This annual fundraising event, which happens every January or February during the height of the breeding season, is a rare opportunity that can be enjoyed by everyone, from families to avid wildlife photographers.
To get an advanced invitation, please subscribe to our quarterly newsletter.
What Makes Seal Adventures such a unique experience?
- View hundreds of northern elephant seals at the peak of the breeding season
- Spend over three hours in the preserve enjoying the trails and permier elephant seal viewing area at your own pace
- Consult the team of volunteer naturalists, park staff and researchers stationed in the preserve who will direct you to the best viewing areas and answer your questions about the seals and the park.
Event Details
When:
One weekend in January or February Annually
(Check back for specific dates)
Saturday and Sunday, two time slots per day: 8:30am to 12:00pm; and 1:00pm to 4:30pm
Where:
Año Nuevo State Park
Ticket Price:
$89 per person (plus $7.81 in ticketing fees)*
(three years old and under free)
Seal Adventures will take place rain or shine. Prepare for an outdoor hiking adventure that may include wind, rain, and cold. Recommended clothing includes hooded rain gear, layered clothing, and sturdy walking shoes. For safety reasons, umbrellas and baby strollers are not permitted.
Tickets includes parking in the Año Nuevo parking lot. The park will be open at 7:30 am and light refreshments will be provided throughout the day in the Horse Barn, where you should check-in at the welcome table.
Thousands of visitors come to Año Nuevo at this time of the year to watch these incredible animals, as two-ton male elephant seals battle for access to females, and pregnant females give birth to their pups. Normally, time viewing the seals is more tightly limited to accommodate the large crowds of people.
Your four-mile roundtrip begins with a walk over bluff trails and rolling sand dunes to the elephant seal viewing area. (An equal-access van and boardwalk, to a primary viewing area, will accommodate people who require assistance.) On the way you will see views of the ocean and Año Nuevo Island, observe the birds and other wildlife, and hear the guttural sound of the bull elephant seals in the distance. Arriving at the viewing area, be prepared for a memorable experience as you survey the beach crowded with hundreds of elephant seals—the males sparring among themselves, females giving birth and nursing their newly born pups, and seals mating before the pups are weaned.
Volunteer naturalists and park staff will be there to answer questions about the seals and the park. They will direct you to the best viewing areas and ensure the safety of both you and the seals. Before and after your time with the seals, you may want to explore historic ranch buildings dating back to the 19th century, visit the Año Nuevo Park Store and Marine Education Center, and enjoy free refreshments in the old Horse Barn that now serves as a classroom and meeting area.
Equal Access Van
Año Nuevo State Park provides equal access service to a prime elephant seal viewing site thanks to donations from CSPA, including a 750 foot long ADA compliant wheel chair accessible boardwalk and a transport van with wheel chair lift. While this service is available year round through reservations on the park’s web site, it will be available as needed during Seal Adventures.
A Reminder
Donate and receive Seal Adventure Tickets!
To show our appreciation to CSPA donors:
- All donors giving $250 to $499 in a year may receive two complimentary tickets to Seal Adventures, plus a 15% discount in the stores and advance notice of donor-only and fundraising events.
- And all donors giving $500 and above in a year may receive four complimentary tickets to Seal Adventures, plus a 15% discount in the stores and advance notice of donor-only and fundraising events.
*Seal Adventures is a fundraising event hosted by Coastside State Parks Association, which is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Cooperating Association founded in 1990. Money from tickets sold to the public will be used to support interpretive and educational programs at Año Nuevo and 14 other California State Parks on the San Mateo County coast.
The Fair Market Value of each ticket is $25.50.