Presidio, Golden Gate Park, the Jewish Community Center, the YMCA, and the network of private school campuses that open their grounds to summer programs. This concentration means families can often find multiple strong programs within walking distance, but it also means competition for spots is fierce.
In the Inner Sunset and Richmond Districts, Golden Gate Park becomes a natural hub for outdoor, art, and science programs. The California Academy of Sciences runs summer programs adjacent to the park, and several providers use the park's meadows and tennis courts for sports camps. Parents in the Haight and Cole Valley have easy access to both Golden Gate Park programming and the YMCA at the Panhandle.
The Presidio is arguably the most distinctive camp location in the Bay Area. The Presidio Trust operates programming in the historic buildings, and numerous providers use the trails, meadows, and bay views as a backdrop for outdoor adventure and nature camps. Camp Galileo operates one of its highest-rated sites at the Presidio. Families in Pac Heights, Cow Hollow, and the Marina District tend to anchor their summer around Presidio-area programs.
In Noe Valley and the Castro, JCCSF (Jewish Community Center of San Francisco) runs one of the city's largest and most comprehensive camp programs — open to all families regardless of religious background. JCCSF's camp serves ages 2–15 with full-day options, extended care, and a strong specialization track system. Mission and Bernal Heights families often look to community-based programs through the Mission Neighborhood Resource Center and 826 Valencia's summer writing intensives.
San Francisco Recreation and Parks operates summer camps at facilities citywide, including Camp Mather in the High Sierra — a genuinely unique week-long residential option that's a beloved SF institution and sells out in the city's annual lottery in March.
Pricing in SF skews higher than the rest of the Bay Area, with most private programs running $500–$750/week. Financial aid is more widely available than in many suburban markets — JCCSF and the YMCA both have robust scholarship programs worth applying for by February.
Last updated: 2026-05-03
Tell us your child's age, interests, and location — our AI finds the best matches in seconds.
A traditional summer day camp program for the Adventurers group featuring group activities and social-emotional development.
An engaging traditional summer day camp program for 'Adventurer' aged children, featuring weekly themes and group activities.
4080 Mission Street
An engaging traditional summer day camp program for 'Adventurer' aged children, featuring weekly themes and group activities.
4080 Mission Street
Traditional summer day camp program for 'Discoverer' aged children involving themed weeks and outdoor exploration.
4080 Mission Street
Traditional summer day camp program for 'Discoverer' aged children involving themed weeks and outdoor exploration.
4080 Mission Street
Traditional summer day camp for 'Explorer' aged children, offering a mix of classic camp activities and group games.
4080 Mission Street
Traditional summer day camp for 'Explorer' aged children, offering a mix of classic camp activities and group games.
4080 Mission Street
A traditional summer day camp experience for children at the Mission YMCA branch, focusing on community building and fun activities.
4080 Mission Street
A traditional summer day camp experience for children at the Mission YMCA branch, focusing on community building and fun activities.
4080 Mission Street
Educational outdoor day camp helping kids learn about science and nature in San Francisco parks.
CASA is a nonprofit after school & summer program located at Rooftop School. We have a focus on art, social justice, and social emotional wellness.
2592 Folsom St.
Build Roblox obbys, create Minecraft mods, and design 3D levels with Unreal Engine in this immersive game development experience.
1600 Holloway Ave
Pairs two swimmers of similar age and ability to build skills through hands-on instruction and visual learning.
3201 20th Ave.
Bicycle camp in SF Richmond District exploring Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, and Ocean Beach.
A 3-day adventure focused on wilderness skills, fire cooking, and shared tent camping in the heart of the Redwoods.
11000 Pescadero Road
Discover the joy of working with your hands to build and create real wood projects like cabinets.
140 Balboa Street
Campers combine creativity and craftsmanship to build woodworking projects like birdfeeders and step stools using real tools like saws, drills, and hammers in a safe environment.
Balboa
YMCA day camps across 11+ San Francisco locations. Sports, swimming, arts, leadership, and character development programs.
Kids connect with the environment through hiking trails and nature discoveries, spending most of the day exploring outdoors.
1151 Gorgas Ave
Showing 19 of 289 camps
San Francisco summer camps typically run $450–$750/week for full-day private programs, higher than the Bay Area average. SF Rec & Parks city programs are $150–$300/week. JCCSF and YMCA offer financial aid. Budget $500/week for planning purposes and explore scholarship programs.
Camp Mather is SF Recreation and Parks' week-long family camp in the Stanislaus National Forest near Yosemite. It's an SF institution with a loyal following. Spots are allocated by lottery each spring — register for the lottery at sfrecpark.org in March. It sells out every year.
Many are. Presidio camps are accessible via the PresidiGo shuttle. JCCSF is served by multiple Muni lines. Golden Gate Park programs are reachable via the N-Judah and 5-Fulton. Check each camp's location and Muni map before registering — SF's transit coverage makes it feasible to avoid driving.
Register by February for the most competitive programs. JCCSF, Camp Galileo Presidio, and SF Rec & Parks city camps all open in January and fill quickly. The Camp Mather lottery typically closes in March. Late registrants can often find spots at smaller providers through April and May.
The Presidio area (Pacific Heights, Marina, Cow Hollow) and Golden Gate Park corridor (Richmond, Sunset, Inner Sunset) have the highest density of programs. SOMA and Mission have strong community-based options. Most camps accept kids citywide regardless of neighborhood.
Browse all San Francisco camps, filter by age and category, add to your calendar, and compare side-by-side on KidPlanr.
Search San Francisco Camps on KidPlanr →Explore camps across all Bay Area cities, grouped by region.
Browse All Bay Area Summer Camps →Research the full camp market with pricing, category, and availability data.
Bay Area Camp Research →