Science Field Trips

Hidden Pasture Unicorn Farm in Fountain Inn, SC is now booking Fall Harvest and Christmas Field Trips, and there’s big news this year: every child’s admission now includes a pony ride! Students spend the day exploring hands-on animal encounters, rotating farm stations, and outdoor play, all while your visit helps support Me & YOUnicorn, LTD, the farm’s nonprofit horse and livestock rescue. It’s a full day of learning, discovery, and a little bit of magic, with fun seasonal extras like pie pumpkins and Santa visits to make it even more special.

What’s Included in Your Field Trip:

• Digital educational standards booklet for teachers
• Petting farm admission and up-close animal interactions
• Rotational activities to keep groups moving
• Pony ride for each child (teachers welcome to ride too!)
• Bounce house play, weather permitting
• Coloring pages, crayons, and scavenger hunt sheets
• Playground and outdoor discovery time
• Group photo opportunities
• Shaded lunch area seating for up to 100 people

Best For: Kindergarten and first grade classrooms following Greenville County standards, plus school groups of all ages seeking hands-on animal and nature learning
Location: 108 Hidden Pasture Trail, Fountain Inn, SC
Website: hiddenpasture.com/services/field-trips

Shipshape Farm field trips are a guided 90-minute visit to the farm that is tailored to your group’s interests. In addition to the guided 90 minutes, you have access to the barn and picnic areas for 45 minutes either before or after your guided time. (That time is not with the animals)

The guided portion is spent interacting with chickens, goats, ducks, dogs, barn cats, bunnies, and touring the garden learning about the joy of growing plants.

Top Questions Educators Ask About Shipshape Farm Field Trips:

How long is the field trip, and what’s included? It’s a guided 90-minute visit with the animals and garden, plus 45 extra minutes for barn and picnic access before or after.

Is there a minimum group size? Yes, field trip groups need a minimum of 10 kiddos (age 2+).

How do we book a date? Email info@shipshapefarm.com with your school name, headcount, grade level, and top date preferences, and the farm will confirm within 5 business days.

Best For: School groups and homeschool co-ops of any size looking for hands-on animal encounters and garden exploration
Location: 1650 Tigerville Road, Travelers Rest, SC
Website: shipshapefarm.com

Ready to Turn Field Trips into Epic Learning Adventures?

At The Children’s Museum of the Upstate (TCMU), we take learning to the next level! Educators, get ready to book a field trip that’s not only easy for you, but exciting and hands-on for your students! Whether you’re exploring our Greenville or Spartanburg locations, your students are in for their favorite field trip yet!

TCMU-Greenville invites students from 3K to 5th grade, while TCMU-Spartanburg welcomes students from 3K to 2nd grade. Kids will dive into dozens of interactive exhibits and, for a small additional fee, explore STEAM-based lesson plans crafted by certified educators. Plus, enjoy perks like reduced group admission rates and chaperone discounts in The TCMU Store.

Can’t make it to TCMU for a field trip? No problem! We know transportation can be tricky, so we’ll bring the field trip to you! Our team is ready to deliver the same engaging, educational experiences right to your classroom with our TCMU on-the-go program!

Top Questions Teachers Ask about TCMU Field Trips:

Is there a discount for homeschool groups? Yes, homeschool groups get a discounted rate of $9 per person.

How far in advance should we book? At least 2 weeks is required, but TCMU recommends booking 4-6 months ahead since spots fill up quickly.

Best For: School groups, co-ops, and homeschool families looking for hands-on, STEAM-based field trip learning at the museum or in the classroom
Location: 300 College Street, Greenville, SC 29601 & 130 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306
Website: Greenville field trips & Spartanburg field trips

Eden farms offers English riding lessons for ages 6 through adult with private or group lesson options. They also offer birthdays, field trips, summer camps and more.

Field Trips: Eden Farms has offered educational field trips for all ages.

Learn about BMW’s history and see examples of their past vehicles in this Greer museum. The BMW Zentrum Museum’s hours are 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Guided plant tours are available and great for field trips. Students will have the chance to see how the cars are built, and tours will cover subjects like science, engineering, and history. Plant tours are limited to students ages 12 and up, and closed-toe shoes are required.

Location:

• 1400 SC-101
  Greer, SC 29651
  888.868.7269

Find out more on the BMW Zentrum Museum website.

Challenge Island offers high interest STEM and STEAM in-school field trips that uniquely intertwine ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies concepts into one action packed experience for students.

Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park offers a variety of field trip opportunities for students of any age. Check out Chimney Rock for more details.

Critter Keeper classroom presentations are a great way to introduce students to the amazing world of arthropods, amphibians, and reptiles. The Critter Keeper can visit throughout Greenville (but will visit outside of Greenville for a higher rate). Base pricing starts at $275.

Denver Downs Farm, in Anderson (just off exit 19B), hosts weekday fall field trips full of fun and memorable experience on a real working farm. Trips last approximately 2 hours.

Explore all that Famoda Farm has to offer, take a hayride to the corn maze or enjoy the play areas with a brand new jumping pillow.

• Age: All Ages
• Subject: PE, Science, Nature
• Field trips are available in the fall and run 2 hours long
• Children will be given a small pumpkin
• Picnic Tables available

Fast casual dining restaurant with burgers, hot dogs, and more. Kids meals come with a cookie token for their bakery. All restaurants include an arcade area.

Take a field trip with a Fuddruckers Fuddcility Tour at any of the Upstate SC locations! See how burgers are made, bake bread, get hands-on, and talk over the microphone. The guided tour is free with your group lunch reservation. Best for ages 4-7, and open to daycares and after-school programs. Contact Benji@myfuddruckers.com or richie@myfuddruckers.com about booking a field trip.

Upstate SC Locations:

• Spartanburg, SC
  1509 John B. White Sr. Boulevard
  Spartanburg, SC 29301
  864.576.8329
• Greenville, SC
  1147 Woodruff Road
  Greenville, SC 29607
  864.234.7528
• Anderson, SC
  100 Destination Boulevard
  Anderson, SC 29621
  864.222.0145

Visit the Fuddruckers website for more information.

Field trips are held at Runway Park- walk around the park, watch planes take off and land every five minutes, talk about aviation, and sit inside a Cessna152 aircraft for a familiarization/photo opportunity. These are outdoor trips, plan accordingly.

Tuesdays and Thursdays only (excluding holidays) with flexible times between 9:00am- 1:00pm 

• Advanced registration required.
• Subjects: social studies, science, careers

The Greenville Zoo is the community’s choice for field trips. A day at the zoo is a day of discovery, offering fun and memorable learning experiences for students K4-12.

Greyrock Farms and Green Acres Produce provide students with educational dairy tours where students not only learn about dairy farming but also experience it firsthand. Contact the farm directly for information about visits.

Happy Cow Creamery offers an hour-long tour which includes the history of the farm, tour around their pastures and a look inside their milking parlor. The tours are sure to be educational with a touch of good ol’ farm fun!

Come learn and explore at Jeter Mountain Farm, take a picturesque ride through the orchard, pick your own apples, learn how their cider is made and discover their 6,000 sqft indoor play area.

3rd and 4th graders explore Jones Gap State Park’s Mountain Bridge Wilderness through hands-on River and Forest Ecology field trips, investigating waterfalls, geology, and Blue Ridge Escarpment habitats

Online field trips available.

When visiting LushAcres Farm experience a fun atmosphere where you can interact with nature and discover the importance of local farms in your community. Get up close and personal with barnyard animals and experience seasonal activities.

During a field trip to the Pavilion Recreation Center students can tour the facilities and learn about the refrigeration systems that maintain the ice. Students will also be able to enjoy an ice skating or hockey lesson.

• Age: Elementary and middle school students
• Subjects: PE and science
• Meal packages are also available

Engaging students has never been more fun! From interactive exhibits to enriching STEM programs, the Schiele Museum is your educational resource. Your group’s museum admission includes Museum Exhibits, an outdoor Nature Trail, and The Farm.

Visit the Schiele Museum to see how it can be a resource for you!

• Age: Programs are available for all ages, Grades K-12
• Subject: Science, History
• Advanced reservations required. Groups of 15 or more. Teachers and staff leaders are free! (One leader per group of 15 paying participants.)
• Homeschool trips are also available.
• Schiele to Go Outreach Programs

Sky Top offers hands-on, interactive learning for ages 3 – 10 yrs old. Enjoy a wagon ride through the orchard and learn all about apples. Tour add-on options available.

Strawberry Hill offers the perfect farm field trip package for schools, homeschool groups, and churches with 20 or more participants.
The field trip aligns with the South Carolina state standards for preschool through 2nd-grade levels, discovering plant and animal science.

5th graders explore Table Rock State Park through hands-on Mountain Stream and Forest Ecology field trips, examining mountain streams, forest layers, wildlife, and geology firsthand.

Many virtual field trips available.

Enjoy 19 different aviation themed mini golf holes. Field trip options include one round of mini golf for each participant, a build your own mini golf hole STEM project, and either a one hour museum tour at the Military History Museum. Or a 20 minute aviation lesson, and an aviation scavenger hunt at the Runway Park.

Fall homeschool field trip dates are in September and October

Students will learn about electricty and how it is produced safely. The programs utilize hands on activites as well as movies and brain teaser games, depending on age group.

• Age: Programs are available for elementary through high school students.
• Subject: Science
• Nature trail and picnic shelter is also on the property

With Lowes Foods’ From the Field Trips, learn about healthy food, local food and healthy living.

• Age: Programs available for Pre-K through 8th Grade
• Subject: Science, Health/PE
• These field trips are free!
• Register online:
  • 1. Click here
  • 2. Under From the Field Trips, click the “Sign up” link
  • 3. Select your local store’s tab to see available dates
  • 4. Click the “Sign Up” button on the desired date
  • 5. Select an available time slot for your tour
  • 6. Fill out information and click “Sign Up Now!”

WNC Nature Center currently offers self-guided tours for school groups (registration required), as well as virtual small group programs, virtual auditorium programs, and recorded programs on various topics that include a live animal guest.

View 60 species of native animals at the WNC Nature Center! Programs are available for groups as small as 10.

• Age: all ages
• Subject: science
• Guided as well as self-guided and in-school programs are available.

Being the largest aquarium and marine research institute in the country, the Georgia Aquarium offers a variety of educational programs, including live virtual programs for ages K-12.

Learn about amazing raptors at the Carolina Raptor Center. They offer a variety of field trip options with educational programming for groups, as well as homeschool days.
See our review of one Carolina Raptor Center program here.

• Age: All grade levels and programs vary to suit each age group
• Subject: Science
• See these amazing birds up close!

Homeschool Days are occasionally offered. Please contact Carolina Raptor Center for specific dates and times.

Conestee Nature Preserve offers a wide variety of science and nature field trips and programs. All public schools are free for field trips!

• Age: Preschool through high school
• Subject: Science and Nature
• Programs include a variety of nature themed topics depending on age.
• Home school days are offered throughout the year.

Paris Mountain offers group hikes and educational programs about nature and the history of Paris Mountain State Park.

• Ages: School Age, plus family programming
• Subjects: Science, History
• Families can enjoy Creek Ranger Hikes in addition to other educational events.

Learn about agriculture at Stewart Farms. Enjoy the pumpkin patch and the corn maze.
Offers field trips and occasional special events for homeschoolers.
Field trips allow students to explore the activities at the farm while learning about pumpkins.

Homeschool Days for fall late September.

The museum offers a beautiful display of fossils, minerals, and rocks. Located at Clemson University, the museum houses both geological and paleontological exhibits. In addition, a display of fluorescent rocks that seems like magic will thrill the entire family!

The Spartanburg Science Center is a downtown museum with live animal exhibits, an extensive collection of fossils, bones, rocks and minerals, and engaging children’s activities like engineering challenges. With only $5 admission and Free Family Saturdays once a month, put this place on your list to encourage a love of science in your children!

Birthday Parties: Stare at the stars. Play with robots. Create chemical reactions. Spartanburg Science Center adds intrigue to any birthday party! Whether you’re a kid in age or in your spirit of wonder, celebrate with the Spartanburg Science Center for an extra element of surprise and excitement.

Field Trips: Offers standards-based, hands-on science education for groups aged Kindergarten – 8th Grade. Programs can be held at the Science Center, they can come to you, or you can work with them to arrange field trips to natural habitats.

Homeschool: The Spartanburg Science Center offers grade-level field trip programs in all major fields of science, and they are sometimes able to host homeschool family groups on days when not normally open to the public. Contact jschmid@spartanburgsciencecenter.org with inquiries.

Summer Camps: Be on the lookout for STEAM Summer Camps at the Spartanburg Science Center, featuring a wide array of topics for rising K4 through rising 8th grade. Previous camps have covered animals, LEGO Robotics, Minecraft, coding, pre-algebra readiness, the solar system, nature walks, and much more.

Location:

• 200 East St. John Street
  Spartanburg, SC 29306
  864.583.2777

Visit the Spartanburg Science Center website for more information.

As a pinnacle of innovative learning, an engine for community engagement, and a national leader in science education, Roper Mountain’s mission is to ignite the natural curiosity of all learners to explore and shape their world.

The beautiful 62-acre campus contains an array of state-of-the-art educational facilities including a Planetarium and Observatory, Marine and Ecology labs, a Rainforest, a Living History Farm and a new Environmental Science and Sustainability Center.

Virtual field trips are available.

Field Trips & School Programs: The South Carolina Botanical Garden at Clemson offers 45-60 minute school programs intended to support your curriculum and grade level. Homeschool groups can visit as well. Fee is $5 per student. They also offer classes that are perfect for homeschooling families.

Summer Camp Offers: The SC Botanical Garden at Clemson offers week-long summer camps in June and July for kids aged 6 – 12 (8:30 – 3)
2026 Summer Camps in June and July TBD