Bear Nation
Father & Daughter Camping | YMCA Adventure Clubs
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Where Fathers and Daughters Create Lifelong Memories
Where Fathers and Daughters Create Lifelong Memories
For over 650 fathers and daughters in North County San Diego, Bear Nation is more than a camping club—it's a community built around adventure, friendship, leadership, and one-on-one time that lasts a lifetime.
Whether you're pitching your first tent or returning for another season, you'll find families who are welcoming, supportive, and excited to make memories together.
What is Bear Nation?
What is Bear Nation?
Bear Nation is a community of more than 650 fathers and daughters united by one purpose: creating unforgettable memories through outdoor adventure. Our program brings together families from across San Diego County for monthly campouts filled with hiking, campfires, games, beach weekends, mountain adventures, and lifelong friendships.
Whether you're an experienced camper or pitching your very first tent, you'll find a welcoming community ready to help your family jump in. Our mission is simple: give fathers and daughters the opportunity to spend meaningful one-on-one time together, away from the distractions of everyday life, while building friendships that last for generations.
From leading their tribe in front of hundreds of fathers and daughters at Nation Fire to designing and leading their own community service projects, Bear Nation gives girls opportunities to step outside their comfort zones and discover what they’re capable of. Each year, participants in our Summer Leadership Program are recognized for their accomplishments, with one girl named Bear Nation Leader of the Year and awarded a $1,000 scholarship.
Our members come from all over San Diego, but are primarily from North County communities including Cardiff, Carlsbad, Carmel Valley, Del Mar, Encinitas, Escondido, Fairbanks Ranch, La Costa, Leucadia, Oceanside, Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego, San Elijo Hills, San Marcos, Solana Beach, and surrounding areas.
Nine Groups. One Nation.
Nine Groups. One Nation.
Bear Nation is made up of nine individual tribes, each with its own personality and traditions. No matter which tribe you join, every family camps together as one Bear Nation. Learn more about each group HERE.
Aztecs
Bison
Coyote
Elk
Ewok
Goats
Howling Wolves
Rattlers
Sequoia
Why Families Love Bear Nation
Why Families Love Bear Nation
Camp Together
Camp Together
Beach camping, forests, deserts, mountains, islands, and everything in between.
Build Friendships
Build Friendships
Your daughter won't just make friends for a weekend.
She'll build friendships that often last throughout childhood.
Meanwhile, dads form an incredible support network of their own.
Unplug Together
Unplug Together
Leave behind screens and busy schedules.
Reconnect around campfires, hikes, games, stories, and shared adventures.
Grow Together
Grow Together
Our traditions encourage confidence, kindness, teamwork, conservation, and giving back to our communities.
Girls are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones, try new things, and discover what they're capable of.
Develop Leaders
Develop Leaders
Girls have opportunities to build confidence and practice leadership in front of the entire Bear Nation.
Bear Bow recipients can apply for our Summer Leadership Program, combining professional leadership training with hands-on community service.
Participants design and lead their own service projects, with one girl each year named Bear Nation Leader of the Year and awarded a $1,000 scholarship.
Adventure Awaits
Adventure Awaits
One of the things that makes the Bear Nation experience so special is the incredible variety of places our tribes explore together throughout Southern California and beyond. No two campouts are exactly alike, and every season offers new adventures, stronger friendships, and memories that last a lifetime.
Recent Bear Nation campouts have included:
Beach & Island Camping – Del Mar Beach at Camp Pendleton and Catalina Island (Two Harbors)
Mountain & Forest Retreats – Kern River (Sequoia National Forest), Hurkey Creek, Los Coyotes, Empire Ranch, and Jewel Valley Ranch (Boulevard)
Desert Adventures – Borrego Springs and Joshua Tree
YMCA Campgrounds – Indian Hills (Jamul) and Camp Marston (Julian)
Family Camp Weekends – Vail Lake KOA (Temecula) and San Diego KOA (Chula Vista)
From camping beneath star-filled desert skies and hiking mountain trails to relaxing on the beach, rafting the Kern River, and kayaking the crystal-clear waters of Catalina Island, Bear Nation families enjoy unforgettable adventures while strengthening the bonds between fathers and daughters.
While our destinations may change from year to year, our mission never does: creating lifelong memories through shared experiences, outdoor adventure, and quality time together.
The Six Aims
The Six Aims
The Six Aims are a set of values that govern the Indian Princess program. The girls earn patches for reciting these to the nation Chief or nation Med Man during the weekend, this can be done during the bead trading event or at other various times through the weekend. Practice them with your daughters, a good time to do this is during the drive to the camp sites. The Six Aims are:
To be clean in body and pure in heart
To be friends always with my father/daughter
To love the sacred circle of my family
To listen while others speak
To love my neighbor as myself
To seek and preserve the beauty, of the Great Spirit’s work in forest, field and stream
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