A huge question for so many of our campers is how will they get to camp?! Well, look no further, because we've got you covered on the basics for how to get the show on the road and you to Gilboa!
Transportation is coordinated from LA, San Diego, and Northern California airports. Families are also more than welcome to bring their children to camp - please let us know your plan by updating the travel form in your online Gilboa account. This form is overdue, so if you haven't filled it out yet, you must submit it by Friday to be guaranteed a spot!
Southern California
There will be buses departing from the Gilboa office in Los Angeles (8339 W. 3rd St.) and San Diego (Lawrence Family JCC).
All buses have counselors escorting and we will provide snacks and water during the trip. Departure times will be sent to families in the weeks prior to the start of camp - buses leave around 9:00, but please consult the camper handbook or contact us to confirm timing for your session and pickup location if you do not receive this email.
An email will be sent to parents to notify of the safe arrival of the buses to camp.
Drop off at the end of camp is at the same location around 1-2pm. Parents will be given the phone number of the staff person meeting the bus and can request an ETA later in the morning.
Northern California
Parents are responsible for booking their children's flights - flights have been emailed out to Northern California families and will all include a counselor escort.
***If your child is younger than 12 years, you will need to link their flight to an older camper's flight. Contact Yahli (yahli@campgilboa.org) for details.***
- Parents are welcome to bring their child to the one of the bus pick-up locations. Please notify us via the travel form in your Camp Gilboa online account if this is your plan, so we can make sure to reserve a spot on the bus for your child!
- Once you've booked a flight, or decided on another travel option, please update your choices on the Travel Form in your online Gilboa account and forward the confirmation email to Yahli@campgilboa.org. A $100 travel discount will be applied to each camper's balance for campers from outside of Southern California.
Before the flight:
- If your camper is new to camp, and you would like us to pair him/her up with a buddy prior to camp, please let us know. It's never too early to start making friends!
- Southwest does not require an ID for minors, but it's recommended to have a photocopy of an ID (student ID will suffice). Place one copy in the backpack and a second one in the luggage (for the way back).
Procedures at the departure airport: - Please arrive at the airport to allow ample time to check in luggage and get to the gate 40 minutes prior to departure time.
- A parent flight coordinator or counselor will be at the gate 40 minutes before departure time, and will make sure children board the flight safely. - Parent coordinator and/or counselor names and contact info will be sent about a week prior to the flight.
- Parent coordinator or counselor will receive a list with all travelers and your contact information.
- One adult per minor traveler can receive an escort pass to accompany a child to the gate. - Make sure to have an ID. You will be required to present it at the ticketing desk to receive the pass.
- Note that non-travelling siblings will not be allowed to accompany you to the gate
- If your child is younger than 12, you may be required to escort him/her to the gate.
- If your children are experienced travelers and you feel comfortable sending them to the gate on their own, please ask them to check in with the travel coordinator and stay with him/her at the gate until it's time to board the flight.
Procedures at the arrival airport: - Flight coordinator will notify camp once the flight departs.
- Counselors wait at the gate to meet the campers. - Once campers land, they will call the parents. If a camper does not have a cell phone, they can use a counselor's phone. (As a reminder, camp is cell-phone free, and phones will be collected by the counselors and returned at the last day of camp).
- A bus will pick up campers and counselors from the airport. - You will be notified via email once buses arrive to camp.
Campers Living Far From the Meeting Points
If you have not done so already, please contact the office so we can help coordinate campers getting to one of the meeting points where they can join the bus.
Thank you so much for reading! We know it is a lot to take in, so we appreciate your timely submission of your travel forms and keeping us in the loop with all of your plans. We can't wait to see first session campers in only one month!