🏀We flew from Barcelona to put two boys through a week at the Milwaukee Bucks summer camp. It cost $350 per child — about €646 for the two of them — and it was the reason the whole trip existed.
Here’s exactly what the week involved, what it cost, and the honest answer to the question we were asked most: is it worth flying across an ocean for a basketball camp?
The facts, up front
- Cost: $350 per child, per week
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00am–3:00pm
- Ages: boys and girls, typically 7–15
- Skill level: all levels — this is not a trials camp
- Lunch: not included. Pack lunch, snacks and water every day
- Book early — places go, and from Europe you’re booking flights around it
Prices from our July 2025 week. Check the current year’s rates before you budget.
Where to stay in Chicago with kids — our quick picks
We haven’t stayed at these three — they’re what I’d shortlist based on where they sit and who they’re built for. Our three real Chicago stays are further down. Some links are affiliate links, which may earn us a small commission at no cost to you.
What a day actually looks like
Six hours a day, five days running. That’s a long week for a child, and it’s worth understanding the shape of it before you commit — especially if you’re jet-lagged on top.
The coaching covers:
- Ball-handling and shooting technique
- Offensive and defensive strategy
- Teamwork and communication
- Leadership and sportsmanship
The coaches bring genuine professional energy to it, and the camp is built around fundamentals and enjoyment rather than selection. Boys and girls train together, at every skill level.
The awards, and why they matter more than they should
At the end of the week both boys were recognised:
- Damian — MVP diploma and a Bucks ring
- Marc — Playmaker Award and a Milwaukee Bucks basketball
I’d have told you beforehand that the awards were a nice touch. In practice they were the thing that came home in hand luggage and still gets shown to people. If you are weighing up a camp abroad against one closer to home, don’t underestimate what a physical object with an NBA team’s name on it does for a ten-year-old.
What it cost us, all in
The camp itself was €645.89 for both boys. But a camp abroad is never just the camp fee, so here’s the honest picture of the week around it:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Camp, both children, one week | €645.89 |
| Hotel in Brookfield, 7 nights, family of 4 | €812.62 |
| Rental car, 7 nights | €196.31 |
| Fuel | €50.63 |
| The camp week, roughly | €1,705 |
Flights from Barcelona were a further €2,310.92 for four, though we built a two-week Chicago trip around them rather than flying purely for the camp — which is the only way the arithmetic makes sense.
The full cost breakdown of the whole trip is here.
Hotel rate includes a travel agent discount, so budget higher than that line.
You need a car
This is the practical thing nobody mentions. The camp runs 9am–3pm and you are dropping off and collecting every day, which means a rental car for the week — not optional, not replaceable by transit.
We rented for the seven nights at €196.31, collected from an office within walking distance of our Chicago hotel so we weren’t crossing a city with luggage and two children. From our hotel in Brookfield it was about a ten-minute drive to the camp each morning.
Where to stay for the Bucks camp
Brookfield, west of Milwaukee. It’s quiet, it’s close, and it’s where we based ourselves for the week.
We stayed at the Country Inn & Suites in Brookfield — two queen beds, a proper included breakfast, and indoor pools the boys went straight into after training every afternoon. Of the three hotels on our whole trip, it’s the one we’d book again without hesitating.
That last detail matters more than it sounds: after six hours of basketball, a pool is not a luxury, it’s how the evening stays calm.
What to pack, per day
- Lunch — it isn’t provided, and six hours is a long time
- Snacks and plenty of water
- Sunscreen and a hat
- Everything labelled — kit goes astray in a hall full of children
- Arrive 15–20 minutes early, especially on day one
Is it worth flying from Europe for?
Not on its own. €646 buys a week of very good coaching, but it doesn’t justify four transatlantic flights by itself — and any camp that tells you otherwise is selling something.
It’s worth it when it’s the anchor of a bigger trip. We built three days in Chicago either side of it, which turned a basketball week into a two-week family holiday where each of us got something we wanted.
If you’re planning the same trip
The Michael Jordan statue in Chicago — free, and worth the detour with a basketball family
Country Inn & Suites Brookfield — where we stayed for the camp week
The Bucks Pro Shop at Fiserv Forum — the afternoon off
Lou Malnati’s Brookfield — where we ate, twice
Our 3 days in Chicago with kids — the other half of the trip
Milwaukee Bucks Summer Camp: FAQs
How much does the Milwaukee Bucks summer camp cost?
350 dollars per child for the week, which came to about 646 euros for our two boys in July 2025. Lunch is not included. Adding the hotel, rental car and fuel, the camp week cost our family of four roughly 1,705 euros, not counting flights. Check the current year’s rate before budgeting.
What are the Milwaukee Bucks camp hours and ages?
Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm, for boys and girls typically aged 7 to 15 and at all skill levels. It is built around fundamentals and enjoyment rather than selection, so it suits children who play regularly and children who are fairly new to the sport.
Is lunch included at the Bucks camp?
No. You pack lunch, snacks and water every day. Six hours is a long session for a child, so send more food than you think is needed, along with sunscreen and a hat, and label everything.
Do you need a car for the Milwaukee Bucks camp?
Yes. The camp runs from 9am to 3pm with daily drop-off and collection, so a rental car for the week is necessary rather than optional. Ours cost 196.31 euros for seven nights plus about 50 euros of fuel, and the drive from our hotel in Brookfield took roughly ten minutes each way.
Where should you stay for the Milwaukee Bucks camp?
Brookfield, west of Milwaukee, is quiet and close to the camp. We stayed at the Country Inn and Suites there for seven nights with two queen beds, an included hot breakfast and indoor pools the boys used every afternoon after training. It was the best of the three hotels we used on the whole trip.
Is a US basketball camp worth flying from Europe for?
Not on its own. The camp fee buys a week of very good coaching but does not justify four transatlantic flights by itself. It works when the camp anchors a larger trip — we built three days in Chicago around it, which turned a basketball week into a two week family holiday.
What do children get at the end of the Bucks camp?
Awards based on performance and teamwork. Our older son received an MVP diploma and a Bucks ring, and our younger son a Playmaker Award and a Milwaukee Bucks basketball. They are a small thing on paper and a large thing to a child — both came home in hand luggage and still get shown to people.
It looks like a great experience for your kids.