RW Ranch camp is an oasis of green, among the serene golden hills of Sanger, California. My two boys, ages 7 and 10, just finished their first sleep away camp experience at this camp and they loved it! The activities are second to none. They especially enjoyed the on campus "Atlantis", and "the blob", a giant floating obstacle course and air mattress. "Outcamp" trips to the local lake is another crowd favorite. Campers ride a house boat out to the middle of the lake from where they launch the waverunners, jetskis, waterskis, tubes, etc. The food was great, with lots of healthy and kid friendly options, and the campers also access laundry once a week. But it's the staff that takes this camp to the next level. From the moment the buses arrive, the warmth and energy from everyone on staff is almost palpable. Even during the hottest of days, infectious smiles are a testament to the fun being had -- campers and counselors both. Imo, the positive vibe starts from top down. This Establishment is family owned and deeply cared for. The employees - from office to kitchen and housekeeping staff - does their job proudly and with a smile. In my observations, this kind of teamwork comes from each feeling valued. Having said all this, this is not some utopia. These are real people. So sometimes they get sick, or tired, or are otherwise not at their 100% best. To me this is human. Let's remember that some of the counselors are newly-minted adults. While my boys's experiences were not without snags, there were plenty of great experiences ( eg fabulous counselors, even if not from their bunks) to have made their experience a truly memorable one. Last but definitely not least, what a thoughtfully run medical staff! Together, the visiting camp physician, nurse, aide, and camp infirmary mom dole out scheduled beds, coordinate meds for even when campers go off campus, all while caring for the sick and injured campers. And, given that the doc and nurse also eat and sleep among the ranks, a truly intimate and caring environment is created for all. And. No disclaimers here. There was absolutely nothing in it for me to write this review. Just telling it like I see it read more

I tried to apply here way in advance before summer even started. I am a young African-American male who just graduated May 21 of 2026 with my AA. It just baffled me after a FaceTime interview with Jacob that I was not contacted afterwards. I reached out way before the camp started to know about group interview dates that was mentioned to me before. I was told multiple times that someone would reach out to me to be texted "Hi TJ! I wanted to apologize for the late response. Our positions had been filled and realized I had sent the update over email to the wrong email. I truly encourage you to look into working with us next summer but applying earlier to ensure there are more positions for general camp counselor available as you found us right at the very end. Thank you for your time, and I hope to see your application in again next summer" now mind you I told him I wanted to join the navy this December. Be weary they may not listen to your kids because this is an example of not listening. I will not be here next year. I think I'm really upset because I was really looking forward to having a summer job. I have had multiple jobs in the past before I took school seriously. I don't know if it's discrimination or what but I woke up this morning with this on my mind. It has been so hard to find a job lately. They say they want college students, but I am one AA in hand, graduated May 2026. I was excited to bring my energy and background to their team. Instead, I got an apology text after positions were filled, with no real effort to include me. As a young Black man, I cannot help but wonder if I would have gotten a callback if my name or face were different. Either way, I would not send my kids to a place that treats potential staff this way. If you are a parent looking for a diverse, well run camp where staff are valued and communication is taken seriously keep looking. This place might be family owned, but that is not an excuse for disorganization or leaving someone hanging after multiple promises. read more

River Way Ranch Camp - Class of 2026 - Summer Camps Near Me - Sanger, California

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I can't say enough good things about this camp! There are endless activities to keep the kids engaged, good food, amazing counselors, excellent communication! Our son had the BEST time and can't wait to go back! read more

The best summer camp in the world. For first time campers as well as seasoned pros. This camp has it all for all ages . 7 years old to 16. The best activities .... arts and crafts , paint ball, laser tag , mini bikes and go karts , horseback riding , the Lake, wake boarding and jet skiing to name a few . Air conditioned cabins and excellent food . Counselors are well trained and prepared for all issues that could arise. Full time medical doc and nurse on staff 24 -7. Riverway ranch camp is located in Sanger California and is an award winning summer camp. Has been running for 52 years and is family owned . All three of my sons come here and have the time of their lives . Definitely 5 stars. Give your kids the best summer camp experience you can.... send them to Riverway. read more

Room was just as described, very cute and clean. Very reasonable priced. All the staff that we ran into were very nice and professionalable, especially the bar tenders read more

My son loved this camp for the first two years after that he said that it was a waste of money and that there were too many rules. For example they wouldn't let you call your parents at night instead my child had to send me messages in the mail, and 5/6 of them arrived after camp was over!!!!!!! Another bad thing about this camp is that you are randomly selected to be with a certain counselor, some counselors are amazing and my son loved but my son had bad counselors twice out of the three years that he went to this camp and he said that he asked the administration to change his room and they just ignored him. Overall, this camp seems like a huge waste of money from what my son has said and what I have heard from many other people, for $2,000 per week my son would much prefer going to his schools summer program. I hope you put this into great consideration. read more

Greatest Camp in the world. My family has been going there for decades. Excellent activities, the best counsellors in the business, and good food. What more can you want? Your children will never experience something quite as fun and meaningful as a stay at River Way ranch camp. Any negative comments are just from snarky parents with no idea about the value of a real camp experience. Do yourself a favor, make River Way a part of your family's life. read more

My son attended for 2 summers and really enjoyed himself. The activities were fun and engaging, counselors were fun and attentive and the food was good. The rooms were average and I assume normal for a sleep away camp. Children need to be instructed more throughly on the activity sign up process. The first year my son ended up not doing any of the activities he wanted to do bc they filled up to quickly. This was a huge disappointment but thankfully he had a great counselor who offset that. My biggest frustration came after camp Last summer when my son came home with bed bug bites. I called the camp and spoke personally to a staff member who adamantly refused to accept my description and stated they had no bed bugs. I had photos to email but she didn't even wish to see them. Unfortunately, this interaction did play a role in us not returning this year. Just a recommendation for Riverway to consider hearing your customers concerns. read more

THIS IS THE BEST CAMP I HAVE EVER BEEN TO. It is an experience of a lifetime. By the end everyone is crying, because of this life changing experience. It is something amazing, that you will NEVER forget. read more

My daughter attended this camp and had an awful experience. She cried every night and couldn't wait to come home. Here is what I learned about why she hated it. Basically, the people who keep going back, request the same counselors every time, which leaves the new, inexperienced ones to pair with the new children. My daughter had two counselors that were sick and cranky the whole time. (she knew they were sick because they coughed non-stop and had tissues with them the whole time). They were actually mean to all the girls in the cabin. They left the windows shut in the cabin so it always felt dark and forced the girls to use a bathroom outside the room which was disgusting and dirty. (the counselors used the bathrooms attached to the room). Also, I payed extra for a birthday celebration for my daughter which they did not do. (another girl in her cabin was forgotten also). I would never go back to this camp. It's all about the counselor and if you're stuck with a bad one, the whole experience is ruined! read more