YMCA Camp Marston - Julian, California

Gil B. Jr.

This is a YMCA camp located just outside of Julian, California. They have dorm room accommodations and a great cafeteria. The staff are all extremely friendly. I've been here with my daughter for an Adventure Guides event, but more recently with a group of Fathers and Sons involved with an identical program. They offer Archery, rope climbing, swimming, hiking, etc.

Dana Piper

This will be my daughter's 3rd summer love Marston she had no problems or issues and said everyone in her cabin had a blast. She is 9 she will be in a new program this year vs last year so we will see how that goes :). The only problem she had last summer was it wasn't long enough. See ya in June Marston!

Update 7/21/2024
My daughter heads out tomorrow for her 4th year at Marston. She just attended a church camp in big bear earlier this summer...they allowed phones. Let me tell you I am so happy Marston let's kids enjoy nature and making friends and not screens! She is 10 this year she loved last year and is looking forward to this year. Imo you can read all reviews but in the end I'd say go and let your child experience a summer for themselves before you take anyone's word. I was a camper 5 summers before I worked there for 5 summers and 2 school years we worked hard yes but loved every minute of it. I have friends from all over the world because of camp. This generation of kids need camp more than ever my daughter included.
We love Marston.

Jordan Hudson

I just went here on the 16th-20th for 6th grade camp. Best councilors had to be Ms.Becca, Ms Patian forgot how to spell her name sorry bout that, and Alexander. Night hike was extremely fun. For y’all people saying Camp marston “sucks” that sounds like a u problem for not having the courage to adapt to the outside world with camping and learning the survival skills. The food is 10/10, u have lots of options to eat. Recess is an hour long sounds amazing Gaga pit is a must, basketball is fun.
This camp is a 10/10

James Martin

So many memories of this beautiful place. I wonder if they still tell the story of Mad Molly. I was there in 1981 while my father worked there, and there for camp the summer of 1991.

Victoria Sainz

Me and my whole grade and I went here, and I had higher expectations for it, but it was the WORST. Don't send your kids here! Me and my friends and I were going to her cabin and nobody was in there but when we got out the light switch went off. My other friends also had some haunted experiences in their cabin. We don't get to close our doors, so we get ZERO privacy, and we don't get to use our phones. They still made people go out when it was freezing, and they were already sick. The water was also bad and the same as the food. I didn't eat the food, leading me to starvation. Some of the food was also expired! The staff made us wait outside when it was freezing for us to go to the dining hall when we could've waited in our cabins. So overall, to all parents reading this and kids do NOT go to this camp! I am not the only one who has left a bad review on this place! We were also drinking water from a specific place I forgot what it was called but all the water comes from there so we were technically drinking toilet water and it was yellow which is why I didn't drink water most of the time because it was DISGUSTING!

Alyssa L

I remember coming to this camp as a child well over 14 years ago, I had some of the best memories and experiences here. I remember doing archery, marksmanship, canoeing, swimming, mooters, rock climbing, playing Gaga, and all the different fun nights and days! Best camp I’ve been to and I’ll remember it for life. So many fun activities best experience for kids!

Angeliks

I came to Camp Marston a month or so ago, and it was FANTASTIC!! I had lower expectations for it, but it honestly wasn’t even that bad. I was in a cabin and the beds were pretty nice! The camp counselors were also VERY engaging and very easy to talk to. The food was great too! Although it didn’t LOOK the best, it was really good. Sadly, we all had to leave on Thursday so we missed two classes 🙁

The other classes we DID get to participate in were very fun. I also like the skit night and the ceremony the night before we left the camp. I can’t honestly think of any way this camp was horrible; so 10/10 for me!!

Nagham Basheer

Very nice place and safe for kids. Lots of fun activities and kids get the opportunity to socialize away from electronics!