
Scouting: San Diego & Imperial Counties[]
Looking for youth club activities? Several programs below help youth grow physically, intellectually, socially and spiritually. Some of these programs are widely recognized for both FUN and opening great career pathways, improving upon what your children may be getting from home, school or church.
This scouting program features many resources for organizing exciting outdoor adventure group activities and are available for rental by scout groups, families and other youth groups. Also find great youth discount rates to exciting family events.
Scouting Program Highlights:
- Weekly Activity Meeting
- Monthly Outings and Fields Trips
- Awesome Summer Camp Hi-Adventure
- Making New Friends
- Community Service
- And lots of Fun for the whole Family
Cub Scouts[]

Cub Scouts is an active program for children (both boys and girls) in kindergarten through fifth grade and their families. The program encourages learning, friendship and, most of all, getting out and having fun!
We’re all about encouraging boys and girls to make friends, be helpful to others, and do their very best no matter the outcome. With the help of powerful learning projects and exciting outdoor activities, we aim to teach children that doing their best can be a fun and rewarding experience—no matter the difficulty of the challenge.
In San Diego and Imperial counties, there are dozens of Cub Scout dens, with some communities having several options. These dens make up packs that hold events like banquets, fairs, campouts and Pinewood Derby races.
- Cub Scouting San Diego (grades K-5)
Scouts BSA[]

Scouts BSA is the traditional Scouting experience where boys and girls can have their share of adventure in the great outdoors. Develop a love of service by volunteering in your community, boost your leadership skills through fun and exciting challenges, and create memories of a lifetime with no prior Scouting experience required!
Plus, as a Scout, you’ll likely catch more fish, build more campfires, climb more mountains and hike more trails than most youth your age.
As a Scout, you’ll work your way through the Scout Handbook, attend meetings with your friends and go on truly memorable adventures, like winter camping and multiday river trips. You’ll also learn the importance and personal satisfaction of serving your community.
- Scouts BSA San Diego (grades 6-12)
Venturing BSA[]

You love exploring your passions, making new friends, and discovering the world. You’re always looking for an adventure.
Each activity provides an opportunity to shine and learn more about yourself and the world around you. Venturing is youth-led and youth-inspired. You’ll acquire life skills and gain experiences that will prove to be valuable regardless of where your future takes you, all while having a blast: leadership, event planning, organization, communication, responsibility — the list goes on!
- Venturing BSA (ages 14-17)
Sea Scouts[]

The element that makes Sea Scouting different from all other Scouting can be summed up in one word — water. Sea Scouts is a co-ed program with its own language and series of challenges, all of which are nautical.
As a Sea Scout, you’ll learn to sail, paddle, run a motorboat, tie knots, navigate open water and conduct water rescues. You’ll cover the tools and skills of ancient mariners and those of today’s modern fleets. This year-round program creates an excellent foundation for a career at sea or for a lifelong love of sailing. More important, it molds great leadership and teamwork skills.
- Sea Scouts San Diego - (Ages 14-17)
- Youth Aquatic Center at Fiesta Island - Camp participants can learn and have fun sailing, canoeing, rowing, kayaking, swimming and windsurfing.
Exploring[]


AKA: Learning for Life / Career Preparation Exploring provides exciting activities and mentorship for youth looking to discover their future. Whether you’re a local organization looking to strengthen the community or a young person wanting to uncover the possibilities of your future, Exploring is a great place to start.
We hold weekly activities for youth ages 14-20. Exploring leaders volunteer their time to provide real-world career experiences for young adults. The priority of Exploring is gaining practical experience in a career field.
- San Diego Sheriff Explorer Program - Through direct interaction with working field Deputies, detectives and support staff, a young person is motivated to expand their interest in the profession of law enforcement as a career. The purpose of the program is to have responsible young men and women within the County explore all aspects of modern law enforcement. (Ages 16-20)
- California Highway Patrol Explorer Program - Designed for young men and women, 15 to 20 years of age, allowing them to develop the skills and knowledge needed to serve the people of California through discipline and a commitment to serving their community. As an Explorer, you'll attend Community Service events, staff DUI Checkpoints, participate in a ride along in the field, and compete in Explorer Competitions.
- CBP Law Enforcement Explorer Program - a volunteer program designed for young men and women ages 14 to 20 to receive experience in and exposure to law enforcement careers within CBP.
- Aviation Post 120- an organization for young adults ages 14 to 20 with an interest in aviation or seeking a career in aviation. (Palomar Airport)
- Aviation Post 120 (Montgomery Field) Join us to discover the joy of aviation and learn from professional aviators, air traffic controllers, mechanics and other industry leaders.
- Heartland Fire Explorer Program (SD East County / ages 15-21) Our goal is to provide a safe and positive learning environment that exposes all members to the basic fire service fundamentals. Ultimately, this will show members what a career in the fire service is like. This program also prepares individuals to become a Heartland Fire & Rescue Reserve Firefighter.
- Cyber Aegis Tech - learning and competition for youth in the culture of computers, information technology, and virtual reality. From organizing meetups to teaching the class, there are many lessons beyond cybersecurity that the students learn, such as the importance of collaboration, teamwork, and leadership.
- Exploring (ages 14-20) - Many more explorer programs are available - View all local exploring programs here.
San Diego Scouting Stories[]
2020[]
- Goodbye Boys Club: First girls earn Eagle Rank in San Diego - article by famed SD Union Trib columnist Diane Bell about six local girls earning Eagle Scout rank and the challenges and opportunities of scouting during the great pandemic.
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2019[]
- Cub Scouts re-enact famed Mormon Battalion Hike - On Saturday, 30 North County boys retraced a few miles of unit’s historic 2,000-mile trek from Iowa to San Diego.
2018[]
- 92078 Magazine Feb/Mar 2018 - featured cover article on the Buena Creek District (SDIC).
- Once A Scout... - pins the Boy Scouts of America's 75-year Scout Veteran award on her grandfather. (Union Tribune) Buena Creek District (SDIC).
- Oceanside Boy Scout Saves Mom - earns national honor for saving mom's life (Union Tribune) - Buena Creek District (SDIC).
- 2018 Camporee at Camp Wildwood - Ramona church welcomes Boy Scouts to Camporee (Ramona Sentinel)
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Special Interest Groups : San Diego[]
- San Diego Catholic Committee on Scouting - Delivering Catholic Youth Ministry Through Scouting Programs, The Diocese of San Diego. Working with our Bishop and Scout Chaplain, we support Boy Scouting in our parishes as an integral part of the Church's youth ministry.
- Saints & Scouts - The San Diego-Imperial Council's Service and Transition Team designed to assist Scout units chartered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
- San Diego Maritime Museum Scout Days - The new event led by Boy Scouts of America certified instructors, invites scouts age 9-18 to enroll and earn their Oceanography Merit Badge through attendance at one of six classes held on three consecutive Saturday’s at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
- Scouting for Food San Diego - (March 1 – March 31) Help local Boy Scouts collect much-needed food items for the San Diego Food Bank by leaving unopened food donations by your door and/or mailbox during the month of March. Scouts BSA troops & packs will be visiting neighborhoods across San Diego County encouraging residents to donate food to local families in need.
- San Diego Humane Society - we have a number of activities that Scout groups can participate in to learn about and support animal welfare.
- San Diego Model Railroad Museum - STEAM Programs for Scouts -
- San Diego Archeaology Center - Scouts BSA Archaeology Merit Badge Program includes Excavation unit mapping and artifact analysis
- San Diego Zoo - Student Youth Groups -more than century-long commitment to education, and especially to children.
- USS Midway Scout Sleepovers - Aboard the USS Midway Museum, scouts have the opportunity to complete the Aviation and Radio merit badges. Each carefully crafted merit badge workshop will provide scouts with dynamic hands-on learning activities, expert guidance, and exploration aboard one of the most unique and historic aircraft carriers.
BSA Council Scout Camps[]
This scouting program features many resources for organizing exciting outdoor adventure group activities and are available for rental by scout groups, families and other youth groups. Also find great youth discount rates to exciting family events.
- San Diego-Imperial Council BSA - Community Activities
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See Also[]
- BeAScout.org find a Scout Unit in your neighborhood.
- San Diego-Imperial Council BSA
- NST-3 Scouting - Scouting Programs in California & Nevada
- California Scouts - Local Scouting News on Facebook
- Friends of SDIC BSA (Facebook)
- Rancho San Luis Rey Scouting (Facebook) - Scouting in Coastal San Diego North County
- Palomar Scouting (Facebook) - North County Inland Scouting.
- Sweetwater Scouting (Facebook) - San Diego South Bay Scouting
- Rancho Mesa Scouting (Facebook) - San Diego City Northside
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