Natural LAW Field Trips: Land • Air • Water – Your Family’s Adventure!

For years, parents and chaperones have joined us on student field trips and shared one consistent wish: “I wish they offered these field trips for adults too!” 

So, we listened.

The San Diego River Park Foundation is thrilled to invite families of all ages to experience our immersive Natural LAW Education Program—a series of hands-on learning adventures designed to deepen your connection to the San Diego River, its rich ecology, and its cultural significance.

These field trips are FREE, fun, and crafted to create meaningful outdoor memories together while inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards.

Explore the Natural LAW Programs

Each themed field trip uncovers a different dimension of the natural world. Families rotate through interactive stations, discovering the hidden stories, adaptations, and science that bring our local ecosystems to life. 

Arrive: 9:45 am

Program Start: 10:00am
Program End: 12:00pm

Roll up your sleeves—it’s time for some real river science!

Families become citizen scientists as they:

• Collect live macroinvertebrates (“river bugs”)
• Identify and sort these fascinating creatures
• Discover how they reveal the river’s water quality
• Explore how pollution and human activity affect river health

This hands-on adventure is equal parts scientific discovery and aquatic fun! 

Punctuality: Please arrive a few minutes before the event. Groups arriving late will not be able to experience the entire program.

Responsibility: Please be aware of your surroundings, as the safety and discipline of children are your primary responsibility. Promote listening, foster excitement, focus, curiosity, and engagement. Encourage observation rather than providing direct answers.  

Please step away to take phone calls to deter distraction.

Environmental Safety: For safety, please remain vigilant, attentive, and engaged. Natural terrain may present unique challenges. We will reasonably accommodate special needs with the understanding that some of the wilderness terrain may pose challenges. 

Dress for Outdoor Success: 

• Closed-toe shoes and long pants
• Comfortable clothes that can get wet, dirty, or muddy.
• Jacket and/or rain jacket (if needed).
• Sunscreen, bug spray, and a hat. - Bring a filled reusable water bottle.

Leave No Trace: Please respect the park and program areas. Ensure you leave these spaces cleaner than you found them, and dispose of all trash properly. 

Lunch: A shaded picnic area may be available. Lunch and supervision are not provided. Please adhere to Leave No Trace principles at the San Diego River Park and all outdoor locations.