Pigeon Point – How Do Lighthouses Work?
How do you shine a light 20 miles out to sea? Come learn how Fresnel lens changed lighthouses forever and helped ships navigate the dangerous waters of the California coast. Conduct your own experiment and see if you can save the ship!Welcome Junior Rangers! Each program will last about 45 minutes and consists of a mini-tour of the lighthouse grounds and a hands-on activity. While children of all ages and their parents are welcome to participate in the activity and tour, only kids aged 7-12 are able to become Junior Rangers and earn badges.
Capitola: Sunday Art at the Beach
Esplanade Park Capitola Village, Capitola, CA, United StatesEnjoy an afternoon in Capitola at the Sunday Art at the Beach event this summer at Esplanade Park overlooking the Monterey Bay. Browse quality artwork including painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry, and mixed media from local artists. This family-friendly event is free and open to the public.
Santa Cruz Mountains Firewise Festival
Roaring Camp Railroads 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton, CA, United StatesGet ready for an unforgettable day of fun, education, and community spirit at the iconic Roaring Camp in Felton, CA! Our Wildfire Preparedness Event is designed to bring together the best in fire safety and preparedness organizations, home hardening experts, and defensible space services, all in one amazing location. Event Highlights: 🚒 Fire Safety and Preparedness Organizations: Meet with local fire safety experts, including Cal Fire, and learn essential tips to protect your home and loved ones. 🍔 Delicious Food: Enjoy a variety of food from our fantastic food trucks provided by Food Trucks A Go Go, offering mouth-watering options for all tastes. hBSQupseOGdbd2U0b8TyJsMIbFbGpZNP8yTUHH5y.png KkzS3tCsILcukmFavjnXvxoQ2VLZA3irxrs7T5bA.png HFe0AefUlRDsHgdUIMxevxigR8Ax1x8sCf0I1OAW.png S & B Food Truck Tacos El Jesse The Rollin Snack Shack 🎟️ Raffles and Prizes: Take part in exciting raffles and stand a chance to win prizes, including home hardening and defensible space services. 🧠Trivia Contests: Test your knowledge about wildfire safety and preparedness with our fun and engaging trivia contests. Win prizes and bragging rights! 🔨 Home Hardening Businesses: Discover the latest in home hardening technologies and services. Learn how to make your home more resistant to wildfires with expert advice and demonstrations. 🌳 Defensible Space Services: Get insights into creating defensible space around your property to reduce wildfire risk. Talk to professionals who can help you implement these crucial measures. 🎵 Live Music and Entertainment: Enjoy the vibrant atmosphere with live music and entertainment throughout the day. This is a family-friendly event, so bring the whole crew! Whether you're a long-time resident or new to the area, this is your chance to connect with the community, gain valuable knowledge, and have a great time at the historic Roaring Camp. 🎫 Event tickets are free: and thanks to our sponsor, Roaring Camp, if you purchase a parking pass ticket here, you can park in the Roaring Camp lot for half off. That's $5 instead of $10. 🚂 Discounted Train Tickets: Once you get your event tickets we will email you a discount code for $2 off each Roaring Camp Train ticket you would like to purchase. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to prepare for wildfire season while enjoying a day of fun and learning. Secure your tickets now and be part of a safer, more resilient community!
Santa Cruz Harbor: Free Water Taxi
Santa Cruz Harbor 135 5th Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA, United StatesThe free, inner-harbor water taxi operates between 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM, on summer weekends and holidays. In addition to weekend service, the water taxi will operate on Thursday evenings during the Crow’s Nest beach barbecues from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Passengers may be picked up and dropped off at the following locations: X1 Gate (northeast harbor) AA Dock (southwest harbor) Launch Ramp (southeast harbor) Please visit the Port District’s website to view the map for all water taxi pick-up and drop-off locations in the harbor. Visitor parking is available for water taxi passengers in the north harbor near X Dock.Â
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park – Redwood Loop Tour
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park 101 N Big Trees Park Rd, Felton, CA, United StatesCoast Redwoods offer a 100% satisfaction guaran-treed! Every Saturday at 12:00pm, we are taking folks on a guided walk through the Redwood Grove to talk about coast redwoods and to experience the forest together. On this 1-mile stroll, we will be chatting about life histories, ecology, etc. and sharing a wonderful adventure among these giants. Click here to RSVP. Let's plan to meet in the front of the Visitor Center, we hope you can join us!
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park – Redwood Loop Tour
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Felton, CA 95018, USACoast Redwoods offer a 100% satisfaction guaran-treed! Every Saturday and Sunday at 12:00pm, we are taking folks on a guided walk through the Redwood Grove to talk about coast redwoods and to experience the forest together. On this 1-mile stroll, we will be chatting about life histories, ecology, etc. and sharing a wonderful adventure among these giants. Click here to RSVP. Let's plan to meet in the front of the Visitor Center, we hope you can join us!
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park: Redwood Loop Tour
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park 101 N Big Trees Park Rd, Felton, CA, United StatesEvery Sunday at noon, the Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks will be taking folks on a guided walk through the Redwood Grove to talk about coast redwoods and to experience the forest. On this 1-mile stroll, you will be chatting about life histories, ecology, etc. and sharing a wonderful adventure among those old-growth giants over 200 feet tall. They say that the Coast Redwoods offer a 100% satisfaction guaran-treed!
Wilder Ranch: Historic Grounds Tours
Wilder Ranch State Park 1401 Coast Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, United StatesDiscover what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. This hour-long tour includes the 1896 water-powered machine shop, horse barn, uniquely constructed 1860’s cow barn, 1858 farmhouse, and 1897 Queen Anne Victorian home. Vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call (831) 426-0505. Please reserve your spot online.
Wilder Ranch State Park: Historic Ground Tours
Wilder Ranch State Park 1401 Coast Rd, Santa Cruz, CA, United StatesDiscover what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. This hour-long tour includes the 1896 water-powered machine shop, horse barn, uniquely constructed 1860’s cow barn, 1858 farmhouse, and 1897 Queen Anne Victorian home. *This is a 1 hour tour that starts at 1PM on both Saturday and Sunday *Vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call (831) 426-0505
Wilder Ranch State Park – Ranch History Tour
Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USAWant to learn about the rich dairy history of Wilder Ranch State Park? Dreamt of peeking inside our beautiful Victorian homes and barns? Join us weekly on Saturdays and Sundays for a 1.5 hour long tour of the historic buildings of Wilder Ranch! Meet at the visitor's center at 1 pm. Pre-register here or join us on the day-of. This tour is free. Parking in Day-use lot is $10. Questions? Call (831)426-0505 or email wilderranch@ports-ca.us
Butano State Park Guided Walk
Butano State Park Visitor Center, 1500 Cloverdale Rd, Pescadero, CA 94060, USAJoin a State Park Interpreter and enjoy the flora and fauna of Butano State Park on this moderate 2.5 mile loop. This hike features creekside riparian habitat, redwood forest, and oak woodlands. Hike includes a short section of steep terrain; trekking poles are encouraged.Meet at the Butano State Park Visitor Center. Vehicle day-use fee is $10.Remember to bring water as none is available in this park!Walk-ins welcome, pre-registration encouraged! Use this link to register.
Pigeon Point Lighthouse History Walk
Lighthouse History Walk with Pigeon Point LighthouseJoin us for a 45 minute walking tour of the historic grounds of Pigeon Point Light Station. Meet by the fence in front of the first cottage. Hear tales of whalers, bootleggers, shipwrecks, the building of the lighthouse, the “Wickies” and their families, and the restoration of the tower (currently closed to the public). Visit the Fog Signal Building to view the magnificent First Order Fresnel lens and explore the exhibits. ADA accessible.https://SantaCruzStateParks.as.me/PigeonPointHistoryWalk
Natural Bridges State Beach- Family Rangers
Join us during the summer for a free 1-hour program for the whole family focused on nature topics. Kids age 7-12 can use this program to earn Junior Ranger logbook stamps and prizes. Weekly topics and themes vary. Previous themes have included: frogs, sand, marine mammals, birds, and many others!
Cabrillo College: In The Heights
Cabrillo College Crocker Theater 6500 Perimeter Dr., Aptos, CA, United StatesThe musical, In the Heights, tells the universal story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures. Where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.
Gizdich Ranch: Olallieberry U-Pick
Gizdich Ranch 55 Peckham Rd, Watsonville, CA, United StatesPlants are notoriously unreliable for sharing their arrival and departure itinerary, so please call the ranch in advance before you go! Experience the most fun part of growing fruits at the Ranch! Combined with fresh air, sunshine and a little sweat, it’s a whole lot of fun for the kids and the entire family. Don’t forget your camera. When everyone’s ready for lunch, picnic behind their sales barn and let the kids play.