Seaside Crafts at the Seymour Center | June 17 (1-3 p.m.)

Create fun crafts that feature the cool creatures of the tidepools. Make a seastar suncatcher, or create your own sea anemone! There are activity sheets, scavenger hunts, and a take home souvenir of your day.

Seymour Marine Discovery Center
End of Delaware Avenue, Santa Cruz
831-459-3800, seymourcenter.ucsc.edu

Whale of an Auction | June 22 (6 p.m.)

Catered buffet, fine wines, champagne, and lots of excitement are the hallmark of this live and silent auction. Highlights include exclusive vacation retreats in exciting locales; private field trips, research cruises, presentations, and behind-the-scenes tours with renowned Long Marine Lab scientists; specialty wines and private wine-tasting tours; exquisite art and art glass; tickets to sporting and cultural events; and much, much more. Tickets, purchased before June 14, are $65 for members of Friends of Long Marine Lab and $75 public; $85 at the door. For additional information on sponsorships, donations, or to purchase a table, call (831) 459-3694. Tickets go on sale on May 1, call (831) 459-3800.

Porter College Dining Hall
UC Santa Cruz campus, Santa Cruz
Tickets: 831-459-3800, seymourcenter.ucsc.edu

Smart Gardening Faire | June 23 (9 am - 5 pm)

A community garden event, sponsored by the Monterey Bay Master Gardeners. There are workshops, demonstrations, information booths, plus plants and gardening equipment for sale, and much more. The UCSC Farm and Garden participate in this event.

Sky Park, 361 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley
www.smartgadening.org

Big Sur Hidden Gardens Tours | June 23 (10 a.m.-4 p.m.)

The tour is a self-guided tour. Each ticket-holder receives a map and booklet describing each garden and its history. Musicians and artists are at each venue. There is a garden market with handicrafts and gardening tools.

Self-guided tours private gardens
Hwy 1 @ Big Sur Ticket/Map: 831-667-1530, www.bigsurarts.org

Seaside Crafts at the Seymour Center | June 24 (1-3 p.m.)

Create fun crafts that feature the cool creatures of the tidepools. Make a seastar suncatcher, or create your own sea anemone! There are activity sheets, scavenger hunts, and a take home souvenir of your day.

Seymour Marine Discovery Center
End of Delaware Avenue, Santa Cruz
831-459-3800, seymourcenter.ucsc.edu

Marine Mammal Research Tour | June 24 (2:15-3:30 p.m.)

Head behind the scenes at Long Marine Lab. Learn about the work of scientists and their studies of dolphins, seals, sea lions, and whales. Tour is best suited for adults and children over 10 years of age. Space limited, free with admission. Reservations required. Call (831) 459-3800.

Seymour Marine Discovery Center
End of Delaware Avenue, Santa Cruz
Reservations: 831-459-3800, seymourcenter.ucsc.edu

Art and Nature Explorers Summer Camp | June 25-29 (9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.)

Local animals and their habitats will be the inspiration for this week-long summer camp for youth age 7-12. They have fun experimenting with watercolor, pastel, clay, sun prints, scratch-board, metal, recycled materials, even poetry, to create pieces of art that reflect their experiences in nature and at the Museum and at Seabright Beach. $150 members, $175 general. Advance registration required.

Museum of Natural History
831- 420-6113, www.santacruzmuseums.org

Full Moon Night Hike | June 29 (9-11 p.m.)

Walk in the coolness of the night to appreciate the sights, sounds and feeling of nature's nocturnal world. Docents lead the three mile walk . Bring warm clothing and wear sturdy shoes. Flashlights optional. Free. Ages 10+.

Quail Hollow Ranch County Park, Ben Lomond
831-454-7930, www.scparks.com

Moonlight Dinner Train | June 30 (6-11 p.m.)

Moonlight dinner, dancing, and train ride through a redwood forest lit by flashlight. Reservations recommended. For tickets contact Roaring Camp at 1-831-335-4484.

Roaring Camp Railroad, Felton
Tickets/Info: 831-335-4484, www.roaringcamp.com

Starlight Evening Train | June 30 (6-11 p.m.)

Wonder at the beauty of a redwood forest lit up at night during a 2-hour, round-trip railway excursion from the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz. Reservations recommended. For tickets contact Roaring Camp at 1-831-335-4484.

Roaring Camp Railroad, Felton
Tickets/Info: 831-335-4484, www.roaringcamp.com