Cali Coming to an End!
June 20, 2026
For the final time, what’s up Moondance family and friends!
First and foremost, we feel so lucky to have spent the last two weeks with our incredible group. Each and every person brought something special and new to the table, and we have learned so much along the way! While we are sad to all go our separate ways, we know that the memories we now share will connect us for life:) Now for a recap of our final AWESOME days altogether!!!!
Jumping right back into Day 11, Edward woke everyone up to Birthday by Katy Perry to celebrate Mel accordingly for the big 13! Party hats were distributed at breakfast and worn throughout the day, ensuring festivity all day long. Margaret kept birthday spirits high for Mel with cheers and hugs. Soon after, our crew got on the road for a morning of paddleboarding on Lake Tahoe. Paddleboarding proved to be a more relaxing activity for everyone but Steele and Edward who took it upon themselves to paddle halfway across the lake together. Meanwhile, Morgan and the girls kicked back and relaxed by tying all the paddleboards together and creating one mega board for lounging. Tuck somehow managed to catch a crawfish with his bare hands. A quick photoshoot ensued before this lucky crawfish was released back into its underwater home. After the lake, Malcolm and Kate helped Morgan in Safeway as the Leaders of the Day by picking out a surprise birthday cake and balloon for Mel. A grocery store parking lot birthday party followed suit with Mel as the star of the show. After every bite of the chocolate cake was eaten, we hit the road for, which kickstarted the beginning of the end of our outstanding trip. Upon our arrival at the campsite, Mel’s dad scooped the birthday girl so that she could make it to her soccer tournament (GOOD LUCK MEL, we are all rooting for you:)) A goodbye wouldn’t be complete without a big ‘ole cinnamon roll hug with Mel being the center. A later dinner called for a simple crowd favorite: mac and cheese and hot dogs.
And then it was Day 12, WHAT?! The morning began with what some may consider a polar plunge if it wasn’t for the wetsuits that our surfing outfitters provided. Our wonderful instructors, walked us through the basics of surfing: how to mount the board, ride the waves, and fall gently and safely when it’s all said and done. Bailey and Will proved to be naturals from the start! Conveniently, a beachside Taco Bell with postcard-worthy views stood just 10 steps away from our surfing lesson. Naturally, we all split a taco box and Baja Blasts to celebrate our new skills. Lottie and Bailey even got Taco Bell souvenir cups that they insisted would be used as school water bottles back home (yes, they fit in the duffels)! Right after lunch, we hit the road for a sailboat tour around San Francisco with highlights including gliding underneath the Golden Gate Bridge, sailing right by the infamous Alcatraz prison, seeing dozens of smelly seals and sea lions, and getting a glimpse of the Ghiradelli Chocolate Factory from the bay. Josh pulled the classic Titanic pose at the bow once told it was safe, which got a good laugh out of everyone. We drove back to camp and made bacon grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup, which turned out to be even better than anticipated!
Before we knew it, Day 13 arrived. Morgan ran around each tent (and the grass where Will and Tuck were cowboy camping with Edward and Charlie) blasting “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers to get everyone hype for the second day of surfing! Grace kept the energy high by expertly flipping our M&M pancakes again. Once again, Stone and Stephen honed our surfing skills by teaching essential lessons such as paddling out. Tuck absolutely tackled the waves, impressing everyone. Surfing came to a close, and we returned to camp to have what we coined as our “Moondance Thanksgiving lunch.” In an effort to minimize waste, we made hot dogs, sliced watermelon, cantaloupe, and cucumbers, put out PB&J ingredients, and Charlie manned the bacon grilled cheese station. Kitchen sink lunch was nothing short of awesome, especially after Tate’s cookies were passed around for dessert. Using the sugar rush to our advantage, we blasted music and had a dance party while cleaning out our two SUVs with girls tackling the Jeep and boys the Tahoe. Shortly after, we hit the road for Plato’s Closet and told everyone to find a silly outfit. What followed these instructions were cheetah print jackets, ugly Christmas sweaters, vintage letter jackets, oversized watermelon shirts, a handful of tacky scarves, and two crazy matching pairs of sunglasses worn by Bailey and Lottie. In our new and improved clothes, we went to a restaurant, for our banquet. A special Moonup closed out our two weeks together after dinner back at camp including some hilarious paper plate awards.
And now we are here at the airport writing this final trip update, wondering where all the time went. What a wonderful, memorable, awe-inspiring two weeks we all shared. We hope that each of you have enjoyed following along our journey; we certainly loved writing about it:) Thank you thank you thank you for sharing your kids with us! We are all better for having met each and every one of them!
-Charlie, Edward, and Morgan:)
Camping in Cali!
June 18, 2026
Helloooo again Moondance family and friends!!!
We have a lot of exciting updates and stories to share with y’all after another amazing six days together in the beautiful state of California!
Starting off strong with Day 5, all fifteen of us tackled Day 2 of rock climbing with Yosemite Mountaineering School! Our expert belayers, Grace and Kate, continued with their hard work as Austin scaled the cliffside seemingly effortlessly. After a hot afternoon beneath the sun, Edward, Morgan, and Charlie surprised the group with a local ice cream stop to beat the heat! Ice cream turned into a lake day back at our campsite, and we all splashed around in the Lake for what felt like hours. Lottie and Austin gave headstand lessons to Morgan on the beach while the rest of the group played Spikeball, per usual, yet this time in the lake!! A round of Tips in the water followed suit but with a catch: the losers had to jump in the freezing cold water no matter what. That certainly got some laughs out of the group, and we quickly realized how devoted our crew can be to a game!! The night ended with a bang – ramen and hibachi-style veggies in a secret sauce made by Will, Mel, and Morgan. Will even got creative and turned our “Italian meatballs” into teriyaki ones that were a crowd pleaser.
Diving right into Day 6, we tackled a challenging hike on our way out of the dome! We kept the morale high by playing round after round of concentration and remembering what awaited at the end of our hike. Margaret was eager to reach the highest point of the dome and encouraged others to do the same. The view was well worth the effort. 360º views of Yosemite and all it has to offer surrounded each of us. Following the morning and early afternoon’s workout, our group hopped back in the cars to get started on our road trip to the next camp where we would start our 2 day white-water rafting experience. A surprise In n’ Out stop for dinner got everyone pumped to try out the famous burgers, fries, shakes, and paper hats for the first time.
On Day 7 we hit the rushing waters. Split into two boats, we encountered many rapids. Led by our guides, they made the group lunch halfway through rafting, which consisted of a full sandwich bar. To our surprise, dessert was also offered… but there was a catch. An Oreo was placed on each person’s forehead with jelly as “glue.” Then, Declan instructed everyone to attempt to get the Oreo in their mouth without using their hands. The time on the river finished nicely, as Tuck and Steele led the front of one of our rafts. That night, Declan and Charlotte made a delicious dinner consisting of chicken, steak, salad, and much more. Dinner was followed by stargazing led by Charlie, where he dropped wisdom about our universe that he learned in one of his astronomy classes.
On Day 8 we got going on another day of white water rafting, but before that we took a bus ride to our drop in spot where Grace showed us lots of fun school bus rhyming games like “double double this this” and “bubblegum.” Once we got to our drop in spot we loaded in and took on more rapids. We finished our last section of white water rafting swimming in a pond near our finishing spot as everyone was able to hop in the water and take a break from a long day of paddling. We then hopped in the car to take a trip to our next spot, Lake Tahoe! There was singing and dancing along the way to all sorts of fun songs that everyone enjoyed! We ended the day with a delicious dinner of pasta with chicken and broccoli that everyone feasted on.
The morning of Day 9 was a slow morning in the best way possible. We enjoyed pancakes and once again Ed’s famous eggs. We then loaded up into the cars to head toward the trail, which featured a beach on Lake Tahoe at the end of the hike. Down on the beach, the group was up to many activities. Edward passed the football with Steele, Bailey, Grace, Kate, and Lottie, and Morgan, Bailey, Lottie, and Austin built a sandcastle just before football started. Before hiking back to the top, Charlie pushed for a last minute short hike to see some falls, which Charlie claims to be one of the coolest things he has ever seen. That night, the group was surprised by another ice cream stop, which was of course followed up by blaring California Gurls by Katy Perry on the drive home!!!
And somehow Day 10 arrived, and it was one for the books. A more leisurely morning meant pancakes were in order before we hit the road for a half-day of kayaking. Our awesome guides Maxine and Alison led us through the Lake Tahoe waters and organized exciting games such as sharks and minnows yet kayaking edition! Bailey, Grace, Josh, and Charlie got sharks and minnows bragging rights following their wins. A busy, tiring morning called for a town day in Tahoe City, where we popped into local gift shops, candy stores, and Za’s on the Lake for a waterfront pizza dinner. Campsite games followed, most notably a race to see who could find and eat 7 gummy bears on a paper plate covered in whipped cream without using their hands. Malcolm and Edward had a dance off as a tiebreaker to a dancing game we had played altogether, and we closed our final evening in Lake Tahoe with Moonup!
We can’t wait to touch base in just a few days with some final updates. We are having the best time!
-Charlie, Edward, and Morgan
Hi Mom and Dad, i miss y’all so much and am having so much fun. Thank y’all so much I am having so much fun and am so grateful to have the opportunity to do this. I have made so many friends and have done so many things I wouldn’t have gotten to do if it wasn’t for y’all. Thank you from my whole heart and I can’t wait to see y’all soon. Love y’all so much.
-Grace
Hey Mommy and Dad, I miss you guys! Im having so much fun! We went to a candy shop and I got all of us so much cool candy.I want to stay here longer. We went rockclimbing, and I made it to the top.Also white water rafting was so fun.Thank you for sending me here. I’m having so much fun!Love you, your in my heart, see you soon. Also tell Sadie I miss her.
Love b and boogie
Hey Mom and Dad! I am having the best time here. We went white water rafting which was super fun and we just finished paddle boarding! Yesterday we went kayaking and had a day in town and we found a little mall with a really good candy shop in it. Miss you guys so much and can’t wait to see y’all! Thank you for everything! Love y’all!
Love, Lottie
Hi Mom and Dad! I am having a blast here in cali! We have had so many fun activities like paddle boarding and white water rafting! Tell Jack happy birthday from me! We are heading back to Half Moon bay where we started for the last 3 days and we are going to sail and surf there. I miss y’all so much and can’t wait to celebrate fathers day with you dad and coleys birthday. Love ya guys. Thanks so much for sending me here!! See y’all soon.
-Will
Hi Mom and Dad. I am having the best time ever. The food is so good. White water rafting was super fun and we just finished kayaking and paddleboarding lake Tahoe. Camping in Tahoe was so fun. We are on the way to Half moon bay for surfing. Thank y’all for sending me to moondance. I have had the best time. Love and miss yall!
-Love Steele
Dear Mom, I am having the best time ever! The camp is so fun and everyone is so nice! We have done so much and there are so many things to do even when we don’t have something planned that day. The counselors are also so sweet and everyone has really connected with everyone, also I have not journaled and that is because we have been doing something like every minute. Also I love you so much and I will see you in 3 days!!
-Love Kate
Hey Mom and Dad, I miss y’all a lot. Camp has been a lot of fun. My favorite part has been white water rafting. It was a lot of fun. At night we have moonup and two bears came to our camp site and we had to scare all of them away. I am sad that I am missing surfing and leaving early. I love the group and will miss them.
-Mel
Hey Mom and Dad! I am having so much fun and miss y’all so much. Thank y’all for sending me to moondance because I have had so much fun. Everyone here is so nice and the counselors are so kind. Today we went paddle boarding and I had so much fun. I can’t wait to see y’all in 3 days! Love you and thank you for sending me to moondance.
-Margaret
Hey, Mom and Dad
Having a great time at camp. For the past few days we have been at Lake Tahoe, and I got you guys some gifts and souvenirs. Today we went paddle boarding, and are going to drive to Half Moon Bay, a really nice beach in San Francisco. We are going to be staying there for the last few days. In Half Moon Bay for the last few days, we are going to go surfing, and sailing. Anyway, I hope everyone’s having a great day. Miss you.
-Josh
Hey mom and Dad,
Miss you, excited to get home. So far we have done rockclimbing, hiking, whitewater rafting, Kayaking, and paddle boarding. All of them were fun, but especially paddle boarding and rock climbing. The only thing we have left is surfing, and the sailboat under the golden gate bridge. Right now I am in the car next to a kid named Josh and we are listening to Mr. Brightside. How about you? When I get home can we make pasta one night? Also can I help make it? Alright love you see you in 3 days.-Malcolm
Hi Mom and Dad,
I miss you guys, but I am having so much fun here. . Both white water rafting and rock climbing were so enjoyable. Although the water was so freezing, exploring Lake Tahoe on kayak and paddle boarding was so relaxing. Tomorrow we will surf and I can’t wait. I have made so many strong friendships with both the kids and counselors, and listened to so many great songs. Can’t believe the knicks and sugar sean won!
-Tuck
Greetings from the Golden State!
June 11, 2026
Hello Moondance Families!!!
From the moment our group touched down in the Golden State and gathered in the San Francisco airport, our time together has been full of laughter, fun, and genuine connection. We truly have a special group, and the past few days have been nothing short of memorable and awesome!
Starting off strong in baggage claim Day 1, Morgan immediately jumped into an enthusiastic game of Imposter while Charlie and Edward retrieved our airport pickup vehicles. Before we knew it, we were all on the road to our coastal campsite at Half Moon Bay, where we enjoyed classic pepperoni and cheese pizza from a local pizza joint following Charlie and Edward’s fantastic tent set-up lesson! Josh built an impressive tree fort, and Austin enjoyed chasing seagulls on the beach just steps away from our campsite. A beautiful sunset capped off our first evening altogether as a group, and we enjoyed its beauty while playing competitive games of Tips and hacky sack and having our first Moonup beneath the setting sun.
Day 2 arrived, and we began our morning with M&M pancakes and scrambled eggs. While each of us gave our best effort, our group unanimously voted Grace as our most talented and consistent pancake flipper! Following breakfast, we packed up camp and hit the road for the beautiful Yosemite landscape, stopping along the way for some good ‘ole gas station snacks and an impromptu PB&J lunch in a local park. Boredom was curbed on our long ride with The Greatest Showman soundtrack jam sessions and endless “would you rather” questions for the group. Our road trip came to a close, and we arrived at Oh Ridge campground, which is nestled within the Inyo National Forest right outside of Yosemite. Will and Tuck started our time here off strong by polar plunging in June Lake, just a short walk from our new campsite, while Lottie, Austin, and Bailey got creative with some slime-making at nearby picnic tables. After a long day of travel, we worked together to cook a comforting, hearty meal: spaghetti with meatballs. Mary Ellis and Margaret prepared a stellar Caesar salad that everyone enjoyed.
Day 3 began at the crack of dawn with a cheery wakeup to Upside Down by Jack Johnson. An early start guaranteed good morale as we journeyed into Yosemite to take on the Mist Trail. A world-renowned hike that spans over 3 miles, the Mist Trail is not one to underestimate. The trail’s name is no coincidence; our entire group reached the hike’s end at the peak of Vernal Falls with misty droplets coating our hair and backpacks! Luckily, beautiful, sunny weather allowed for a pleasant lunch at the top: summer sausage wraps (a first for everyone)! Bailey and Austin climbed to a cool nearby rock to watch the world go by before our group tackled the downhill portion of our hike. Upon returning to our campsite, all 15 of us followed in Will and Tuck’s footsteps and jumped into June Lake to cool off! We capped off the evening with some heated Spikeball games between Malcolm, Steele, Will, and Tuck!
Our Yosemite adventure continues into Day 4, with hours spent rock climbing with skilled outfitters. Mark and James, our Yosemite Mountaineering School guides, taught each of us a surplus of skills such as the trusty figure eight knot and the art of belaying. Following a lesson on the fundamentals, our skills were put to the test at multiple different climbing spots of varying difficulty. Bailey launched herself up the mountain with impressive speed, and Kate mastered being a calming and reliable belayer for all of our climbers. We look forward to furthering our skills as we hit the rock wall a second time on Thursday, where we will be facing more advanced climbs!
We are incredibly grateful for the special memories that we have already made as a group, and we are excited for all that’s to come over the next ten days!
Shoutouts!!!
Hi Mom and Dad, I am having so much fun in California. The weather is great and Yosemite is very interesting. Love you, Tuck
Dear Mom, I am having so much fun here! I am having a great time and everyone is so fun and a lot of people are nice. Ok love you, Kate
Hey Mom, hey Dad. So far we have climbed and hiked. There is still a lot to do. Love you! Can’t wait to see you guys! – Malcolm
Dear Mom and Dad, I miss y’all, and I’m having a lot of fun. The group is good. Love y’all, Mel
Dear Mom and Dad, Camp has been great! We went to camp on the beach the first night, and for all other nights we have been camping at cool places. Tell Max I miss him – Josh
Dear Mom and Dad, I love and miss you so much. And I am having the best time! – Steele
Hi Mom and Dad! I am having an amazing time and miss y’all a lot. A few questions. How’s Millie? How’s Corey? One of my counselors Ed is a big Knicks hater and said they would lose, so I made fun of him all night. Well, I love you so much and can’t wait to see you! – Will
Hey Mom and Dad, I’m having a great time. I swam in the coldest water! I rock climbed and made it to the top twice. I’ll tell you more when I see you! You’re in my heart. – Bailey
Hey Mom and Dad, I miss and love you! I am having so much fun. See you soon, Grace
Hi Mom and Dad! I’m having the best time here. It’s so much fun. On our drive to Yosemite we stopped at a gas station, and there were a bunch of squishies. We did rock climbing yesterday and today, and I made it to the top! Miss y’all love you! – Lottie<3
Dear Mom and Dad, I miss y’all so much! I am having so much fun! We are going rock climbing today! Love y’all so much and can’t wait to see y’all! – Margaret
Dear parents, I love this. Love you! – Austin
Safe Arrival in San Fran!
June 7, 2026
Hello California Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in San Francisco! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure.
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
