Summer BayCamps

Save The Bay’s Junior BayCamp is the perfect way to introduce the younger camper to the fun and excitement of learning about our environment and the interesting animals in it. Throughout the week, campers will interact with live animals through our various touch tanks and will learn about the Bay and its inhabitants through fun games and interactive models. Campers will also explore the shoreline, while learning about some of the Bay’s diverse habitats. Note: this is a no swimming camp.

For Completed Grades: K-1
Location: Providence, Newport
Time: Full Day / 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Cost: $375 for members, $400 for non-members

Providence Dates:
June 22-26
June 29 – July 2 (prorated price for July 4)
July 13-17
July 20-24
July 27 – 31
August 3-7
August 10-14

Newport Hamilton Family Aquarium Dates:
August 3-7

Campers will join Save The Bay staff for a fun and educational week exploring one of Rhode Island’s greatest resources, Narragansett Bay! Throughout the week Campers will be traveling to the bay’s most interesting locations aboard a Save the Bay education vessel, and will have fun swimming, snorkeling, exploring, and learning about the environment. During this camp, campers will travel to remote locations around the Bay. Many locations require the vessel to anchor and campers to wade to shore.

For Completed Grades: 2-4
Locations: Providence, Wickford, Newport and Bristol
Time: Full Day / 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cost: $375 for members, $400 for non-members

Providence Dates:
June 29- July 2 (prorated price for July 4)
July 20-24
August 3-7
August 10-14
August 17-21

Wickford Dates:
June 22-26
June 29 – July 2 (prorated price for July 4)
July 13-17
July 20-24
August 3-7

Bristol Dates:
August 10-14

Newport Hamilton Family Aquarium Dates:
July 6-10
July 20-24

Newport Perrotti Park Dates:
July 27-31

Shipboard camps take place aboard one of Save The Bay’s research/educational vessels. During the week, campers will head out on the Bay to explore and research Rhode Island’s shoreline. Campers will learn to use the latest in scientific tools, gather and study live animals, and explore the calmer waters of Narragansett Bay with snorkeling and swimming. During this camp, campers will travel to remote locations around the Bay. Many locations require the vessel to anchor and campers to wade to shore.

For Completed Grades: 5-7
Locations: Providence, Wickford, Newport and Bristol
Time: Full Day / 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Cost: $375 for members, $400 for non-members

Providence Dates:
June 22-26
July 6-10
July 13-17
July 27-31 

Wickford Dates:
July 6-10
July 27- July 31

Newport Perrotti Park Dates:
August 3-7

Bristol Dates:
August 17-21

This week is perfect for high school students interested in pursuing a college career in environmental sciences. Throughout the week, campers will travel throughout the Bay onboard our education vessel. Students will participate in research while learning from Save The Bay experts about environmental issues in our area. We will have fun swimming, exploring, and learning about the Bay. Topics include navigation, climate change, water testing, invasive species, and much more.

For Completed Grades: 8-12
Location: Providence
Time: Full Day / 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Cost: $375 for members, $400 for non-members

Providence Dates:
July 6-10

All BayCamps have First Aid/CPR-certified staff as well as certified lifeguards (at BayCamps with a swimming option).

Yes! Save The Bay is happy to offer a limited number of full scholarships to families who are seeking financial aid for their child to participate in one of our public BayCamps. Scholarships are available to those who receive SNAP/EBT benefits and a copy of those are required for eligibility. Click here to apply for our 2026 scholarships.

Funds are limited and scholarship recipients will be selected through a computer-generated, randomized process to ensure each qualified applicant receives equal consideration. Each scholarship application is assigned to a single camper for one week of BayCamp in Providence or Newport (check camp links for dates). If you would like to apply for multiple children, you will need to complete a separate application for each child. The application period opens January 8, 2026 and closes on January 29, 2026. Once the application period closes, scholarship awardees will be notified on January 30 and will have one week (until Friday, February 6) to accept the scholarship and complete all required paperwork to register their child for camp. If we do not hear back from the awardee by February 6, the then they forfeit their scholarship and it will be awarded to the next person in the randomized selection process.

Please note that a completed scholarship application does not guarantee your child a spot in BayCamp. Our scholarship dollars are limited. If you want to guarantee your child attends a week of BayCamp this summer, you will need to register for our BayCamps using the links on this page.

No, campers attending a full day camp are required to bring lunch every day. Snacks for all camps are highly recommended. Campers need their energy! Also, make sure to bring plenty to drink, especially water. We do provide water on the boats, but each camper will need their own water bottle.

You should drop off your camper at 8:30 a.m. and pick them up at 4 p.m. You may not drop off any earlier than 8:30 a.m. and you must pick up your camper promptly at 4 p.m.

It is important that our staff have sufficient time in both the morning and afternoon to set up and break down the day’s activities in order for your camper to have the best experience possible, and we are unable to do that if we are watching over early or late campers. A fee may be added if you fail to comply.

Save The Bay runs camps for K-1, 2-4 and 5-7. Each camp is based on “grade completed” levels at the end of the current school year. For example, if your child is entering 2nd grade, they will attend K-1 camp, because their most recent grade completed at the end of the school year was 1st grade.

We will send an email a week before the start date of your camp session informing you of everything your camper will need. There also should be a copy of our “What to Bring to Camp” list on your registration page.

Typically, our camps run with 2 counselors as well as a counselor-in-training. During our BayCamp sessions, a captain will normally be on-hand as well. The ratio of our camps average 7:1.

BayCamp staff at Save the Bay comprises both full-time educators and seasonal marine educators. The majority of our summer staff also participate in our school-year programming. Each staff member has a background in marine sciences, as well as either a bachelor’s or master’s degree in their respective fields.

In addition to our educators, we also will have three captains on hand, each with at least a 100 Gross Ton License issued by the United States Coast Guard.

We do not have a nurse on staff. Our staff are first aid/CPR certified. Please review our medical policies and procedures (English / Spanish) and our Baycamp policies and procedures (English / Spanish) which addresses medication administration, storage and our process.

Yes! Your waiver will be signed digitally upon completion of the registration process.

No, our Junior Baycampers will not be swimming. They have plenty of water play time with our sprinklers and waterslide, exploring shorelines, and taking boat rides, but Junior Baycampers will not be swimming during camp.

Unfortunately, no. Our camps are designed with activities and lessons tailored to that specific grade level. Also, due to the popularity of our camps (most camps will completely fill), we would like to leave the spaces available for the grade-appropriate campers.