School Programs
School Programs
School program booking is open for the 2024-2025 school year! Click on the interest form link below to start booking your educational field trip for the 2024-2025 school year.
How to book a school program for 2024- 2025
Step 1: Fill out School program interest form.
Information needed to fill out the form: School name, district, grade, approximate number of students, number of classes attending, field trip program name, desired month.
Step 2: Old Town San Diego State Historic Park Education Team will reach out to you with information about the programs, cost, and possible dates to book based on your interest form. It may take a couple of weeks for our team to reach out to you based on the number of inquiries we receive.
Step 3: Date picked & Program Booked: ready for 2024-2025 school year
Note: A signed contract & non-refundable 50% deposit is needed to confirm your program reservation for the 2024-2025 school year. We are willing to work with the district’s budgetary schedules to extend the 2-week deposit deadline. Please include in your communication with the Education Team if you will need an extension on your deposit payment.
SCHOOL PROGRAM INTEREST FORM
California Time Travelers Program
Grade Level: 4th Grade
Program Capacity: Up to 50 Students per program
Duration:2 hours
Days & Times: Tuesday & Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. or 12-2 p.m.
Pricing: $10 per student, $8 per adult, 1 free teacher per class
Minimum of one chaperone per 10 students, max 6 chaperones per program.
In this 2-hour field trip, fourth-grade students will explore California's history and learn about the diverse cultures present in Old Town San Diego. Students will rotate through hands-on stations focused on Kumeyaay ethnobotany, blacksmithing, adobe-making, and gold rush game. Large groups email oldtown.sandiego.shp@parks.ca.gov for more information.
We ask that you book a minimum of 4 weeks in advance to ensure staffing of your programs. In situations in which you cannot meet this requirement, please reach out to oldtown.sandiegoshp@parks.ca.gov to see if it is possible to accommodate your request.
Educational Tour: "Explore the Past"
Grade Level: K-12
Program Capacity: Up to 20 participants per program (students & adults)
Duration: 1 hour
Days & Times: Thursdays & Fridays; time varies
Pricing: $100 per 20 participants (students & adults)
Explore the history of San Diego with your students in this guided tour of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. The tour visits a contemporary Kumeyaay ‘ewaa and a hands-on archaeology station in Seeley Yard as well as the San Diego Union Building, La Casa de Machado y Stewart, and La Casa de Estudillo. Students learn that Old Town has a mix of cultures throughout its history, each leaving their impact on our community today. Depending on date & availability, we can run multiple tours simultaneously for large groups.
We ask that you book a minimum of 4 weeks in advance to ensure staffing of your programs. In situations in which you cannot meet this requirement, please reach out to oldtown.sandiegoshp@parks.ca.gov to see if it is possible to accommodate your request.
Blacksmithing Demo
Grade Level: K-12
Program Capacity: 1 class or 25 students per individual experience. 1 chaperone required per 10 students.
Duration: 30 minutes
Pricing: $2 per student, $1 per chaperone
Visit the Blackhawk Livery Stable Blacksmith Shop and learn about blacksmiths in the 1800s with our Park Blacksmiths! In this 30-minute experience, your class gets a private demonstration on how to forge iron and then gets to design their own blacksmithing projects with clay. Great as an add-on to a self-guided experience, Explore the Past tour or it's own field trip experience! Not available on Mondays. Inquire about availability by emailing oldtown.sandiegoshp@parks.ca.gov.
Self-Guided School Visit
Want to visit the park and explore at your own pace? Schools planning to visit Old Town San Diego SHP on their own are required to book a self-guided school program. Let us know when you plan to visit during park hours( 10 a.m. -5 p.m.) and receive digital resources to enhance your trip including an updated scavenger hunt, park map, videos, and park rules and regulatkons. Self Guided programs do NOT receive a docent or reserved parking for school buses. Please note that parking is limited to four (4) hours. The museums that are open vary by day and are subject to last minute change. Check out Old Town San Diego State Historic Park What to Know Before You Go page to see the normal museum hours of operation. Maximum 75 students per visit with a 1 to 10 adult ratio