Marin Summer Camps for Kids

Surf, sail, ride, act and explore: the camps Marin families love

Last updated September 2026 · By Melissa DiVita, REALTOR®, Compass · DRE #01387955 · Marin native, in real estate since 2003

Summer is when growing up in Marin really shows. I grew up in Belvedere, and we raised our three kids in Tiburon, so summers for us meant sailing, the beach and long days outside. Kids here can learn to surf on the coast, sail on Richardson Bay, ride the trails where mountain biking was invented and milk goats at a farm on the coast, all within a short drive of home.

This is my guide to the camps Marin families talk about most, with the 2026 details each camp published. Dates and prices change every year, so check each camp’s site before you register, and sign up early. The popular ones fill fast.

Big Dog Surf Camp: a Mill Valley summer classic

If you ask Mill Valley parents about summer, someone will mention Big Dog. Ian “Big Dog” Glover has run this surf day camp for about 15 years out of Proof Lab, the surf and skate shop at Tam Junction. Campers meet in Mill Valley and shuttle out to the coast for surf lessons, swimming and beach days, with the occasional ice cream run.

2026 season: six two-week sessions from June 8 to August 27, Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost in 2026: $1,400 for a two-week session, or $750 for a single week.
What to bring: lunch, warm layers and a towel. The coast is foggy and cold even in July.

More Marin camps, by type

Camp	Where	Ages	Why families love it
Slide Ranch	Muir Beach	5–17	A nonprofit teaching farm on the coast: milking goats, collecting eggs and exploring tide pools, with a shuttle from Mill Valley.
Bay Area Discovery Museum	Sausalito (Fort Baker)	3–8	Science and art weeks like stop-motion animation and junior coding, right under the Golden Gate Bridge.
Richardson Bay Audubon	Tiburon	4–7 and grades 4–6	Nature camp at the wildlife sanctuary on Richardson Bay, with teen leader spots.
WildCare Wildlife Camp	San Rafael	Grades K–5	Held at Dominican University, with visits from rescued “wildlife ambassador” animals.
San Francisco Yacht Club Summer Sailing	Belvedere	6–16	Open to non-members, with boats from Optimists to J/24s. The yacht clubs’ junior programs are how a lot of Marin kids learn to sail.
Marin Rowing Association	Greenbrae	12–17	Learn-to-row camp on Corte Madera Creek; no experience needed, but a swim test is required.
Mt Tam Bikes Camp	Mill Valley and China Camp	8–14	Mountain bike camp founded in 2006, with five campers per instructor.
Ross Valley Mountain Bike Camp	Fairfax	7–14	Founded in 2007 by Otis Guy, one of the pioneers of mountain biking, with clinics from pro riders.
Marin Shakespeare Company	San Rafael	5–18	Theater camps by age. The teen intensive ends with a fully produced Shakespeare play.
Marin Theatre Company	Mill Valley	Varies (including grades 6–8)	Theater camps that end in a Friday showcase for families.
Marin Ranch Camp	Walker Creek Ranch, West Marin	7–17	A traditional sleepaway camp with one staff member for every eight campers.
Marin YMCA Day Camp	Novato and San Anselmo	TK–8th grade	Classic day camp, plus “Y Rangers” nature weeks.
Mill Valley Recreation	Mill Valley	Preschool–teens	City camps for arts, sports, LEGO and more.
Camp Corte Madera	Corte Madera	5–12	A town day camp you can book by the day: $60 for a full day or $42 for a half day in 2026.
Tiburon Peninsula Club	Tiburon	Check with the club	Tennis and swim camps, and non-members can register.

Tips from a Marin mom

Think about the drive. Highway 1 to the coast backs up on sunny summer days. Camps with a shuttle from Mill Valley, like Big Dog and Slide Ranch, save you a lot of time.
Mix it up by week. Lots of families here combine a few weeks of different camps rather than one camp all summer.
Pack for fog. The coast can be foggy and cold on a hot July day inland. A sweatshirt goes in every bag.
Check the town rec departments. Mill Valley, Corte Madera and other towns run affordable day camps, and they are often the easiest to fit around work.

What this means for where you buy

Summer is a big part of how families here choose a town, and it’s something I walk buyers through. If your kids will live at the beach, southern Marin (Mill Valley, Tam Valley, Sausalito) puts Stinson, Muir Beach and the surf camp shuttles close by. If they sail or row, Tiburon, Belvedere and Greenbrae keep the yacht clubs and Corte Madera Creek within a short drive or bike ride. Kids who want to ride trails all summer do well in the Ross Valley, especially San Anselmo and Fairfax. And the flat, central towns like Corte Madera and Larkspur make it easy to get to almost anything. Tell me what your kids love, and I’ll show you where that life is easiest.

For more on raising kids here, see my guide to Marin private schools, my outdoors guide and my town guides, which cover the public schools in each town.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best summer camps in Marin County?

Marin families often mention Big Dog Surf Camp out of Proof Lab in Mill Valley, Slide Ranch’s farm camp at Muir Beach, the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito, sailing at the San Francisco Yacht Club in Belvedere, and mountain bike camps like Mt Tam Bikes and Ross Valley Mountain Bike Camp. Town rec departments in Mill Valley and Corte Madera also run affordable day camps.

How much does Big Dog Surf Camp cost?

For summer 2026, Big Dog Surf Camp charged $1,400 for a two-week session or $750 for one week. Camp ran Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in six two-week sessions from June 8 to August 27, with a shuttle from Mill Valley to the beach.

Are there sailing camps for kids in Marin?

Yes. The San Francisco Yacht Club in Belvedere runs a summer sailing program for ages 6 to 16 that is open to non-members, and several other Marin yacht clubs have junior sailing programs.

Are there sleepaway camps in Marin?

Yes. Marin Ranch Camp runs traditional overnight sessions for ages 7 to 17 at Walker Creek Ranch in West Marin.

Sources

Moving to Marin with kids?

Send me a note through my contact form. Tell me about your kids’ ages and interests, and I’ll help you find the town that fits your family.

Contact Melissa