My daughter recently attended summer camp and she absolutely loved it…read more Nice and dedicated staff make this summer camp an unforgettable experience.

In July we had 17 cousins attended this Circle V Camp & both boys & girls loved it, they really…read moreenjoyed it.. For most of them it was they're 2 or 3 time there and they always enjoy it & look forward to going back the following year...

Kaylyn is a 6-star instructor. She was patient, kind and friendly. Her students and horses…read morebenefit from her peaceful presence, and her enthusiastic spirit. We had a group of 5 (2 absolute beginners) and she was able to wrangle us in an orderly manner and brought a sense of security and calm to our ride. I highly recommend this riding school amongst the 6+ we have supported over the years and my kids absolutely loved their experience. The terrain is flat and safe so no surprises there. We will always hold this experience close to our hearts, thank you Kaylyn!

Went to watch my Granddaughter take riding lessons they actually are learning not only to ride but…read moreto take care of the horses I was very impressed with this Horse camp!

Amazing fantastic Loved the the cabins. The pool was okay not to cold and hot. The ropes rippedread more

Last summer I had the privilege of being a camp counselor for the Taiwanese American Citizens…read moreLeague Leadership Identity Development (TACL LID) camp that was held at this camp site for a 5 day program in August. Though my experience working with kids and teens, leading workshops, facilitating discussions, and participating in our activities was absolutely amazing, everyone (campers, counselors, and staff alike) agreed that: 1. THERE ARE TOO MANY FLIES - I swear, we were swatting away flies and other various insects BOTH indoors AND outdoors pretty much the entire time we were on site. Normally a few bugs are manageable but this was absolutely ridiculous and outrageously revolting. And yes, we brought bug repellent. Tons of it. And yes we turned on the AC when we were indoors every once in a while. But they came in anyway and there were just too many of them. It was hopelessly overwhelming. (NO I am not exaggerating. It was a nightmare) 2. Dust and dirt get everywhere - which is expected, I guess. It really wasn't that big of a deal, but you soon realize that even after showering, you are never really entirely clean. Its almost a waste to shower since you're just going to get dirt and dust all over you the second you step out of the bath anyway. Its as if the air is somehow saturated with dust. You just can't escape it. 3. The campsite itself is too widely spaced apart - it was an unfortunately long trek from the girl cabins, to the dining hall, to the boy cabins, to the main lodge where we hosted most of our large-group camp activities, to the basketball courts, to the campfire pit, etc. Some camps may value a large campsite, but everything was so excluded from everything else that it was difficult to manage and keep a sense of comfortable snug closeness. 4. Cabins, lodges, and other facilities could definitely be better ventilated - we always had to make the headache-inducing choice of whether to open the doors and let the horrendous flies in, or close the doors and suffocate in the concoction of everyone's body odor. And speaking of facilities - 5. Bathrooms - need a lot of work. Bathrooms/shower rooms are located in a separate building from the cabins (in the same general area). Which reiterates my whole "you can never be clean" point because leaving the shower you will have to walk back through the wilderness in the dust and grime to get into your cabin. Showers are also very inconveniently designed (there really isn't much of a place to put your towel/clean clothes). 6. UNBEARABLE HEAT - okay yes a summer camp in early August is obviously going to be hot but DON'T ASSUME that because its in Santa Barbara that you will even be remotely close to the windy beach and some of that cool air will ever get to this campsite. It won't. Needless to say, there were definitely some things lacking in this campsite. However, there were still a few good points: The food we were served was generally appetizing and filling, the campsite definitely provided lots of space and amenities for fun big activities, the area was quite beautiful and it really was nature at its finest. We got to watch a meteor shower under the clear night skies, we sang at a campfire, ran under the sprinklers to cool down (which was probably not allowed hehe), had a massive water balloon fight, among various other fun activities. Unfortunately, the negatives greatly outweighed the positives, and we will most likely not be coming back to host another TACL LID camp at this campsite again. For more information about LID camp and pictures visit lidcamp.org :)

My daughter just got back from her fourth year and it's already begging to go again next year…read more There is something so magical for the kids out there, and they are all incredibly well cared for! all of the counselors are incredibly kind, and she especially loves the pool and the hiking. See you next year, Camp Natoma!

My son just got back from session 1. He had a blast! Sleeping under the stars, meeting new…read morefriends, singing songs. Everything camp should be. He plans to attend next year and has said he might want to be a counselor. (He is only 9- he's got a few years to be a camper still!) My sister went to Natoma for years. She and my son compared memories and except for some new songs and food/candy no longer being allowed in care packages, not much has changed in 20 years. The value is fantastic. I'm very happy with the camp (and so is my son!)

It attended a women's conference the location made the event even better. I would highly recommend…read moreattending an event. They're having an event there or even just taking your family to very going back next year.

Church rented facilities for high school summer camp. Everything was great. Food was good. Kids and…read moreadults had a great time.

Lori, our fantastic guide took us on an unforgettable adventure to experience this incredible…read moresanctuary. She was extremely knowledgable about the environment, the sanctuary and every horse on site. She know they herds, the horses names and habits. We got to be immersed in the world of wild horses, many who were interested in us and wanted to interact. We cant wait to go back!

Spent a wonderful day volunteering here today then thoroughly enjoying a 4 hour walking tour of…read morethis beautiful, wild horse sanctuary. The owner and staff shared so much knowledge and passion for these amazing animals. The horses are well cared for, healthy and have ride open pastures to roam in their herds. Absolutely fascinating- Highly Recommended for horse lovers!

My daughter has been riding with Sadie for the 2 1/2 years now but am just now writing a review…read morebecause a) I feel I have enough background at this point to share an informed review, and b) I see some negative reviews that confuse me. RP was recommended to me by another parent at my daughters school and I was taken with RP immediately. Sadie loves her animals, and passes that love and respect on to the kids. While my daughter is not required to muck or feed, she loves taking part in these essential activities which are part of the whole horse experience. Caring for the horses is a beautiful thing and it has created such a bond between my daughter and all the horses, even the ones she doesn't ride. This, as well as all the general horse-care instructions Sadie imparts is what has made my daughter so comfortable on and around horses. I have shared RP with 3 other families that have all had great experiences with Sadie. RP is a small, family-run organization. As I see it, they are providing the community with a wonderful service: the chance for kids to learn horsemanship and riding skills without spending a fortune. As a former horse owner, I know Sadie is not making money off RP. She's doing it because she wants to share her love of animals/horses with kids. That is exactly what she's done with my daughter and I am so grateful to have a place like this in SB.

Scammed me and many others out of camp in summer of 2024. Came up with many excuses as to why she…read morecouldn't provide us the week camp. I showed up the day it was supposed to begin (earl Warren show grounds) and police were there escorting her off the property. Stay away!!!

Does your kid want to spend all day at the beach hanging out with cool surfers who do gymnastics…read moreand crafts and being allowed to just follow their bliss all day? Send them to Lobster Jo's! This camp is fabulous because it's just incredibly loosely structured; the kids get to do some fun games and activities and crafts, and they can surf and boogie board and swim and snorkel and paddle with supervision and expert assistance, and they can also just sit and dig holes all day, and they will get a high five and to pet the camp doggie! There are tons of sunny campers to supervise their all day play and help them all have a great experience. One of my kiddos had a hard time with waves and got scared (we aren't from here so she isn't super down with the ocean yet) and was hysterical, but one of the counselors was there to get her through that fear, offered her a private surf lesson the next day and got her excited about the ocean and she did some surfing and boogie boarding independently! The counselors are super kind and stoked to get all the kids to love the beach. Obvious this would be awesome for any locals, but I will add we came down from Seattle to go to a family reunion thing and we put our kids in this for the week, and it was the most brilliant vacation scheme ever; the kids got a great California experience, the adults got hours every day where we got to be kid free! I would highly recommend this if you have friends planning a summer vacation in SB to suggest they look into if this camp is happening!

This is the second summer my daughter has done multiple weeks of Lobster Jo's Beach Camp and she…read morehas loved every minute. The program is well run and the counselors are all fantastic. They make sure the kids have fun while also ensuring they reapply sunscreen and stay hydrated. As a result of this camp, my daughter has gone from liking the beach to loving both the beach AND swimming/boarding/paddling in the ocean. Can't wait to do it again next summer.