Gaviota Coast In-Person Field Trips!

Book an in-person field trip for Gaviota or Refugio State Beaches!

Bring your lessons to life with California’s natural, cultural, and historic resources! Gaviota and Refugio State Beaches are ideal places to explore marine protected areas, sandy beaches, coastal erosion, and so much more!  Programs are designed to enrich learning and inspire students to care for and protect the resources of Gaviota and Refugio State Beaches. 

Prior to your field trip, we recommend you...

• Schedule a pre-visit PORTS Program

• Explore passPORTS Instructional Resources for Refugio State Beach

Field Trips typically take 2 hours to complete.  Teachers have the option of choosing which field trip experiences they would like to include during their visit to Gaviota or Refugio State Beach.  These include: 

• Kayaking!: Assisted by California State Park Lifeguards, students in 4th grade and above can participate in a Kayaking experience at Refugio Cove!  Students are typically split into 2 groups to participate in a kayak experience paired this hour-long experience with 1-2 on-land activities see below for details.  

• Marine Protected Areas: Students will join interpreter Parker Grand for an exploration of California's Marine Protected Areas and their impact on local ecosystems.  

• Kelp Forests:  Students can explore hands-on resources from the Kelp Forest which grows along the California coast-line! 

• Intertidal species: Students can explore hands-on opportunities to discover intertidal species along the Gaviota Coast! 

• Geology: Students can join interpreter Parker Grand for an exploration of the local geologic phenomenon at Refugio State Beach and learn more about our efforts to protect it! 

• Leave No trace: Students will discover environmental ethics to minimize their impact on outdoor environments.  

• Plant and animal adaptations and identification: Using modern technology, students can explore the biodiversity of Refugio State Beach through hands-on exploration! 

• Marine mammal adaptations (skulls and pelts): Students can explore the pelts and skulls of local marine mammals which find their way to the Gaviota Coast in the Refugio State Beach education center! 

• Whale Migration: Students can explore Refugio State Beach for signs of whale migration including bones of local whale species, skulls and much more! 

Once your field trip is scheduled (SEE BELOW FOR OUR CALENDAR) our PORTS presenter at Refugio State Beach will contact you to confirm your activities!  

You and your students may be eligible for re-imbursement of transportation costs for your in-person field trip to Refugio State Beach.  Click here to learn more!