Frequently Asked Questions - YMCA Camp Immokalee

Preparing for camp is more than just packing clothes and filling out forms—it’s about helping your child feel ready for the adventure ahead. Involving your camper in the preparation process can give them a sense of ownership and excitement. Here are a few ways you can help:

Let them help pack: Encourage your camper to choose their favorite clothes, toys, or comfort items. Letting them make decisions about what to bring can boost their confidence and help them feel more in control.
Talk about the camp experience: Share stories or talk about what they can expect, from fun activities to meeting new friends. You might want to look through the camp website together and talk about activities they’re excited to try.
Practice independence: If your camper hasn’t been away from home before, practice some small moments of independence, like having them spend a night with a friend or relative.
Build excitement: Camp is an adventure! Talk positively about all the fun things they’ll get to do and how many new friends they’ll make.

These steps can help your camper feel prepared, excited, and ready for the camp experience.

Check-In: For overnight camp, check-in takes place on Sunday at 3:00 PM. This is when you’ll meet the camp staff, check in any medications with our health officer, and see your camper’s cabin. Please plan to leave by 4:00 PM so your camper can start settling in.
Check-Out: On Friday, check-out happens at 4:00 PM. When you arrive, please bring your ID for security purposes. Campers will be excited to share all their stories from the week, so be ready for some great tales!

For day campers, drop-off is from 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM, and pick-up is from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM each day.

We recommend packing practical items like older clothes (they’ll get dirty!), closed-toed shoes, sunblock, bug spray, and swim gear. Overnight campers should bring bedding (a sleeping bag or sheets/blanket), toiletries, and any personal comfort items. For a full list of what to bring, check out our packing list.

We do our best to honor friend requests! If your camper would like to share a cabin with a friend, simply include this information on your registration form. Make sure to submit it by the deadline to help us accommodate your request.

To be granted, cabin requests must be within two grades of each other. Requests that chain together multiple campers may be divided to provide the best possible camp experience to all campers.

We have a full-time health officer who lives on-site and ensures that all medications and medical needs are taken care of. If your camper has allergies or special medical requirements, like monitoring blood sugar levels, please let us know in advance. We’ll work with you to make sure your camper stays safe and healthy.

We maintain a 6:1 camper-to-staff ratio, ensuring that every camper gets personal attention. Our staff members are highly trained in first aid, safety, and emergency procedures, so your child is always in good hands.

We are not entirely nut-free, but we take allergies seriously. If your camper has a food allergy, let us know on their health form, and we will ensure that their dietary needs are accommodated.

Safety is always our top priority. If severe weather arises, including tropical storms or hurricanes, we work closely with YMCA leadership and risk management to make the safest decisions. Depending on the storm, refunds or rescheduling may be available.

We encourage campers to unplug while they’re with us, so we don’t allow phones or other electronics. However, you can always call the camp office if you need to relay an urgent message to your camper. For less urgent matters, we’ll make sure your camper stays in touch through letters or our one-way email system.

Camp Immokalee offers a wide range of activities, from water sports like tubing and wakeboarding to land sports, archery, arts and crafts, and more. We also have rotating activities that change from week to week, like fishing and outdoor cooking. Your camper will experience it all! Learn more on our activities page.

We understand that plans can change. If you need to cancel, here’s our refund schedule:

More than 60 days before camp: Full refund, minus the $150 non-refundable deposit.
30-60 days before camp: 50% refund, minus the $150 deposit.
15-29 days before camp: 25% refund, minus the $150 deposit.
14 days or less: No refunds, except in special circumstances (medical/family emergencies).

For full details, check out our Refund Policy.

Yes! We offer open houses twice a year—once in the spring and once in the fall. You can also schedule a private tour if those dates don’t work for you. For more details, visit our Open Houses & Tours page.

Yes, we offer military discounts and First Coast YMCA staff discounts. Financial assistance is also available for families who qualify. Learn more on our Financial Assistance page.

Absolutely! Many campers enjoy attending multiple sessions. You can sign up for as many weeks as you like, and campers who stay consecutive weeks can even participate in our stayover weekend program.

Unfortunately, we do not currently provide transportation to and from camp. Families are responsible for drop-off and pick-up.

While alligators are native to Florida, we take safety precautions to ensure our lake is safe for campers. We regularly monitor the lake and follow state safety guidelines. Campers are always supervised during water activities.

Yes! All of our cabins are equipped with air conditioning to keep campers comfortable. For more information on cabins, check out our Facilities page.

Yes, counselors sleep in the cabins with campers to provide supervision, support, and a sense of community. Each cabin has two or more counselors depending on the size of the group.

Yes! Campers get to pick from a variety of activities during their time at camp. They’ll have the chance to try everything from ziplining to arts and crafts. However, everyone participates in our Adventure Block, which ensures campers experience all the big-ticket activities at least once.

We recommend adding $20 to $50 per weeklong session to your camper’s store account, depending on how much you think they’ll want to spend on snacks, drinks, or souvenirs during the week. You can add funds through your account or at check-in. Camp store funds not spend are non-refundable.