Field Trips

Register your group here.

The zoo is open seven days a week and your group is welcome to visit any day. The zoo takes approximately an hour and a half to tour.

Currently accepting summer reservations. Education programs are not available during the summer.

Now accepting pre-registration for school year 2023-2024.

Current Crowd Meter

Busy (heavy guest traffic, limited parking available)
Moderate
Low

What to expect seasonally:

Fall:

Fall is a wonderful time to visit, with lighter crowds and animals enjoying cooling off from the summer temperatures. In mid-to-late October, the zoo is decorated for our popular Boo in the Zoo Halloween event.

Spring:

Does your group have spring fever? During peak field trip season (April and May), Thursdays and Fridays are the busiest days, so the earlier in the week you come, the lighter the crowds will be.

What to bring:

Light jackets/rain gear (if necessary)
Sunglasses/sunscreen
Water
Light snacks (for inside the zoo)
Lunches (for lunch in Cleveland Park)
Tarp/blanket for a picnic in the park

Reserve a Cleveland Park Shelter

Check out our Field Trip Guide!

Did you Know...

Your group can add to their field trip experience by adding on an education program. Classes are designed to meet curriculum standards. For class descriptions, see below.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION Time: 30 Minutes	PK-K	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Safari Stories APL-8 / ESD-5 / LDC-1 2 8 / CD-11 Our animal themed storytime program is designed to match the attention span and developmental levels of our youngest learners. * Program includes two animal encounters.	X
Animal Locomotion APL-8 / ESD-5 / LDC-1 2 8 / CD-11 / K.L.2A.3 Students explore how animals get around. We will meet animals that walk, hop, crawl, and fly. They can even try some moves themselves!	X	X
Everybody Needs a Home K.L.2A.5 / K.L.2A.6 Students explore animal homes and discover how all organisms find a home that is best suited for their needs. We will see a few real animal homes and meet a few animals who live in those homes.	X
We Built A Zoo 1.S.1.A.1 1.E.3A.a / 2.L.5A.2 / 2.L 5B.1 / 3.L.5A.1 / 4.L.5B.1 / 5.S.1 / 5.L.4 This program is designed to teach students what goes into designing an exhibit for a zoo animal. It gives an inside look at the process at the Greenville Zoo and provides students with an opportunity to understand the many aspects that are involved in animal care and exhibit design.		X	X	X	X	X
Program Description Time: 30 Minutes	PK-K	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Discovering Habitats 2.L.5B / 2.L.5B.2 / 3.L.5A / 3.L.5A.1 Students explore habitats around the world. From dry deserts to the rainforest canopy, we will discover some interesting things about these places and investigate how animals survive in their specific habitat.			X	X
Animal Kingdom 2.L.5A / 2.L.5A.1 / 3.L.5A.2 / 4.L.5A.1 / 6.L.4A / 6.L.4A.2 / 6.L.4B.1 / 6.L.4B.5 We compare invertebrates to vertebrates with an emphasis on the five vertebrate classes. Live animals illustrate the basic features of each animal classification.			X	X	X		X
Beast Feast 3.L.5A.2 / 5.L.4B.1 / 5.L.4B.2 / 5.L.4B.3 / 5.L.4B.4 Students will learn how animals are built to eat, what they do and how they rely on one another for survival in the chain of life. We will discuss the roles of producers, consumers, decomposers, predators, and prey.				X		X
Secrets of Survival 3.L.5B.2 / 4.L.5B.3 / 6.L.4B.2 / 6.L.4B.3 / 6.L.4B.4 Students will explore animal adaptations. Students will meet several live animals and learn how their structural, physiological, and behavioral adaptations help them survive.				X	X		X
Program Description Time: 30 Minutes	PK-K	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Careers with Animals This program presents young teens with educational opportunities and ideas on how to start planning for an exciting job they may not have considered. Teens will also learn about unique volunteer opportunities at their local zoo.							X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Genetics and the Zoo: Investigating the Role of Genetics in the Modern Zoo 7-2.5 / 7-2.6 / 7-2.7 / 8-2.2 / 8-2.3 / 8-2.7 / B-4.2 / B-4.7 / B-5.3 Students will explore the topic of genetics in reference to captive animals in a zoo setting. Students will also explore why the knowledge of genetics is important for the conservation and preservation of wild populations.								X	X	X	X	X	X
Carolina Living Fossils - Earth Science Standards (Program Coming Soon!)
Endangered Species Program (Program Coming Soon!)