Dates Attended: Youth Session 1, Summer 2025
Reviewed by: Anabel Capalbo, Portland parent and co-founder of School’s Out
TL;DR:
📅 Lottery opens in early December
👶 Youngest full session campers are age 8
📸 Photostream = parent sanity
🏖️ Sand. Will. Be. Everywhere.
✅ Worth the wait
Westwind! We first entered the lottery for Summer 2024. Ford was awarded a spot—but when it came time to commit, he just wasn’t ready. I thought about talking it up, hoping he’d change his mind. But I’m so glad I didn’t push. He knew himself, and I trusted that.
Fast forward to Summer 2025: we entered the lottery again, landed a spot in Youth Session 1, and this time? He was all in.
Getting There: Coastal Vibes + Boats!
Westwind is tucked inside a 10,000-acre wilderness area on the Oregon Coast, about two hours from Portland. You can either drive your camper to the drop-off point or pay a small fee for round-trip coach bus transportation.
I drove Ford there and had him ride the bus home. The drive was peaceful and beautiful, ending in a slim, winding stretch through the woods—complete with a little sign confirming we weren’t lost.
Drop-Off Magic
Drop-off was unlike anything I’d ever seen. Bags went into a truck, check-in was quick, and then the kids were paddled across the river by counselors in boats. At first, I was bummed I wouldn’t get to see the cabin setup. But the drop-off felt so thoughtful and intentional—quick goodbyes, big waves, and a real sense of adventure. (If seeing camp is important to you, look into their family weekends or Mother-Child camp.)
The Experience
And then... quiet. But every few days, Westwind uploads a photostream—and it was absolute gold. I saw Ford laughing, playing, and—critically—wearing different outfits. If anything had gone wrong, I know they would’ve reached out. But everything looked great.
Pickup was just as smooth. A voicemail hotline gave the ETA, and Ford came off the bus glowing. Tan, happy, and bursting with stories. He hugged me tight and said: “I miss being at camp.” From a kid who loves being home, that says everything.
We’ll definitely be entering the lottery again this December for Summer 2026. If you’re even thinking about Westwind, get on their email list now so you don’t miss key dates.
