Camp James

What Camp James does

Camp James is a privately-held, for-profit summer day camp founded in 1998 and headquartered at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach, Orange County, California. The company operates on approximately 30 acres of waterfront property during a 10-week summer season (June 8 – August 14, 2026), serving children ages 5-13 through its core Traditional Summer Day Camp and teens ages 14-17 through the CILT (Camper in Leadership Training) leadership program. Camp James is American Camp Association (ACA) accredited and has served more than 38,000 lifetime campers with a multi-generational customer base, including parents who were campers as children. Supporting programs include a Special Needs Inclusion Program with professional aide support and an International Camp Program, plus an optional hot lunch add-on sourced from local restaurants.

The core product offering comprises a daily rotation of activities including swimming, archery, go-carts, rock climbing, kayaking, water park, dance, drama, martial arts, STEM, music, nature crafts, and sports, with four activities per camper per day and at least one water activity daily. Campers traverse 3-6 miles daily on-site, and all activities occur on the single 30-acre campus — no busing is required. Technology infrastructure is minimal and entirely third-party: registration, enrollment, and payment processing run on the Ultracamp camp management SaaS platform, with the company operating no proprietary software, no mobile app, and no API. Marketing relies on a website, active social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok), an email newsletter via Constant Contact, and word-of-mouth referrals.

The business model is a direct-to-consumer weekly tuition model with five pricing tiers ranging from $475/week (VIP/January registration with 6-week minimum) to $650/week (Summer rate/May onward), supplemented by a $35 non-refundable registration fee per camper, a $300 non-refundable booking deposit, a 10% sibling discount, and an optional $9.50/day hot lunch. Over 28 years of continuous operation, the company has employed more than 4,000 seasonal staff and developed a leadership team with over 100 years of collective camp experience, including two Executive Directors with 35+ years of tenure each.

Name

Camp James

Legal name

Camp James

Website

https://campjames.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Camp James is a privately-held summer day camp founded in 1998 in Newport Beach, California, serving children ages 5-13 and teens 14-17 on a 30-acre waterfront site during a 10-week season. It is ACA-accredited, has hosted over 38,000 lifetime campers, and runs on a tiered weekly tuition model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Summer Day Camp Services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Camps (Band, Choir, Instrument Intensive) (EDAMALAJ), Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

Keywords

• Summer day camp
• Youth development programs
• Teen leadership training
• Special needs inclusion
• Waterfront camp activities

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Tuition: Week-based session fees ranging from $475-$650 per week depending on registration timing. Earlier registration receives lower rates with minimum week requirements. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Registration Fees: $35 non-refundable registration fee per camper per summer. $300 non-refundable deposit required at booking for families registering before March 14th.
3. Optional Lunch Program: Optional hot lunch available for purchase at $9.50 per day if pre-ordered online. Provided by local restaurants including The Pizza Bakery, Pick Up Stix, and Tacos & Co.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Camp James is a traditional summer day camp operating on a 30-acre waterfront site at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach, California, serving children ages 5–13 across a 10-week June–August season with on-site activities including swimming, archery, go-carts, rock climbing, kayaking, arts & crafts, dance, drama, and martial arts. The camp also runs the CILT teen leadership program (ages 14–17), a special needs inclusion program with aide support, an international student program, and an optional hot lunch service, with all enrollment handled through the Ultracamp registration platform.

Product overview

Camp James is a traditional summer day camp operating as a single unified program for children ages 5-13, with the Traditional Summer Day Camp as its core product. The camp offers tiered pricing structures (VIP through Summer rates) and utilizes the Ultracamp registration platform for enrollment management. Supporting programs include the CILT Teen Leadership Program for high school students, a Special Needs Inclusion Program with professional aide support options, and an International Camp Program for international families. Optional add-on services include hot lunch programs provided by local restaurants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional Summer Day Camp A traditional summer day camp for children ages 5–13 (kindergarten through 8th grade) held at the 30-acre Newport Dunes waterfront site in Newport Beach. The 10-week seasonal program (June 8 – August 14, 2026) includes swimming, archery, go-carts, rock climbing, kayaking, arts & crafts, dance, drama, sports, STEM, music, and water park, with 4 daily activities and at least one water activity per day.
• CILT Teen Leadership Program Camper In Leadership Training (CILT) program for high school students ages 14–17, providing leadership development, communication skills, and college resume building, and pairing teens with special needs campers as buddies. Requires attendance of at least 3 weeks of camp; $90 registration fee includes two CILT shirts and orientation. Over 7,000 teens have participated.
• Special Needs Inclusion Program Inclusion program welcoming children with special needs with appropriate accommodations, including professional aide support options and teen buddy assistance. Staff include a Board Certified ABA Therapist and a Program Director with MA in Education and special-day-class teaching experience. Campers must be able to feed, dress, and use the bathroom independently.
• International Camp Program Program for international families whose children attend standard camp programming, with eligibility requirements including two US phone numbers, a US address, medical insurance, and English proficiency. Children must be fully potty trained.
• Hot Lunch Program Optional hot lunch service for campers at $9.50 per day, pre-ordered online, provided by local restaurants including The Pizza Bakery, Pick Up Stix, and Tacos & Co. Nut-free options are not guaranteed.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 38,000 campers served since 1998
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Steve & Kate's Camp: Premium day camp operating across multiple US metros with self-directed activity stations and inclusive pricing model. Directly comparable to Camp James as a full-summer, multi-activity premium day camp for ages 4-12.
• YMCA of Orange County Summer Camps: Local Orange County summer day camp programs offering traditional multi-activity experiences at lower price points. Directly comparable geography, customer base, and broad-activity format, though typically at lower tuition and broader demographic reach.
• Camp Galileo: Premium multi-activity day camp serving Bay Area and Southern California with arts, science, and outdoor programming for elementary-age children. Highly comparable in operating model, pricing tier, and broad-activity structure to Camp James.
• KidzToPros: Multi-activity summer camp provider offering sports, STEM, and arts programs to elementary and middle-school children. Comparable in multi-activity enrichment positioning and premium-day-camp pricing tier.
• Stratford School Summer Programs: California-based private school network running summer enrichment day programs for K-8 students, with similar pricing, multi-activity formats, and affluent family targeting as Camp James.

Emerging players

• British Swim School: Franchised children's swim instruction provider offering summer camp-adjacent programming in Southern California. Comparable as a California-based premium youth activities franchise with waterfront/safety-positioning overlap with Camp James' swim offerings.
• Destination Science: STEM-focused summer day camp operating in Southern California targeting K-6 students with hands-on science activities. Comparable demographic, geography, and day-camp delivery model, though narrower activity scope (STEM-only).

Broad incumbents

• Camp Bow Wow: Largest US franchised pet-care/day-camp operator demonstrating scaled day-camp franchise model relevant for understanding how day-camp businesses can be replicated and rolled up nationally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@campjames3574
• Facebookfacebook.com/CampJamesOC
• Instagraminstagram.com/campjamesoc
• TikToktiktok.com/@campjames16

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Camp James