Family Adventures at Golden Gate

Connect with your family and the national park by participating in our family programs. We offer a variety of activities throughout the year from observing the fall raptor migration to spring hikes among the wildflowers.

Family Night Hikes and Campfires 

$12 per person
Calling all parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and siblings! Enjoy the great outdoors after the sun sets with a fun-filled, family friendly night hike and campfire. Themes vary and s’mores provided.

**Pre-registration required

• Sunday, January 27: The Night's Sky, 5:30-8 p.m.
• Saturday, March 2: Oceans Aglow, 5:30-8 p.m.
• Saturday, June 22: Life on the Edge, 6-8:30 p.m. register
• Saturday, July 20: Summer Solstice, 6-8:30 p.m. register
• Saturday, August 3: Headland's Nightlife, 6-8:30 p.m. register

Weekend Family Programs

Groundhog's Day Celebration  

Saturday, February 2, 1-3:30 p.m.
$12 per person 
You're invited to journey into the hills of the Marin Headlands as we take a closer look into the science of weather folklore. Visit a nation of newts, discover the secret lives of groundhog relatives in the Headlands, and learn how weather plays a part in the nature around us. 
*Ages 6 and older (if younger than 6, carrier recommended)
**Pre-registration required

Headlands Helping Hands: The Great Backyard Bird Count

Saturday, February 16, 9:30 a.m.-noon
FREE
It is time for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, and we need you and your families help! During this event you will become ornithologists, a fancy word for bird scientist, and learn how to identify Marin county frequent flyers. Then aid us in counting birds during a hike around Rodeo Lagoon. The data we collect will be used to help get an accurate picture of what bird populations are doing locally and globally. 
*Dress in layers for changing weather, bring a hat, water bottle, and sunscreen.
**Pre-registration required

Pinnipeds at Point Bonita 

Saturday, March 23, 1-4 p.m.
$12 per person
It's pinniped pupping season in the Headlands! Grab the family and your binoculars and join us on a 4 mile round trip hike in search of Harbor Seals at Point Bonita. We'll conclude our day with a visit to The Marine Mammal Center where pinniped patients are nursed back to health and released into the ocean. 
*Ages 6 and older (if younger than 6, carrier recommended)
**Pre-registration required

Spring Celebration: Coastal Camp Open House

Saturday, April 6, 1-4 p.m.
FREE, drop-in event
Join us for an opportunity to learn more about our fabulous upcoming 2013 Coastal Camp season. Meet our staff, participate in a family hike, and touch the tidepool creatures in our Marine Lab. 
**Pre-registration appreciated but not required

Family Explorers Bay Sail 

Saturday, April 20, 9:30 a.m.-noon—SOLD OUT

$30 per person
Set sail for family adventure on the schooner Seaward. Navigate the bay, hoist sails, singing sea chanties, and learn a bit about bay ecology during this 2.5 hour experience filled with breathtaking views and one-of-a-kind memories.
*Life jacket provided. This program meets at the Bay Model in Sausalito.
*Children 3 and under FREE
**Pre-registration required

Headlands Helping Hands: Mother's Day in Bloom

Sunday, May 12, 1-4 p.m.—SOLD OUT
FREE
Spring has sprung with thousands of native plants and flowers hugging the hills. We'll head into the hills to identify blooms, practice field sketching techniques, and learn about popular pollinators. Then we'll stop by the Headlands Native Plant Nursery for a stewardship and seed planting project.
**Pre-registration required

Preschool Programs: Golden Gate Playdates

$15 per child, parents FREE with child admission
Join us for a two-hour, hands-on program featuring techniques to help engage your children’s sense of wonder and guide their natural curiosity during outdoor adventures. Gain a deeper understanding of inquiry-based experiential learning while participating in field activities designed to develop your preschoolers’ observation skills. New themes each week.

**Pre-registration required

• Tuesday, February 26: Trails & Tracks, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 5: Rainbow Rocks at Rodeo Beach, 9:30-11:30 a.m. 
• Friday, March 15: Dabbling & Diving Ducks, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
• Saturday, April 6: Super Seas, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

* Baby carriers are recommended for children 6 and under.
* Please arrive promptly at the beginning of the program.