Adventure Clubs
EXPLORE. CONNECT. GROW TOGETHER.
Adventure Clubs at the YMCA are more than just weekend getaways—they’re opportunities for families to build stronger bonds and lifelong memories. Designed for parents and their children ages 5–17, this unique program blends outdoor adventure with meaningful connection.
Once you join a club, you will be able to register for monthly campouts and activities.
WHAT ARE ADVENTURE CLUBS?
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Adventure Clubs offer...
a mix of group activities and outdoor experiences like camping, hiking, swimming and more. Each season runs from September through June (excluding December), with monthly events that spark curiosity, confidence and connection. Families can join anytime during the season.
Once enrolled in a club, you’ll unlock access to exclusive monthly campouts and exciting group adventures.
Why Choose Adventure Clubs?
It’s not just a program—it’s a shared journey. As an explorer and guide, your child and you grow together through:
Outdoor fun and discovery
Confidence and leadership building
Lifelong friendships with other families
Unplugged time in nature
Quality bonding moments between parent and child
Led by the YMCA—a trusted community organization with decades of experience in youth development—Adventure Clubs provide a safe, welcoming environment for families to try something new together. So pack up the car, head to a campground you’ve never heard of, and start building unforgettable memories with people who’ll soon feel like lifelong friends.
Available at Four YMCA Locations
From the beach to the backcountry, Adventure Clubs at Dan McKinney YMCA invite families to explore the great outdoors while building lasting bonds. This La Jolla-based club brings together local parents and kids for memorable campouts, hikes and coastal adventures—with the trusted leadership and support of your neighborhood Y community.
For more information please contact
Lauren Gregg at lgregg@ymcasd.org.
VISIT MCKINNEY Y ADVENTURE CLUBS
Welcome to the largest Adventure Clubs program in the country! Adventure Clubs at the Ecke Family YMCA are where North County families discover the joy of unplugging and reconnecting – in nature and with each other. With activities ranging from seaside hikes to mountain campouts, this Encinitas-based program is perfect for adventurous spirits and first-timers alike. With over 10 clubs to choose from, we have the perfect fit for your family!
For more information please contact
Tim Stong at tstong@ymcasd.org.
VISIT ECKE Y ADVENTURE CLUBS
Adventure awaits in Rancho Peñasquitos! At Rancho Family YMCA, Adventure Clubs help families escape the daily routine and dive into nature together. Whether it’s a quiet hike or an all-out campfire weekend, every event is a chance to make new friends and lifelong memories with the support of your local Y.
For more information please contact
Mia Kelliher at mkelliher@ymcasd.org.
Adventure Clubs at Ryan YMCA offer Point Loma families a unique way to explore the outdoors—together. With a focus on community, discovery, and fun, this club helps parents and kids grow closer while meeting other families who value connection, nature, and a good old-fashioned s’mores night.
For more information please contact ryan@ymcasd.org.
VISIT RYAN Y ADVENTURE CLUBS
Real Stories from the Trail
My memories of Adventure Clubs campouts with my dad are some of my most cherished from my childhood. Doing something unique with just my dad always felt special because he worked so hard in his career but never missed taking time out to have fun on these trips and leave all that behind to focus on quality time together.
I remember we both made lifelong friends through this program and the Y. When my daughter was finally old enough to participate in Adventure Clubs, I jumped at the chance to spend time with her and share with her some of the experiences I shared with my dad, and make new friends for us both in the process.
Being able to get outside the daily grind and bond together under the stars, in the fresh air, and slow life down for a little while, just the two of us, is an unparalleled experience of incredible value in the relationship between a father and child. My daughter and I, and my dad, are so grateful to the Y for Adventure Clubs. “Pals Forever.”
Joining the Adventure Club program was the best decision I ever made as a parent. It was a bonding experience like no other. For seven years, I went on extraordinarily fun outdoor adventures with our girls.
They’re now grown women, and recall those many long weekends with great fondness, and consider them foundational to their childhoods. Those events also fostered close friendships between the dads, and more than two decades later some of those guys are still among my very best friends.
And for many of us dads, Adventure Clubs introduced us to the unique magic of the Y, and how it could benefit families and our community in such profound and lasting ways. Today several of us who so enjoyed those campouts with our kids serve together on the Rancho Family YMCA Board of Advisors, where one of our goals is to ensure that programs such as the Adventure Club will continue to thrive and to serve families from all walks of life, as it did for us. In our home hangs a shadow box my wife made after our girls aged out of Adventure Club, to honor and memorialize those cherished years.
