Camp overview

Each day is a new adventure.

Mon-Weds: Our Mon-Weds day camp takes place at Burton Chace, and daily we will bring campers to field trip locations such as Lighthouse Beach, Kenneth Hahn Park, a working sailing ship, and other wild LA locations to spark curiosity, engagement, and creativity.

Thurs-Sun: Island time! After regular Thursday dropoff at Burton Chace, counselors depart as a group for the ferry terminal and our long weekend of adventure at our nonprofit's Onward Oceans facility in Cat Harbor, Catalina.

Activities in Catalina:

• Sailing

• Nature excursions

• Swimming & snorkeling

• Marine exploration & discovery

• Camp games & activities

• Delicious food

• Campfire circles

Lodging:

The Onward Oceans Center is a rustic waterfront retreat and education facility.

Overnighters sleep on comfy bunks in tent dormitories grouped by gender. Counselors and chaperones sleep in separate units and we maintain a minimum staff ratio of 6:1 to ensure a safe and supportive environment for outdoors exploration and engagement.

Campers will enjoy healthy, delicious meals throughout their stay -- fan favorites include pasta dishes, morning fruit & muffins, tasty tacos, and lots of natural snacks.

Camp staff:

Director:

Our camp is led by Camp Director Greg Nichols, a U.S. Coast Guard 100-Ton Master, NOLS Wilderness First Responder, and father of two. Greg is also Executive Director of Onward Industries, a longtime journalist and author, and an avid outdoors enthusiast. He is on site throughout camp.

Health supervisor:

Onward maintains a Los Angeles County qualified health supervisor on site at all times during overnight programming. Emergency medical services are available on Catalina Island and the area is patrolled by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, with deputies stationed in the town of Two Harbors a mile from our facility.

Counselors:

Our wonderful and experienced counselors have successful seasons under their belt at nature camps and in outdoor leadership positions. We carefully train our staff in conduct, nature education & safety, and emergency preparedness. All camp staff and chaperones pass background checks and our handbook prohibits unmonitored one-on-one interactions between grownups and children.

Want to chaperone?

Each session we invite a small number of parent chaperones to lend a helping hand during the Catalina sleepaway. It’s lots of fun. In exchange, you'll receive a large discount on your child's tuition.

No special skills are required but all chaperones should be game for outdoors adventure, are required to pass a background check, and will receive pre-trip training. We are especially interested in female chaperones who can help promote women as outdoors leaders to campers and staff.

If you're interested in chaperoning, please email camp director Greg Nichols at greg@onwardindustries.org. Include a brief introduction and any relevant background. We only have space for a small number of chaperones and may not be able to respond to incoming applications immediately.

Our philosophy:

Our staff leads with smiles and maintains a minimum camper-to-staff ratio of 6:1 for sleepaways, ensuring a safe, engaging experience for your camper. Our philosophy is that campers thrive when allowed to get their hands dirty and with plenty of encouragement, engagement, and support. We believe camp should be both deeply enriching and a total blast, and we hold ourselves and our awesome counselors and volunteers to that high mark.