Beach House

Play is a crucial component of a healthy childhood. At the Beach House, Home Away hosts small groups of children from kindergarten through twelfth grade from shelters and schools, with a high percentage of low-income families in San Francisco and Marin, for an afternoon at a cozy cottage above the sea.  On these visits, children encounter nature (often for the first time) and have a chance just to be kids.

 A trip to the Beach House may include indoor and outdoor activities—a hike in the hills or on the beach, a picnic, beach games or sandcastle contests, arts and crafts, board games, cooking, or simply enjoying the sunset from the porch swing. Every trip ends with a family-style dinner prepared by volunteers and the Beach House staff.

The Beach House program provides a place where childhood memories of joy, beauty, and nature are created and nurtured. Volunteers partner with a staff trip leader to provide overall program support, including supervision, meal preparation, and general maintenance of the Beach House. Most importantly, Beach House companions build genuine friendships with the children who attend. Interested in volunteering? Click here for more information.

The Beach House is located in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in the Marin Headlands across from the Marine Mammal Center just minutes from the Golden Gate Bridge.