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Liquid Starlight: A Family Bioluminescent Kayaking + Camping Weekend in Point Reyes
This adventure ran September 11–13, 2026. See upcoming adventures.
Friday, September 11 — Sunday, September 13, 2026
Imagine dipping your paddle into the still, dark water of Tomales Bay and watching it erupt into liquid starlight with every stroke — glowing trails following your kayak, tiny plankton lighting up like fireflies beneath the surface. Now imagine bringing your kids along for it. … This September, we're making that possible for families with little ones — a true rare opportunity, as our private guided tour welcomes kids as young as 5, well below the usual public-tour minimum age of 13.
This is a private tour, not a shared public one — professionally guided, with 1 guide for every 6 people for safety in the dark, and access for kids as young as 5 that public tours don't offer at any price. Your fee covers that private access plus two nights of a guided camping adventure — FAS will be there planning, running activities and managing logistics all weekend — along with food stop options, the lighthouse, campfires + s’mores fixins and the Outdoor Adventure Lab for the kids.
We're also launching from a family-friendly sandy beach right on the bay, avoiding the long, winding drive to reach the normal launch point — a much easier, calmer start for families with little ones in tow.
Beyond the magic on the water, we'll spend a full family weekend camping under the stars, exploring the historic Point Reyes Lighthouse, sampling yummy local eats, and gathering around the campfire together.
September also happens to be peak rutting season for Point Reyes' tule elk, so keep your ears open for their bugling calls echoing across the hills — fingers crossed we get a show like we did on last October's Moms-Only retreat!
This is one of our last big camping trips before things quiet down later in the fall — spots are limited to 18 people, so they won't last.
WHAT WE'LL ENJOY 🥳🥳🥳
🛶🌟 PRIVATE BIOLUMINESCENT KAYAK TOUR: A private, professionally guided tour, with 1 guide for every 6 people to keep things safe out on the water after dark. Because we hug the shoreline the whole way (no open-water crossings), it's an ideal, route for families with young kids — and gives us more chances to spot bioluminescence glowing in the coves and inlets along the way.
🧒🏽💫 KIDS AS YOUNG AS 5: This private guided kayaking tour opens the door to families who couldn't otherwise do a public bioluminescent tour, which requires kids to be 13+. A rare chance for younger kids to experience this kind of magic.
🔭🐋 HISTORIC POINT REYES LIGHTHOUSE: Perched at the very tip of the peninsula (down 313 stairs!), this lighthouse has guided ships along one of the foggiest, most treacherous stretches of coast for over a century. September falls within humpback, blue and fin whale season here — no guarantees, but keep your eyes on the horizon. We also may spot sea lions lounging on the rocks below (we’ve heard them before!).
🦌🎶 TULE ELK RUTTING SEASON (fingers crossed!): September is peak rutting season for Point Reyes' tule elk — bulls bugling, sparring, and herding their harems across the open grasslands. Sightings aren't guaranteed, but we saw plenty during last October's Moms-Only retreat, so keep your eyes and ears open!
🔍🦀🌊 EXPLORE THE ROCKY SHORES: Where we’ll launch from is a treasure hunt waiting to happen. One of the late afternoon options for families is to pick up dinner and head over to the beach early. Depending on the tides when you arrive, you may get to tuck into rocky coves and little sea caves along the shore, where sea anemones, mussels, hermit crabs, and all kinds of hidden creatures like to hide in the pools — this is the kind of beach that rewards the curious explorer. Bring your water shoes and your sense of wonder, just in case! 🔬
🍕🦪🥐 YUMMY LOCAL EATS ALL WEEKEND (OPTIONAL): From wood-fired pizza and fresh oysters to fresh-baked treats, you’ll have the option to buy your breakfast, lunch and dinner on this adventure with such great local eats available. Grab a pastry in Point Reyes Station, pick up a sandwich and salad in Inverness Park, and cap off the weekend with a kid-friendly farewell lunch with wood-fired pizza and fresh local oysters for those who love them!
🚢🔍 BOAT WRECK (OPTIONAL): For families who want a quick, interesting stop, we'll pass by an iconic boat wreck along the way — optional, so skip it if you'd rather keep moving.
🔍🏅 🔬OUTDOOR ADVENTURE LAB available for the kids when we’re at camp (sometimes we are out all day!) — kids earn a nature sticker for each completed activity (rock investigator, critter sleuth, tide pool tracker, and more!), collected in their own nature journal. Plus arts and crafts and an educational scavenger hunt.
🔥🍫 CAMPFIRE: S'mores, stories and stargazing both nights of the trip.
🏕️🚗 EASY CAR CAMPING: Park close to your tent site — all the joy of sleeping under the stars, none of the logistics headache.
🌿♻️ LEAVE NO TRACE ADVENTURE: We'll talk about what it means to be a responsible steward of a national seashore — and put it into practice all weekend.
🏕️❤️🫂🤲🏽 COMMUNITY, FRIENDSHIP + SUPPORT: Instant playdate for the kids — a great mix of ages from toddlers to tweens, all adventuring together. Solo parenting? Forgot gear? Need help with your tent? We've got you.
🐐🐐🐐 Oh, and one more thing — our campground has a resident herd of goats that typically roam the grounds (not a guarantee; we’ve seen and not seen them in the past). They are ridiculously cute and the kids absolutely love them. Consider it a bonus farm animal experience!
This is our idea of SUMMER CAMP for kids — but it's for the whole family, and we get to explore a different amazing park every time. You will make wonderful memories with your family and friends. 🏕️❤️🫂🤲🏽
Campground Amenities
🚗 Car camping — park right next to your tent site
🏕️ Tent camping + pop-up tents on vehicles
🔥 Fire rings and picnic tables at every site (campfire subject to park conditions; we can use a gas stove for s'mores if needed)
🚽 Modern flush toilets near campsites
🚿 Free hot showers, cleaned daily
🛒 Small on-site camp store for essentials
👕 Laundromat on site
🛝 Fenced playground + volleyball and shuffleboard courts
🐶 Dog park on site (but dogs aren’t allowed on Point Reyes’ trails)
💧 Drinking water throughout the campground
🗑️ Trash and recycling facilities
💡 No electricity at tent sites — bring headlamps or lanterns!
Campsites Description
We've booked several adjoining campsites so our group will be together in one area — think big communal backyard energy. 🏕️
Sites are open and grassy with minimal shade, and mostly flat — easy to set up and great for kids to run around. There's a small creek nearby (more of a gentle trickle, but the kids will find it 😄).
Coming with friends? Please let us know on the sign-up form and we'll do our best to place you on the same campsite. 🙌🏾
Difficulty Level: Easy
Car camping at Olema Campground — drive right in and park close to your tent site.
Hikes are easy and well-maintained, with minimal elevation change — perfect for little legs and families carrying kids. We'll make plenty of stops to explore, snack and play.
Kayaking equipment and a safety briefing are provided at the beach. Kids paddle with a parent. Children as young as 5 are welcome.
All activities are family-friendly and suitable for all ages.
Weather
Mid-September in Olema/Tomales Bay is often one of the nicest stretches of the year — the summer fog eases up and the light gets clearer and sharper over the bay and headlands.
Daytime temps run in the upper 60s to mid-70s, with nights at the campground dropping into the upper 40s to mid-50s. A season-3 sleeping bag is still a solid choice for overnight comfort. Layers are your best friend — mornings and evenings can be cool even on warm days, and a light jacket is encouraged, especially out on the headlands.
I'll be keeping an eye on the weather and will advise you as we get closer to the trip. Upper 40s can be warm for some but cool for others. Here are some tips to keep you warm overnight: https://www.familyadventuresquad.org/blog/winter-camping-tips
This adventure ran September 11–13, 2026. See upcoming adventures.
Friday, September 11 — Sunday, September 13, 2026
Imagine dipping your paddle into the still, dark water of Tomales Bay and watching it erupt into liquid starlight with every stroke — glowing trails following your kayak, tiny plankton lighting up like fireflies beneath the surface. Now imagine bringing your kids along for it. … This September, we're making that possible for families with little ones — a true rare opportunity, as our private guided tour welcomes kids as young as 5, well below the usual public-tour minimum age of 13.
This is a private tour, not a shared public one — professionally guided, with 1 guide for every 6 people for safety in the dark, and access for kids as young as 5 that public tours don't offer at any price. Your fee covers that private access plus two nights of a guided camping adventure — FAS will be there planning, running activities and managing logistics all weekend — along with food stop options, the lighthouse, campfires + s’mores fixins and the Outdoor Adventure Lab for the kids.
We're also launching from a family-friendly sandy beach right on the bay, avoiding the long, winding drive to reach the normal launch point — a much easier, calmer start for families with little ones in tow.
Beyond the magic on the water, we'll spend a full family weekend camping under the stars, exploring the historic Point Reyes Lighthouse, sampling yummy local eats, and gathering around the campfire together.
September also happens to be peak rutting season for Point Reyes' tule elk, so keep your ears open for their bugling calls echoing across the hills — fingers crossed we get a show like we did on last October's Moms-Only retreat!
This is one of our last big camping trips before things quiet down later in the fall — spots are limited to 18 people, so they won't last.
WHAT WE'LL ENJOY 🥳🥳🥳
🛶🌟 PRIVATE BIOLUMINESCENT KAYAK TOUR: A private, professionally guided tour, with 1 guide for every 6 people to keep things safe out on the water after dark. Because we hug the shoreline the whole way (no open-water crossings), it's an ideal, route for families with young kids — and gives us more chances to spot bioluminescence glowing in the coves and inlets along the way.
🧒🏽💫 KIDS AS YOUNG AS 5: This private guided kayaking tour opens the door to families who couldn't otherwise do a public bioluminescent tour, which requires kids to be 13+. A rare chance for younger kids to experience this kind of magic.
🔭🐋 HISTORIC POINT REYES LIGHTHOUSE: Perched at the very tip of the peninsula (down 313 stairs!), this lighthouse has guided ships along one of the foggiest, most treacherous stretches of coast for over a century. September falls within humpback, blue and fin whale season here — no guarantees, but keep your eyes on the horizon. We also may spot sea lions lounging on the rocks below (we’ve heard them before!).
🦌🎶 TULE ELK RUTTING SEASON (fingers crossed!): September is peak rutting season for Point Reyes' tule elk — bulls bugling, sparring, and herding their harems across the open grasslands. Sightings aren't guaranteed, but we saw plenty during last October's Moms-Only retreat, so keep your eyes and ears open!
🔍🦀🌊 EXPLORE THE ROCKY SHORES: Where we’ll launch from is a treasure hunt waiting to happen. One of the late afternoon options for families is to pick up dinner and head over to the beach early. Depending on the tides when you arrive, you may get to tuck into rocky coves and little sea caves along the shore, where sea anemones, mussels, hermit crabs, and all kinds of hidden creatures like to hide in the pools — this is the kind of beach that rewards the curious explorer. Bring your water shoes and your sense of wonder, just in case! 🔬
🍕🦪🥐 YUMMY LOCAL EATS ALL WEEKEND (OPTIONAL): From wood-fired pizza and fresh oysters to fresh-baked treats, you’ll have the option to buy your breakfast, lunch and dinner on this adventure with such great local eats available. Grab a pastry in Point Reyes Station, pick up a sandwich and salad in Inverness Park, and cap off the weekend with a kid-friendly farewell lunch with wood-fired pizza and fresh local oysters for those who love them!
🚢🔍 BOAT WRECK (OPTIONAL): For families who want a quick, interesting stop, we'll pass by an iconic boat wreck along the way — optional, so skip it if you'd rather keep moving.
🔍🏅 🔬OUTDOOR ADVENTURE LAB available for the kids when we’re at camp (sometimes we are out all day!) — kids earn a nature sticker for each completed activity (rock investigator, critter sleuth, tide pool tracker, and more!), collected in their own nature journal. Plus arts and crafts and an educational scavenger hunt.
🔥🍫 CAMPFIRE: S'mores, stories and stargazing both nights of the trip.
🏕️🚗 EASY CAR CAMPING: Park close to your tent site — all the joy of sleeping under the stars, none of the logistics headache.
🌿♻️ LEAVE NO TRACE ADVENTURE: We'll talk about what it means to be a responsible steward of a national seashore — and put it into practice all weekend.
🏕️❤️🫂🤲🏽 COMMUNITY, FRIENDSHIP + SUPPORT: Instant playdate for the kids — a great mix of ages from toddlers to tweens, all adventuring together. Solo parenting? Forgot gear? Need help with your tent? We've got you.
🐐🐐🐐 Oh, and one more thing — our campground has a resident herd of goats that typically roam the grounds (not a guarantee; we’ve seen and not seen them in the past). They are ridiculously cute and the kids absolutely love them. Consider it a bonus farm animal experience!
This is our idea of SUMMER CAMP for kids — but it's for the whole family, and we get to explore a different amazing park every time. You will make wonderful memories with your family and friends. 🏕️❤️🫂🤲🏽
Campground Amenities
🚗 Car camping — park right next to your tent site
🏕️ Tent camping + pop-up tents on vehicles
🔥 Fire rings and picnic tables at every site (campfire subject to park conditions; we can use a gas stove for s'mores if needed)
🚽 Modern flush toilets near campsites
🚿 Free hot showers, cleaned daily
🛒 Small on-site camp store for essentials
👕 Laundromat on site
🛝 Fenced playground + volleyball and shuffleboard courts
🐶 Dog park on site (but dogs aren’t allowed on Point Reyes’ trails)
💧 Drinking water throughout the campground
🗑️ Trash and recycling facilities
💡 No electricity at tent sites — bring headlamps or lanterns!
Campsites Description
We've booked several adjoining campsites so our group will be together in one area — think big communal backyard energy. 🏕️
Sites are open and grassy with minimal shade, and mostly flat — easy to set up and great for kids to run around. There's a small creek nearby (more of a gentle trickle, but the kids will find it 😄).
Coming with friends? Please let us know on the sign-up form and we'll do our best to place you on the same campsite. 🙌🏾
Difficulty Level: Easy
Car camping at Olema Campground — drive right in and park close to your tent site.
Hikes are easy and well-maintained, with minimal elevation change — perfect for little legs and families carrying kids. We'll make plenty of stops to explore, snack and play.
Kayaking equipment and a safety briefing are provided at the beach. Kids paddle with a parent. Children as young as 5 are welcome.
All activities are family-friendly and suitable for all ages.
Weather
Mid-September in Olema/Tomales Bay is often one of the nicest stretches of the year — the summer fog eases up and the light gets clearer and sharper over the bay and headlands.
Daytime temps run in the upper 60s to mid-70s, with nights at the campground dropping into the upper 40s to mid-50s. A season-3 sleeping bag is still a solid choice for overnight comfort. Layers are your best friend — mornings and evenings can be cool even on warm days, and a light jacket is encouraged, especially out on the headlands.
I'll be keeping an eye on the weather and will advise you as we get closer to the trip. Upper 40s can be warm for some but cool for others. Here are some tips to keep you warm overnight: https://www.familyadventuresquad.org/blog/winter-camping-tips