TranslateField Trips
Registration for 2023-2024 field trips is now open - fall trips are all full, but Spring trips are still available! Register for a field trip.
Our parks are your classroom! Get your students outdoors learning about the natural world around them. A wide range of field trips are available at various locations throughout the county. These hands-on, inquiry-based programs reinforce critical Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
Field trip descriptions for 2023-2024 school year
Habitat and Home
Spring Lake Regional Park
September – January
Pre-K – 3rd grades
Learn about wildlife diversity and the importance habitat plays in a healthy community. Students will participate in science exploration at the Environmental Discovery Center and enjoy a hike through the beautiful Spring Lake ecosystem. Activities and lessons explore the topics of habitats, life cycles, and animal adaptations. Depending on the grade level, students will learn how adaptations help in plant and animal survival or discover how seeds travel.
Only Rain Down the Drain
Spring Lake Regional Park
February – May
Pre-K – 5th grades
Explore our local watersheds through science exploration at the Environmental Discovery Center and a hike through the beautiful Spring Lake ecosystem. Depending on grade level, students delve into the concepts of the water cycle, weathering and erosion, sources of water pollution, and their effects on the environment. Students will take a trip down the storm drain to learn how water flows through our towns and rivers and ways we can help keep this resource clean.
What’s the Buzz?
Sonoma Valley Regional Park
February – May
1st – 3rd grades
Discover the emergence of spring through a hike buzzing with life. Observe seasonal changes while learning about the wildflowers and pollinators that live in an oak woodland ecosystem. Students will explore the relationship between plants and insects as well as the vital role pollinators play in food production.
Weather or Not
Crane Creek Regional Park
February– May
1st – 6th grades
Students discover the science behind weather and weather patterns. Learn about some of Sonoma County’s many microclimates, and forecast local weather based on observation and data collection. Lessons for younger students focus on the water cycle, how weather affects the environment and how scientists collect data to predict the weather. When appropriate, students will have the opportunity to learn how to identify clouds and what clouds can teach us about upcoming weather events.
Rockin’ and Recycling
Riverfront Regional Park
September – May
2nd – 4th grades
Explore the dynamic landscape of this park with your students to learn about the properties of common rocks and minerals and the processes that formed them. Students will also appreciate the importance of recycling products manufactured from minerals and rocks, like glass and aluminum, as a simple way to conserve natural resources. Discover a great diversity of rocks as we enjoy a hike and follow their journey through the rock cycle. Rock on!
Life in a Pond
Foothill Regional Park
February - May
2nd – 4th grades
Dive beneath the water – while staying dry – to discover life within the pond. Explore the connection between water quality, aquatic habitats and pond residents to learn more about some of our favorite freshwater places. What is living in the pond? Students will take a closer look at the beginning of the food chain (macroinvertebrates), to discover what “mini monsters” might call the pond their home.
A Cultural Walk in the Park at Tolay
Tolay Lake Regional Park
October - February
3rd - 5th grades
Looking for a field trip focused on Tolay Lake’s first peoples? The Cultural Walk in the Park engages students with the rich cultural heritage of Sonoma County. The Coast Miwok tribe has an incredibly detailed knowledge of natural resources and have passed this knowledge down through generations. Students will take an extended hike exploring the use of native plants, and will participate in storytelling and hands-on activities.
Bird Brains
Helen Putnam Regional Park
September – January
3rd – 6th grades
Have you ever wondered what a bird might be thinking? Explore the unique traits of our feathered friends at this special park. Students will pick up a pair of binoculars and enjoy a hike to observe bird behaviors in the field with hands-on exploration. Learn how birds are specially adapted to survive in their habitat to understand how different birds find food, shelter, and mates.
Tidepool Adventure
Pinnacle Gulch Regional Park
September – May, select dates on low tides only
4th – 8th grades
Experience the magic of the tidal ecosystem. Through hands-on exploration, students will learn about how species are interconnected and how tide pool inhabitants adapt to changing tides and extreme conditions. Students will practice making observations, recording data and finding and evaluating evidence. One class per field trip day only.
Climate Change Agents
Taylor Mountain Regional Park
September – January
5th – 8th grades
Explore the topic of climate change and resilience through hiking through the viewpoints and oak woodlands of this important park. Students will learn the science behind Earth’s changing climate, how human activities make an impact on the environment and ways in which community action reduces impacts locally and globally. Discover how to be the agents of positive change in Sonoma County.
Registration
Registration for 2023-2024 field trips will open August 1, 2023. Classes can sign up for up to two field trips per year.
Cost
Field trip cost is $5 per student from Sonoma County schools and $7 for students from out-of-county schools.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis for Sonoma County schools that have 50% or more students whom are considered socio-economically disadvantaged. A limited number of bus stipends are also available to schools. Classes receiving scholarships are responsible for a $25 registration fee per class. If approved, scholarships are paid by the Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation. Funding is available for each classroom to receive one scholarship per year.
Cancellations
Cancellations must be made one month prior to field trips. Classes that cancel less than a month prior to a field trip are still responsible for the payment of invoices. Extreme rain events or poor air quality cancels.