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Kids Camps around Truckee and North Lake Tahoe |
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Written by Morgan Kriz
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Tuesday, 10 June 2008 |
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According to a recent MSN-Zogby Poll, 61 percent of Americans with children living at home said their vacation is usually geared more toward children and what they enjoy. Chris Doyle, vice president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, notes families are forgoing theme parks and all-inclusive resorts for “more genuine, nature-based cultural and educational learning excursions.”
North Lake Tahoe’s run-of-the-mill options are in themselves infinite — spectacular hiking and biking fit for kids and beautiful enough for the entire family to enjoy. Then there’s camping, horseback riding and rafting down the Truckee River. Kids can even hit the water via kayak, Jet Ski, pedal boat, aqua cycle or get a birds-eye view while parasailing.
Kids as young as two (and as old as 82) can fly through the air on a trapeze with Trapeze Arts at the Village at Squaw in Olympic Valley. Trapeze Arts is one of only a handful of full-time circus schools in the U.S. Guests can take a simply thrilling swing or an entire class. Family discounts are available.
Additional activities at Squaw Valley include ice skating, swimming and tennis at 8,200 feet, a ropes course, climbing wall, sky jump, miniature golf, horseback riding and giant games (chess, checkers and Jenga). The Village at Northstar also offers an array of family activities, such as a mountain bike park, roller-skating, bungee trampoline, horseback riding, tennis and fly-fishing.
The opportunities for kids to learn something new or enhance their outdoor skills are endless. High Sierra Water Ski School in Tahoe City and Action Water Sports (with locations in Meeks Bay and Incline Village) offer water-ski instruction. Tahoe Paddle and Oar in Kings Beach leads kayaking/canoe and sea kayaking safety lessons, while Tahoe Adventure Company in Tahoe City teaches beginning through intermediate rock climbing.
Mountain bikers can head to Cyclepaths Mountain Bike Adventure, with locations in Truckee and Tahoe City, for cross-country, free ride and parent-child camps. Kids and families can also try their hand at fly-fishing. Northstar provides instruction at their intimate ten-acre Sawmill Lake, and Johnson’s Tackle and Guide Service teaches the fundamentals along the banks of the Truckee River and secluded alpine lakes.
Family-oriented events include free evening, open-air movies and concerts every week at Tahoe City’s Commons Beach, Village at Squaw and Village at Northstar; full-moon and sunset hikes at Squaw; Star Tours (astronomy nights) at Northstar (which also hosts retro roller-skate nights and children’s arts and crafts); Tahoe Arts Festival and Italian Street Paining, July 12-13 in Crystal Bay; Living History Day at Sugar Pine Point State Park on the West Shore, July 26; and McAvoy Lane’s Ghost of Mark Twain at Sugar Pine Point, August 14.
The newly renovated Tahoe Maritime Museum in Homewood is geared toward kids and families with interactive exhibits and an activity room where they can learn knot tying and boat building. The Kings Beach Recreation Area is also the go-to beach for families with an expansive, sandy beach, playground, recreation concessionaires (parasailing, kayaks, water toys), basketball and volleyball courts and family-friendly restaurants across the street. Commons Beach also boasts a new playground area, picnic area and special events.
A Midsummer’s Camp
To add a uniquely Tahoe twist to travels, kids can take part in the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festivals’ A Midsummer’s Camp. The new weeklong program gives kids the chance to go from audience member, to participant, to Shakespeare scholar and finally to actor. Camps are August 4-8 for ages 8-13, and August 11-15 for ages 14-17. The festival also offers free matinee performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for kids and their chaperones throughout the summer.
Summer basketball camp
World Events will hold its High Altitude Basketball Camp at the Village at Squaw Valley on June 23-27. The camp is for boys and girls grades third through 12th and will feature intensive instruction from some of the most experienced, well-qualified basketball instructors in the country. A representative from Reno’s NBA Development team (NBADL) will also be in attendance to answer questions and give away official NBDL merchandise. To register visit www.HighAltitudeBBall.com or call (800) 621-2945.
Soccer camp
Challenger Sports is holding one of its nationwide British soccer training camps at Pomin Park in Tahoe City during the week of July 28–Aug. 1. Each day campers ages 3 to 14 will practice and master new individual skills and understand small group and team tactics, as well as scrimmage. Each camper will receive a free T-shirt, soccer ball, player evaluation and end-of-camp gift. In addition, any child who signs up online at least 45 days prior to camp will receive a genuine British Soccer replica jersey. To sign up visit www.challengersports.com or contact Jamie at
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or call (866) 528-9688.
Rock climbing
UClimb will host a two-day rock climbing event on Donner Summit on July 19-20. Sponsored by Mountain Gear and Marmot, the UClimb event will include professional climbing instruction from Alpine Skills International guides. Instructors will take small groups of amateur climbers to get hands-on experience while learning climbing techniques, how to use climbing gear, voice commands, knot tying, belaying and etiquette.
Registration for the weekend event begins at $159 for youth ages 10-17 and $199 for adults. Registration includes professional climbing instruction, camping for Friday and Saturday nights, a barbeque on Saturday and a pancake breakfast on Sunday. Gear packages are $289 for youth ages 10-17 and $329 for adults. Individuals can also register for event festivities without the climbing instruction for $49. Registration is available at www.uclimb.org or by calling (800) 829-2009.
Golfing
First-time and aspiring golfers can take a lesson or two at the Incline Village Golf Courses from LPGA teaching pro Becca Carey. U.S. Kids Golf named Carey one of the top 50 kids’ teachers in 2007. Younger golfers can take part in Incline’s Little Rascals Program, for kids ages 5-6. Families just wanting to shoot a few holes can take advantage of the Resort at Squaw Creek’s Family Golf Special. After 5:30 or 6 p.m. (depending on the time of season), families can play a quick game on the Resort’s front nine holes from family tees. Children under 17 play free with an adult.
Tahoe Conservatory of Music – summer lessons
Learn a new instrument or retain the skills and knowledge you gained through the academic year. Summer is the perfect time to go deeper into your musical training. The Tahoe Conservatory of Music will provide a summer program of private lessons taught in Kings Beach and Truckee. The music summer session begins Monday, July 7 and ends August 30. For your convenience we offer flexibility around vacations and other summer activities. To register or for information, call (530) 546-2356.
Camp Xtreme begins June 16
Experienced and responsible staff lead campers on numerous exciting adventures. Campers ages 5 (must have completed kindergarten) to 12 years will enjoy the weekly themed field trips that include the Shakespeare Festival, Environmental Science Day, the planetarium, kayaking, the Nevada Museum of Art, miniature golf, the beaches around Tahoe, Wild Waters and more. Camp starts June 16.
Free Kids Jazz Camp
Moody’s Bistro & Lounge is helping children come up with an innovative new response to the age-old question—“What did you do on your summer vacation?” Children who participate in the Fourth Annual free Kids’ Jazz Camp will be able to respond “I played music with a Grammy-nominated jazz artist.” During the July 7 through July 11 camp, some of the country’s top jazz musicians will teach a class unlike anything children experience during the course of a school year.
The five-day event is a part of the annual “Jazz Artists in Residency,” which also includes four evenings of free shows by nationally recognized jazz musicians from July 7 – 10 and a Truckee Youth Music Program benefit on July 11 and 12 featuring the musicians participating in the jazz camp.
The 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday camp will allow kids to work closely with musicians who are widely recognized for their innovation and talent. The camp is open to children ages 10 years old through high school.
For reservations, call (530) 587-8688 or visit www.moodysbistro.com
Kids will have the rare opportunity to participate in workshops that will focus on improvisation in jazz and funk using drums, bass, guitar, piano and horns. Since Moody’s first offered the kids’ camp in 2005, the event grew in popularity, allowing Moody’s to expand the camp to five days. During last year’s camp, 65 kids were able to enjoy one of the most memorable experiences of their lives.
In order to get the most out of the camp, all participating kids must have two years of music lessons and range from ages ten through high school. Students must register with Moody's in advance, as the camp is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Moody’s co-owner JJ Morgan expects this year’s camp to reach its capacity, so early registration is encouraged.
"Musical entertainers are usually out of reach of children. They’re up on the stage or on TV,” said Morgan. “Our Kids’ Jazz Camp allows children to interact with the musicians and to be inspired by the musical techniques they learn throughout the week. It’s amazing to watch these well-known musicians become musical mentors to the kids.”
The Kids’ Jazz Camp “teachers” are some of the most talented jazz musicians in the country. Will Bernard will instruct on guitar, Peter Apfelbaum on piano, Adam Theis on brass, Ben Wendel on saxophone, Josh Jones on drums and Andrew Emer on bass. Will Bernard, whose CD Party Hats was nominated for the “Best Contemporary Jazz Album” Grammy this year, is a jazz guitarist/composer acclaimed for his imaginative genre-busting music. Peter Apfelbaum received a Grammy nomination in 1991 for the opening composition on his Signs of Life album. Apfelbaum is fascinated by how sounds fit together and his music is known to have a polyrhythmic mix of African and Western elements. Adam Theis is a member of the Shotgun Wedding Quintet Hip Hop Symphony, known for its marriage of two seemingly unrelated musical styles—hip hop and jazz. Ben Wendel has enjoyed multiple domestic and international tours with such artists as Cuban drumming legend Ignacio Berroa, Thelonious Monk Piano Competition Winner Tigran Hamasyan, Electronica artist Daedelus and Hip Hop artist Snoop Dogg. Josh Jones has played with Jazz Greats Don Cherry, Steve Coleman and Omar Sosa and the Hip Hop Groups The Coup, Digital Underground and Spearhead. Andrew Emer, a New York-based freelance jazz and experimental bassist, has performed and toured with such notable musicians as John Popper (of Blues Traveler), Billy Higgins, Kenny Werner, Adam Nussbaum, Vince Lateano, Bruce Forman, and Eric Mcphearson.
“This is a great gig for these guys because they get a chance to play with each other which they never get a chance to do as well as have a great time with the kids and spending a week in Truckee,” said Morgan. “This camp is truly unique because of who these musicians are, the format that we use and the fact that were providing for the kids at no charge. These guys are all killer roll models for the kids.”
It’s hard to say who benefits most from the camp: the kids or the musicians. The jazz artists spend the week playing with their peers while immersing themselves in the historic community of Truckee. According to Morgan, the jazz artists really get into the program and enjoy themselves, which is evident from them making the trip back to participate year after year.
Audiences can watch the Kids’ Jazz Camp teachers in action during free shows Monday through Thursday evenings July 7 – 10 at Moody’s Bistro & Lounge. On Friday, July 11 and Saturday, July 12, the musicians and guests will return to the stage as a benefit for the Truckee Youth Music Program. Admission is $5.
Located inside the historic Truckee Hotel on Commercial Row, Moody's Bistro & Lounge is known for its locally sourced ingredients served in an informal atmosphere reminiscent of Tahoe in the 1920s. The restaurant serves a variety of Contemporary American specialties in a range of affordable price points, as well as a seasonal drink menu made with fresh herbs and fruit. The lounge also is home to live jazz shows by top U.S. and international acts. Moody's is located a few minutes from Interstate 80 at 10007 Bridge Street in Truckee (on the corner of Commercial Row). For reservations, call (530) 587-8688 or visit www.moodysbistro.com
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