This tour of the Golden State is packed with fun adventure. Hike along Big Sur, California’s gorgeously rugged stretch of coastline, and sea kayak among abundant wildlife in Monterey Bay. Participate in a beach clean-up with Save Our Shores, and learn to climb on a secluded granite dome near Yosemite National Park. Walk among sleeping giants in sequoia forests, whitewater raft the American River, and learn to surf on quintessential northern Cali beaches. Finally, wrap up your adventure with a tour of San Francisco, including Fisherman’s Wharf and Alcatraz Island.
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 Big Sur
Pull on your hiking shoes and get ready to explore the rugged, mountainous terrain of the incomparable Big Sur! We’ll head to Andrew Molera State Park, a rarely-visited stretch of beach—intentionally underdeveloped as wished by its namesake. We’ll meander through sections of the park’s 20 miles of trail through the beach, meadows, and bluffs with views of the entire Big Sur coast. We’ll also head to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, where we’ll have unobstructed views of the 80-foot-tall McWay Falls, one of two tidefalls in California that pours directly into the Pacific. We’ll polish off our tour with a trip to Big Sur River Gorge and take a dip in crystal-clear pools surrounded by dramatic granite walls.
Accommodation: Camping
Day 2: Sea kayak in Monterey Bay
Our next adventure will take us sea kayaking in the calm waters of Monterey Bay. From this inlet on the Pacific, we’ll make our way into the biologically diverse Elkhorn Slough. On the way, it’s likely you’ll see sea otters, sea lions, and harbor seals frolicking below us, where pelicans, sandpipers, and loons will be searching the skies above us. More than 340 migratory birds have been identified in this area!
Accommodation: Camping
Dates and Prices
-
Departure Day
07/14/21
-
Return Day
07/25/21
-
Grade
7–8
-
Price
$3,588
-
Availability
Open
Departure Day | Return Day | Grade | Price | Availability |
---|---|---|---|---|
07/14/21
|
07/25/21
|
7–8
|
$3,588
|
open
|
Accommodations & Service
Community Service: Approximately 5 Hours
- Save Our Shores: Beach clean-up and environment awareness.
Accommodations:
- 11 nights of camping. All campgrounds have running water and bathroom facilities on site. Bold Earth will provide comfortable 3-person tents.
Community service: 5 hours
Hiking
Rock climbing
Sea kayaking
Sightseeing
Surfing
Whitewater rafting
Trip Instructors
California Discovery
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.
It was a rewarding experience for Daniel, and I am grateful that he had the opportunity. I would definitely recommend Bold Earth. They made it easy to take part in this experience. All the expectations were clear, and it was an overall great experience.
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.