Self-guided Tour Field Trip Information
Thank you for choosing a Self-guided Tour for your San Antonio Zoo field trip. Please read this document in its entirety and share the information with your colleagues and chaperones.
Contact Information: 210-734-7184 ext. 1501, [email protected]
Day of your Visit: Complete your head count form found in the Zoo Field Trip: Important Information confirmation email body Payment or receipt for payment
Please unload bus passengers along the curb in the traffic circle to the right of the main entrance. Take care not to block the zoo entrance or driveways. Bring your lunches into the zoo with you. Please designate a teacher or chaperone to coordinator and carry your lunches and ice chests. You are welcome to bring your own wagons. Arrival Monday-Friday, 9:00am-11:00am: enter through the Education Center. Arrival after 11:00am and all day Saturday and Sundays: enter through the main gates of the zoo.
Planning Your Visit: o To receive the discounted school rate, you must register in advance. Visit www.sazoo.org/education to register. o All participants associated with your school qualify for the discounted school rate: students, teachers, student teachers, nurses, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, parent chaperones, siblings, etc. o Students must be accompanied by chaperones at all times. One chaperone is needed for every five students in grades K-5 and one adult for every ten students in grades 6-12. o Please download and print the map from our website before your trip. Be sure to mark meeting times, significant locations and walking routes before you copy them for your chaperones. o Establish a place where all students and chaperones will meet for lunch (if you wish) and meet the end of your field trip. Be sure to let the students and chaperones know this before you arrive at the zoo. o You may wish to consider having color-coded shirts or hats for the students and chaperones for easy identification. o Contact the Education Center to update your participant numbers, make payments, change your date, reschedule, cancel or for more information.
Pre-payment for School Groups: All school groups are encouraged to prepay (credit card preferred) to make the entry process easier and faster. Prepayment methods: o Online by logging into your account - credit card or e-check o Calling or visiting the Education Center - credit card or school/district/PTA check o Mail, at least 2 weeks before your scheduled visit - school/district/PTA check . Please bring a copy of your check if you have not received a statement reflecting your payment. Prepaid tickets can either be picked-up in advance or at the Prepaid Ticket Window when you arrive. o Please call or email the Education Department to make arrangements if you’d like to pick-up tickets in advance; 210-734-7184 ext. 1501, [email protected] The overpayment/refund minimum of $25 will be waived for schools that prepay for their visit.
Payment for School Groups the day of your visit: Payment methods: o Credit card o Check issued by your school, district or PTO Purchase Orders and personal checks are not accepted. Full payment must be complete before entering the zoo. If you wish to take advantage of the zoo’s extra attractions (train, Lory Landing, etc.) please bring separate cash or credit card payments and purchase tickets at each attraction’s kiosk.
Overpayments for School Groups Overpayments in excess of $25 will be refunded. o Refunds in excess of $25 will be refunded to the name/address on the check. o Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing. Overpayments less than $25 will considered a donation to the zoo’s conservation fund. o The overpayment/refund minimum of $25 will be waived for schools that prepay for their visit.
Chaperone Payments Chaperones that are not included in your school payment will be able to purchase their admission at the discounted school rate the day of your field trip. o Unless otherwise directed by zoo staff the morning of your visit, please ask chaperones to purchase their admission at the Ticket Booths at the front of the zoo before joining your group at the Education Center to enter the zoo. Zoo Memberships cards may be used for admission. o Membership cards will be scanned as your group enters the zoo. o Please have photo ID ready for verification. o Students/children do not a need photo ID but will need their membership card scanned.
Arriving at the Zoo: Please contact the Education Center as soon as possible if you will think you will arrive late or wish to cancel. Please complete the head-count form (in the body of your email) the morning of your visit and bring it with you to the ticket window. This will help expedite entrance into the zoo. All buses will unload in the traffic circle at front of the Zoo, unless otherwise directed by zoo staff. After unloading, bus parking is available in the parking lot between Sunken Gardens and the restaurant Augies BBQ. Be sure to have the contact information for at least one of your bus drivers. o Make arrangements to call them when your entire group is at the traffic circle and ready for pick up. Designate one teacher/coordinator to check in at the ticket window outside the Education Center. Designate another teacher/coordinator to help the rest of the group line-up outside the Education Center. On busy days, staff will assist your groups with unloading. Please help us by being ready to unload so we can get you in the zoo as quickly as possible. Chaperones that are not included in your school payment will be able to purchase their admission at the discounted school rate at the main ticket booths before joining your group at the Education Center. Bring your lunches into the zoo with you. o Please designate a teacher or chaperone to coordinator and carry your lunches and ice chests. You are welcome to bring your own wagons. Proper adult supervision assures student and animal safety. Chaperones are responsible for the management of their group at all times. Arrival Monday-Friday, 9:00am-11:00am: enter through the Education Center. Arrival after 11:00am and all day Saturday and Sundays: enter through the main gates of the zoo.
Lunches: You are welcome to bring school lunches with you to the zoo. Please label your coolers and boxes with your name and the name of your school. Bring your lunches into the zoo with you. o Neither zoo staff nor zoo carts/wagons will be available to assist you carrying lunches into the zoo. Please plan accordingly and designate a teacher or chaperone to coordinator and carry your lunches and ice chests. You are welcome to bring your own wagons. Groups may eat at Meme’s Education Pavilion. Please be respectful and share spaces with other groups. o Do not store your lunches on the tables while you are exploring the zoo. Instead, store your coolers and boxes along the fence line or at the back of the Meme’s Education Pavilion. If available, you are welcome to utilize the picnic pavilions in Brackenridge Park (across from the zoo). Please help us keep the zoo clean by placing all trash in receptacles and leaving the area neat for the next group. Cardboard/box recycling is available at the back of Meme’s Education Pavilion. Contact the Education Department for information about Meal Vouchers and Catered Meals for school groups.
Exiting the Zoo: Establish a time and place to meet your group. The only zoo exit is near the Reptile House and zoo main gates/lion statue. Exits are not available through the Education Center or next to the bears. Once all of your students and teachers are accounted for and your entire group is ready to depart, call your bus drivers and ask them to meet you at the traffic circle where you were dropped off. Buses may not park at the traffic circle. Do not call for you buses until you are ready to load.
Additional Attractions: Fun Pass available! Combo ticket includes Train, Carousel, and Lory Landing or Butterflies (seasonal). o Please include your Fun Pass payment when you pay for admission. If purchasing attractions separately, please bring separate payments (credit card or cash, no checks) to each attraction. All students must be accompanied by an adult. Lory Landing: Nectar cups are available at Lory Café. Butterflies: Open March through October. Tickets available for purchase in the gift shop across from the exhibit. Train: Purchase tickets at the Train Depot, outside of the Zoo. Carousel: Tickets are available next to the carousel in Zootennial Plaza. Giraffe Feeding: Available at scheduled times throughout the day (check website for current times). Not included in Fun Pass
Gift Shops and Concessions: Students are welcome to visit the gift shops and concessions, but they must be accompanied by a chaperone at all times. They require a minimum of one chaperone per five students.
Tips for an Enjoyable Visit: It takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours to walk the entire Zoo. Unless you have that much time, don’t try to see it all. Download a map before your visit and plan which areas you want to visit. Be sure to communicate with your chaperones to ensure that everyone knows the designated meeting time and place. You may wish to provide them with a cell phone contact number.
Education Department 210-734-7184 ext. 1501 [email protected]