St. Johns River Base at Echockotee

Name: St. Johns River Base at Echockotee
Address: 2513 Doctors Lake Dr, Orange Park, FL 32073, USA, Jacksonville, FL, US
Telephone: (904) 269-2091
Rating: 4.1

4.1(24) Jacksonville, FL

Directions Website

About St. Johns River Base at Echockotee

St. Johns River Base at Echockotee is a highly-regarded summer camp, particularly for its extensive and unique range of water-based activities like waterskiing, tubing, canoeing, paddleboarding, motor boat driving, and sailing. Leveraging its Boy Scout River Base location, it offers a dynamic summer experience that keeps kids very active and involved, including opportunities for Scout merit badges and an optional one-night overnight stay. The camp boasts a strong legacy, with families returning for over a decade, and is praised for its organized, friendly staff and effective intervention in social issues like bullying.

What parents should know

Summarized from real visitor reviews.

Best for: Children aged 8-13+ who are passionate about water sports and adventure activities.Scouts seeking opportunities for merit badges and a Boy Scout-affiliated experience.Families looking for a camp with a strong legacy and community feel, often leading to multi-year attendance.Kids who thrive in an environment with a wide variety of active and engaging options.Parents who value proactive and effective staff intervention for social issues like bullying.

Why families love it

Unparalleled variety of unique water activities including waterskiing, tubing, canoeing, paddleboarding, motor boat driving, and sailing.
Offers additional adventure activities such as rock climbing, archery, and BB shooting.
Provides merit badge opportunities for Scouts.
Kids (ages 8 and 13 mentioned) loved the camp and counselors, with staff described as organized and engaging.
Camp director and counselors proactively and quickly addressed bullying incidents, ensuring child comfort.
Capable of keeping kids busy and engaged even during rainy weather.

Insider tips

If considering for younger children (under ~9-10 years old or if they are not allowed to pick activities), inquire specifically about their daily schedule and detailed activity options to ensure they are age-appropriate and engaging.
If structured swimming lessons are a priority for younger campers, specifically request information on how these are delivered, as they may not be a standard, proactive offering.
Consider the 'Aquatics Camp' for children who love a wide range of water-based activities.
For Scouts, leverage the merit badge opportunities available.

Good to know before you go

Families with 'smaller children' or 'little ones' (likely under ~9-10 years old, especially if they expect structured, diverse, and educational activities beyond basic pool time and simple crafts).
If your primary goal is for your child to receive consistent, structured swimming lessons without prior arrangement or specific inquiry.
Not considered worth the money for 'smaller children' or 'little ones' (e.g., 8-year-olds if they cannot choose activities) due to limited age-appropriate engagement.
Younger campers reportedly spent most time playing in the pool, with 'swimming lessons' needing to be specifically requested.
Science activities for younger children described as superficial (e.g., 'unicorn poop' for an 8-year-old).

Value: Generally offers high value for older children and Scouts, as evidenced by consistent return customers, extended family attendance, and kids volunteering as counselors. One reviewer considered it the 'best camp experience he has ever had' after attending many camps. However, it is explicitly stated 'Not worth the money if you have smaller children' due to a perceived lack of engaging and age-appropriate activities for that age group. No specific pricing details are mentioned.
Accessibility: No specific accommodations mentioned.
Safety: Camp director and counselors demonstrated proactive and quick intervention to resolve bullying situations.

What parents say

Aaron Harrell

5.0

"I love this camp. I camped her 30 years ago when I was in scouts and now my kids are camping here. Its amazing to see all the changes that have been made to the camp, especially the water activities. The current ranger is doing a great job here. Cant wait till the summer when aquatics camp starts up again."

2 years ago

Jonni Bravo

5.0

"The kids 13 and 8 loved this camp. The variety of activities was excellent. They are ready to go again. It rained part of everyday but the kids were kept busy. The counselors are organized and the kids loved them. Great experiences fir kids."

3 years ago

Indigenous Scorpio

1.0

"Not worth the money if you have smaller children. They let them play in the pool mostly. I had to request "swimming lessons." According my 8 y/o, making "unicorn poop" was the lesson in science class. Daily, they were sent home with watercolor paintings that were more appropriate for preschool. My kids were begging to go back to their daycare by Wednesday. This camp may keep the older kids entertained because they get to pick their own activities. However, this place is definitely not for little ones."

8 years ago

Reviews sourced from public Google data.