PORTS Programs

Bring a park expert straight into your classroom virtually with a live PORTS program. These programs are just for your class, highly engaging, and your students will love you for it.

** Nearly Full **3-5ClimatePlantsSamuel P. Taylor State ParkScienceSTEAM

Fog Friday

In this program, we will learn about the role of fog in an ecosystem, discuss how the plants and animals in this environment have adapted...

** Spots Available **3-5AnimalsPfeiffer Big Sur State ParkPlantsScience

Steelhead Adaptations Challenge

Are you curious about what it takes for both a Steelhead Trout and Coastal Redwood to live long and healthy lives? Do you want to...

** Nearly Full **3-56-8Humboldt Redwoods State Park

Why Watersheds Matter

In this 45 minute program, we will discover watershed basics, signs of a healthy watershed, and the relationship between coast redwoods and the Eel River....

** Nearly Full **3-5AnimalsHistoryK-2PlantsPrairie Creek Redwoods State ParkScience

Once Upon a Redwood

In this interactive virtual program, student will uncover the missing chapters of the redwood forest’s story in Redwood National and State Park and explore how...

** Spots Available **6-8Folsom Powerhouse State Historic ParkHistoryPeoplePlacesSTEAM

Understanding Hydroelectricity at the Folsom Powerhouse

Join us for an electrifying program about the power of the past here at Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park! During this program, we will learn...

** Spots Available **3-5Arts and CultureHistoryLocke Boarding HousePeoplePlants

Building the California Delta: A Story of Chinese Immigration and Agriculture

Join us as we explore the most complete example of a rural Chinese agricultural community in the United States! In this program, we will explore...

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12ClimateHistoryMillerton Lake State Recreation AreaOceans and Watersheds

Water: California’s Most Precious Resource

Come along as we explore how agriculture in California’s Central Valley demand for water led to the creation of one of the world’s largest water...

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12California Citrus State Historic ParkHistoryPeoplePlacesPlants

Working Hands: The Labor that Built the California Dream

Explore the work and the workers that created the massive success of the California citrus industry. Follow your guide through the citrus groves and packing...

** Spots Available **3-5AnimalsK-2Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation AreaPlantsScience

Discovering The Dunes

Join us at Oceano Dunes SVRA for a 45-minute virtual field trip to learn all about how sand dunes are formed! This program is designed...

** Spots Available **3-56-8AnimalsDonner Memorial State ParkHistoryPeoplePlacesPlantsScience

Travelers of the Sierra Nevada Mountains

Join a Donner Memorial State Park Interpreter sharing stories of the diversity of people who came through the Donner Lake area in the Sierra Nevada...

** Spots Available **3-5AnimalsArts and CultureClimateHistoryOceans and WatershedsPeoplePlacesPlantsSamuel P. Taylor State ParkScience

Following the Paper Trail

Learn about California’s first paper mill at Samuel P. Taylor State Park! Following a paper trail is about finding and analyzing evidence to understand how...

** Spots Available **6-8AnimalsMendocino Headlands State ParkOceans and WatershedsScienceSTEAM

Help the Kelp!

Dive into kelp forest ecology and conservation at Mendocino Headlands State Park! In this program we will learn all about keystone and endangered species, kelp...

** Nearly Full **3-5AnimalsClimateHistoryK-2Oceans and WatershedsPeoplePlacesPoint Dume State BeachScience

The Gray Whale Road Trip at Point Dume State Beach!

Gray whales migrate along the shores of Malibu every year in an ever-changing environment. This program gives an in depth look at what this migration...

** Spots Available **3-5Arts and CultureHistoryLatino Heritage MonthMonterey State Historic ParkPeoplePlaces

Monterey Custom House: Trade and Government in Alta California

Explore California State Historical Landmark #1 here at Monterey State Historic Park. The Custom House was the center of trade at a time when California...

** Spots Available **3-56-8AnimalsClimateK-2Oceans and WatershedsPlantsPoint Lobos State Natural ReserveScience

Kayak Quest: Explore Above and Below the Ocean’s Surface

Join us for an unforgettable kayaking adventure at the “crown jewel of the California State Park System”, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. We will paddle...

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12AnimalsClimateEd Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State ParkK-2People

Tahoe’s Urban Bears

Come meet Rubi the bear at Sugar Pine Point State Park. In this program we will explore the differences between wildland bears of the Tahoe...

** Spots Available **6-8AnimalsClimateOceans and WatershedsPigeon Point Light Station State Historic ParkPlacesScienceSTEAM

Lighthouse Engineer Challenge

Lighthouses do all kinds of jobs all over the world! This 45 minute program challenges students to become lighthouse engineers. Students will learn about the...

** Nearly Full **3-56-89-12Arts and CultureCalifornia State Capitol MuseumHistoryK-2PeoplePlaces

State Capitol Exploration

Take your students on a LIVE journey discussing California’s past & present through the halls of the State Capitol Museum in Sacramento. Subjects discussed may...

** Nearly Full **3-5AnimalsClimateCrystal Cove State ParkOceans and WatershedsPlacesScience

Mysteries of the Octopus: Adaptations and the Life Cycle of a Curious Marine Invertebrate at Crystal Cove State Park

Unlock the mysteries of one of the world’s most fascinating organisms, the octopus! Join Park Interpreter Alex on the California coast for an engaging virtual...

** Spots Available **3-5AnimalsClimateK-2MacKerricher State ParkOceans and WatershedsPlacesScience

“The Snail and the Whale” Story Time!

Join California State Parks Interpreter Kat at MacKerricher State Park in reading the story book “The Snail and the Whale” by Julia Donaldson! Students will...

** Spots Available **3-56-8AnimalsClimateMount San Jacinto State ParkPlaces

Footprints of the Forest

Join us for a high-altitude virtual field trip up the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to Mount San Jacinto State PArk and Wilderness! In the first...

** Spots Available **3-56-8Arts and CultureHumboldt Lagoons State ParkPeoplePlaces

Stewards of the Lagoon at Chah-pekw O’-Ket’-toh “Stone Lagoon”

Humboldt Lagoons State Park is beautiful park with a unique ecosystem, culture and history. This program ties together these places with Yurok perspectives on this...

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12AnimalsK-2Oceans and WatershedsPlacesRichardson Grove State ParkScience

Eel River Escapade

Join us in learning about the Eel River watershed from Richardson Grove State Park! Watersheds are all around us and are made up of so...

** Spots Available **3-5HistoryMarshall Gold Discovery State Historic ParkPeoplePlacesPlantsScience

The History of Coloma Told Through Trees

Join us at Marshall Gold Discovery SHP as we explore the history of the Coloma Valley before, during and after the Discovery of Gold. During...

** Spots Available **3-5Half Moon Bay State BeachK-2Science

Shaping the Coast

Schedule your class for a virtual field trip to the San Mateo coast and visit beautiful Half Moon Bay State Beach. In this program, we’ll...

** Spots Available **3-5HistoryK-2PeoplePlacesWilder Ranch State Historic Park

A Hard Day’s Work on the Ranch

Living on a dairy ranch in the year 1900 took a lot of hard work and required working together as a team to be successful....

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12HistoryPeoplePlacesSanta Cruz Mission State Historic Park

Cultures in Conflict at Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park

Virtually walk through the adobe building at Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park to understand the impacts of the California mission system on the world...

** Spots Available **3-5AnimalsHistoryK-2ScienceSeacliff State Beach

Seafloor to Seashore – Finding Fossils at Seacliff

How did fossils from the seafloor end up in the cliffs at Seacliff State Beach? During this 45-minute virtual program, students (grades 2-4) will become...

** Nearly Full **3-5HistoryPeoplePlacesRancho San Andres Castro Adobe State Historic Park

Growing Up on a Mexican Rancho

Explore the Mexican Rancho period of California history while learning about the Castro family who were some of the first pioneers in Alta California. You...

** Spots Available **3-5AnimalsClimateK-2MacKerricher State ParkOceans and WatershedsPlacesScienceSTEAM

Harbor Seal Adaptations!

Students will virtually visit MacKerricher State Park to explore the similarities and differences between humans and marine mammals, specifically the Harbor Seal! Students will observe...

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12Arts and CultureColonel Allensworth State Historic ParkHistoryPeoplePlaces

Allensworth: A California African American Town

Welcome to Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park, a town founded, financed and governed by African Americans. In 1908, Colonel Allen Allensworth and four other settlers...

** Spots Available **3-56-8AnimalsClimateJedediah Smith Redwoods State ParkK-2PlantsScience

Built to Last: Coast Redwood Adaptations

Rooted in Survival is an exciting virtual field trip that brings the wonders of Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park straight to your classroom or learning...

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12AnimalsHistoryK-2PeoplePlacesScienceTule Elk State Natural Reserve

Tule Elk: One of California’s Largest Land Mammals

The Tule Elk State Natural Reserve protects a small herd of tule elk, an endemic California subspecies of elk once hunted nearly to extinction. Tule...

** Spots Available **3-5AnimalsCarpinteria State BeachK-2Oceans and WatershedsPlacesPlantsScience

Explore Our Shore

Join us as we learn about the diverse organisms that inhabit our shore and coastal environments at Carpinteria State Beach. Habitats may include tidepools, estuaries,...

** Spots Available **3-5AnimalsHearst San Simeon State ParkOceans and WatershedsScienceSTEAM

Elephant Seals of Hearst San Simeon State Park

Join us for a deep dive into the fascinating lives of Northern Elephants Seals from Hearst San Simeon State Park. Together, we will observe elephant...

** Nearly Full **3-5HistoryLa Purisima Mission State Historic ParkPeoplePlaces

Step Back in Time at La Purisima Mission

Participate in a historical journey at La Purísima Mission State Historic Park to learn about the history of California missions and the hardships endured by...

** Spots Available **3-5AnimalsOceans and WatershedsPlacesPlantsScienceSilver Strand State Beach

Eelgrass Habitat in the San Diego Bay: An Underwater Wonder

Explore the unique eelgrass habitat at Silver Strand State Beach! In this program, students will learn about how eelgrass in the San Diego Bay provides...

** Spots Available **3-56-8AnimalsCarpinteria State BeachClimateK-2Oceans and WatershedsPeoplePlacesScience

Sharks: Fact or Fiction?

Through a fun and interactive program, students will identify facts from misconceptions about one of the ocean’s most interesting predators, sharks! During the program, we...

** Spots Available **3-5HistoryPeoplePlacesShasta State Historic Park

Voices of the Gold Rush Past

Six miles west of Redding a row of old, half-ruined, brick buildings remind passing motorists that Shasta City, the lusty “Queen City” of California’s northern...

** Spots Available **3-56-8AnimalsCarpinteria State BeachClimateHistoryOceans and WatershedsPeoplePlacesPlantsScience

Tar, Not Just a Nuisance!

Let’s discover the active tar seeps at Carpinteria State Beach! Students will learn about why and how tar continues to seep on our coast. We...

** Spots Available **3-56-8Arts and CultureHistoryOld Town San Diego State Historic ParkPeoplePlacesScienceSTEAM

Stop! Hammer Time!: Blacksmithing in 19th Century San Diego

Step into the past as you follow us on an awesome adventure through an 1800 blacksmith shop at Old Town Old town San Diego State...

** Spots Available **3-5AnimalsK-2Millerton Lake State Recreation AreaScience

Birds of Prey at Millerton Lake

Birds of prey have adapted over generations to become the premier hunters at Millerton Lake State Recreation Area. For thousands of years, predator birds have...

** Spots Available **6-8Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation AreaScienceSTEAM

Prairie City Physics Detectives

Join us as we explore off-highway vehicles and apply physics concepts at Prairie City State Vehicular Recreation Area! In this program we will learn about...

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12Fort Tejon State Historic ParkHistoryPeoplePlaces

Explore Life in 1850s California at a Frontier Army Post

This program at Fort Tejon State Historic Park provides a glimpse of life in frontier California in the 1850s through the lens of a remote...

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12AnimalsGaviota State BeachK-2Oceans and WatershedsPlacesPlantsScience

Underwater Creatures of the Marine Protected Areas

Join us along the Gaviota Coast to discover the importance of marine protected areas (MPA’s)! Throughout our program, we will examine a number of species...

** Spots Available **3-56-8K-2PeoplePlacesPlantsPrairie Creek Redwoods State ParkScience

Redwood Resilience: Forged by Fire and Fog

Join a state parks interpreter from Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park for a virtual field trip to the redwoods! Nestled on California’s north coast, Prairie...

** Spots Available **3-56-8Arts and CultureHistoryK-2PeoplePlacesPlantsState Indian Museum State Historic Park

All About Acorns: A California Staple

Join us for an exploration into the Traditional Food staple of California Native Peoples, pre-contact. Here we will learn about the traditional ways of gathering...

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12ClimateHendy Woods State ParkPlacesPlantsScienceSTEAM

Redwoods, Earth Cycles and Climate Change

As the keepers of a complex ecosystem, the coast redwoods interact with our Earth cycles in many ways. Even as resilient as the redwoods are,...

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12ClimateHendy Woods State ParkOceans and WatershedsPlantsScienceSTEAM

Redwood Anatomy and Adaptations

Towering above all else that grows in nature, the coast redwood is a marvel among trees. Able to survive for over 2,000 years, these gentle...

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12AnimalsHistoryK-2PeoplePlacesPlantsSue-Meg State Park

The Yurok People Are Still Here

Click to explore this PORTS Program.

** Spots Available **3-56-8AnimalsK-2Oceans and WatershedsPeoplePlacesSan Elijo State BeachScience

Jellies: Sensational Stinging Survivalists

Jellies (aka jellyfish) have amazing adaptations that allow them to thrive throughout our world’s ocean. From surface waters to the deepest depths, from the warm...

** Spots Available **3-56-8Arts and CultureCalifornia Citrus State Historic ParkHistoryPeoplePlacesPlants

California Citrus: The Groves and Beyond

During this 45 min virtual program, students will learn how California’s second gold rush (the citrus industry) helped shape and develop California today. They will...

** Spots Available **3-56-89-12Angel Island State ParkArts and CultureHistoryPeoplePlaces

Immigration Stories told from Angel Island State Park

Bring your group virtually to the historic immigration station at Angel Island State Park for a free guided experience. Learn about the under-told history of...

** Spots Available **3-5HistoryPeoplePlacesWilliam B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park

Flat Stanley Discovers Pioneer Living at William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park

Travel back in time with Flat Stanley to experience life in 1850s pioneer California at William B. Ide Adobe State Historic Park. Students will learn...

** Spots Available **3-5Columbia State Historic ParkHistoryPeoplePlaces

Your Life as a Columbia Gold Miner

Students will create a gold miner character, with a name, picture, and background, before taking on the role of that character to write journal entries...