Links on CCSTEM Resource pages to other websites are provided for information only and do not imply endorsement by CCSTEM.  Please submit corrections and/or suggestions for additions to Resources Coordinator Walter Reil.

Note:  This information is provided as “food for thought” in researching potential field trip destinations.  Conditions can change at any time, so the desired destinations must be researched thoroughly and contacted to ensure you have the most current information and that field trips are still accepted by the destination.  And, it is always a good idea to check with the destination to see if they are aware of any potential funding sources for bus transportation.

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Other Sources of Field Trip Info
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Best Home Schooling Guide to Field Trip Resources

California Science Teachers Association Field Trip Suggestions

CCSTEM Public Resources: California STEM Camps, Centers, Museums, Observatories and Tours

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Avila Beach
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Avila Sea Life Center .
A wonderful location for children to learn about marine life along the Central Coast, having direct access to the beautiful Avila Beach.  Programs .

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Cambria
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Camp KEEP – Cambria Pines .
KEEP Cambria Pines, located at Camp Yeager, features 13 acres of Monterey Pine habitat, plus a lush meadow and seasonal creek.  Approximately half a mile from the beach, visitors can watch the sun set on the Pacific Ocean and listen to the waves crashing on the shore.  The site is owned by the Coalinga-Huron Recreation & Parks District.  Offered by the Kern Environmental Education Program.  Camp KEEP Program Information.

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Guadalupe
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Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center .
Serving the enhanced environmental educational needs of over 4,000 students annually.  Offering docent led walks in the dunes and guest speakers.  The Center is also the Administrator of what is known as the Dunes Collaborative — a coalition of state agencies, federal agencies, local governments, and nonprofits. Educational Programs.  Contact 805-343-2455.

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Los Angeles
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California Science Center “Big Lab” Field Trips .
The Big Lab is a unique, 32,000 sq.ft. space designed for rich, hands-on inquiry science activities.  In the Big Lab, students get to roll up their sleeves and experience custom learning materials at one of the four Experiment Platforms.  All Big Lab activities are facilitated and emphasize student creativity and science investigation skills.  Also, they are developed with an eye toward the California State Science Education Standards.  Each Big Lab field trip activity can accommodate a class of up to 40 students and lasts approximately 75 minutes.

Griffith Observatory .
Learn about planet Earth and the its home in our solar system and vast universe.  A fantastic facility having a state-of-the-art planetarium and a spectacular new display hall beneath the original observatory facility.  This is something not to miss.  School Programs.

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Los Osos
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Camp KEEP – Ocean .
KEEP Ocean, located on a secluded 10-acre site within Montaña de Oro State Park 10 miles south of Morro Bay, is nestled behind a grove of eucalyptus trees about one-half mile from the Pacific Ocean.  Hiking trails lead from the site to many diverse habitats in the surrounding state park.  Offered by the Kern Environmental Education Program.  Camp KEEP Program Information.

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Morro Bay
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Museum of Natural History .
Learn about Central Coast marine and terrestrial life .  School Programs.

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San Luis Obispo
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Pacific Gas & Electric Company Diablo Canyon Power Plant
PG&E offers free public tours of its Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant facility near Avila Beach, California.  Community organizations, schools, and other groups are encouraged and welcome to arrange to visit the power station, normally on weekdays.  Tours begin at PG&E’s Energy Education Center , located at 6588 Ontario Road, San Luis Obispo, on the frontage road next to and paralleling Hwy 101 between the two Avila Beach freeway exits.  Contacts:  Email EnergyEducationCenter@pge.com, phone 805-546-5280.

Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School .
Located across Hwy 1 from Cuesta College, Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School is a natural preserve, a school campus, and an extraordinary learning resource.  On 250 protected acres, students reach out and touch the natural world and explore their place within it.  Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School provides hands-on learning opportunities for students to study science and ecology in a natural setting. More than 250,000 school children have enjoyed and benefited from visits to Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School facilities and programs, leaving with a new sense of wonder of the natural world.

San Luis Obispo Botanical Gardens .
The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden provides FREE field trips that are aligned to State Content Standards for school groups, all grades K-6.  There is also a PreSchool Five Senses Tour.  Register online one month in advance of tour date at the San Luis Obispo Botanical Gardens Education web page.  Offered by the California Regional Environmental Education Community.

San Luis Obispo County Farm Bureau – Great Adventure .
The Great AGventure is an educational field trip where more than 1,300 fourth-grade children throughout San Luis Obispo County have an opportunity to explore the industry that produces our food, fiber and flowers. Each year, more than 50 volunteers from the agricultural community provide the demonstrations and share their expertise with the students. Presentations are interactive, encouraging students to experience agriculture in a dynamic way.

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San Simeon
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Coastal Discovery Center .
Offering interactive exhibits and education programs highlighting the cultural and natural history of Old San Simeon, California State Parks, and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.  The interface of land and sea is unique, drawing people for its rich bounty, economic opportunity, recreation and inspiration.  Admission is Free, but call to confirm hours the center is open 805-927-6575.

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Santa Barbara
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Condor Express Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary Field Trips .
The Santa Barbara Channel and Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary offer students an inspiring educational experience that they will remember the rest of their lives. This area is home to several types of whales, including Humpback Whales, Blue Whales, Orcas and migrating California Gray Whales. The area is also rich with other marine life, including seals, sea lions, dolphins, sharks and pelagic birds. The Condor Express is the ideal vessel for educational school field trips. The modern, twin-hulled catamaran offers a super-stable ride and capacity for 125 students. The vessel has both inside and outside viewing areas, including an upper observation deck perfect for viewing and photography. The Condor Express features a modern, boat-wide, PA system for instructors and two 42-inch monitors for educational videos. Experienced naturalists are available to provide students with information about whale migration, marine life, the Channel Islands, and much more.

Island Packers Floating Classroom .
K-12 educational programs studying the marine life and environmental aspects of the Channel Islands.

Outdoor School at Rancho Alegre .
Field trips are aligned with the California state standards for science. We can accommodate students K-12 in public; private, home, and family school settings. You can create an individualized schedule or you participate in the traditional day program (starts at 10:00am and ends at 2:30pm. Students have a half hour for a bagged lunch). Naturalists can cover a variety of science and outdoor-based topics based on requests. Day programs start at a price as low as $20 a student. Schools are responsible for bringing chaperones (at least one adult for every ten students), transportation and lunch (meal may be provided at extra cost).

Santa Barbara Zoo Field Trips .
Come learn about the zoo’s residents and how they are cared for.  See Tour Options.

True Aquatics Channel Islands School Field Trips .
Truth Aquatics has been exploring the wilderness of the Santa Barbara Channel Islands for over 35 years. Our live-aboard fleet will be your floating classroom as you and your students explore the Channel Islands National Park. The Truth Aquatics fleet of live-aboard boats provides the perfect environment for students to learn in a safe, supervised, and exciting new way: by experiencing nature and exploring the wonders of marine life by being surrounded by it. Students can learn to identify seabirds and marine mammals by seeing them first hand, like the difference between a sea lion and a harbor seal. Your lesson plan can include a variety of topics; island geology, marine biology and island ecology.