We spent 13 summers at the UCSB family camp, tho it has been more than a decade since our last summer.
Same week in August for 13 summers, we made friends there that we have to this day. I cannot speak more highly about this for a family experience. Tennis,swimming, beach, dorm life, organized activities for the kids, the list goes on and on.
As a matter of fact, since David and I were driving past the campus this weekend, we had a conversation about whether some day we would be going back to family camp with our grandchildren - there was always at least one multi-generational family there our week.
I would be happy to answer any ?'s your DIL might have, but as I said, I cannot say enough good things about Family Camp.
Thanks so much, Marcia. It's always good to hear a first hand report, and I will pass it on to my DIL. Unless there is some major shakeup, I think those family places tend to continue in a very similar vein over the years, so I suspect it's still the great place you recall.
I do know that after some major campus remodels a few years back that the dorm and cafeteria situation became posher. Feel free to pass my e-mail address onto your DIL, I would be happy to chat with her.
We have friends who swear by the other UC family camps, Lair of the Bear and BruinWoods, again a different experience accommodation-wise, but yes, the basic premise is the same.
One of the favorite parts for me, also the mom of 3, was having a vacation where for one week, 20 meals, I did not have to plan, shop, cook or clean up - heaven. Dorm food (which is upgraded for Family Camp) was just fine.
We had two rules for the kids - no soda at breakfast and sample small portions, as you could always go back and "taste". The first morning, when the two older ones saw the line-up of boxed cereals, all the ones that Mom did not buy, well, they thought that they had died and gone to heaven. The summer everyone could carry a tray, well, I thought I had gone to heaven.
Thanks, Marcia -- I did send Emily (my DIL) your email in case she has other questions. This sounds a lot like the Tyler Place in Vermont, where we went with our kids when they were small. At the Tyler Place, in fact, the parents always had a separate adult dinner, which really was heaven.
Um.....I am a UCSB alum - I attended the Family Vacation Center summer camp two years in a row when my children were young - I highly recommend going - the beauty of this is the week is filled with activity set to approprate ages and kids are grouped according to their age - adults are free during the day to go on adventures, hit the rec center, go to the beach etc and then re-join their children later in the day. We had a great time - I would recommend you contact the administrator there - his name is John Lofthus and I am certain he would not dissapoint in regards to the experience that awaits you. The food - fair to middling but far better than dorm food - and everything is fresh!!! Peace, Rea Jackson Chicago
