Bring the kids. There's a whole river of things to do.
Gold to pan, rapids sized for little paddlers, a beach to splash at, and a theater where you get to boo the villain. All within a few minutes of the front door.
Good for every age
Toddlers · beach & nature loops
Ages 4+ · first raft trips
Ages 6+ · gold panning & rapids
Teens · kayak camps & trails
Made for families
Coloma–Lotus is one of the most kid-friendly corners of Gold Country. The same river that draws serious rafters has gentle beaches and lazy floats for the little ones — and the town it built is a living, hands-on history lesson your kids won't realize is educational.
On the water
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Family rafting
The Coloma-to-Lotus run is gentle Class II–III — the classic first-timer stretch. Outfitters like Whitewater Excitement are family-run and take kids as young as 4, with trips built for ages 6 to 106.
Tubing & splashing
From May–September the current mellows into a gentle float from below Troublemaker Rapid down to Henningsen Lotus Park, which has a sandy beach and shallows perfect for little swimmers. Life jackets required — and easy to rent.
Kids' kayak camps
Current Adventures and The River Store in Lotus run small-group kayak lessons and kids & adults camps with a 3:1 ratio — a great way for older kids and teens to build real river skills.
Strike it rich
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This is where the Gold Rush actually started — and kids get to dig in, literally. The single most unmissable day out.
Pan for real gold
Guided 45-minute gold-panning lessons at Marshall Gold Discovery Park run about $8 per person — supplies included, and yes, kids keep whatever flecks they find. Pans available to buy if they get hooked.
Sutter's Mill & museum
Right across the bridge: a working replica of the mill where gold was found in 1848, a blacksmith shop, Marshall's cabin, and a visitor-center museum with hands-on, interactive activities made for kids. Just $10 to park, all day.
Living History Days
Every second Saturday, costumed reenactors bring the 1850s back to life with blacksmithing, candle-dipping, and dozens of hands-on demonstrations kids can jump right into.
★ Featured · 3-day camp
Coloma Outdoor Discovery School
A hands-on Gold Rush living-history camp right on the South Fork, running since 1990. Kids arrive in 1849, pick up mining supplies at the general store, invent a gold-rush identity, and spend their days panning for real gold, hiking Marshall Gold Discovery Park, and gathering for campfire songs and skits by night.
—3-day / 2-night immersive program (also 2-day/1-night and a 1-day option, 10am–4pm).
—Stay in climate-controlled cabins; guided by sourdough naturalist educators.
—Built on California's 4th-grade standards — a favorite school field trip you can plan privately.
Learn more & plan a trip →
Rates vary — contact Program Director Aimee Shearer, aimee@cods.org
Parks & play
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Henningsen-Lotus Park
51 acres a few minutes downriver: a swimming beach, boat launch, two soccer fields, a little-league complex, and shady picnic tables with barbecues. The easy default when you just need to run the kids.
Playground, pool & ropes
Nearby Coloma Resort keeps a playground, a ropes course, and a swimming pool with a full summer activity schedule — day passes and drop-ins make for an easy backup plan when little legs are tired of walking.
Dave Moore Nature Area
A free, shady one-mile loop to the river — flat, stroller- and wheelchair-friendly, with Gold Rush tailing piles to spot and great birdwatching. Ideal for the youngest explorers.
Little-legs hikes
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Bassi Falls — an easy 2-mile round trip to a real waterfall you can splash at. A perennial family favorite (about 20 min away).
Dave Moore Nature Area — the gentlest option: a 1-mile riverside loop, flat and stroller-friendly.
Cronan Ranch — pick a short out-and-back for kid-friendly strolls through open oak meadows with big river views.
Rainy day & evenings
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Olde Coloma Theatre — 50+ years of interactive melodrama where the whole family cheers the hero and boos the villain, with fresh popcorn popped on site.
Movie & game night in — the house has an open living room and long table made for board games, puzzles, and a big family movie after a full day out.
S'mores by the deck — grab fixings at Camp Lotus Deli down the road and toast marshmallows as the valley goes dark.
Parents, a few good-to-knows
Life jackets first
Required on the water and easy to rent locally or buy at Coloma Resort's store. Sizes down to small children.
Watch the water level
Spring flows run high and cold; summer is the sweet spot for younger kids. Ask outfitters about age minimums by season.
Pack for sun & poison oak
Hats, water shoes, and sunscreen for river days; stay on-trail on hikes — poison oak likes the edges.
Sleeps six
Two bedrooms plus a bonus room — beds for six, with plenty of room for a family to spread out.
A family weekend that plans itself. Pick your dates.
Check availabilityJoon Riverfront Retreat
A RIVER HOUSE IN LOTUS
Lotus, California
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