When booking School Tours on different days, separate confirmations must be issued for each day unless they will pay for all tours simultaneously.

Thank you for choosing Año Nuevo State Park for your school's field trip. This confirmation email will act as your parking pass. Please print and place it on the dashboard of each car or bus attending your field trip.

How to Prepare for your Field Trip: 

Please review this Año Nuevo Teachers Guide well in advance of your walk. This packet contains invaluable information about your trip, including where to go, what to bring, what to expect, and important safety guidelines.

Please consider exploring the following resources in advance of your in-person field trip: · Elephant Seal Padlet · Año Nuevo Guided Walks Video · Guided School Walks

Please Note: 

• Your scheduled tour time reflects the departure from the Marine Education Center. Please plan to arrive at least 30 minutes in advance of your scheduled departure time. We recommend students use the restroom and explore our Marine Education Center or video in the Horse Barn while waiting for departure.

• It's often windy at the beach, so we recommend dressing in layers. Programs happen rain or shine, so please ensure your group is dressed appropriately for our local park weather. Students will have a much better experience if they are warm and dry.

• Please do not bring extra people. They will not be allowed on the walk. The maximum number of individuals on a walk is 22 (20 students, 2 adults).

Upon Arrival:

Please show your confirmation email to the staff in the kiosk. Please then proceed to the main parking lot to park. If arriving by bus, please note that bus parking is available in the designated spots. Please plan to arrive at least 15 minutes in advance of your scheduled start-time. We recognize that you may not always be able to accomplish this. If you are arriving late, please call (650) 879-2025, this is the number for our entrance kiosk, please inform the staff member that you are arriving late and identify yourself using your school’s name. Once parked, please proceed to the ticket window located inside the Marine Education Center to receive your passes for the reserve. Please be sure the students have an

opportunity to eat a snack and use the restroom before the program begins. You are welcome to do this before or upon arrival, but we plan to start and end your program on time. There are restrooms adjacent to the main parking lot.

Please Note: No food may be consumed during the walk. However, you may bring snacks to eat during the Staging Area break, as well as lunch to eat after the walk is completed. Food is not available for sale at the park. Please bring reusable water bottles!

During your Field Trip:

Once you have received your tickets from the Marine Education Center, please proceed to the Staging Area located on the eastern edge of the preserve where you will meet with your docent guide. Please bear in mind that the staging area is the last possible restroom break for the next 2 hours. Please plan to reach the staging area within 20 minutes of departing the Marine Education Center to allow for restroom use. Groups can pause here before they meet their docent naturalist and enter the natural preserve to begin the tour. While waiting for the tour to begin, students and teachers can discover several interpretive panels and objects on display.

The duration of your field trip includes a 1.5- to 2-hour walk covering approximately 3 miles. Weather at Año Nuevo can be cold, wet, and windy. We advise that you dress warmly and wear sturdy walking shoes; bring rain gear and a hat (umbrellas are not permitted). For additional safety and logistics information, please review our Año Nuevo Teachers Guide.

If you have any questions, call (650) 879-2032 or email anonuevostatepark@ports-ca.us

We hope that you enjoy your trip to Año Nuevo. We look forward to meeting you!

Updated 7/24/2025