Compare 18+ Space & Aviation programs in Orange County — day camps, summer programs, and university pre-college options for kids, teens & high schoolers. Free directory with prices & dates.
Refreshed weekly · Last updated Jul 14, 2026
Junior astronauts embark on a galactic journey, exploring astronomy through sensory-based STEM activities, physics through play, and building galaxies.
Age Group
Elementary
Location
Multiple Locations in Orange County
Phone
(818) 216-4042
Kids are wowed by space-themed experiments, exploring planets, rockets, and the solar system through hands-on activities and demonstrations.
Age Group
Elementary
Location
Multiple Locations in Orange County
Phone
(714) 668-9174
Students learn about aerospace, teamwork, rocket design, and launch operations through hands-on activities, working with mentors.
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
850 N. Birch Street, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Phone
N/A
A one-week program for community college students to design, build, and launch a rocketry prototype, learning aerodynamics, propulsion, and AI applications, culminating in NAR certification.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
300 Rockwell Engineering Center, Irvine, CA 92697-2750
Phone
(949) 824-2871
Campers aged 8-17 engage in educational programs focused on science and space exploration, combining hands-on activities with outdoor mountain adventures.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
26800 Saunders Meadow Rd. Idyllwild, CA, 92549
Phone
(800) 645-1423
Students learn aviation fundamentals through ground school and flight simulator practice, culminating in flying a real plane with a certified instructor.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
7601 Merrill Avenue, Building B110 Hangars A & B, Chino, CA 91710
Phone
(909) 597-6292
Students explore rocketry and engineering through hands-on activities, developing STEM skills in a college environment.
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA
Phone
(949) 582-4646
Young space explorers engage in STEM, art, and sports activities, including weekly splash missions at the aquatic center and exciting excursions.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
Multiple Locations
Phone
949-425-2550
Campers build a foundational understanding of science, including building rockets, through hands-on experiments covering scientific methods and natural sciences.
Age Group
Elementary
Location
2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Phone
(714) 714-7430
Aspiring aviators learn aerodynamics, aircraft navigation, and performance, with flight simulators and a real flight opportunity.
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
Fullerton Municipal Airport, West Commonwealth Avenue, Fullerton, CA, USA
Phone
562.424.7317
Students build real balsa wood aircraft, test powered flight, and learn aerospace engineering from experienced engineers. [cite: 1_2, 1_3, 1_5]
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
Multiple Locations (Orange, San Juan Capistrano, CA)
Phone
657-432-9042
Students aged 11-14 recreate famous science experiments to understand how we pieced together knowledge about the universe, including special and general relativity.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
2701 Fairview Rd, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Phone
N/A
Kids ages 9-16 explore the excitement of flight through model airplane building, flight simulators, aircraft walk-arounds, and drone flying, guided by real pilots and educators.
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
Fullerton, CA
Phone
N/A
Students ages 8-16 learn aerodynamics and flying skills through ground school, Redbird simulator sessions, a field trip to Lyon Air Museum, and optional real Cessna 172 flights over 3 days.
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
3195 Red Hill Ave Suite F, Costa Mesa, CA
Phone
(949) 520-3852
A structured, college-level foundation course in aerospace engineering, taught live online over 6 weeks. Every session pairs strong concept-building with a hands-on lab in college-level simulators, and students design and defend a capstone mission at the end. No prior aerospace experience required.
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
Research Ignited Online Platform
Phone
+1 (919) 213-1821
Advanced 1:1 mentor-guided fellowship where high school students conduct an original aerospace research project — from aviation safety and drones to satellites, space medicine, and sustainable aviation — and produce a serious deliverable for college applications, with optional journal-publication support.
Age Group
High School
Location
Research Ignited Online Platform
Phone
+1 (919) 213-1821
Girls explore aerospace and space science through hands-on STEM activities, learning physics, engineering, and challenges of space missions.
Age Group
Elementary
Location
Irvine Valley College, 5500 Irvine Center Dr, Irvine, CA 92618
Phone
(714) 597-8600
Campers explore the universe by launching various rockets, learning about comets, constellations, and galaxies through engaging hands-on activities.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
CYC China Cove (LR), Newport Beach, CA
Phone
(714) 589-6184
Summer camps are great, but the real portfolio comes from competing. See every FIRST Robotics team in CA — plus pathways, deadlines, and pick lists for math, coding, science, and research competitions.
Looking for a STEM summer camp near you? This free Orange County directory lists 197+ local and online programs across the Orange County metro area — including AI, coding, robotics, science, and math camps for kids, middle schoolers, and high school students. Compare prices, dates, age groups, and formats, then filter by focus area above to find the closest match for Summer 2026.
We list 197+ STEM summer camps in Orange County, CA across AI & machine learning, coding, robotics, science, math, space, and cybersecurity. Top picks vary by your child's age and interests — use the category filters above to compare programs by price, duration, and format.
Prices in our Orange County directory range from free community programs to $3,000+ for university-hosted pre-college tracks. Most full-day weekly camps run $400–$900 per week; specialized AI and research programs typically run $1,000–$2,500 for the full program. Click any camp for current pricing.
Camps in our Orange County listings cover elementary (typically ages 6–10), middle school (11–13), high school (14–18), and selective pre-college research programs for rising seniors. Filter by age group to see only programs that match your child.
Yes — many of our listed programs offer fully online or hybrid formats, especially in AI, coding, and research. Online options are open to students nationwide, including Orange County-area kids who can't travel to an in-person camp. Look for the “Virtual Camp” filter or any program tagged Online / Hybrid in the details.
Yes. Several listings are pre-college programs hosted by universities — including residential and commuter options. These are competitive admissions with applications often closing in March/April for summer cohorts. Use the Pre-College filter at the top to see only these programs.
