Lorraine "Grandma" Camacho Activity Center

The Lorraine "Grandma" Camacho Activity Center is dedicated to offering quality outdoor recreation, nature-based education, and cultural art programs for youth, teens, and adults. We specialize in adventure activities such as mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing, hiking, fishing, archery, and more, including adaptive recreation for people of all abilities. Additionally, we provide filmmaking camps for youth and teens, featuring an online catalog of over 100 films created by our participants! Click on the banner below to view our full slate of available programs.

Lorraine "Grandma" Camacho Activity Center Building

Historical Information

The Camacho Activity Center building opened in September of 2000, dedicated in honor of community matriarch Lorraine "Grandma" Camacho. Mrs. Camacho lived on Canterbury Street for more than 40 years and was a passionate advocate for children and the strength of her community. She volunteered for many years with the Reading Is Fundamental program and became a trusted figure among neighborhood children, offering them protection and guidance as if they were her own. Her home served as one of the first McGruff Houses, a safe house for children in need. Mrs. Camacho dedicated countless hours to improving the lives of her neighbors and the children of her community. Her legacy of service and care continues at the Camacho Activity Center, where her commitment to community thrives.

Summer Camps 2025

About Camacho Summer Camps

For nearly 25 years, Camacho Activity Center has been the ultimate summer camp destination for kids seeking outdoor adventures, thrilling activities, and unforgettable memories. With a focus on hands-on experiences and building lifelong skills, we create a community where kids can thrive, explore, and form lasting friendships. Camacho Summer Camps offer 10 weeks of day camp for kids ages 5 through 16.

Our camps are highly-active and we spend a lot of our time in the outdoors. It is imperative your child is prepared for our highly active camps with the proper camp necessities. They'll need to come prepared with a hearty, healthy lunch and several healthy snacks each day, as well as multiple re-usable water bottles or a hydration pack. We work up quite the appetite and thirst on our adventures, and sunscreen, a swimsuit and closed-toed athletic shoes are also a daily must. Each camper will also need a registration form to participate.

See below for more information on registration, dates, themes, and more.

Summer Camp Registration Information

2025 REGISTRATION DATES AND FEES

Early Registration: Opens Saturday, Feb 1 @ 10:00am, closes Friday, Feb 7 @ 6:00pm.
- Early Registration available online
- or in-person from 10A-12P on Saturday, Feb 1st and 1P-6P on Mon-Fri, Feb 3rd-7th.
General Registration: Opens Saturday, Feb 22 at 12:00pm for City of Austin residents and at 2:00pm for non-residents.
- Registration available online
- or in person from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM on Saturday, February 22, and anytime during business hours thereafter.
Fees: $225 per week per child, with a $40 non-refundable deposit per week due at registration.
- The remaining balance is due 21 days prior to the start of your camp week.
- Click here to view our summer camp payment schedule.
Financial Assistance available www.austintexas.gov/financialaid.

3 WEEK REGISTRATION LIMIT
In an effort to give more families the chance to attend, each child is limited to three weeks of camp this summer. You may join the waitlist for any additional weeks, but please note that you can still only officially register for a maximum of three weeks per child. If you register for more than three weeks, you will be contacted and required to drop additional weeks.

EARLY REGISTRATION INFO
Early registration is available to families receiving financial aid through the City of Austin. To learn more about financial aid and to see if you qualify, visit Austin Parks and Recreation Financial Aid. Click here for an Early Registration FAQ.

CANCELLATION INFORMATION
You cannot cancel a camp through your online account. The best way to cancel is by using the Camacho Program Cancellation Form, which provides a helpful timestamp of your cancellation. Alternatively, you may call the Camacho Activity Center at (512) 978-2420 or email the program instructor.

Program attendance is the responsibility of the participant.
Registrations cancelled at least 7 days prior to the first day of class may be issued a refund, minus the $40 non-refundable deposit. No refunds are issued for registrations that are cancelled without 7 days advanced written notice of the first class day.
Refunds are issued to the charging credit card, or by check from the City of Austin (please allow 6-8 weeks for processing). Or you may request to have the refund applied as credit to your account for any future programs. Refunds will be applied to outstanding account balances before funds are released.
Registration fees will be fully refunded if PARD cancels the class.

VIRTUAL WAITING ROOM
During the online Registration Process, there is a feature called the virtual waiting room. While in the waiting room, you will see a video of a man walking back and forth across the screen. This lets you know you are in the waiting room, awaiting your turn in line. Users should not go “back” or refresh while in the waiting room! Please be patient.

Here is a video that helps explain how it operates: Instructions on Waiting Room

WAITLIST ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES
Didn't get the spot you hoped for? You may still have a chance through the waitlist. If a spot becomes available, the next person on the waitlist will be contacted in the order they signed up. To secure your place, simply confirm your acceptance within the timeframe provided in the notification.

INCLUSION SUPPORT SERVICES
Camacho Summer Camps are for everyone! For more information and to learn how to apply for inclusion and adaptive support, visit Inclusion Support Services.

Summer Camp Weekly Themes

This year, we’re featuring three rotating themes per age group, with each camp also getting to enjoy one dedicated filmmaking week.

Ages 5-6 | 12 participants per week | Drop off: 7:30am-9:00am | Pick-up: 5:00pm-6:00pm

RINGTAILS (Ages 5-6) - Register Here

Summer Weekly Themes:

Trails & Tails: Ride bikes, hike trails, and explore the wild side of Austin, learning about animals and playing fun games.
Aqua Adventure: Dive into aquatic adventures with canoeing, fishing, water games, science experiments, and refreshing pool and splash pad fun.
Nature Quest: Embark on outdoor adventures and get closer to nature with activities like scavenger hunts, earth science explorations, trail hiking, and more.
Film & Fun: Spark your creativity with filmmaking, photography, dancing, culinary arts and more.

Ages 7-8 | 12 participants per week | Drop off: 7:30am-9:00am | Pick-up: 5:00pm-6:00pm

BOBCATS (Ages 7-8) - Register Here

Aqua Adventure: Dive into aquatic adventures like canoeing, fishing, cardboard boats, water games, science experiments, and refreshing pool and splash pad fun.
Nature Quest: Embark on outdoor adventures with scavenger hunts, earth science explorations, hiking trails, and rock climbing.
Film & Fun: Spark your creativity with filmmaking, photography, dancing, crafting, culinary arts and more.
Trails & Tails: Discover Austin's beauty as you bike and hike its scenic trails, learn about local wildlife, and enjoy fun, engaging games.

Ages 9-11 | 16 participants per week | Drop off: 7:30am-9:00am | Pick-up: 5:00pm-6:00pm

MT LIONS (Ages 9-11) - Register Here

Outdoor Excursions: A week of adventures with hiking, biking, paddling, survival skills, fishing, archery, and more.
Movie Week: Camacho's legendary movie week places you in front of and behind the camera—writing, directing, and starring in a film production!
Pedal Paddle: A mix of biking and paddle sports, including mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, pickleball, ping-pong, badminton and more.
Rock ‘N Roll: Gear up for a week of outdoor thrills with rock climbing and mountain biking adventures.

Ages 12-16 | 12 participants per week | Drop off: 7:30am-9:00am | Pick-up: 5:00pm-6:00pm

TEENS (Ages 12-16) - Register Here

Movie Week: Camacho's legendary movie week places you in front of and behind the camera—writing, directing, and starring in a film production!
Pedal Paddle: A mix of biking and paddle sports, including mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing, pickleball, ping-pong, badminton and more.
Rock ‘N Roll: A sweet blend of mountain biking and rock climbing make for a great week of outdoor thrills.
Outdoor Excursions: A week of adventures with hiking, mountain biking, paddling, survival skills, fishing, archery, and more.

Summer Camp Parent Info Packet and FAQ

Click here (PDF file) to access our Summer Camp Parent Information Packet with an FAQ section that may have the answers you're looking for about summer camp. If you still have questions, feel free to call us or email any of our staff listed on our website. Thank you for your interest in the Camacho Activity Center.

Spring 2025 Programs

Youth & Teen Programs

Dirt Divas is a fun outdoor adventure program for girls 7-12, featuring biking, kayaking, crafts, and more, all led by an all-female staff to build leadership skills!

Cubs Club is an outdoor adventure program for kids 5-11, split into two age groups, with awesome activities like kayaking, biking, hiking, archery, and more, all tailored to keep them engaged and having fun!

Our Learn-2-Ride program is designed to teach kids how to ride a bike quickly and confidently, helping them master the skills in no time!

The Easy Riders program is the next step up from Learn-2-Ride, where we help new riders improve their skills through guided group fun rides, teaching them how to navigate trails and enjoy biking with confidence!

The Youth Bike Club is the next level up from Easy Riders, dedicated to increasing mileage, enjoying the health benefits of biking, and socializing while having fun riding together, all while continuing to enhance biking skills!

Camacho Teen Bike Club is back for April with four sessions! Join us each Saturday to build mountain biking skills, fitness, and a love for the outdoors. Each ride accommodates up to 20 riders, with groups split by skill level as needed. Registration is per event, come hit the trails with us!

Family and Adult Programs

Varsity Kayaking is a fun program for those ages 50+ looking to enjoy kayaking in a guided group setting. We paddle on Lady Bird Lake and also offer off-site trips to explore various waterways in Central Texas. Join us for an exciting and social kayaking experience!

Varsity Hiking is a great program for those ages 50+ who want to explore the outdoors and stay active. Join us for guided hikes in beautiful locations around the Austin and Central Texas area, offering a chance to enjoy nature, socialize, and get some exercise while having fun!

Varsity Biking is a program designed for adults 50 and older, offering guided, safe, and enjoyable group rides. Whether you're an experienced cyclist or returning to biking, it's a fantastic way to stay active, meet new people, and explore Austin's outdoors.

Family Kayaking is back! We have four exciting Friday night paddles planned this spring - join us for an unforgettable evening on Ladybird Lake! Click on the banner to learn more.

Holly Shores Vision Plan

Camacho Floating Dock and Kayak and Canoe Storage

At the Camacho Activity Center, we love getting our participants out on the water in our kayaks and canoes. For nearly 25 years, we've been hauling boats in and out of storage containers and up and down a hill to reach our dock. That’s why we’re excited to announce that a new storage space and dock will be installed as part of the Holly Shores/Edward Rendon at Festival Beach Vision Plan!

Equipment storage for the Lorraine "Grandma" Camacho Activity Center water programming was initially proposed as part of the Holly Shores / Edward Rendon Sr. at Festival Beach Vision Plan. However, due to budget constraints the plan to provide storage was initially removed as a goal. Fortunately, Parkland Dedication Funding has since been allocated to provide for a new floating dock with storage.

This floating dock will provide on-water storage for kayaks, canoes, and other boating equipment, replacing the containers we currently use. By streamlining access to our equipment and improving our storage space, we’ll be able to accommodate more participants and provide an enhanced experience in our water programs.

Additionally, the dock will feature enhanced ADA access, allowing individuals of all abilities to fully participate in our activities. The dock will also have a designated public area, separated from program use by a lockable gate. We’re excited about the positive impact these enhancements will have on our programs and our participants!

Anticipated Schedule

Design: Spring to Summer 2024
Permitting: Fall 2024 to Spring 2025
Construction: Summer 2025

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Are you looking to cancel an activity that you are registered for? Click here to submit a cancellation request.

Site Supervisor: Ryan Eaker

Program Coordinator: Athan Bernal

Program Specialist: Theron Sweet

Program Specialist: Elena Christopher

Building and Grounds Assistant: Art Torres