City of Santa Barbara Announces 2026 Summer Camp Offerings; Registration Opens February 4

Families can choose from 15 Parks and Recreation Department camps this summer.

The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department will open registration for all summer camps online at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 4. Families can choose from 15 camps for children ages 5 to 17, with topics including art, business, engineering, performing arts, sports, and water safety. Offerings include half-day and full-day camps.

Summer Camp Registration Opens
Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.

Some camps are anticipated to fill on registration day, and parents and guardians are advised to set up their accounts in advance for the best registration experience.  

Parks and Recreation camps range from around $4 to $17.50 per hour, with most camps averaging between $12 and $15 per hour. Scholarships are available for eligible families to send children to camp at no cost. Scholarships are funded by donations to the PARC Foundation and distributed through SBPAL’s Campership Alliance program. Families interested in scholarship options can learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply at SBPAL Campership Alliance (SBPAL.org/campership-alliance).

In addition to scholarships, the Parks and Recreation Department will continue to offer the Summer Fun program to provide seven weeks of free childcare to eligible families unable to afford summer camp.

Camps and summer programs also provide important development opportunities for local teens and young adults. The free Junior Counselor program allows teens 13 to 17 to earn volunteer service hours and develop and strengthen their leadership skills while assisting camp counselors with daily activities. Older teens and young adults can pursue paid opportunities as camp counselors, inclusion specialists, swim instructors, and pool and beach lifeguards.

Families can learn more about camp offerings, scholarships, and registration at Summer Camps (SantaBarbaraCA.gov/Camps).