Tossing aside the cookies, a group of girls let loose on a trip to San Diego recently and learned what the Girl Scouts are really made of.

During a five-day trip to San Diego, Girl Scout Troop 42137 — made up of eight girls from Kirkland and Redmond — surfed at Mission Beach, helped to restore an estuary, as well as shopped in Old Towne and hurtled down the water roller coaster “Atlantis.”

Though most Girl Scouts sell cookies and do service projects, Girl Scouts is really about creating strong character and building close relationships between troop members, the girls said. When they first started their troop in kindergarten, the biggest adventure for Troop 42137 was earning badges. Come first grade, they were anxious for cookie selling, which enabled them to go on many day trips including the traditional horseback riding and camping. In sixth grade, they were so proud of becoming Grand Champions of the Outdoor Skills Competition proving how capable they were and how exceptionally they worked together as a team. Now in high school, they were ready for a bigger challenge.

The troop did fundraising to make the trip to San Diego possible. They each had to earn about $400, holding garage sales and badge workshops for younger Scouts. And they had to sell cookies too — 60 boxes apiece.

Beginning with learning how to go through airport security properly to learning how to read a map, the troop became great travelers and leaders during their trip.

After learning about the history of the Famosa Slough, they got to work removing invasive plants and planting native plants, hoping to improve the habitat for plants and animals.

They also tried out surfing and took lessons from the Ocean Experience Surf School.

The troop wants to encourage other girls to see new things. Their next stop: Europe.