Education: Field Trips

Admission is FREE to both the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park for all students in San Diego County during the traditional school year. Non-San Diego County schools receive a reduced admission fee of $6 per student. All schools pay $7 per person on weekends, holidays, and during the summer. Group reservations are required for these rates. School groups without reservations pay regular admission rates.

Guided tours and classes are offered for all groups with advance reservations (see listings below). We can also come to your school with one of our traveling programs to bring wildlife into the classroom (see Assembly and Classroom Programs)! Everything we do is aligned to California State Science Standards. We support your classroom studies in all curriculm areas: science, language arts, fine arts, social studies, and math.

Pre-ordered lunches are available at the Zoo and the Wild Animal Park. Each lunch includes: animal cookies, chips, a drink, and your choice of a hot dog, chicken strips, or cheese sandwich. Lunches can be ordered up to two weeks prior to your visit date. For Wild Animal Park lunch reservations, please call 760-738-5055. For Zoo lunch reservations, please call 619-557-3962.

Guided Tours for School Groups

San Diego Zoo

Teachers can choose a guided tour for their school group as part of a field trip to the San Diego Zoo. Guided tours are offered year-round and include a bus tour, behind-the-scenes visits, and up-close animal encounters. A special free tour is available for second grade classes in San Diego County.
Tour descriptions...

Wild Animal Park

Add a touch of the WILD to your class and experience the Wild Animal Park’s ALL-NEW education programs! Discover the science behind the daily lives of our animals during one of our ongrounds educator-led programs. All programs support several discipline areas for both State and National standards.
Tour descriptions...

San Diego Zoo's Beckman Center for Conservation Research

Guided tours of the San Diego Zoo's Beckman Center for Conservation Research are available. A tour of the facility, located next to the Wild Animal Park, gives students a glimpse into our conservation projects both locally and around the world. Students can also participate in hands-on science activities in the Conservation Education Laboratory. Space is limited and tours are available free of charge. To make a reservation or learn more, please call 760-747-8702, ext. 5756.

Youth Groups

San Diego Zoo

Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and other youth groups of any kind can have a great time learning at the Zoo. Choose from A Science Lab with Dr. Zoolittle or Explore the Zoo: An Insider's Tour. Both programs include animal encounters and an opportunity to earn a great patch! More info...

Wild Animal Park

Scouts at the Park: Daytime badge workshops provide fun, learning, and adventure while completing all requirements to earn Daisy Learning Petals, Brownie Try-Its, and Junior Badges. If you’re a Scout leader looking for exciting opportunities or a Girl Scout who wants to earn badges while making friends, the Wild Animal Park is the place! With two different options for each age range, earning badges has never been easier or more fun! Every workshop includes games, crafts, and animal encounters. More info...

Self-Guided Visits

Bringing a class of students to the Park or Zoo has never been easier! Your'e the tour guide when you comes to the Zoo or the Wild Animal Park on a self-guided visit (without a Zoo or Park educator). FREE grade-specific educational materials supporting the California Science Standards will be sent prior to your visit so that you and your chaperones can easily direct your students through the Zoo or Park.

Fee: Admission is FREE for San Diego County schools during the traditional school year. Schools located outside of San Diego County pay a discounted rate of $6 for students and adults on traditional school days. All schools pay $7 per person on weekends, holidays, and during the summer. School groups without reservations pay regular admission rates.

Advance reservations are required for self-guided visits. To visit the San Diego Zoo, call 619-557-3962 for availability, or download the Zoo Self-Guided Visit Registration Form. To visit the Wild Animal Park, download the Wild Animal Park Self-Guided Visit Registration Form; for any questions and to check Park availability, call 760-738-5057.  Reservations made less than two weeks in advance may be subject to a late reservation fee.

Please note: The Journey into Africa tour at the Wild Animal Park is not included in the self-guided visit. School tickets for the tour may be purchased for $5 per student.

Wild Animal Park self-guided programs

Turn your students into wildlife detectives during a self-guided visit to the Wild Animal Park. Each program supports several discipline areas for both State and National standards. These are complimentary programs; an admission fee may apply. See program descriptions...

Self-Guided visit materials

Our exciting self-guided tour packets are also available for download in PDF format. Each packet includes a teacher checklist, chaperone checklist, Zoo or Wild Animal Park map, classroom activities, and field trip activities.
Click here for the download page...

Shutterbugs on Safari

Download these fun activities to do with your students while visiting the Zoo or Wild Animal Park, or any zoo or wildlife area! Activities are arranged by grade level. More info...

College Study Passes

Use your neighboring San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park as educational resources. College Study Passes are offered to make these popular sites available to students. If you are a college instructor, you may order these passes to include either the Zoo or Park in your curriculum.

College study passes are for general admission only and do not include paid attractions. They are $15 per student and are valid for four months. Passes entitle the bearer to unlimited visits at one location. If you wish to include the San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park in your curriculum, fax or mail a College Study Pass Registration Form(pdf) to the appropriate Guest Relations Office. For the Zoo, fax rosters to 619-557-3996 (phone: 619-231-1515, ext. 4320). For the Park, fax rosters to 760-738-5023 (phone: 760-738-5022). You may then direct your students to the Guest Relations office to purchase their passes. A current school-issued student I.D. is required. Payment on all passes is due prior to issue.

Night Owls sleepover at the Wild Animal Park!

Students in grades 3–6 can camp out at the Park with their class during a Night Owls program! More info...

Virtual field trip

Take a trip to the Zoo without leaving your school site! If you have videoconferencing technology (distance learing), you can join us from anywhere in the world. More info...

Receive a copy of Wildlife Learning Adventures

Wildlife Learning Adventures 2009/2010 is our annual teacher resource guide that describes all of the San Diego Zoo programs for teachers and school groups. Download pdf...