My son and I just came back from an 8th grade school trip at Pali. I attended as my son's caregiver so I was able to see first hand how the experience was for them. All the kids had a great time, the courses were interesting and fun for the kids. The instructors were engaging and made sure the kids were making safe choices and following the rules. My son is in a wheelchair but the camp assured me that they could accommodate him, and indeed they did! They provided us with our own private cabin with an accessible restroom, and any activity that wasn't zip lining or climbing ropes, the staff went the extra mile to make sure it was accessible and still fun for the rest of his group. The camp itself is probably around 90% accessible - there was usually a way for my son to access most of the main stuff. Of course most of the physical activities were off limits for him and we knew that going in. The only improvements I would say is that while the meals were accommodating to all kinds of diets, the quality of the food could be improved. I nearly choked grilled chicken I had for lunch (the rest of us at the teacher table also commented that it was super dry) and I heard the beef was served for dinner was dry and tough to chew. But I liked that they had a salad bar at every lunch and dinner to try and get the kids to eat their veggies! I also recommend that they make their field area accessible. It's lower than the rest of camp and where they held their game activities, but surprisingly there was no wheelchair access to that area, you could only reach it by steps, so my son had to miss that activity that evening. read more

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My son has another chance to go back to Camp Pali next year and he has told me he does not want to go because of the counselors. The counselors ignored incidents of racism that were reported to them. Ignoring this led up to a pretty serious incident of racism that brought about a school investigation. read more

On a school field trip , it was such a delightful experience !!!! So many beautiful trees all around it ! Hikes ! Kids had a blast ! Parents had a blast ! The counselors were waiting with a very warm and loud welcome !!! We got to do night hikes , astronomy hikes , this place is just beautiful ! They offer school field trips all year round ! In summer they also offer weekly camps anyone welcome!! Foot out counselor was the best !!! read more

Pali Institute - Specialty Schools Near Me - Running Springs, California

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My daughter attended for her 5th grade class trip. Came back and said she Love it! She wants to go back. She enjoyed all the activities and said the food was great, better than school. The only thing she said was there's no hot water. Thanks Pali for giving my daughter and the rest of her class a great trip To remember. read more

Pali Institute - Rock climbing - Specialty Schools Near Me - Running Springs, California

Both my kids have attended. They loved it very much. Reported their food options were the best! The staff was very nice and overall they had a great experience. read more

Pali Institute - Specialty Schools Near Me - Running Springs, California

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Kiddo went on a 3 days 2 nights trip in May and she cannot be stop talking about her trip when she got back. The facility doesn't allow any electronics or phone communication so daily reporting is out of the question. Kiddo enjoy archery the most and said the food served are delicious. The staff keeps kids hydrated by having them drink 2 cups of water before they are award with a cup of sugary drink. Lots of food varieties and although they don't have seconds, they do allow kids to get more food if there are left overs from the kitchen. When asked if would like to go again for more days, the answer was, YES! Make sure to pack you kiddo with lip balm, it's told to be dry up there during this time. read more

Just got back from camp. There's NO water at the campsite,If you need to use the toilet or take a shower, they are all temporarily outdoors. It was ice cold! The wooden bunk beds were very noisy, and neither we nor our teacher slept well. The food wasn't the buffet they initially promised, and we couldn't get enough to eat. We were hiking so much every day, even until 9:30 PM, that we only had less than two hours for archery and tree climbing. Thankfully, it was only for two days. It was a terrible experience. The cost was $590. We were given nice photos only. read more

Pali Institute - Waited 30mins for this. - Specialty Schools Near Me - Running Springs, California

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My son attended this camp with his school for 3 days and 2 nights, and he had such an amazing experience! He came home with so many fun stories and great memories from the activities, cabins, and time spent with his classmates. The staff and counselors were wonderful, organized, and made the kids feel safe, comfortable, and included. It was such a great opportunity for the students to learn, build friendships, and gain independence while having fun. Thank you for creating such a positive and memorable experience for the kids!" read more

Pali Institute - On their way home from camp happy campers !!! - Specialty Schools Near Me - Running Springs, California

My daughter was at Pali this past week (2/17-2/20) during blizzard like conditions. As a parent, I'd expect at the very least, that there would be enough food for everyone. This did not happen. My daughter said the other school "ate all the food" and her school was left with undercooked rice, slivers of french toast, no juice for their table, and were told by Koda to fetch their own water. These other schools were able to get seconds whereas her school was denied this same privilege. There wasn't enough silverware, cups were wet leaving kids wondering if they used cups or wet from being freshly washed. A counselor told them "smell it, if it doesn't stink you can use it." In addition, male camp counselors frequently cut the line in front of the kids, ensuring that THEY ate before the children did. My child also stated that the previous school left a huge mess on their tables in which they had to clean up. I didn't pay hundreds of dollars for my child to go hungry during blistering conditions. In speaking with multiple chaperones that I am friends with, they all spoke the same thing: that food was awful and lacking. Frankly speaking, what kind of program are you running where safety standards aren't met, food isn't prepared properly, counselors are putting themselves first before the children, and children are left starting their day hungry? How could so many things go wrong with a well-established camp program that has been in business for many years? Is this the standard you wish to uphold? read more

I need to address a concern regarding hygiene during camp. My daughter attended for three days and was not given an opportunity to shower at all during that time. While I understand camps operate on tight schedules, basic hygiene should not be overlooked. Access to bathing is a fundamental need, especially for children staying multiple days. I strongly recommend implementing a structured and guaranteed bathing schedule to ensure every child has the opportunity to shower daily. This is important for their health, comfort, and overall experience. read more

Thank you for providing our child with amazing memories with her friends that will be cherished for life. Highly recommended!

My son's 5th grade class went on a 3 day trip. He had a blast! This is a memory that he will never forget! He loved the cabin and food. read more

Pali Institute - One activity Pali Institute offers - Specialty Schools Near Me - Running Springs, California

Pretty much all of it. The activitys where fun and it's safe. The cabins are clean and Nice. read more

MY DAUGHTER HAD AN AMAZING TIME! My son went a few years ago when he was in 5th grade and had a blast! Now my daughter just came back from there and said she had a fantastic time with her friends and classmates. She brought home her memories and pictures of the trip! Would totally recommend to anyone who is interested in sending their own children. The staff is fun and good was great according to my daughter and her friends. read more

My daughter went and she said " Everything I had so much fun doing like archery, hiking in thr night, and we had a clay project. Everyone there was really nice. " read more

A great experience! My twins came back and were so excited to talk about everything they did at Pali. They loved the outdoor activities and raved about the food! I had also waited last minute to mail my letters to them and they arrived the day they were to receive them. I wasn't sure if that was too late, but they got them and it made my kids so happy. Overall, a fun and memorable experience for them. read more

Pali Institute - Specialty Schools Near Me - Running Springs, California

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My daughter went on a 3 day w her school She loved every minute of it!! The camp counselors were fun and the archery and the Gaga ball was all she could talk about read more

My son just got back from a 2 day science camp and had the best time he's ever had, according to him. We will definitely do this at every opportunity. I would recommend! read more

My daughter had an amazing time at Pali for her fifth grade science camp. She really liked her counselor "Egypt" she said that she got sad one night and that Egypt was really there for her. Thank you Egypt! She had so much fun dissecting the owl pellet and the squid. Her favorite activities were CSI and Archery. She said the chicken nuggets tasted like McDonald's. Thank you for the unforgettable memories Pali! read more

Pali Institute - Archery - Specialty Schools Near Me - Running Springs, California

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Daughter went to Pali through a school trip. She had a blast, she said the food tasted great! So many activities that she enjoyed. Definitely recommend! read more

This is elyanna m. i went with my school this week and my experience at pali institute was absolutely incredible i had so much fun at the activities the food was amazing and my camp counselor, Firefly was amazing she sang to us, she was hilarious. read more

Edit: After my compliant about my daughter's hands over the squid dissection and the water faucets, I was expecting the manager or someone to reach out to ask if my child's okay and that they have fixed the sinks. I wasn't expecting anything more than as I wanted to make sure other children are safe. It has been 2 years now. No email nor calls. I guess they only respond if things work out and they get good reviews. A good business is one that will reach and try to make things right. This one...none. read more

My 4th grader had their school trip here. They had an unforgettable and fantastic time! read more

Pali Institute - Specialty Schools Near Me - Running Springs, California

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My daughter had such a wonderful time at Pali Institute with her school! Her birthday happened to fall while she was up there and they made it so special for her - baking her a cake and the whole camp sang happy birthday to her. Thank you, Pali!! read more

My daughter enjoyed attending this camp. She experienced the high ropes, hiking, and archery. She wouldn't stop talking about how much she had fun and wished she would stay longer than two nights. read more

My son goes to an elementary school in Nevada but the school organized a 3- day trip to the Pali Institute. My son absolutely loved the experience. The trip coincided with my son's birthday and they made his day extra special and he can't wait to come back again. He had a blast! He will never forget this experience! Thank you Pali staff! read more

Our daughter recently visited Camp Pali with her school, and while she enjoyed the scenery and overall camp experience, we had several serious concerns that we believe other parents should be aware of. Communication Issues: We were disappointed by the lack of direct communication regarding a prior bed bug issue at the camp. We learned about it from another group of students rather than from the camp itself. After notifying our school, the school reached out to Camp Pali, but the camp provided only a generic email about their general procedures for handling bed bugs. We personally contacted the camp twice to request documentation of the third-party inspection and final report, and although we were told someone would return our call, no one ever did. The communication was extremely poor. Cleanliness and Facility Conditions: Upon arrival, the beds and mattresses did not appear properly cleaned. Some mattresses had gravel and debris on them, raising concerns about the level of preparation before hosting new groups. Supervision and Safety: One night, the students were left outside in the dark and in the rain for more than 10 minutes because the staff member responsible for the next activity was running late. Additionally, some children were allowed to overeat--one example being several boys who consumed around ten yogurt packages each, resulting in stomach issues. There were also a few children who became ill while at camp, and many students returned home with influenza A. Positive Notes: Despite these issues, our daughter did enjoy parts of the trip. She mentioned the beautiful views and said the food was good. The camp clearly has potential to offer a wonderful experience for kids. Overall: As parents, we feel that the camp needs to significantly improve its communication, cleanliness standards, and supervision practices to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all students. With better management and attention to detail, Camp Pali could be a great place, but our experience left us with important concerns. read more

Great experience for the kids and really nice getaway clean and crisp adventures in the mountains and the food was very good too, and the staff was very nice read more

Odaughter's 5th Grade Camp was here and she loved it! Thank you Pali Institute for all of your help. Special shout out to Team Toast! read more

My child had alot of fun at Pali Institute. He said he would definitely want to go back. I felt confident and safe with the staff and environment at Pali Institute. Thank you! I highly recommend going there. read more

Pali Institute - Ziplining - Specialty Schools Near Me - Running Springs, California

My son just got back from Pali Institute, he was there for 3 days. He absolutely enjoyed his time , he came back beaming with excitement to tell us all the things he did and how him and his classmates enjoyed spending time together in the cabin and the many activities. His faves were archery, night hiking, and hut building. And he said his camp counselor, Roadrunner (Roadie) was awesome and he'll miss his camp stories. read more

My son just came back from his 8th grade trip to Pali. He had the best time and it was the perfect camping trip to wrap up his middle school years. He was exhausted when he came back because they did so many cool activities in the wilderness! He went zip-lining, climbed a huge tree amongst other things. My 4th grader can't wait for his Pali trip! read more

Pali Institute - Specialty Schools Near Me - Running Springs, California

My kids went to Pali for science camp for 5 days. They had an absolute blast. They said the camp counselors were nice, the food was awesome and the activities were very very fun. They also loved sleeping in the cabins with their friends. They enjoyed every bit of Pali Institute and would recommend going there to everyone who gets the chance. read more

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So far my kids have had two visits to pali and both have been really amazing experiences. They were nervous to go at first but by the end of the trip they were really bummed to have to leave. So far pali seems like a really fun and exciting experience for kids. I very highly recommend. read more

Our daughter had an incredible time at camp, filled with moments of love, connection, and unforgettable adventures. From cozy cabin time with her best friends to trying her hand at archery and even dissecting a squid. She cherished making a snow angel in the unexpected snowfall and shared countless team-bonding moments. So happy to have her back . Thank you Camp Pali! read more

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This review is on behalf of my son. He just returned from Pali Institute and loved it. He learned so much and enjoyed all the activities. Pali is a great place for students to learn in nature. He enjoyed all the food! Thank you to the cooks and camp staff! read more

My boys loved the experience, staff,food and hanging with friends without parents around They enjoyed themselves. They can't wait to go back read more

My daughter just got back from a 5th grade overnight (2 nights) trip to Pali Camp and absolutely loved it. It was an incredibly positive, empowering experience for her, and I'm so happy that she went although I had some reservations about letting her go, especially as she had never spent the night away from home without her parents before. The highlights for her included the food, the zipline, and getting to drink soda at meals if they drank a couple cups of water. She raved about how fluffy the pancakes were and how the strawberry syrup had macerated strawberries in it, and she also loved the bread pudding and Fruit Loops (sugar much? lol). She also enjoyed the pizza and mac and cheese. For a kid who proclaims that she has acrophobia, I was so impressed that she did the zipline (and loved it) and the ropes course going up a tree and across a high bridge. She told her camp counselor that she chickened out and didn't make it all the way across the bridge, and her counselor gently corrected her - that's not what I heard. I heard that you were able to do something you didn't think you would ever be able to do, or something along those lines. What a wonderfully positive reframing! Child was also adamant before going that she didn't want to try archery, but she did that too and said it was a lot of fun. She was both fascinated and disgusted by the owl pellet and squid dissections :) Our school's teachers uploaded photos every night, and after the camp was over Pali Camp shared additional photos so we could get a glimpse into what our child experienced - I really appreciated getting those. There were definitely things that I thought could be better. For example, there were only a couple of bathrooms for each cabin and not enough time for all the kids to shower, so apparently they had to play a game to see who would get to shower each day, and my child only got to shower one day. In addition, at the Q&A session prior to camp, it sounded like they had taken no steps to improve air quality/turnover in the shared eating or sleeping areas since the pandemic, which I think is a huge missed opportunity. Overall, however, it was a terrific experience that I would highly recommend to others. Even if your child has never been away from home or is not athletic in any way, it sounds like a supportive environment that will allow them to flourish. read more

We came here ona. 5th grade field trip. My school had us take busses up there. The weather put a damper on our weekend. However, as a chaperone, we had a lounge to dry off in. Floors are heated, which helps items that get wet, dry up. The food was pretty good. I never went out of the dining hall hungry. The cabin was a little bit of a bummer, since we woke up with a flooded floor. The staff did help by giving us towels to dry things up. I love how the cabins are set up with wall dividers so chaperones feel like they have a little bit of privacy from students. Overall, lots of engaging activities and fun for kids of all ages. When the weather got bad, they were flexible and had other options indoors. read more

Pali Institute - Icy water/snow - Specialty Schools Near Me - Running Springs, California

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Our 5th grader went with his class and had an amazing experience! He had never participated in sleep away camp so it was a new experience. He loved the counselors, pushed himself to try new things in a safe space and said the food was delicious! Only compliant was he should have brought an extra pillow :) read more