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Summer camp in Palo Alto is a planning project. Many local families work in winter to piece together eight or nine weeks of camps between the end of school in early June and the start of the new year in August. The city, Stanford, the swim program at Rinconada Pool and dozens of private providers all compete for the same weeks. Popular sessions can fill quickly once registration opens.
This guide explains how the main local camp systems work, when registration opens and what policies to know before you pay. It does not rank camps. Dates below are from summer 2026 unless noted. Most providers had not posted 2027 details by late October 2026, so use these as a guide to timing and check each official page.
How camp season works here
Palo Alto camps run in weekly sessions. City camps in 2026 started the week of June 8 and the last weekly session began August 3. Many providers follow the same pattern, so you can mix camps week by week. A few things shape the season:
- Registration opens early. The city opens in early February. Other providers set their own dates. Some open in winter with early-bird pricing.
- Residents go first. City programs give Palo Alto residents a head start of about a week.
- Half days are common. Many younger kids' camps end at midday. Check whether extended care is offered if you work full days.
- Waiting lists are normal. Join them. Spots open as families change plans. The city sometimes adds sessions when lists grow.
Our guide to Palo Alto public schools explains the school calendar, which sets the summer window. For younger children, see preschools and childcare.
City camps in the Enjoy! catalog
The City of Palo Alto's Community Services Department runs a large set of summer camps through four groups: the Recreation Division, the Palo Alto Children's Theatre, the Palo Alto Art Center and the Junior Museum and Zoo. All of them appear in the seasonal Enjoy! catalog. Families register through Enjoy! Online.
Registration dates
For summer 2026, resident registration opened on February 5 at 10 a.m. and nonresident registration opened on February 12 at 10 a.m. A paper form opened at the same times, processed in the order received. Registration is not confirmed until payment goes through. The city's Summer Camps page posts each year's dates and links to the catalog.
Withdrawals and transfers
The 2026 rules were strict. To withdraw or transfer, families had to email by noon on the Monday two weeks before the camp started. A withdrawal could be taken as full account credit, or refunded to a card for a $15 processing fee per camp, per child. Requests after the deadline got no refund. Missed days are not refunded or made up either.
What the city offers
- Recreation camps. Day camps based at city parks and community centers, including camps at Foothills Nature Preserve. Camp Palo Alto at the Mitchell Park Community Center is a weekly preschool camp with crafts, songs and trips to the Magical Bridge Playground. Campers must be fully potty trained.
- Children's Theatre. Performance camps and classes run from the theater at 1305 Middlefield Road. See our theater guide.
- Art Center. Studio camps at the Palo Alto Art Center on Newell Road.
- Junior Museum and Zoo. Science and animal camps run by the JMZ.
- Nature programs. The Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center runs classes and camps through the year at the Baylands.
- MakeX. A project camp run by the city's teen services. In 2026 it met Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in two-week sessions at Cubberley Community Center, with laser cutters, 3D printers and soldering irons.
Counselor in Training
Teens aged 13 and 14 can apply to the city's Counselor in Training program, which places them in summer camps as junior staff while teaching communication and leadership. It requires an application and interview. In 2026 the application deadline was April 19 and each two-week session cost $320. The city says many of its counselors started as CITs. See our guide to things to do with teens for other city programs.
Swim camps at Rinconada Pool
Palo Alto Swim and Sport is the city's exclusive provider of swim lessons and summer swim camps, based at Rinconada Pool on Embarcadero Road. Its week-long camps take children aged 5 to 14 at all skill levels. The junior camp is for 5 and 6 year olds who have finished kindergarten. Each day includes a 30-minute lesson grouped by ability, an hour of open swim and field games and crafts on land. Check-in starts at 8:30 a.m. After-camp care is listed as an option. It also runs a spring break camp. Our swimming pools guide covers the pool itself.
Stanford camps
Stanford hosts many summer programs. They are run by different parts of the university. A few on-campus programs are not run by Stanford at all.
- Camp Cardinal. A day camp from Stanford Recreation and Wellness for ages 5 to 12, based at the Arrillaga Outdoor Education and Recreation Center at 285 Santa Teresa Street. It runs in weekly sessions through the summer. A Counselor in Training option is open to youth entering 8th through 10th grade. Check the registration page for eligibility.
- Stanford Athletics camps. Many Cardinal teams run their own sport camps for players roughly 7 to 18. Each team sets its own dates, ages and prices. Men's soccer, for example, opened its 2026 camps in January with early-bird prices before March 1.
- Academic programs. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies runs online summer courses for grades 8 to 11 and selective residential programs such as the Summer Humanities Institute and the SUMaC math program for rising juniors and seniors. Stanford Summer Session takes students who are 16 by the start of the program.
- Stanford Jazz Workshop. Jazz camps for middle and high school musicians, held on campus since 1972. Stanford notes that the workshop is an independent organization, not run by the university. It offers financial aid. Our live music guide covers its summer festival.
Other local options
- Palo Alto Family YMCA. The Y on Ross Road runs a summer day camp. Check the YMCA of Silicon Valley site for sessions.
- Gamelandia. The game store on California Avenue runs summer and after-school programs, including kids' Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. Registration goes through ActivityHero.
- Private camps. Sports clubs, coding schools, music studios and language programs across the Peninsula run camps too. Read each provider's cancellation policy before paying.
A registration timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| December to January | List the weeks you need covered. Watch for early-bird openings at Stanford Athletics and private camps. |
| Early February | City registration opens. In 2026: residents February 5, nonresidents February 12, both at 10 a.m. |
| March to April | Early-bird deadlines pass. City CIT applications close in April. |
| May to July | Withdraw or transfer at least two weeks before each city camp starts. |
| June to August | Camp weeks run. Pack lunch, water, sunscreen and a layer for cool mornings. |
Tips from the local routine
- Create your Enjoy! Online account and add each child before registration day. It saves minutes when popular camps open.
- Have a first and second choice for every week.
- Check drop-off points. Some city camps meet at Foothills Nature Preserve or the Baylands rather than a community center.
- Summer mornings can be cool and afternoons hot. Label layers.
Families from out of town sometimes book a week or two of camp around a visit. If you do, a rental with a kitchen is easier than a hotel for a week of packed lunches. You can browse family rentals near Palo Alto.
Frequently asked questions
When does Palo Alto summer camp registration open?
For summer 2026 the City of Palo Alto opened registration for residents on February 5 at 10 a.m. and for nonresidents on February 12 at 10 a.m. Dates for 2027 had not been posted in October 2026. Expect a similar early February window and watch the city's Summer Camps page.
Where do I find City of Palo Alto camps?
City camps from the Recreation Division, the Children's Theatre, the Art Center and the Junior Museum and Zoo are listed in the seasonal Enjoy! catalog. You register through Enjoy! Online. Questions go to enjoyonline@paloalto.gov.
Can nonresidents sign up for Palo Alto city camps?
Yes. Nonresidents can register for city camps, but registration opens about a week after residents. In 2026 nonresident registration opened on February 12. Popular camps can have waiting lists by then.
What is the refund policy for Palo Alto city camps?
In 2026, withdrawal requests had to arrive in writing by noon on the Monday two weeks before a camp started. Families could take the full fee as account credit or pay a $15 processing fee per camp, per child, for a card refund. Later requests did not get a refund.
Are there Stanford summer camps for kids?
Yes. Stanford Recreation and Wellness runs Camp Cardinal, a day camp for ages 5 to 12. Stanford Athletics teams run sport camps. Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies offers academic programs for older students. The Stanford Jazz Workshop runs camps on campus but is an independent organization.