Winter Camps Under $100 a Day in the Bay Area (2026)

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What is the cheapest winter break camp in the Bay Area?

Berkeley Recreation's School's Out camp at James Kenney, $35 a day for grades K–5, Dec 21–24 and Dec 28–31, 9am to 3pm. In the South Bay, San José's city camp is $58 a day, 8am to 6pm. Most full-day camps under $100 are run by cities, the YMCA, an arts center or a zoo.

The cheapest full-day winter camp we found in the Bay Area is Berkeley Rec's School's Out camp at $35 a day, and 17 more cover a school-length day for under $100. They're listed cheapest first, so you can stop reading at your budget. For specialty camps, from robotics to ranch days, see our full winter camp picks by region.

Checked Nov 13, 2026. City camps fill first, so double-check dates, prices and seats on each camp's site before you book.

How did we build this list?

Four rules keep the list fair and every price comparable. Planning summer too? Our summer camp guide by city and age covers the whole season.

Full day only. Every camp covers at least a school-length day, and about half run to 5 or 6pm. Half days get their own section below.
Price per real day. A winter "week" is three or four days, so we divide by the days you actually get.
Free to be listed. Every camp that meets these rules is on the list, ranked by price alone; camps can't pay to move up.
Source on every row. "Camp page" means we read it on the provider's own site. "Confirm at booking" means it came from a camp directory that links to the provider.

Which Bay Area winter camps cost under $100 a day?

Eighteen full-day camps, from $35 to about $100 a day, run mostly by cities, the YMCA, arts centers and a zoo.

Camp	Area	Ages	Dates	Per day	Hours
Berkeley Rec School's OutJames Kenney · camp page	East Bay	K–5	Dec 21–24, 28–31	$35	9am–3pm
Milpitas Winter Exploration Campconfirm at booking	South Bay	5–12	Winter breakdates on the camp's site	$41–$51	8am–5pm
San Carlos Winter Critter Campconfirm at booking	Peninsula	5–11	Dec 21–23; Dec 18, Jan 4	$44–$59	Full day
Camp San José (city)Almaden, Southside · camp page	South Bay	5–12	Dec 21–23, 28–31	$58–$65	8am–6pm
Pleasant Hill Adventure Kidsconfirm at booking	East Bay	K–5	Winter breakdates on the camp's site	$65–$71	7:30am–5:30pm
GurukulPleasanton · confirm at booking	Tri-Valley	See camp site	Jan 4–8 only	$65	9am–6pm
SF Rec & Park Great Time OutGlen Canyon · confirm at booking	San Francisco	8–13	Dec 21–23, 28–30	About $66	8:30am–5:30pm
Winter Break Pickleball CampLos Gatos-Saratoga Rec · confirm at booking	South Bay	7–14	Dec 21–24, 28–31	$70	Full day
San Mateo Winter Campcity · confirm at booking	Peninsula	TK–5th	Dec 21–23, 28–30	$75	8:30am–5:30pm
Foster City Wild N' Wacky Winter Campconfirm at booking	Peninsula	K–5	Dec 21–23, 28–30	$76–$100	Full day
Happy Hollow Park & ZooSan José · camp page	South Bay	5–11	Dec 21–23, 28–30	$79waitlist on Nov 13	9am–4pm
AI Startup AcademyLos Gatos-Saratoga Rec · confirm at booking	South Bay	9–13	Dec 21–23 or 28–30	$80	Full day
YMCA Silicon Valleyseveral branches · camp page	South Bay, Peninsula	TK–6th	Dec 21–23, 28–31 by branch	$83member rate	8am–5pm
Bothwell Art, Livermore Valley Artscamp page	Tri-Valley	6–15	Dec 28–31	$83	10am–3:30pm
MOCHA Art CampsOakland · confirm at booking	East Bay	5–12	Dec 21–23, 28–30, Jan 4	$95	9am–3:30pm
Busy Bee No School CampsAlameda · confirm at booking	East Bay	Pre-K–3rd	Dec 21–24, 28–31	$95	9am–5pm
Oakland Zoo ZooCampconfirm at booking	East Bay	K–5	Dec 21–24, 28–31	$96half days Dec 24, 31	Full day
School of RockDublin · camp page	Tri-Valley	8–18	Dec 21–23	$100$299 for 3 days	9am–3pm

What's the cheapest camp near me?

One pick per area, because nobody drives from Dublin to Berkeley to save $20 a day.

Kids drawing and making paper crafts at a bright camp table

East Bay: Berkeley Rec, $35. The cheapest full day we found anywhere. It ends at 3pm, so plan for the last two hours.
South Bay: Camp San José, $58. The longest day on the list, 8am to 6pm. Southside was full on Nov 13; Almaden had seats.
Peninsula: San Carlos Winter Critter Camp, $44 to $59. It also runs Jan 4, when Palo Alto kids are still off.
San Francisco: SF Rec & Park Great Time Out, about $66. Ages 8 to 13 only; for younger kids, the nearest under-$100 option is San Mateo at $75.
Tri-Valley: Bothwell Art, $83, or Gurukul at $65 if your child is off Jan 4 to 8, as in Pleasanton.

Is there a cheap winter camp that teaches a tech skill?

One: AI Startup Academy through Los Gatos-Saratoga Rec, $80 a day for ages 9 to 13.

It's the only full-day camp under $100 we found that teaches anything close to a tech skill (Code Ninjas, below, is a half day). Its listing came from a directory, so confirm the details before you book. Specialist tech camps start at $116 a day; they're in our main winter camp guide, with what each one actually teaches.

What changes the price?

Membership, extended care and financial aid can each move a camp above or below $100.

Membership. The YMCA's $83 is the member rate, and Happy Hollow and JCCSF take 10% off for members. If you already belong somewhere, start there.
Extended care. A $95 camp that ends at 3pm, plus $25 of aftercare, is really a $120 day. Check whether early drop-off and aftercare cost extra.
Financial aid. Berkeley offers residents 50% or 100% off, San José has a citywide scholarship, and the YMCA works on a sliding scale. Here's how to ask for winter camp aid, and what to have ready.

Parent tip

Book the city camp in your own area first. Resident rates are a little lower, and city scholarships only apply to that city's own camps.

Are there half-day camps under $100?

Yes, two, and they suit a parent working from home or a grandparent around for half the day.

Three kids playing chess at a half-day chess camp

Bay Area Chess, Palo Alto and San José: $89 a half day, ages 5 and up, Dec 21 to 23 and Dec 28 to 31.
Code Ninjas Livermore: about $60 for three hours, ages 8 and up.

Which camps just over $100 are worth it?

Three, if your budget can stretch: JCCSF ($130, the dependable full-day choice in San Francisco), Steve & Kate's ($129 with lunch and 8am to 6pm included) and Call of the Wild ($130 for four outdoor days at Chabot). All three are in our picks by region.

FAQ

Are there winter camps under $100 a day in the South Bay?

Yes, more than anywhere else. San José's city camp is $58 a day from 8am to 6pm, Milpitas is $41 to $51, the YMCA is $83 for members, and Happy Hollow is $79, though both its sessions had a waitlist on Nov 13. Los Gatos-Saratoga Rec runs two more, including an AI camp at $80.

Are there winter camps under $100 a day in San Francisco?

One we found: SF Rec & Park's Great Time Out in Glen Canyon, about $66 a day for ages 8 to 13. For younger children, the closest under-$100 option is San Mateo's city camp at $75. JCCSF is $130 a day and the most dependable full-day choice in the city.

Why are city camps so much cheaper than specialty camps?

City camps are subsidized, run bigger groups and use generalist staff, so they can charge $35 to $65 a day. Specialty camps pay instructors who know robotics, climbing or theatre and keep groups small. You're choosing between dependable cover and a new skill, and either can make a good week.

Do cheap winter camps offer financial aid?

Many do, but you usually have to ask. Berkeley offers residents 50% or 100% off by income, San José has a citywide scholarship, Pleasanton offers up to $300 a year, and the YMCA works on a sliding scale. Apply the day you choose the camp, before you pay.

Sources

Checked Nov 13, 2026. Camp pages read directly: Berkeley Recreation, San José PRNS, Happy Hollow, YMCA Silicon Valley, Livermore Valley Arts, School of Rock Dublin. Directory listings (confirm at booking): CampPik Silicon Valley winter list (Nov 9, 2026), Bay Camps, and 510families' East Bay winter guide (Nov 3, 2026).