Really nice place for a family vacation or offsite event. They have everything. Indoor basketball, climbing wall, beautiful lake, and plenty more. The food is excellent, and the cafeteria large. Really good staff, and very organized. read more

Wonderful place to grow in your faith and spend time with family. The food is amazing.

We Love GLM! We've Been coming here for 9 Summers in a row as a family! Counselors are amazing. Facilities are phenomenal for a family camp. The lake is gorgeous. We bring our boat every summer. They have a slip for us. Our kids have so much fun and grow spiritually. The speakers are typically great. Overall a very well run family camp with so much fun and entertainment that is Gospel centered and true to God's word read more

Outstanding. From the staff and their commitment to providing great services, food, cleanliness, and a positive atmosphere... Gull Lake Ministries delivers. The condos are always sparkling clean. The food! I wish it weren't quite so good! The views from our condo were glorious, overlooking the lake. Even in the wintertime it's a great experience. The weekend getaway that I attend here is always so relaxing! One important thing to remember is that the amenities like a hair dryer, lots of pillows, extra blankets, coffee, tea, creamers, etc are things you'll find in a hotel room but these are for you to supply during your stay at Gull Lake. I'm not sure why, because the dishes and basic linens are supplied, just not the extras. If you can remember your own hair dryer you'll be set! I'll keep coming back. Thank you for another great getaway weekend read more

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Gull Lake Ministries is a Christ-centered retreat center offering unforgettable family camps and conferences year-round. It provides a refreshing break from the noise of the world--a place for Believers to reconnect with their families and deepen their faith in a loving, supportive environment. The speakers are inspiring, the accommodations are comfortable (with shared living areas and private bedrooms), and the food is outstanding--buffet-style meals that rival a cruise ship's variety. You'll never go hungry or bored! The activities are endless: zip lines, high ropes adventure curses, the beach, soccer fields, pickleball, tennis, rock climbing, bowling, fitness center, craft center--you name it. Our family has attended for 17 years, and it truly gets better every summer. As for the summer staff--these young people serve with passion and purpose. This isn't just a summer job--it's a ministry. While some may struggle to adjust (as in the ananymous reviews posted), the overwhelming majority return year after year because they've been impacted deeply by what God does through GLM. This isn't a lucrative summer job - that's not the point - it's about realizing you cannot accomplish all you need to do under your own power one needs to rely upon the grace and provison only God can provide to serve others. The summer staff are focused on the campers and families while here - NOT distracted by the outside world. It is SO refreshing to see college-age students NOT on their phones all day! When you consider the hundreds of staff members who have served over the years who then return with their own families, you realize a negative comment or two by anonymous disgruntled staff are by far the exceptions to what thousands of others have experienced. read more

This is the first time I had been to a retreat and the first time here. This is a beautiful place at a beautiful location. There are many cottages here and I was lucky enough to have one that looked out on the lake. There were several bedrooms on the main level and upstairs, along with a livingroom area, laundry room, and full kitchen. They provide all the bedding, towels, and the dining hall had great buffet meals. The conference center has pickle ball, basketball, a rock wall, bowling, pool table, and air hockey. The tabernacle was nice too. I absolutely loved it! read more

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Without question the best spot to take a Christ-centered family for summer vacation. Staff is extremely hard working - for good reason. Cannot say enough good things! read more

Hyper organized, all inclusive, family resort/family camp. Top notch food and extreme focus on service to all age groups. Faith-based kids programming for preschool, grade school, middle and high school will give Mom and dad a break with zero worry. And for the Family Camp weeks, (early June to early August) great speakers and programming for moms and dads too. If you have a family and want your vacation to be a time to draw your crew closer to each other AND closer to Jesus, this is the best choice in the country. Instead of spending a week at some random beach, where memories will be random and minimal, go to #GullLakeMin! Create lifelong impact for your family! read more

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(just realized they were on Yelp!) 7 consecutive years of attending. My perspective on each of the elements of the camp experience... Kid's are crazy about the counselors who are encouraging, fun, funny, wise and know their stuff. Your kids will have plenty of choices for play, learning and fun (details to follow). Counselors WORK THEIR TAILS OFF, all summer long. Find a college kid today with this kind of work ethic. This is a beautiful property full of rare birds - students who work long, psychically demanding hours. After one week seeing these young men and women in action, I'd hire them in a heartbeat, regardless of experience. Teachers - this week was a masterful presenter on Apologetics. He covered tons of stuff and left us wanting more. And more exists on the www.Probe.org website. Summer after summer, these teachers are top-notch players. In fact, next summer we'll be attending when best-selling author, Josh McDowell presents. Can't miss with any of these people. Leadership - gracious, funny, hard-working, potent leaders. These men and women set the bar for the counselors they're coaching and directing. And they make me admire a truly healthy organization. This means not just management skills, but risky decisions like expansion, hiring (and at times, firing). Decades of experience means this camp is a model for best practices in family vacations. Adults (us!) - loads of downtime, free time, disconnecting from a world that demands our attention and distracts us from building into family. A perfect blend of teaching, fun, family and nature as God meant it to be enjoyed. Playtime/ free time - Gull Lake is gorgeous and within the camp includes fishing, snorkeling, swimming (with loads of play places - trampolines, etc), sailing, stand up paddling, sea/foot paddle kayaks, regular kayaks, paddle-boats, canoes, and the fantastic rocket or banana boat - just try to stay on! Without the camp, on the lake, includes powerboats, jet skis, even scuba diving, if you like. Also free time gets you on a huge field with a 100+ yard zip line, climbing tower and other high adventure play. More free time gets in a beautiful gym for basketball, volleyball, ping pong, foosball, pickleball courts and three new bowling alleys. FOOD! World class meals will get you to forget the meaning of "camp food." Family vacation? More like family resort vacation. And this place is probably perfect for Youth Groups, Women's & Men's events, too. Get hooked, on Gull Lake Ministries. read more

The room was not available for 2 hour after check-in for reservation that was made months prior to coming . No compensation for inconvenience. read more

Gull Lake Ministries has a beautiful campus, great accommodations, excellent food, exceptional programming, and fun activities. It has everything you could ever want in a family resort or retreat center, but that is not what makes GLM special. GLM is a ministry full of leadership and staff that are passionate about Jesus Christ! They serve joyfully, meet the real needs of people, and love unconditionally. They are accepting, inclusive, well-trained, and full of energy, but most of all, they love God and they love others. Our family has been going to GLM for nine consecutive years and we are a better family because of the week of refreshment in the Lord each summer. It is a week our children look forward to all year. We are so blessed by this ministry and you will be too! read more

I was part of the staff there at Gull Lake Ministries. At first it seemed like it was going to be fun, and a great use of my summer as a college student! But then when the work during the week started, it was horrible. I am 20 years old and I got treated like I was in elementary school. The staff were not allowed to contact their families during the week unless it was through a leader. I had health problems in my family and they still wouldn't even let me contact my family. They worked the staff over 14 hours a day with barely any breaks in between. As well as if you were late to your job they would punish you and make you clean the stains off the carpet floor in the MC. Which to me was understandable that the staff were late because they'd have us getting up at 6:00am and working until almost 11:30PM... I wouldn't even get to bed until after midnight! They used God as an excuse for punishment by saying, "It was an obedience to God" that is just not right to me. I was really glad to get out of there after one the staff members told me that I probably didn't like it there because I wasn't disciplined as a child. Which I can tell you is a very very wrong assumption! I would never go back there as a staffer again! You would think that being such a family oriented camp that they would encourage the staff to contact their families. I am reaching out to the fellow college age students saying DONT WORK THERE! read more

Our family has been attending family camp for seven years at Gull Lake Ministries. The staff provides top notch service, fantastic food, excellent accommodations and quality, well respected Bible teachers. We also have attended and enjoyed the New Years Conference with friends for seven years. You'll pleasantly find Gull Lake Ministries to be an all-inclusive, family friendly resort that doesn't disappoint. read more

Our family has attended Gull Lake Ministries family camp now for the past 10 years. The staff is exceptional. The full time staff live the mission of the ministry which is evident in how they develop and motivate the college age counselors. My children choose Gull Lake over any other possible summer activity or trip year after year, and it is always because of the staff. The facilities are way above what you would expect with the major buildings being very modern and state of the art. Programming is fun and family focused with something for everyone at any age. We have invited other families to join us over the past few years, and all have loved the experience so much they too have returned. Highly recommended!! read more

The staff are attentive and caring, the facilities are AMAZING (think glamping X 1,000) and best of all, Gull Lake Ministries provides you with the space and time to reconnect with God and your family. Basically, 10/10, would recommend. read more

We LOVE Gull Lake Ministries! We've been attending family camp for 10 years and our kids (ages 6-20) would give up any other summer vacation/activity to ensure we go every year. GLM provides a screen-free family camp experience unlike any other. The unbelievable college-age staff is well-trained and exceptional. They focus on Jesus, incomparable service, family, and fun. We highly recommend this family getaway for parents with kids of all ages. Check out our most recent week at family camp here: https://vimeo.com/172042280 read more

UPDATE: I just returned from Gull Lake's family camp with my family last week, which has only reaffirmed my deep love for this ministry. I reconnected with many of the staffers that I worked with in 2013, one of which finished working her 4th summer there, which goes to show the level of commitment and appreciation others share with me. One of the MAJOR improvements that we got to experience is the addition of the big, beautiful new dining room. They tailor-made that building to facilitate all the activities and performances they do during meals, which is just one more reason to love this place. I was a Lakeside (elementary) counselor during the summer of 2013, and I wouldn't trade that experience for the world. I've done my fair share of tough jobs, including working at another camp doing manual labor all day long, but this was beyond all doubt the hardest job I've ever had. Early mornings, long hours, few breaks... I don't think I've ever been as physically and mentally drained in my life, which turned out to be the PERFECT environment for God to show me how great He really is. The whole summer was a saga of me lifting my empty cup to God, saying "I can't do this myself. Please fill me." and God giving me all that I needed and more. To this day, I haven't experienced a clearer example of God's perfect provision for me when I needed him most. I didn't have to do it alone. I worked with 90 other FAN-STINKING-TASTIC summer staffers who were a constant encouragement (and source of endless fun). I made life-long friends that summer, one of which stood up for me in my wedding. It would take me hours and hours to tell all the stories we made, but suffice it to say that when you work "in the trenches" with 90 other God-fearing guys and girls, your friendship bonds in ways we rarely experience in "normal" life. I won't sugar-coat it: it's hard. It's really, really hard to work at Gull Lake Ministries... but it would be wrong not to let you know that it was one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had the privilege of having. If you're ready to realize you DON'T have what it takes, but that God will hold you up, I don't know of a better place to be. read more

Amazing blend of high-octane fun and passionate spiritual growth! And the staff serve the families beyond belief - smiling, tireless, extra-mile. This week was our fifth time at GLM - super impressed and blessed again. read more

I am reviewing as a former staff member for the year 2015. I have had much experience as a leader of church camps that involve heavy-lifting assigned jobs. I am giving one star because of the way one is treated at this camp as a staff. Their are segregated groups and felt a lot like high school all over again. Expectations are high which is what I LOVE. However the lack of training in the job that you were assigned was minuscule. Leaders of the camp are about the same age if not younger that you and are in-training leaders. Respect towards staff in no leadership position were treated rudely at times. THE FOOD IS GREAT... was later told that I was unable to work 2016 due to my performance and work ethic. NO LEADERS OR STAFFER CONFRONTED ME ABOUT MY POOR PERFROMENCE IN PERSON, AND I WAS TOLD I DID A GREAT JOB. Being intentional towards the new staff needs to improve! read more

Incredible! We gave gone two years in a row and have booked already for next year. Kids talk about it all year long. Staff are amazing, tons of activities, great teaching, beautiful location, excellent meals and accommodations. read more

Can't say enough about this place - our first year to attend family camp, having attended another family camp in southern CA for years. We were concerned that it would not "live up" to the memories we held close from the other camp, but Gull Lake exceeded every expectation that we had. The staff are really what make this camp so enjoyable - GLM does a great job of hand-picking college students that (a) have a love for Christ that is contagious to everyone around them, and (b) have a sincere desire to serve - not because it's their job for the summer, but because they truly want to serve. I see great future leaders coming from this camp - future business leaders, future ministry leaders, future Godly husbands and wives, moms and dads. The greatest incubator for leadership is a place where Christ is held high and putting others before yourself is a close second - and GLM has the perfect environment for it! Aside from the staff, the food is spectacular - the programming is enjoyable - the activities are amazing (too many to mention) - and the time spent doing them all with my wife and kids was priceless. We will definitely return! read more

Love this place! We have been going three years, with year four already reserved!! We attend the Family Camp in the summers and it's always a GREAT WEEK! There are several cabins to choose from, fitting both your accommodation or price preferences. You can do 'aged and quaint' or you can have 'brand new and fancy'; you can stay separate with your own family or join other families in a larger cabin. We always choose Galatians and try to get as many friends to join. Everything is always very clean and well cared for. The Lake is BEAUTIFUL!! The activities are fun and well run; the food is AMAZING and the people are OUTSTANDING ... EVERYONE, from the staff to the families attending to the kids running the camp. Seriously always impressed with all that it takes to make this place happen and how well it is pulled off. My kids are 16, 13, 11 but have camped with kids of all ages and EVERYONE ENJOYS! If you do the family camp, the speakers for the adult sessions have all been really good and challenging and the counselors for the kids are amazing .. they are taught to have a servants heart and that spirit is definitely in place the entire summer. Can't say enough :). LOVE THIS PLACE!!! read more

My husband has been going to Gull Lake Ministries (then called Gull Lake Bible and Missionary Conference) every summer since the year he was born....40+ years ago! :) I started coming the summer we were married. And our kids....every summer since they were born! We LOVE this place! We have seen wonderful, thoughtful, positive changes in last 13 years - God is at work. If you're looking for a fun, relaxing, care-free, Christ-centered vacation, then this is the place for you! You will NOT be disappointed! From the comfortable accommodations, to the delicious food, to the incredible speakers/missionary representatives, to the amazing activities (zip line, splash pad, paddle boards, kayaks, bowling, archery, screamer swing, waterfront inflatables, pickle ball and basketball courts, etc., etc.), to the INCREDIBLE staff (both full-time and summer), to the encouragement to spend time as a couple, as a family and as a greater community, THIS IS THE BEST VACATION RESORT EVER!!! read more

Gull Lake used to be the best camp for families, comfortable accommodations that allowed families to step away from the hustle and bustle of life and have time to bond, catch up, share meals, and enjoy each other's company. They took this and put it on steroids, cramming 24 people into the same house that used to serve 8 or 10. NO private time for mom and dad as they now share accommodations with the kiddos in a room next to another family with their kiddos, crying babies, screaming toddlers causing your own kids to be upset. Family dinners are now on steroids too. no catching up and conversations with your kids, loud interruptions to meals and other families at your tables make getting to catch up with your own family impossible. If you are looking to get away from the stress and business of life to reconnect as a family this is not the place to go. Not any more. If you want more stress, and hustle with a biblical emphasis then enjoy your cramped quarters, lack of privacy, and high energy noise. I personally miss the way it used to be. I can find lots of places like this but few that ministered to my family as Gull Lake had for many years prior to the current administration. read more

I worked as a summer staffer there, and I do not say any of these things lightly. I have worked at other summer camps before so I have things to compare it to. I believe that Gull Lake is more of a cult than a summer camp. I have done some research, and things that seemed harmless at the time add up. First of all the Summer staff do not go by there real names (this is to make camp more fun and give you an ice breaker) I believe it is to make you different person while you are there. You have very limited communication with anyone outside gull lake. Fridays once the camp is clean until Saturday afternoon. They said this is because they wanted a "camp atmosphere". However, this means you cant talk to your parents, family, or significant other is major life events are happening. They also attempt to break you down when you first get there. You can not do anything right! Everything you do is corrected or asked you to do differently. Also, please understand hard work is not something I run from. I would get told to run dish pit a certain way one day, do it that way the next and be told it was wrong. There is no pleasing ANYONE! When you are told you are doing something wrong it is never this person things you should do it this way. The people in charge are always referred to as "leadership", so that you can not get upset with one person. When talking about God they say that all of this hard work will get you into heaven (which I do not believe. God has amazing grace and we are not deserving of heaven this is something He gives to us if we accept him.) They talk about how to have fear of the lord which you need but it is also important to know how much God loves you! Other things were very dictated like the time you had to go to bed, no matter what if it was past TAPS the lights were turned out and you were not supposed to get out of bed. You also were not allowed to wake up more than an hour before morning meeting unless you had permission from leadership. The camp is also very money driven. Everything there is all about how to draw in more money and it is very evident. All of this said I will never EVER work for Gull Lake and I hope you read this before you do. But going as a family if a completely different experience. You never really see any of this, and God is doing cool things from that side. Gull Lake is more of a resort with church and small groups built in. If you are a family strong in your faith you will love it there. I just do not want any other college student stuck in the same situation as me. read more