Bringing Groups to Visit

Do I need to make a reservation?

If your group has 10 or more people, you MUST make a reservation to visit the reserve. A trained, Volunteer Naturalist will give you a 2-hour guided tour, inspiring students to further their discoveries of the reef’s many wonders. Our naturalists are friendly and enthusiastic individuals who enjoy sharing their knowledge of the amazing life on the reef.

These naturalist-led reservations are only available to students in grade 3 or older. Unfortunately, we are not able to accept groups younger than this due to the dangerous nature of the reef. (We suggest younger students visit Coyote Point Museum, Marine Science Institute, Wildlife Associates, Randall Museum, California Academy of Sciences or Seymour Center at Long Marine Lab.)

What else do I need to know?

Your group members must be able to walk across a stream, over a sandy beach and across a wet and potentially slippery rocky reef.
You must have 1 adult chaperone for every 5 students visiting the reserve.

When are reservations scheduled?

Our reservation times are scheduled during low tides. View our list of low tides to see the list of available reservation times.
You can make your reservation up to one year in advance, but it must be made prior to the beginning of the previous month. For example, a date in May must be reserved before April 1.

How do I make a reservation?

When you have a date and time, contact the San Mateo County Dept. of Parks at 650-363-4021, 8:00 am-5:30 pm, Monday through Thursday to make the reservation. You will receive a Reservation Permit confirming your visit. Please have the following available when making your reservation:

Date of visit, reservation time and time of departure (Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your reservation time for snacks, restroom break and so on.)
Group or school name; contact person's name, work, home, and cell phone numbers, email address and complete mailing address
Grade or age level, number of students and number of chaperones
Method of travel (bus or carpool)
Method of payment of $35 reservation fee (check, cash, Visa or MasterCard). Reservations are not guaranteed until payment is received, and will not be held while awaiting payment.

Your Visit to the Reserve

Check-in

Please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to your reservation time to allow for organization, bathroom breaks, snacks and any other logistics that may come up. Your tour may be shortened if you arrive late. If you are running late, please call the FMR Ranger at 650-728-3584 to let us know; otherwise we may cancel your tour without knowing you are on the way.

Upon arrival, please check in with your Volunteer Naturalist or Ranger at the Visitor Center with both your Reservation Permit and the introductory video.

Groups arriving without a Reservation Permit will not be allowed to visit the reef.

Your Naturalist will greet your group at the picnic area and provide a "Welcome and Safety Talk."

Directions

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is located west of Highway 1 in Moss Beach, 7 miles north of Half Moon Bay, or 21 miles south of San Francisco. The reserve entrance is at the end of California Avenue. Allow 45 minutes to reach the reserve from the intersection of Highways 280 and 92. (Most buses with students will not travel Highway 1 over Devil’s Slide, so please account for the extra time needed to travel on Highway 92.) Buses will be directed where to park upon arrival. Parking is extremely limited. If your group is traveling by car, carpooling is required.

Clothing Guidelines

Students and chaperones should wear layered clothing, including a heavy jacket. Even when it is warm inland, it can be quite cold at the reserve. Bring rain gear if there is any possibility of rain. Everyone should wear shoes that can get wet and can provide a good grip on slippery surfaces. Also, we suggest you bring an extra pair of shoes and socks for the ride home.

Lunch Facilities

You are welcome to enjoy a group picnic in the picnic area adjacent to the Visitor Center. The picnic area is the only area in the reserve where food and drinks are allowed. Our only restrooms are located here, too.

Help instill good stewardship in your students by encouraging them to clean up the area after use. Be sure to take advantage of the recycling containers.

Chaperones

Remember to have at least 1 adult chaperone for every 5 students.
Chaperones must be physically capable of navigating the reef and rocks.
Give copies of the Tips for Chaperones sheet to your chaperones and encourage them to read it before your visit. You might also suggest they visit our website at www.fitzgeraldreserve.org to learn more about the reserve.
On the day of your visit, please discuss the following with your chaperones:

Emphasize the importance of staying with their groups and Naturalist the entire visit.
Remind them they are responsible for their students’ behavior while at the reserve, especially with regard to their safety, and to watch for high surf as the tide rises.
Have them remind students of the reserve’s rules and help enforce the rules while on the reef. Due to the reef’s inherent dangers of slippery rocks and crashing waves, it is extremely important that all adults keep a careful eye on the students.

Reserve Rules

Please discuss the following with your students and chaperones. Explain that Fitzgerald is a reserve—a special place where all plants, animals and non-living things are protected. To keep Fitzgerald the special place it is, we ask all visitors to:

Respect all plants and animals.

Try to step around, not on, reef inhabitants, and please don’t kick, poke, remove or in other way injure them. Also, please don’t throw rocks, shells, sticks or anything else!
Many animals should not be touched. Ask you Naturalist if you’d like to gently touch one or look under rocks. Your Naturalist will know what is okay to touch and will carefully replace rocks so as not to squish anything underneath.
Walk along the edge of the tide pools. If the tops of your shoes are wet, you have gone too deep, and you may be squishing animals living on the bottom that you cannot see.
Leave all the plants and animals as you find them. (Collecting – and even carrying collecting implements such as nets, pails, plastic bags, or shovels – is not allowed.)
Keep a safe distance from the harbor seals. Each year they return to give birth because they feel safe here. You can help keep it this way by staying on the beach side of the orange cones and yellow ropes.

Stay with your group and Naturalist.
Walk when on the reef. It’s easy to slip when running.
Stay away from cliff edges and do not climb on the cliffs; landslides are common.
Always watch the ocean and be aware of the rising tide.
Keep your hands free by leaving all unnecessary items on the bus or in the car including backpacks, bottled water, paper and pencils and so on.

Cancellation Policy

It is important that you cancel your reservation if you will not be visiting the reserve. This gives the Naturalists and Rangers notice of a canceled reservation.

Within 48 hours of tour: Call both your Volunteer Naturalist and the reserve at 650-728-3584. Leave a message on the answering machine about your cancellation. No refund available.
Prior to 48 hours of tour: Call the San Mateo County Dept. of Parks at 650-363-4021 with your cancellation. Up to 15 days prior to tour reservation, a full refund minus $15 cancellation fee will be given. No refund will be given if cancellation is less than 15 days prior to your reservation date.

Suggested Classroom Activities

Your students will greatly benefit from time spent learning about tide pool life both before and after you visit the reserve.

The Volunteer Naturalist assigned to your group will contact you to discuss your upcoming visit to the reserve. This is a great time to clarify your educational objectives and discuss topics or activities you would like included. To help create a unit around your visit, we’ve suggested some classroom activities below that will help introduce and reinforce some of these concepts.

Your Naturalist will also give you his or her phone number in case you have additional questions or need to cancel. It is important that you discuss your tour with the Volunteer Naturalist prior to your tour date, or your tour may be canceled.

Before You Visit

Introduce your students to tide pool life. If your group is in grades 3-6, show and discuss the enclosed video. Use this opportunity to clarify the educational goals and objectives of your visit and to stress the importance of protecting the reserve’s plants and animals.
Show students the list of Common Plants and Animals at the Reserve and have each student select one to study. This will enable the Naturalist to engage your students in discussion when their animal is found.
Encourage your chaperones to attend class when the video is shown or unit is taught.

After You Visit

Thank you letters, drawings and murals are a great way to help students reinforce what they have learned—and Naturalists always enjoy receiving letters and drawings!
Participate in our annual Poster Contest for grades 3-6. Winning entries are posted at the reserve’s Visitor Center for all to enjoy.