Interested in a Field Trip?
Please fill out the "Field Trip Interest Questionnaire" toward the bottom of the page!

Attention Group Coordinators!

Group Coordinator is invited to attend for free, with a 25 student minimum.
Group coordinator will also receive a $50 or $100 gift certificate for personal use to another event as a thank you for booking with us!

Inquire for more details!

Ask about discounts for student groups of 61 or more!

Julian Homestead

Preschool and up - 25 student min
$12/adult; $20/student for day trip bookings

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        After a long journey headed west, it's time to settle in and work the farm! 
With no modern conveniences available nearby, we need to be self sufficient if we're going to make it on our own! 
Julian's homesteading history began in the mid 1800's, and the property of Fort Cross is chalk full of genuine stories of that early time. Every activity station will include real stories from the history of the surrounding area, and important people from Julian's past. 
Click here to see photos of what to expect during a typical Julian Homestead Tour!

 

Hayride: with old fashioned folk song sing alongs 

Hoedown: Folk dancing with jug band participation

Old Time Games: Walking on stilts, tug-o-war, hoops & sticks, game of graces, gunnysack race (time restraints may limit how many games are played)

Frontier Chores: Laundry, gathering sticks for the fire, dough rolling, and butter making the old fashioned way! Candle dipping, too! Yours to keep!

Farming: Plowing and gardening. Plant a seed to take home!

Animals: Help feed and take care of the animals while learning the important role that they played in early California frontier life.

Craft: Make an old fashioned toy such as a corn husk doll or whirligig!


 

The Native Experience 

Suggested for 3rd grade and up - 25 student minimum
$5/toddler; $12/adult; $20/student for day trip bookings

 

     Learn about the cultures of Native American tribes through the eyes of the pioneers and westward explorers! Some tribes in the surrounding area include the Cahuilla and the Kumeyaay, who were native to the land that Fort Cross now rests on. 
 

Jewelry Making: Make a bead necklace. Yours to keep! Archery: Would you make a good warrior hunter?
Tomahawk Throwing: A common tool, but we will be using these little axes for some fun target practice!

Spear Toss: It takes great precision and strength to hit your target with a spear. How hard do you think it will be? How much practice in order to master this hunting technique? We will be practicing with long sticks instead of sharpened spears. 
Native Village: Wikkiup building with Yucca Weaving, corn grinding, and hide identification. Gain a new perspective on native life through the eyes of a mountain man.
Nature Walk: Learn about the plant and animal life in our area of California. Find out their uses and how to identify them!

Animals & Reptiles: Learn about some of the native animals that were important to know about. 

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Colonial Life
Suggested for 5th grade and up - 25 student minimum
$5 toddler; $12/adult; $20/student for day trip bookings

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In the days of the early settlements leading up to the Revolutionary War, come live the life of a Colonial American for a day!

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Blacksmith: One of the most important trades of the Colonial era. Blacksmith demonstration.
Surgeon Station: The tools of a field surgeon are put to use with explanations of why things were done the way they were.
Tinsmith: Create your own piece of tinsmith art, in the same fashion as the lantern used during Paul Revere's famous ride.
Dance Etiquette: Manners were important for gentleman and ladies during festive social gatherings of the time. 
Farm Animal Visit: Raising your own livestock was so important during Colonial times.
Weaponry: A period rifle presentation. No ammunition.
Bill of Rights: Know your rights! Let's discuss what the Bill of Rights consist of, and why they are important to all Americans!
Colonial Militia: Learn how to drill and march as you enlist in the Colonial Militia. Participate in a mock battle as time allows.
 

 

California History 

Suggested for 4th grade and up - 25 student minimum
$12/adult; $20/student for day trip bookings

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From the Rancheros to the 49ers, learn about the early days of California! Take home some treasures!
 

Adobe Brick Making: An overview of California Missions with hands-on adobe brick making.
Gold Panning and sluicing: Find out how to identify real gold and learn the miner's panning technique.
Music & Hoedown: Folk dancing with jug band participation! One of the ways the town would gather together for some fun!
Tomahawk Throwing: At the end of a long day of hard labor, miners and mountain men would enjoy throwing a few axes.

Rope Making & Rope Games: Simple mechanics, some twine, and a little elbow grease is all it takes to make a rope! Then we'll prepare to be cowboys by learning how to lasso! And then we'll see who can win a game of tug o'war!
Native: Overview of Native history
Mountain Man Camp: Visit the lonely camp with the lean-to shelter and help identify the different furs and hides. 
Reptiles: Learn about some native critters and others that were traded from far and wide.

 

 

 

High Adventure

Suggested for 4th grade and up - 20 student minimum
$5 toddler; $12/adult; $25/student for day trip bookings

 

An overview of survival training with a lot of fun stops along the way!

 

Nature Walk: Onsite Nature Walk with Plant Identification 
Archery: We will teach you the proper technique so you can shoot on your own!
Tomahawk Throw: They're little axes and we'll show you how to throw 'em!
Cabin Building: log sawing, wood splitting, shingle making

Survival Workshop: fire making, wild edibles identification, shelter making

Slingshot Range: Visit our ghost town and shoot it up!

Reptile Show: See an assortment of reptiles and learn who and what they are

 

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Seasonal Programs

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Spring Spectacular!
Suggested for ages 4 through adult; 25 student minimum

$12/adult; $20/student for day trip bookings
Available March and April
 

Come celebrate Spring with us as we welcome the lilacs into bloom!
With a 50 year old grove full of 5 acres of lilacs, there is definitely a lot to learn about plants and flowers! Discover the history of Fort Cross during this special seasonal educational event.

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Tour of the Lilac Grove - Woody Barnes is a very important figure in the history of Fort Cross. Having planted several varieties of award winning lilacs here, we'll show you all that he's done!
Spring Painting Craft: Be creative as you paint a flower vase, birdhouse, or other spring craft. Yours to keep!

Petting Zoo: Come meet our farm friends! Olivia the pig, Humperdink the goat, Buttercup the sheep! Chickens and bunnies too!
Gardening & Seed Planting: Tend the garden and learn the basics with the use of garden tools. Plant a seed to take home for a garden of your own!
Kazoo Making: Make a simple kazoo and have fun as we make music together!
Hayride: A fun and musical hayride!
Hoedown & Jug Band Show: Be apart of the band and learn a fun dance!

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Peter Rabbit Adventure

Suggested for kindergarten and up;
25 student minimum- Available Spring and Summer -
$12/adult; $20/student for day trip bookings

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Come along with Mr. McGregor as you learn about his farm, while following along with the story of the naughty bunny! Inspired by the world of Beatrix Potter. Great for kids of all ages!
 

Craft : Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail were allowed to enjoy a time with blackberries for being good bunnies. We will be doing a blackberry inspired craft to keep!
Mushrooms & Mycology! : Beatrix Potter was an avid mycologist! Let's learn about them and go on a mushroom hunt!
Petting Zoo : Visit the farm animals
Farming : Tend the garden under Mr. McGregor's tutelage. Plant a seed of your own to take home and grow!
Games : Play a team building rabbit game!
Slingshots : Fun at the slingshot range developing skills to keep garden varmints at bay. It's the "Critter Gitter Ridder Training Course"!
Jug Band & Hoedown : Because it's a long day of working on the farm, we'll treat ourselves to some jug band fun with some lively folk dancing. Social etiquette lesson included by way of an entertaining skit. Prizes involved!

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Johnny Appleseed 's Discovering America 
 

Suggested for ages 4 thru adult; 25 student minimum
- Available September thru November -
$12/adult; $20/student for day trip bookings

 

     Let Johnny teach you about his famous journeys across the land and learn a bit about life on the frontier! Together we'll go on a hayride with scenic views of surrounding mountains and beautiful nature under the open sky! We'll learn about gardening, and you'll plant a seed to take home and grow, too! And of course, you'll want to take a turn at our old-time cider press and sample a taste of delicious local apple cider! There's more activities as well!

Hayride: with old-fashioned folk song sing-alongs 

Hoedown: Folk dancing with jug band participation
Petting Zoo: Pot belly pig, lamb, goats, bunnies, chickens, ducks, and a guinea pig.

Seasonal Craft: Make an ornament from real wood! Yours to keep!
Gardening and Seed Planting: Learn about how things grow then plant a seed. Yours to keep!
Cider Pressing: Learn about cider history, the process of old fashioned pressing, and give it a go with our old fashioned press.

Nature Talk with Medicinal Plants: As an avid nature lover, there's a learn about the benefits derived from local plant sources. 

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Autumn Jubilee
Field Trip Day!

Suggested for ages 4 thru adult; 25 student minimum
- Available late September thru October -
$12/adult; $20/student for day trip bookings

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   This 4 hour fall field trip program has all of the offerings of the Autumn Jubilee Festival Package that are usually only available during fall weekends. But instead of an "everything is open" type of experience, this Autumn Jubilee field trip program is an organized event with groups that will rotate together throughout the guided activity stations on a scheduled rotation. Each activity station will have a little bit more in depth education and interaction than you might find during the public weekend event.

     
- Hayride: a wagon ride tour of the 12 acre farm

- Hoedown: Folk dancing with jug band participation
- Petting Zoo: Goats, sheep, bunnies, chickens, pot belly pigs, guinea fowl
- Reptile Show: Educational reptile encounters

- Seasonal Craft: A painting craft with pumpkins, bird houses, planter pots, etc. (item depends on availability)
- Candle Making: Dip your own candle, starting with the wick
- Cider Pressing: Learn about cider history, the process of old fashioned pressing, and give it a go with our old fashioned press.

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The Little
Pumpkin Patch
Adventure

Suggested for toddlers and older; 25 child minimum
Up to 2 hour duration
​$10/adult; $15/child for day trip bookings with a 25 child minimum
Infants are free to accompany.
Limit 100 people total

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   This 2 hour fall program was put together for those that would love to come out for some fall fun, but for a shorter amount of time than our usual 4 hour events. Particularly with toddlers and younger children in mind! 

Included in The Little Pumpkin Patch Adventure:
- Cider Pressing: Watch how things work by putting apples into the hopper to be crushed into cider! Cider Tasting samples provided by Apple Lane Orchard.
- Farm Animal Visit: Goats, sheep, bunnies, chickens, pot belly pigs, etc.
- Hayride: Take a wagon ride around the 12 acre farm 
- Pumpkin Patch*: Visit the Fort Cross Pumpkin Patch where the kids can pick out their own mini pumpkin to take home!
*this activity is available while supplies last, and will be substituted with something comparable if supplies run out.

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Holidays on the Homestead

Suggested ages 4 through adult; 25 student minimum​

-Available November & December-
$12/adult; $20/student for day trip bookings

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Join us for an educational day of seasonal fun! Enjoy an old fashioned holiday on the homestead learning about the history of early American living. We'll bring you a bit of the past with historical crafts and activities that inspire holiday cheer! Join us in this festive merriment and go home with heartwarming traditional holiday memories! 

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Candle Dipping: With the cold season upon us, we'll be needing to stay stocked up. Make your candle and take it home with you!

Rustic Ornament Making: Make an ornament from real wood! A holiday keepsake tradition to enjoy year after year!
Cider Pressing: Learn about cider history, the process of old fashioned pressing, and give it a go with our old fashioned press.

Holiday Hayride with Caroling: Join us for the musical hayride where you will sing along with a classic holiday song! Prizes included!
Country Hoedown: Festive holiday celebrations on the homestead include fun and merriment! We're gonna have a shindig!
Petting Zoo: What homestead is complete without the animals? We'll talk about how animals were useful on the homestead and how they help us grow our farm!

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Please note:  $100 minimum deposit must be paid at time of booking for all private events. Deposit is non-refundable, but is transferable to a different date, with a 14 day advance notice.
Activities and number of tour guides may vary.

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