What is Hidden Villa?

Hidden Villa is a nonprofit, educational organization that uses its organic farming, wilderness, and community to teach and provide opportunities to learn about the environment and social justice. Hidden Villa stretches over 1,600 acres of open space in Los Altos Hills California. You can learn more about Hidden Villa’s unique history on our website.

Where is Hidden Villa located?

Hidden Villa is located about 40 miles south of San Francisco and 20 miles north of San Jose. Hidden Villa is in a rural setting and is 4 miles from downtown Los Altos. Basic amenities such as food, grocery,  shopping, banking, and healthcare can be found in nearby Los Altos and other nearby towns.

What’s the Climate like at Hidden Villa?

Summers at Hidden Villa are long, comfortable, arid, and mostly clear. Temperature highs are generally in the 80’s. Temperature lows are generally in the 50’s. A cool fog sometimes cascades over the Santa Cruz Mountains and cools down the valley where Hidden Villa is located. The dry climate supports a very low mosquito population making for a less itchy outdoor experience.

Where do counselors sleep?

Activity specialists, Unit Leaders, Health Care Manager, and Camp Coordinators are assigned communal indoor space located on the property. Bedrooms are assigned as both singles and doubles.

Camp Counselors and Backpacking Unit Leaders sleep on platforms in the beautiful outdoors under the stars. Access is provided for restrooms, shower, and laundry facilities. Weatherproof containers are provided for personal belongings.

Hidden Villa is closed to the public when Camp is in session.

What will I eat at Camp?

Hidden Villa Summer Camp proudly partners with Epicurean Group to provide healthy meals for our residential campers and  Camp Staff. Epicurean Group is a food-service management company headquartered in Los Altos and dedicated to sustainable dining. An independent, woman- and minority-owned business, Epicurean Group is dedicated to environmentally and socially responsible food service management practices. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are always available.

Can accommodations for food allergies or special diets be made?

Please contact the camp office to see if Epicurean can accommodate any specific allergies or dietary requests.

When do I get time off?

The session schedule will vary depending on what camp you are working in (Community Camp, Farm and Wilderness, Day Camp or Teen Programs), but all staff will follow the same time off schedule outlined below.

Over the course of a 12-day session, all staff will receive a:

• 2-hour break each day
• 6-hour evening ‘off’ (this replaces the 2-hour break during the day for this day)
• Full day off (24 hours)

The weekends that there will be no campers on site and all staff are off duty are:

• June 15 – 16
• June 29 – 30
• July 13 – 14
• July 27 – 28

What are some activities I might be leading?

• Activities utilizing the farm such as making sun tea from herbs harvested from the garden or taking a goat on a walk!
• Arts & Crafts
• Swimming in our pool
• Group reflections focused on social justice, community building  and environmental stewardship topics
• Wilderness trail hikes
• Archery
• High Ropes Course Adventures
• Farm and Animal Chores
• Rainbow Tag- a Hidden Villa camp classic!
• No-Fire Campfire program where we do skits, songs and games
• Trashion Show
• And so much more!

Is there any flexibility in the commitment dates?

While we certainly prefer that our camp staff attend the entirety of our staff training to feel properly prepared for the job, please do not let the start and end dates prevent you from reaching out if you’re interested. Please contact [email protected] to share your situation and discuss how we can make your employment at Hidden Villa a possibility!

What does a day at residential camp look like?

See a typical day in the life of an overnight Hidden Villa camper!