Outdoor camps and courses in BC, Yukon, Japan, Italy, and South America
Immersive, Outdoor Adventure Experiences for Kids, Youth, Adults, and Families
Since 1991, Jeff ‘Willy’ Willis - founder of Fireside Adventures - has been developing and leading camps, expeditions, and outdoor programs around the world. Fireside Adventures combines Willy’s love of outdoor education with his years of experience in youth/family work and social justice to create unique outdoor adventures that foster wonder, positive personal identity, and leadership skills. Our team of educators, families, and youth work together to support our guiding mission, motto, and philosophy:
Challenge. Strive. Learn.
We lead adventures primarily in our home turf of British Columbia and Yukon Territory. But the world is a big place and we have expanded our reach to include Ecuador, Italy, Japan, and Ireland. Our experiences offer a unique range of activities such as canoeing, canyoning, dogsledding, e-biking, parkour, hiking, and so much more. Whether you’re a young kid getting comfortable outside or a group of seasoned adventurers, all our experiences emphasize outdoor experiential education, self-management and social awareness, and leadership skills that give our participants the tools they need to thrive and grow.
“Children and youth are seen, heard, and believed”
— Willy, child and youth worker, outdoor educator, and founder
Celebrating Fireside’s 20th Birthday!
In 2005, Willy launched Fireside Adventures based on his belief that young people needed immersive, land-based adventures that connected outdoor leadership, climate change and cultural education, and expedition skill-building. What started as a side project to a full-blown movement that has helped thousands of young people become more self-propelled through a unique approach to education through adventure.
Throughout 2025 we are marking Fireside’s 20th birthday! In the last 20 years we have navigated our way as a fledgling startup, found our true potential in the Yukon, became active in our reconciliation with Indigenous nations across Canada, survived a pandemic that nearly wiped us out, expanded into countries across four continents, began meeting the challenge of climate change head-on. It’s been a wild ride which means we’re planning something as unique and bold as we are, something reflective of the best of the past 20 years. Take a look and join the celebration!
Explore our top experiences ↓
Upcoming Featured programs:
March 17–21 and March 24–28, 2025 (Mon–Fri)
Spring Break is the perfect time for young adventurers to explore, play, bike, and discover some of Vancouver’s best and funnest urban and outdoor spaces. Our instructors lead weekly small-group and day camp-style experiences where campers explore by transit, foot, bike, swim, and adventure van. Each day is a completely different location, experience, and activity relating to the weekly theme and weather!
March 19–36, 2025 | Ages: 19–30 (co-ed) | Whitehorse, Kluane National Park
The last days of winter in the Yukon have always carried a magical, almost mythical meaning for people all over the world and are a time of great beauty and excitement for Yukoners. We’ve designed this Yukon Explorer: Snow Edition to introduce the Yukon’s awesome winter activities while emphasizing leadership and life-skills training that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
June 25–July 22, 2025
Our most ambitious World Bound Climate and Cultural Leadership course to date, the Amazon to Yukon expedition transports youth to two distinctly magical places: Ecuador and the Yukon. We combine trans-hemispheric Indigenous and cultural perspectives, hands-on climate education, one-of-a-kind adventure-style travelling, and connecting with change-makers, educators and community leaders within the Amazon and Yukon.
Let us know ahead of time and work toward your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award!
Youth Leadership Courses: leadership expeditions for youth on three continents
July 02–July 22 and July 30–August 19, 2025 (21 days)
Explore the ocean and forests of BC and undertake an incredible canoe trip down the Yukon River. Wilderness immersion, consultation with Indigenous knowledge keepers, and our innovative World Bound Climate Change Curriculum combine to deepen your relationship with yourself, your family, and the world.
June–August, 2025 (10-18 days)
Your opportunity to become more self-directed, build healthy peer relationships, gain outdoor leadership skills, and gain new perspectives on current events in your community and world…all within the incredible scenery of Canada’s wild North during an unforgettable two-week canoe journey on the Yukon River.
Let us know ahead of time and work toward your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award!
4 and 12-day options between June and August 2025
No matter which BC Explorer you choose, we will venture out onto the glittering waters of the Sunshine Coast’s Sechelt Inlet. Surrounded by the calm ocean and forested mountains, we’ll practice our canoe, outdoor, and leadership skills while staying at some amazing campsites. If we’re lucky, we’ll even spot some seals, orcas, jellyfish, or otters!
Let us know ahead of time and work toward your Bronze, Silver, or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award!
Camp-style day and overnight programs
July 7-11, 14 –18, 21 –25, and 27 – 31, 2025
Each week follows themes to ensure our BC summer camp experiences are diverse and meet the needs of different campers. We specialize in children’s outdoor gourmet cooking, parkour, introduction to wilderness camping, environmental education, adventure sports, and making space for the best of a childhood summer camp experience. Our summer camps run on the Sunshine Coast at both Porpoise Bay Provincial Park and Plumper Cove Marine Park.
June 30–July 04, July 07–11, July 14–18, July 21–25, July 28–August 01, 2025 (5 days)
An awesome, fun, dynamic and positive day camp specializing in outdoor adventures, kids leadership training and nature exploration for children aged 6-11. Activities include sailing, biking, beach-combing, and visits to a variety of Vancouver hot-spots like UBC, Granville Island, and Science World.
July, 2025 (5 days)
Our signature summer day camp, where we challenge our students to learn parkour and filmmaking while using the skills they learned to create their own parkour film from scratch collaboratively.
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Complete your Adventurous Journey with Fireside Adventures
We are proud to be a certified Duke of Edinburgh’s Award provider. Our expeditions are eligible for your Adventurous Journey, Gold Projects, and other Duke of Ed Award requirements.
Why choose us?
Experts in Outdoor Experiential Education
Click here to meet our amazing team
A colourful cast of characters, each with unique magic, expertise and adventures to offer. And most importantly... small enough for a Fireside Kid to meet each one. Our seasoned campers feel like they are part of a big family, full of role models they look up to and share precious memories with.
Some of us are the industry’s leading outdoor experiential educators. Others have been ‘Fireside kids’ their whole live and are now proudly leading the way for the next generation. Yes, your learner could be one of us one day.
Climate change activism and education
Learn about our World Bound Climate Leadership curriculum
When we realized that our industry had not shifted to become part of the solution to climate change, we created World Bound.
Every single one of our youth programs now includes discussion and action to reduce carbon use, food waste, non-recyclable materials and more, while focusing on the skills that our youth need to adapt and thrive in a future defined by climate change.
Real Community Connection Regenerative Visitorship
Whether it’s Venice or the Amazon, we aren’t tourists, we’re guests who build enduring friendships with local people and partnerships with local / Indigenous operators. We ensure your experience avoids tourist traps and includes authentic moments of connection with the communities you visit. With Fireside, you’re a visitor on your way to becoming a welcome guest.
