This tour of the Golden State is packed with fun and adventure. You will explore the beautiful beaches in Santa Cruz, California, take in the rugged stretch of coastline and meet some colorful critters in the beach’s nearby tidepools. Participate in a restoration project with Marin County Parks organization, and learn to climb on a secluded granite dome near Yosemite National Park. Hike to stunning waterfalls in Yosemite National Park, whitewater raft the American River, and learn to surf on quintessential northern California beaches. Finally, wrap up your adventure with a tour of San Francisco, including Fisherman’s Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge.This is one of our favorite Teen Adventure Summer Camps!
California Discovery
Enroll NowCalifornia Discovery
Destination
California
Current Grades
7th-9th
Airports
Arrive: San Francisco, CA (SFO)
Depart: San Francisco, CA (SFO)

Itinerary
DAY 1: Explore Santa Cruz
Put on your hiking boots and get ready to explore the rugged coastline of Santa Cruz. We will hike alongside giant redwood trees and get glimpses of the beautiful endless coast. If we’re lucky we’ll spot some famous banana slugs in the Santa Cruz mountains and wave to some seals in the Pacific. We’ll polish off our tour with a drive on the scenic Highway 1 along the California coastline, until we reach Manresa State Park to camp beachside under the stars.
Accommodation: Camping
DAY 2: Boardwalk and Tidepool Exploration
Wake up and head into town to explore the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk! After playing some games and hopping on some rides, we will head to Natural Bridges State Park where we will explore tide pools and learn about some sea critters native to the California Coast. We’ll play games on the beach and watch surfers shred the waves and pick up some techniques as we prepare for our own surf lessons.
Accommodation: Camping
Dates and Prices
-
Departure Day
07/15/24
-
Return Day
07/26/24
-
Grade
7–9
-
Price
$4,188
-
Availability
Full
Departure Day | Return Day | Grade | Price | Availability |
---|---|---|---|---|
07/15/24
|
07/26/24
|
7–9
|
$4,188
|
full
|
Accommodations & Service
Community Service: Approximately 5 Hours
- Marin County service project: Removing invasive species and environment awareness.
Accommodations:
- 11 nights of camping. All campgrounds have running water and bathroom facilities on site. Bold Earth will provide comfortable 4-person tents.
Activities
Community service: 5 hours
Hiking
Rock climbing
Sightseeing
Surfing
Whitewater rafting
Reviews
This Bold Earth trip showed me how beautiful nature is and how grateful we are to experience the things we do. I made friendships that will last a very long time, and we were all able to connect in different ways. I am so glad to have gone with this group of people.
We really pushed Jess to embrace this trip, which was her first solo traveling experience. I knew that even if by some remote chance she didn’t enjoy it, the benefits of her being on her own far outweighed any discomfort. Connecting with a trip leader toward the end of the trip and learning that Jess was having fun and participating to the fullest was the best news ever. The organization and communication is well thought-out and highly detailed.
Bold Earth is the perfect combination of adventure and personal growth. It’s a leap of faith to let your child travel alone, but Bold Earth eased all those fears. Our daughter pushed herself and proved to herself that she could do all the amazing things the world has to offer, and she made some lifetime memories and friends along the way.
The trip leader Leah was fantastic. My daughter wanted to speak to Leah before the trip as she was feeling nervous, and Leah made her feel very comfortable and was very thorough in communicating with me. Both leaders seemed to be extremely competent, organized, and connected with the kids. We are VERY IMPRESSED! We appreciated the daily blog info and pictures, and we loved that the kids cooked, cleaned, and had fantastic adventures! There was
never a point at which I worried about my daughter.
Surfing was 100 percent my favorite activity on the trip. I learned so much, and I feel way more confident now. I met some of my closest friends on this trip.
My favorite part of the trip was that at every meal, we sat in a circle and included everyone in the conversation. It made our group closer and act like a family.
We are incredibly grateful for this experience for Matilda. We saw beautiful growth in confidence, ability to navigate unknown and difficult situations and a love for the outdoors. Kate and Casey were fantastic educators! We couldn’t have been happier with the direct, loving, and skill-building lessons they had to share with Matilda and the rest of the group.
I loved being able to connect with other people from around the world and learn new things about myself that I didn’t know before the trip. Bold Earth helped me realize that I am more capable, independent, and self-reliant than I thought.
Bold Earth taught me to be comfortable outside of my comfort zone and impacted the way I see the world.
California Discovery was a life changing experience, where you get to meet the best people and have the most fun of your life!