free field trips in los angeles

14 Best School Field Trips in Los Angeles

Your students deserve a chance to explore science, math, history and art in their communities. However, tight school budgets and transportation issues may impede these efforts. Luckily, the Los Angeles area is home to many field trip venues that are either free or low priced and full of fun and adventure for all grade levels.

Whether that’s visiting a local museum , exploring a beautiful botanical garden or going tide pooling at the beach, every student deserves a hands-on education.

14 Best Student Field Trips in Los Angeles

Here is a list of 14 Best School Field Trips in Los Angeles to supplement your students’ classroom learning and education whether they attend public or private school or homeschool.

Aquarium of the Pacific , Long Beach

Bring your students to the Aquarium of the Pacific for a fun learning experience. Come explore and discover over 12,000 animals that call the Aquarium their home.

Explore the wonders of the Pacific Ocean on a self-guided field trip . Observe penguins, sea otters, sea jellies, and so much more. Dive deeper into your learning experience by adding an education program where your class can investigate further with an Aquarium educator.

The Aquarium also hosts homeschool days and children education classes throughout the year.

The Arboretum , Arcadia

The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden is a unique 127-acre botanical garden and historical site located in what was the heart of the historic Rancho Santa Anita in the city of Arcadia.

Self-guided and educator led field trips are offered at the Arboretum.

Available to grades 1st through 12th, Nature Investigations are hands-on, interactive programs led by Arboretum educators. Each Nature Investigation leads students on a journey into the garden where they will take a closer look at the incredible natural systems at work through the lens of different themes, including Habitat, Pollination, Plant Adaptation, Ethnobotany, and Biodiversity. While these themes are different, they contain overarching, crosscutting concepts that connect all five programs. Each program can accommodate approximately 20 students for up to a total of 100 students per day. 

Available to all grade levels, self-guided visits of the Arboretum present a wonderful opportunity to enhance your classroom curriculum. With their chaperone as their guide, students can explore science, history, wildlife, or simply spend a day discovering nature in a free-choice learning environment.

The Arboretum also hosts a holiday event every year called Lightscape and special exhibits from time to time.

Autry Museum of the American West , Los Angeles

The Autry features innovative exhibitions, a broad range of programs and extensive collection of art and artifacts, the Autry National Center explores the distinct stories and interactions of cultures and peoples, and their impact on the complex, evolving history of the American West.

The Autry’s mission to bring together the stories of all peoples of the American West, connecting the past with the present to inspire our shared future continues as we bring the museum to you through virtual tours , standards-based self-paced lessons, and fun activities for students of all ages.

The Autry Museum provides hands-on educational programs to explore the history of the American West for grades 3 through 12. There are two options for field trips ; a docent guided tour or museum teacher program.

School admission fee is $2.00 per person for students, teachers, and chaperones.  Adult chaperones are required for all student programs. A minimum of one adult chaperone per every 8 students is required for your visit.

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium , San Pedro

Located in San Pedro, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is a trusted resource that inspires exploration, respect and conservation of Southern California marine life.

The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium offers many programs for school groups and individuals of all ages to gain better awareness of our coastal environment.

Hands-on programs include everything from hatching grunion to the ancient Japanese art of Gyotaku. Lectures by noted scientists and authors offer an in-depth look at an array of topics from extreme waves to bioluminescence and our marine biology workshops teach subjects from Ichthyology to Animal Behavior to spark an interest in science at any age.

The California Science Center, Los Angeles

The California Science Center provides an innovative model for science learning by combining exhibits with an on-site Science Center School and Amgen Center for Science Learning as well as a teacher professional development program.  The Science Center is open to the public seven days a week, 362 days per year, with free general admission to its permanent exhibit galleries.  The facility spans more than 400,000 sq. feet and includes four major exhibit areas.

Things to do on a field trip include the IMAX Theater, Space Shuttle Endeavor, Big Lab and Permanent Exhibit Galleries.

Group reservations are available for parties of 15 or more. Call (213) 744-2019 to speak with a reservation assistant. Reservations are accepted weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and weekends from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The California Science Center also hosts  homeschool days  and  special exhibits  throughout the year.

Discovery Cube of Los Angeles , Simi Valley

Discovery Cube Los Angeles is   an indoor wonderland of learning and imagination through interactive play and real world experiences . Their mission is to inspire and education young minds through engaging science-based programs and exhibits therefore creating a meaningful impact on the communities they serve.

Discovery Cube LA offers a variety of twelve field trips programs including:

Roots and Fruits – This new 3-hour field trip features a workshop style experience about the life cycle of a plant, parts of a plant, what a plant needs to grow and survive, plant habitats, pollinators, water conservation (grades 1 & 2), and composting (grade 3). Includes pre & post field trip activities and videos.

World of Motion – This new 3-hour field trip features a workshop style experience about gravity, friction, potential and kinetic energy, energy transfer, Newton’s Laws of Motion and engineering design. Includes pre & post field trip activities and videos.

A Perfect Fit – This guided 2-hour field trip features a special presentation about animal adaptations that allow different animals to survive and thrive in different environments.

Dodgers Stadium , Los Angeles

Since 1962, Dodger Stadium has welcomed fans from all corners of the globe and enchanted them with its breathtaking views and its storied past.  This 56,000-seat icon of American sports history has been home to some of the greatest players in the game and is home to the best fans in all of baseball.

The Dodger Stadium Tour provides fans the opportunity to see the ballpark in a very unique fashion. This behind-the-scenes tour lets fans visit some of the most restricted and non-public areas and view the Stadium from a whole new perspective. As baseball’s third-oldest stadium, Dodger Stadium remains one of the game’s most beautiful and most historic venues.  This is a walking tour of the ballpark which includes climbing stairs and ramps.

Highlights of this 90 minute tour may include:  

• A trip down to the field at Dodger Stadium
• A visit into the Dodger Dugout
• An exclusive look at the Lexus Dugout Club, their VIP restaurant and lounge located behind home plate, home to our World Series trophies, Most Valuable Player (MVP), Cy Young, Silver Slugger and Rookie of the Year awards
• A walk through the Vin Scully Press Box, where the story of Dodger baseball is covered from every angle
• And more surprises!

To set up a private tour, please visit their website .

The Getty Museum , Los Angeles

Each year the Getty welcomes more than 160,000 K-12 students to the Getty Center and Villa to experience tours, programs, and creative spaces. A trip to the Getty is a multi-media experience; therefore, learning is enhanced through sensory and tactile inputs. Conversations about art can also spark an appreciation of culture and increase students’ ability to think critically about the arts. 

The Getty Museum offers two types of free tours:  Guided  and  Self-Guided . All school visits include a one-hour guided tour with a Getty docent. Students in small groups, accompanied by chaperones, are encouraged to explore the galleries and the Central Garden on their own following their guided tour. 

Available for groups of 8 students (minimum) to 120 (maximum) in grades K–12. 

The Grammy Museum , Los Angeles

The Grammy Museum, is an interactive, educational museum devoted to the history and winners of the Grammy Awards.  The Museum strives to inspire its visitors to learn about musical genres and history through interactive touch-screens, videos, and recording booths.  The museum also features a rich collection of historical music artifacts including costumes and instruments from the Grammy Awards, hand-written lyrics, records, and audio/video recordings.

From workshops centered around the creative process (Music Production), connecting to topics covered in the classroom (Music of the Civil Rights Movement), or to their career-based programs (Backstage Pass and Careers in Music), The Grammy Museum giving students the opportunity to learn about all subjects through music.

Student museum tours are offered at a cost of $12, which allows youth of all backgrounds to have the opportunity to learn through music.

After being greeted by a Grammy Museum representative, all school groups will participate in a self-guided tour of the Museum. Groups can choose to add on a Clive Davis Theater workshop or participate in a Museum-wide scavenger hunt.

Griffith Observatory , Los Angeles

Griffith Observatory is an icon of Los Angeles, a national leader in public astronomy, a beloved civic gathering place, and one of southern California’s most popular attractions. The Observatory is located on the southern slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, just above the Los Feliz neighborhood. It is 1,134 feet above sea level and is visible from many parts of the Los Angeles basin. The Observatory is the best vantage point for observing the world-famous Hollywood Sign.

Griffith Observatory’s free fifth-grade in-person school program uses the Observatory’s instruments, exhibits, and programs in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium and Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon theater to help students explore their place in the universe. The two-and-a-half-hour program is an integrated, standards-based experience which educates, intrigues, and inspires young minds. The combination of the Observatory’s engaging staff and our unique facilities produces an opportunity unlike anything offered anywhere else.

Sessions typically take place on Thursday and Friday mornings (9:30 a.m.-Noon) from late October to early June at Griffith Observatory. Only students enrolled in fifth grade are eligible. Advanced registration is required, and space is limited.

Griffith Observatory also offers virtual field trips for teachers to stream from their classrooms.

  Jet Propulsion Laboratory , Pasadena

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory holds a unique place in the universe. They are a leader in robotic space exploration, sending rovers to Mars, probes into the farthest reaches of the solar system, and satellites to advance understanding of our home planet.

The JPL Public Services Office offers a limited number of onsite, in-person tours , free of charge, for groups and individuals on an advance reservation basis. Visitor parking is also available free of charge. All tours commonly include a multimedia presentation on JPL entitled “Journey to the Planets and Beyond,” which provides an overview of the Laboratory’s activities and accomplishments.

Guests may also visit the von Karman Visitor Center, the Space Flight Operations Facility, and the Spacecraft Assembly Facility. Please see the below descriptions for additional information. Tours are booked one month at a time, and must be booked a minimum of three weeks in advance.

JPL’s free educational tours are designed for schools and educational groups of 20 people or more.  The tour is specifically geared for children in 3rd grade and up for comprehension of information.

Natural History Museums of Los Angeles , Los Angeles

Step back to the days when dinosaurs roamed the Los Angeles area. Watch as a T-Rex fossil closes in on its prey, or check out the  fossils of dinos such as a triceratops  at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. With more than  300 fossils on display , kids of all ages will have a blast exploring California life from 65 million years ago.

Explore the exhibit halls, get up-close-and-personal with specimens and artifacts, and experience the museum with your students on a field trip. Self-guided field trips to the Natural History Museum are free for California Pre-K – 12 public or private school groups.

The NHM also offers specific homeschool days throughout the year for families to visit and enjoy the museum.

The Port of Los Angeles , Los Angeles

There’s no other port like it in the world! The Port of Los Angeles is a premier international Port, the #1 container port in the nation, a leader in environmental initiatives and home to diverse recreational and educational facilities.

The Port of Los Angeles offers free one-hour educational tours to school groups (fourth grade through college) aboard  Harbor Breeze Cruises  boats to showcase the dynamics of daily world trade at America’s busiest port. To prepare students for the tour, the Port can provide various materials and information, focusing on local history, international trade, and/or environmental awareness.

The Port of Los Angeles also offers free tours to the public from time to time. Guests experience 60-minute narrated tours that include up-close views of active vessels, container terminals and the bustling Los Angeles Main Channel.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum , Simi Valley

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is the repository of presidential records from the administration of Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, and the burial place of the president and first lady, Nancy Reagan.

There are many exciting learning opportunities for you and your students at the Reagan Library. The Air Force One Discovery Center allows students to experience firsthand the responsibilities and challenges faced by leaders in our government, military, and media as they are immersed in our award-winning critical decision simulation.

As either a student or a teacher, you can join The Walter and Leonore Annenberg Presidential Learning Center and its commitment to engaging the future leaders of America and developing proactive informed, educated, and conscientious citizens and leaders.

You can also call to schedule a class tour of the exhibits or attend one of our on-site Education Workshops through the National Archives.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum offers docent-led museum tours designed to engage and inform students about Ronald Reagan’s presidency and his legacy. Self-guided museum tours are available for educators who want to immerse their students in a more customized program.

Happy Field Tripping,

Barbara EpsteinBarbara

Tuesday 7th of February 2023

When I taught in San Pedro we used to collect recycling all year to pay for an extra field trip to Pointe Vicente Interpretive Center, followed by a nature hike in the hills above. Closer to nature than other choices.

What a creative and quite educational idea.

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Field trips.

Inspire wonder, discovery, and responsibility for our natural and cultural worlds with a field trip to the Natural History Museum!

Visit the Natural History Museum on a field trip!  Explore our exhibit halls, get up-close-and-personal with specimens and artifacts, and experience our museums with your students. Self-guided field trips to the Natural History Museum are free for California Pre K–12 public or private school groups. See below for information on how to book your visit!

Please note: Due to construction for the future NHM Commons, the South Entrance of the Museum is closed . Students and teachers will be redirected to enter at the East Gate Entrance (located off of the Rotunda across from the Rose Garden). Please see our Field Trip Parking and Bus Drop-Off map for specific directions.

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Field Trips to La Brea Tar Pits

Witness discoveries made daily at the largest active urban paleontological site in the world!

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Los Angeles Field Trips

The FieldTripDirectory.com is a resource of Los Angeles field trips for elementary school students thru high school students, camp groups, homeschool groups and scout troops for day field trips, overnight field trips and youth retreats. Learn about Los Angeles’ museums, zoos and aquariums, botanic gardens, nature centers, historic sites, amusement parks, recreation, performing arts and more, CLICK on the ACTIVITY FILTER below for further field trip information. For those unable to travel to these locations, check out our  Virtual Field Trips  section or  Outreach Field Trips & School Assembly Programs  section.

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Fulcrum Adventures

Fulcrum Adventures programs actively engage youth groups with hands-on opportunities to lead, solve problems, make decisions, and work as a team.

Pinstripes Topanga

Dine, Play, Celebrate! The best field trips happen at Pinstripes, an esteemed dining and entertainment destination that offers a kids-friendly Italian-American menu and a modern spin on bocce and bowling.

America's Teaching Zoo

America’s Teaching Zoo is the hand-on classroom for the Exotic Animal Training and Management students AND a community attraction in a beautiful hilltop setting.

Augustus F. Hawkins Nature Park

Augustus F. Hawkins Nature Park is a 8.5-acre state-of-the-art natural park surrounded by the urban landscape of Southern California. A school or youth group trip includes a tour of the facility, an art/craft activity and a self-lead scavenger hunt.

AUTRY MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN WEST

The Autry Museum of the American West mission to bring together the stories of all peoples of the American West, connecting the past with the present to inspire our shared future.

California African American Museum

The California African American Museum’s mission is to research, collect, preserve, and interpret for public enrichment the history, art, and culture of African Americans with an emphasis on California and the western USA.

California Science Center

The California Science Center features hands-on exhibits and inquiry-based education programs. Features major exhibit areas: World of Life, Creative World, Ecosystems and Air and Space.

Cayton Children's Museum

The Cayton Children’s Museum offers 21,000 square feet of discovery-based exhibits and immersive play connecting to arts, to the world. The Museum is a place where children experience the transformational and lifelong benefits of abundant, creative and purposeful play.

Craft Contemporary

With a focus on contemporary art made from craft media and processes, Craft Contemporary presents dynamic exhibitions by established and emerging artists and designers.

Descanso Gardens

Descanso Gardens is a unique Southern California landscape distinguished by its specialized botanic collections, historical significance, and rare natural beauty. 

Discovery Cube Los Angeles

Discovery Cube’s campuses and education programs is an organization brimming with mind-growing activities, try-it-out experiments, and numerous other paths to pursuing scientific understanding. These engaging experiences have their basis in STEM education.

El Dorado Nature Center

El Dorado Nature Center is an oasis of natural habitat, offering visitors to explore the 105 acres that make up the Nature Center grounds provide sanctuary for animals and plant life. Offers tours for various nature themes.

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Student Field Trips

The L.A. Conservancy brings Los Angeles history to life for students through our in-person and virtual field trips. Our enriching programs are filled with inspirational stories reflecting the cultural and architectural history of L.A.

Programs are led by Conservancy educators and support California’s Common Core State Standards in History and Social Studies, as well as highlight important lessons about the preservation of historic sites.

Please email us at [email protected] to learn more about Student Field Trips.

L.A. Conservancy Student Programs are now a part of LAUSD’s Black Student Achievement Plan! In 2023, the Los Angeles Conservancy joined the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP) focused on improving learning opportunities and educational outcomes for Black students in Los Angeles. The Conservancy’s Student Walking Tour Program is offered as an enrichment opportunity to support student learning.

Student Field Trip Options

A Woman's Place: Union Station and Chinatown

Student walking tour or virtual tour available.

Uncover untold stories of the women who helped build Union Station and Chinatown.

Building Community: Pioneering Black Architects in L.A.

Virtual tour only.

An interactive exploration of historic places designed by pioneering Black Architects. Through the stories of Norma Merrick Sklarek, Paul R. Williams, Robert Kennard, and many others, students will understand how Black architects shaped Los Angeles and influenced communities through advocacy and design. Available as a virtual tour only.

Celebrating Griffith Park: Past and Present

A virtual trek through Griffith Park’s 125 years, including the history of Gabrielino Tongva who inhabited the land, historic buildings that remain, and the people and events that have made the park so special. Available as a virtual tour only.

Historic Downtown

A great introduction to the architecture and history of downtown Los Angeles.

Union Station

Explore America’s last great train station built at the end of the golden age of rail travel.

In-Person vs. Virtual Options & Pricing

STUDENT WALKING TOURS

• The cost is $10.00 per student. (One free chaperone per 10 students)
• Walking tours available: Historic Downtown, Union Station, and A Woman’s Place*.
• Offered Tuesdays and Thursdays. (Other days may be available upon request).
• Each session may be scheduled for up to 1.5 hours between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. We kindly request walking tour bookings be made at least two weeks before your desired date.
• Recommended for up to 30 students in grades 3-12.
• Large group options and scholarships are available! Just ask.
• *The A Woman’s Place walking tour takes students on the Metro L (Gold) Line. The cost of the ride is not included. Learn more about purchasing a TAP card here.
• Request a Student Walking Tour now!

VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS

• The cost is $25.00 per individual session.
• Virtual tours available: Historic Downtown, Union Station, A Woman’s Place, Building Community, and Celebrating Griffith Park.
• Offered Monday through Friday (Weekends available upon request).
• Each session may be scheduled for up to 1-hour between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. We kindly request workshop bookings be made at least two weeks before your desired date.

Other Student Programs

Adventures in Architecture

Discover L.A.’s Broadway

Educational Resources

Major funding for the Los Angeles Conservancy’s educational programs is provided by the LaFetra Foundation and the Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation.

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Los Angeles Field Trip Guide

Teachtopia’s LA Field Trip Guide helps parents and teachers find the best field trips in Los Angeles.  Field trip trips are learning, memories,  and fun.   Our field trip guide includes a  variety of Museums,  Gardens, Theme Parks,  Zoos,  and Aquariums.

Our Los Angeles field trip guide is the collaboration with  LAwithKids.com .  When you are searching for field trip ideas, we assure that the Teachtopia field trip guide is the place to go.  In a major city like Los Angeles, several of the field trips have costs including  parking fees, admission fees, as well as additional charges once you are at the attraction. For LA field trips, research is essential. This field trip guide to LA is your best means of getting information of Los Angeles Field Trips

Los Angles Museums and Zoos

There are wonderful museums and zoos in the la area..

African American Museum (CAAM) 600 State Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90037 Cost for family field trips: Free. Parking Fee: While accessible through rail, the parking fee is 15 dollars Cost for school Field Trips: Field trips must be arranged in advance and have no fee.  What makes the California African American Museum (CAAM) a great field trip is that the exhibits changes on a regular basis. Topics have included Visual Artists, History, Political Activism, Literature, and more. website:  Chinese American Museum 425 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Cost for family field trips: free, but donations are recommended.

Cost for school field trips: free, but recommended donation of 7 to 10 dollars. This museum is in an area called El Pueblo de Los Angeles.  This Mexican themed a called Olvera Street is adjacent to the larger China Town. website:

Craft and Folk Art Museum 5814 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Cost for families: This museum is 7 to 9 dollars Monday through Saturday.  Sunday is “Pay what you can”

This museum is strategically located right down the street from the Pedersen Automotive Museum and literally across the street from both LACMA and the La Brea Tar Pits.

Fowler Museum 308 Charles E Young Dr N, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Cost for Family field trips: Free with a fee for parking at UCLA Cost for School field trips: Free The Fowler Museum is located in the heart of UCLA campus, has not cost of admission, and has incredible art from around the world on display.

Getty Center 1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049 Cost for family field trips: Free with a fee for parking at the Getty Center Cost for School Field trips: Free The Getty Center is an amazing Museum that truly has enough to provide ten field trips worth of content. From the tram ride up the hill to the large garden area the Getty Museum is incredible art and a whole lot more. website:

Getty Villa 17985 Pacific Coast Hwy, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 Cost: School Field Trips are free. Cost for Families: Parking is $20 dollars and admission is free. The Getty Villa is home to incredible art from Greece and Rome. It also has incredible landscaping and gardens. website:  www.getty.edu

Griffith Observatory 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90027 Cost: While admission is free, there is an fee to see the observatory show.

Cost for schools: School field trip admissions are free.  The Griffith Observatory is as much about seeing true Los Angeles history as it is seeing a world class observatory and planetarium. There are field trip for student throughout the year. website:  griffithobservatory.org

Hammer Museum 10899 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024 Cost: No cost The Hammer museum is world class art museum that is adjacent to the UCLA campus in Westwood.  It is operated by UCLA. website:  hammer.ucla.edu

Japanese American National Museum 100 N Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Cost for Families: 7-16 dollars (2020) Cost for Field Trips: 5 students and 7 dollars adults (2020) The museum has a permanent exhibit documenting the history of Japanese internment camps in the United States. website:  www.janm.org/

Los Angeles County Museum of Art 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036 This is a very large Los Angeles Art Museum with someone tor everyone. website:  www.lacma.org

LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes 501 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 Cost for Family visits: Free Cost for School Field Trips: 10 dollars per student. Title 1 Schools are free with reservation.  If your school qualifies as a Title 1 school, then then the admission fees are waived. This field trip destination is great place to learn about Los Angeles history. This LA Museum not only has so much to see, but also has a great staff of professionals that make sure that children have a great experience when they visit this cultural center.

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Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) 250 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (Main location) 152 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (Second Location) There are two locations for MOCA in Los Angeles.

Museum of Latin American Art 628 Alamitos Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802 The art inside the museum and the sculptures garden outside the museum walls make this museum a most see.  There is always more than one exhibit representing Latin American Art.

Museum of Tolerance 9786 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035

Cost for Families: Age 5 and up 12.00 to 16.00 (verified 2022) Cost for Schools:  Limited assistance may be provided for Title 1 Schools (verified 2022) Many major cities within our country have field trip destinations that remind us of the Holocaust as well as try to teach tolerance. In Los Angeles there is both the Museum of Tolerance and to a lesser extent some of the content at the more diverse Skirball Cultural Center which addresses many aspects of Jewish History and Life. As a parent or teacher planning a field trip to the Museum of Tolerance it is important to understand that this is a serious field trip that discusses racism and tolerance yet also provides hope for the future.

Natural History Museum 900 W Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90007

The Natural history Museum has significantly more than could be seen in one day on a field trip.  There is a nature lab, outdoor garden, gem collection, dinosaur remains and more. website:

Norton Simon Museum 411 W Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91105 A large and famous collection of global art in Pasadena. The Norton Simon will offer your field trip encounters with a large European and Asian collection of art. website:

Page Museum (La Brea Tar Pits) 5801 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Prehistoric animals in Los Angeles are the focus of this museum. It is at the location where they do excavation for remains. website:

Petersen Automotive Museum 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036 An incredible automotive museum with a very large collection of cars consistently on display. website:

Skirball Cultural Center 2701 N Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049 Jewish history and Jewish cultural museum in Los Angeles. website:

Travel Town Museum 5200 Zoo Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027 Cost: Free This Train museum at the Gateway to Griffith Park’s entrance has many train cars and locomotives on display. There is also a train ride around the ground for a fee. website:

USS Iowa Museum 250 S Harbor Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90731 If you want to go on a real battleship and learn about United States history at the same time, this is the place.   website:

Los Angeles Parks and Gardens

There are several significant gardens including botanical gardens in the los angeles area..

Descanco Gardens 1418 Descanso Dr, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011 The train ride is a highlight. Please make sure that the train is running prior to visiting. Gardens of the World 2001 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 This garden located right by the Thousand Oaks Cultural Center.  We recommend a visiting this garden before or after a matinee performance at the cultural center. We also recommend a visit to the also free nearby Thousand Oaks Botanical garden. Griffith Park While there are garden areas within Griffith Park, Griffith Park is an extremely large park that happens to contain gardens, train rides, museums, concert venues and more. Huntington Library and Gardens 1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, CA 91108 While the Huntington is very famous for its extensive themed gardens there are also art galleries with significant American and European holdings, sculptures on display, and a display of historical books within the public facing section of the garden. A field trip to the Huntington might be focused on their indoor museum and not the gardens, so it is very important to plan with the Huntington the type of visit you are going to have. Los Angeles website: Los Angeles County Arboretum 301 N Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007 This is an incredible garden. Make sure you visit the greenhouses as well as the small lake. website: UCLA Botanical Garden 707 Tiverton Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90095 Cost: Free A field trip to UCLA should include a stop at the Botanical Gardens.There is an array of plants as well as water features. 

Theme Parks Field Trips with Educational Programs

Going to a theme park as a field trip is a memorable experience that students will never forget..

Disneyland 1313 Disneyland Dr, Anaheim, CA 92802 Disneyland Field Trip offerings range from a general group rate trip to a specialized trip that could teach skills such as leadership, science, or music.The Disneyland Youth Education has offerings for students from elementary age through their Grad Night at Disneyland. Knott’s Berry Farm 8039 Beach Blvd, Buena Park, CA 90620 Knott’s Berry Farm has an array of field trip offerings.A must see is the Independence Hall recreation directly accross the street from the main park entrance. Six Flags Magic Mountain 26101 Magic Mountain Pkwy, Valencia, CA 91355 Cost for field trips for families: Cost for field trips for school field trips:Six Flags Magic mountain field trips could be books to include topics related to Physics, Engineering, Math, Cartography, Art, Design, and Business skills. They also have group packages. Sea World, San Diego 500 Sea World Dr, San Diego, CA 92109 Seaworld has various education programs for families, schools, and groups. Seaworld also has a program that encourages teachers to visit. Universal Studios Hollywood 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608 Universal Studios has a Youth Education program that welcomes groups throughout the year. The Universal Studios Hollywood theme park has both an authentic tram tour of a movie studio as well as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

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FREE Field Trips

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Field Trips

• In-Schools & Writers’ Rooms

826LA invites classes to participate in free, writing-based field trips. Our field trips offer a fun, safe, collaborative experience for students to express their imaginations and practice their writing skills. Supported by our volunteers, students brainstorm and write original stories or memoir pieces, and will receive their writing in the form of a bound book by the end of the field trip.

Interested in bringing your class on a field trip? Fill out our application here!

Field Trips We Offer

Storytelling & Bookmaking (Grades 1–4)

Well-wishing & poetry writing (gr 3–5).

On a visit to Barnacle and Barnacle Publishers students will learn poetic techniques like personification and sensory details in order to write poetry that has the power to cure Professor Barnacle’s pet of the bad day blues. Students will work in small groups with our volunteers to write two collaborative poems as well as one individual poem. At the end of the Field Trip, each student will leave as published poets, taking home their own poetry collection.

Choose Your Own Adventure (Grades 5–8)

Memoir (grades 9–12).

Students will reflect on their lives and unpack important moments, events, and memories that have shaped their identities. With the help of volunteers and focused small group work, students will work on written reflections of their lives in this current moment. This field trip can be used as a tool for students as they prepare to write their personal narratives for college application essays.

Check Out Our Barnacle and Barnacle Library

Storytelling & bookmaking, small group storytelling, ready to schedule a field trip for your class.

Click here to schedule your Field Trip today!

Questions or Concerns?

Contact our Field Trips program staff by email at [email protected] or phone at (323) 389-7234

More Information About 826LA’s Field Trips Program

Location Field Trips take place out of our Mar Vista location at 12515 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90066 and our Echo Park location at 1714 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026.

Schedule We offer field trips September through May on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings from 10am to 1pm.

Priority policy We prioritize schools in LAUSD that have a Title I percentage of 50% or higher. You can see if your school qualifies here .

In partnership, we ask all other applicants to pay $450 per field trip, which covers the cost of our transportation scholarship. However, in the event that this causes undue financial hardship, we ask for a donation on a sliding scale with a minimum of $250 per field trip. We currently do not offer field trips to private schools or homeschool classes. If we are unable to schedule you, we will be in touch about adding you to our waitlist. In the event of a cancellation, we may contact classes on the waitlist and the available date(s) may be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Class Sizes We can accommodate a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 30 students per field trip. If your group is larger than 30 students, you will need to select multiple dates in order for us to accommodate your entire group.

Transportation Support For the 2023-2024 school year, we are offering two forms of support for classes that are unable to visit our centers due to restricted transportation funding – our Transportation Scholarship and our Traveling Field Trips Program. Please see descriptions of these programs below. You can apply for them within the Field Trips application.

To qualify, your class must not be able to attend a field trip at our centers due to limited transportation funding and/or an inability to reach our sites via other means (i.e. walking, public transportation within reason, parent carpool, etc.) Your school must also be a minimum of three miles away from our centers. Priority will be given to schools whose student population is a majority Black/African American.

Transportation Scholarship We are awarding a limited number of monetary scholarships to classes that have limited transportation funding to visit our site. Each award is up to $450.

Traveling Field Trips Instead of your class coming to our site for a Field Trip, our 826LA staff will come to your school and facilitate a modified 90-minute field trip experience in your classroom. We are able to work with two classes in one day, each for a separate 90 minute period. After the field trip, we will return to your school within 10 days to deliver the bound books. This is only available for Storytelling & Bookmaking field trips.

Additional Questions For additional questions, please reach out to one of our Field Trips program staff at [email protected] .

What Volunteers Do in Field Trips

Volunteers are an important part of 826LA Field Trips. Volunteers facilitate brainstorming sessions and share-outs, type up student ideas, and support the editing process. They also assist 826LA staff during book production. We ask our volunteers to be adaptable, engaged, and enthusiastic throughout our field trips.

For our most popular field trip, Storytelling & Bookmaking, volunteers make up the team of Barnacle & Barnacle Publishers, and can take up a variety of roles, ranging from the Brainstormer (who helps students come up with and share their best ideas) to the Typist (who transcribes those ideas into writing) to the Illustrator (who brings those ideas to life with drawings). Volunteers may even play the role of our publisher Professor Barnacle, or lead the field trip as our Storyteller. 

Please read our  FAQ for Volunteers  for more information, or reach out to one of our Volunteer program staff at [email protected] .

“[The most effective part of the program was] the volunteers facilitating the small group writing through questioning. The process was fun and creative! It shows the students that writing can be fun. I also love that the students return home with a meaningful artifact that can be a school memory. Students don’t get to make things as much these days, so these books are special.”

— Jeremy Munson, 4th-grade teacher,  Stoner Avenue Elementary School

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For Educators

Reserve a field trip, find lesson plans, and connect with Zoo educators online. The Zoo has both in-person and virtual options for students and teachers to explore.

ONSITE FIELD TRIPS

Learn about school field trips for the 2023/2024 school year.

ZOO SCHOOL WEBINARS

Join Learning & Engagement staff for live-steamed Zoo School Webinars!

VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP (ENGLISH)

This field trip can be used by anyone, including teachers, guardians, and students.

ExcursiÓn Virtual (Español)

Esta excursión puede ser utilizada por cualquier persona, incluyendo maestros, tutores y estudiantes.

2021 AZA Award Winner: Docent-Led Virtual Field Trips for Schools

Our Virtual School Programs bring the Zoo to your (virtual) classroom! Choose one of our programs designed to foster your students’ skills as scientists with the people and animals that can only be found at the L.A. Zoo.

Betty White’s Zoo PALS Scholarships

Betty White’s Zoo Pals is a special grant-funded program for Title I schools that provides Kindergarten-5th grade teachers and their students with FREE programming and supplies for their students.

Animal Adaptations

Join us as we hear from our zookeepers and see some incredible animal adaptations up close!

Animal Observations

Spend some quality time with amazing animals in these extended-length videos. Practice observations, learn something new, or just have a zen moment while hanging out with L.A.

Nature Tries

Nature Tries are fun and flexible ways to connect with nature no matter where you are and what your comfort level is. Use our ideas as a starting point, and make each Try your own.

Zoo Camplettes

Fun-filled activity packs designed for the young animal enthusiasts who wish every day was a Zoo Camp day .

The parking lot will have limited spaces to the public on Thursday, April 25th & Monday, April 29th.

Buses & Field Trips

We offer FREE bus transportation for environment-related field trips!

Los Angeles County middle and high school teachers qualify for a free bus for an environment-related field trip! The trip must relate to or enhance an environmental project and the destination must be within Los Angeles County. Buses are subject to availability and funds are limited, so contact us to request a bus as far in advance as possible.

Bus Ordering Policy

• Generation Earth provides schools that are working with the program with free bus transportation to field trips that relate to Environmental Service Learning Projects.
• In order to receive a bus, schools must be taking a trip that supports their Environmental Service Learning Projects in the classroom.
• Teachers are eligible for one bus per school year .
• Schools are eligible for two buses per school year .
• Your bus is not confirmed until we email you. This is a bus request form and is subject to the availability of funds .

Transportation Policy

• Maximum of 56 people , including adults, can be seated on a bus.
• Field trip destination must be within Los Angeles County borders.
• Please do not request less than two weeks before the field trip.
• The school (or teacher) is responsible for coordinating booking with the field trip destination site (unless otherwise specified).
• Late cancellations forfeit your bus for the year. You may be billed.
• Teachers will receive a confirmation from Generation Earth staff via email when the bus is confirmed.
• Passengers are required to follow COVID protocols per Los Angeles County Public Health orders and chartered bus company’s requirements.
• Generation Earth is not responsible for lost or stolen items on any field trip.

Bus Ordering Procedure

• Complete the Generation Earth Bus Transportation Request Form .
• Administer a Pre Project Survey to all students who will be participating in the field trip.
• We will respond within three to five working days.
• Attend Generation Earth Field Trip that relates to Environmental Service Learning Projects.
• Administer a Post Project Survey to all students who participated in the field trip.

Project Highlights: Field Trips

Field trip to the angeles national forest.

This February, 25 students from YouthBuild Charter’s Compton branch journeyed out to the Angeles Forest to help restore, plant and care for areas devastated by wildfire. Led by Generation Earth Project Coordinators, Maria Adame and Nanci Torres, the group discovered the importance of the local watershed while planting and watering native plants. As they contributed to the removal of invasive plants, they learned the benefits of native species and their relationship to fire. During their time in the Angeles, the group cared for approximately 50 young natives. They were also given the opportunity to visit a site where they had previously planted. This allowed them to see the incredible impact they had already made in the area. The group expressed excitement at the opportunity to spend time in the great outdoors and learn more about native plants and their benefits toward water conservation and wildfire mitigation.

Field Trip to TreePeople’s Coldwater Canyon Park

This April, two buses of South Gate Middle School students traveled to TreePeople’s Coldwater Canyon Park to explore environmental engineering strategies and learn about water saving actions. The students were led on an “eco-tour” by Generation Earth Project Coordinators Maria Adame and Nanci Torres. The tour was filled with fun activities including interactive displays, hands-on learning, native plant identification and more. At the urban watershed garden, the students witnessed a live demonstration of how rainwater flows through our environment. They saw a physical representation of stormwater runoff making its way to the ocean. The students were shocked to learn about the contaminants spread through the water such as plastics, oil, and trash. This led to a discussion about the benefits of permeable surfaces, rain barrels, rain chains and native plants and trees. The students were especially fascinated by the idea of biomimicry and imitating nature in our engineering designs in order to conserve water and address water pollution.

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Best Field Trip Venues In And Around Los Angeles

By: Author Wendy Kennar

Posted on Last updated: April 15, 2024

For kids, field trips usually rank as one of the highlights of the school year. For teachers, field trips provide the chance to supplement classroom instruction, provide real-world experiences, and expose students to new places and situations. If your child hasn’t yet gone on a field trip this year, or you’re helping your child’s teacher organize a field trip, here is a list of some of the best field trip venues in and around Los Angeles.

Mission San Gabriel Arcangel 428 S. Mission Dr., San Gabriel, CA 91776

Some schools, depending on their location, opt for a field trip to the San Gabriel Mission. It was the fourth of the California Missions and is home to a collection of sacred art pieces. As you wander among the “Pride of the Missions,” you’ll also have the chance to learn more about the history of the Spanish priests and the Native Americans who lived here.

Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana 15151 San Fernando Mission Blvd., Mission Hills, CA 91345

Elementary-aged schoolchildren learn about the California Indians and the Spanish Mission system. A visit to one (or both) of the nearest Missions makes the past alive, which then usually makes it more interesting for students. At the San Fernando Mission (also referred to as the “Mission of the Valley”), classes have an opportunity to walk among the rooms (acknowledging the shorter doorways), and learn what daily life was like for both the California Indians and the Spanish priests. 

The Autry Museum 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027

For children learning about the history of California, the Autry Museum may be the perfect place for a field trip. Docents lead classroom groups throughout the Museum and focus on western expansion, Native Americans, and the California gold rush. Different field trip options are available and are designed for different grade levels (K-2, 3-6, and 7-12). Most field trip tours are 55 minutes in length.

School Boat Tour Program Port of Los Angeles 425 S. Palos Verdes St., San Pedro, CA 90731

Students in grades four and above can take a one-hour field trip aboard Harbor Breeze Cruises. These field trips allow students to get an up-close-and-personal look at the Port of Los Angeles, the busiest container port in the country. Students learn about world trade and the fact that many of the items in their homes passed through the Port of Los Angeles.

Underwood Family Farms 3370 Sunset Valley Rd., Moorpark, CA 93021

A visit to Underwood Family Farms really lets kids see where their food comes from. And kids that are more invested in their food, who understand how their food is grown, are more likely to make healthier eating choices. Different tours are offered, including one where classes pick a basket of strawberries, one where classes pick a variety of vegetables, and one where classes pick a sugar baby pumpkin. All tours also feature a presentation by the farmer, a vintage tractor ride, and a visit to the Farm Animal Center.

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007

Regardless of your child’s grade or what he/she is currently studying in class, a field trip to the Natural History Museum will most likely effectively supplement his/her unit of study. Their exhibits include the Dinosaur Hall (where you can see a trio of   different aged/different sized T. Rex fossils), the Gem and Mineral Hall (including more than 2,000 specimens of gems and minerals from around the world), the Becoming Los Angeles exhibit (which tells the 500-year history of our city), the outside Nature Gardens , the Hall of Birds , the hands-on Discovery Center (complete with microscopes, touchable fossils and furs, and a polar bear collected in Norway back in 1964), Animal Habitat Halls (featuring impressive dioramas), and much more.

California Science Center 700 Exposition Park Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90037

The California Science Center has it all including plenty of things for kids to do, touch, and experience first-hand which helps to make sometimes abstract science concepts more concrete and understandable. A variety of field trip options are available including “Big Lab Programs” which allow students to become hands-on as they investigate, an IMAX screening, “Ecosystem Field Trip Lessons,” as well as Live Shows and Demonstrations. In addition, classes can view the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the planet’s only External Tank.

Drum Barracks Civil War Museum 1052 N. Banning Blvd., Wilmington, CA 90744

Children learning about the Civil War might think it has nothing to do with life in southern California. However, a field trip to the Drum Barracks Civil War Museum in Wilmington will change that. The Museum is housed in the “last remaining original wooden building of the 22 structures built as a military post during the Civil War in the Los Angeles area.”

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum 40 Presidential Dr., Simi Valley, CA 93065

Understandably, many children have concerns and questions about our country’s new administration. A visit to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum   provides docent-led tours designed to keep children engaged while learning about the presidency in general and Ronald Reagan’s legacy. Students will observe an exact replica of Reagan’s Oval Office, view a 6-ton piece of the Berlin Wall, tour Air Force One, and more.

El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument 125 Paseo de la Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012

A field trip to the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument allows students to learn about the founding and history of our city. Los Angeles is a true city of immigrants and a visit here will help students see themselves as part of something larger and realize how important diversity is to our city, and by extension, our country. El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument is considered a “living museum.” Students will view historic buildings, murals, statues, and more.

Hollywood Bowl 2301 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90068 and Walt Disney Concert Hall 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012

It’s all about music and the power of music when children visit either the Hollywood Bowl or the Disney Concert Hall. Depending on the field trip, children may hear a performance by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, receive a guided tour, learn about different instruments, or tour the Hollywood Bowl Museum.

College Campus Tours several locations

It’s never too early to start the conversation about attending college and letting our kids see college as a very real part of their future. Fortunately, there are several colleges and universities in southern California and all host campus tours. Be sure to check out Occidental College , California State University Los Angeles , University of Southern California , and University of California Los Angeles . (And don’t forget, CSU also has nearby locations in Long Beach , Dominguez Hills , and Northridge as well).

MomsLA is your source for Things to do with Kids in Los Angeles

Disclaimer:  MomsLA has made every effort to confirm the information in this article; however, things can often change. Therefore, MomsLA makes no representations or warranties about the accuracy of the information published here. MomsLA strongly urges you to confirm any event details, like date, time, location, and admission, with the third party hosting the event. You assume the sole risk of relying on any of the information in our list. MomsLA is in no way responsible for any injuries or damages you sustain while attending any third-party event posted on our website. Please read our Terms of Use which you have agreed to based on your continued use of this website. Some events have paid to be listed on MomsLA.

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Pair these L.A. road trips with a hike and a lunch

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In April 2020 — only a month or so into the COVID-19 pandemic — my wife and I were running out of things to do. The novelty of Zoom calls with friends was wearing off. We’d watched lots of movies and TV. We were itching to get out of our apartment, but with the virus still raging, we couldn’t risk being around other people. Then we had an idea: Why not go for a drive?

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For our first trip, we drove the length of Little Tujunga Canyon Road in the Angeles National Forest. After that, we were hooked. In the ensuing months, we crisscrossed the Santa Monica Mountains and made trips into Los Padres National Forest and beyond.

My wife bought me a California road atlas, and it became part of our scenic drive ritual: We’d consult its pages for inspiration, looking for two-lane roads and state highways that squiggled through mountain ranges or meandered through deserts. After returning home, I’d highlight our route. Four years after our first drive, the atlas is full of highlights documenting our travels — and there’s still a lifetime’s worth of backroads we haven’t covered yet.

No matter where we go, each drive gives me a deeper appreciation for the incredible range of landscapes in Southern California. And these journeys have led to many rewarding discoveries, from out-of-the-way diners to new trailheads for hiking and biking.

If you’re tired of visiting the same places, it’s time to hit the road. These two trips — all within a three-hour drive of the city — will get you started.

Los Padres National Forest and Carrizo Plain National Monument This route traverses winding mountain roads through Los Padres and spits you out near the southern entrance to Carrizo Plain — a vast preserve of native grassland and a hotspot for wildflowers (at least on some years ) and birdwatching . From Interstate 5, take Exit 205 and head west on Frazier Mountain Park Road. This two-lane road changes names several times as it ascends into the San Emigdio Mountains, passing forested slopes and epic canyon views along the way.

After about 42 miles, you’ll meet California 166. Take a right here and then a left on Soda Lake Road to enter Carrizo Plain National Monument. Drive northwest for 35 miles to the parking lot for the Soda Lake Trail, a short boardwalk that gets you up close to the park’s salt-crusted lake. If you plan ahead, you can also book a guided tour of Painted Rock, a sandstone outcrop with Native American rock art.

Hungry? Head back the way you came, take a right on California 166, and drive west 15 miles to the Cuyama Buckhorn , a renovated ’50s motel, restaurant and bar. The eatery’s Santa Maria-style tri-tip is superb, and if you grab a room, you can turn this scenic drive into a full weekend escape .

Volcan Mountain and Julian This route will take you to Julian , a mountain town famous for its apple orchards and delicious pies. From Interstate 15, take Exit 58 for California 79. Take a right on Pechanga Parkway and head south. The road becomes Pala Temecula Road and emerges into a wide canyon with mountains towering on either side. Take a left at Pala Mission Road and continue east on California 76, which hugs the San Luis Rey River before ascending more than 1,000 feet up a chaparral-covered ridgeline.

After some hairpin turns, the road levels off and skirts Lake Henshaw, a picturesque reservoir. Take a right on California 79, and after 10 miles, take a left on Wynola Road. Follow that road for about 3.5 miles, then take a left on Farmer Road to arrive at Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve. Stretch your legs on the Five Oaks Trail , a 1.2-mile path that ascends the western flank of Volcan Mountain and offers sweeping views of the orchards below.

With your appetite revved up, head south on Farmer Road into Julian and make a stop at the Julian Pie Co . Grab a well-deserved slice of apple pie and some apple cider and rest your feet at a picnic table while you chow down.

3 things to do

1. Race plankton in Manhattan Beach In celebration of Earth Day, the Roundhouse Aquarium will hold a day full of educational activities inside and outside its facilities. Highlights include dolphin spotting, a fish feeding, crafts, games, a “shark shack” and, yes, plankton racing. The festivities kick off at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and go until 4 p.m. The event is free, but be sure to register ahead of time at roundhouseaquarium.org .

2. Go gardening in San Pedro Give back to the land by planting native species, removing weeds, mulching and watering the White Point Nature Preserve’s garden with the folks at Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy. You’ll also have the chance to enter a raffle and take a guided nature walk. As a bonus, refreshments will be provided by Starbucks to keep you cool and hydrated. The three-hour event begins at 9 a.m. Saturday. All volunteers under age 16 should be accompanied by an adult, and all volunteers under age 18 must have a parent or guardian sign a waiver at the event. Register at pvplc.com .

3. Stretch your legs on Venice Boulevard CicLAvia is back. And this time it’s shutting down a 5.75-mile stretch of Venice Boulevard that connects Palms, Mar Vista and Venice Beach for walkers, joggers, bikers, roller skaters, unicyclers, penny-farthings, pogo sticks — anything as long as it’s completely powered by humans. There will be three local hubs along the route where you’ll be able to partake in family-friendly activities, pump air into your bike’s tires, refill your water bottle and use the restroom. Be sure to reference CicLAvia’s digital map so you can scope out the local businesses you’d like to visit along the way. It all takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. For more information about the event and the area it covers, visit ciclavia.org .

The must-read

The Klamath River in Northern California has turned brown and muddy, but that’s a good thing. As Times writer Ian James reports , it’s a side effect of the largest dam removal project in history, which aims to restore the river to its natural state. Four dams are being removed along the Klamath, and the river is passing freely through tunnels in three of them, draining reservoirs and churning up an estimated 2.3 million tons of sediment that had settled along the bottom of those man-made lakes. Although the turbid water might look ugly, restoration advocates and tribal leaders see it as a sign of healing. The muck is passing out of the Klamath, and new life — everything from salmon heading upstream to native plant seedlings along the riverbanks — will soon take its place.

Happy adventuring,

Want to try birding but don’t have binoculars? Head to the Audubon Center in Ernest E. Debs Regional Park. The center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, and you can borrow a free pair of binoculars (as well as a birding guide, backpack and other gear) to help you spot the 140 species of birds that call the park home.

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild . And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here .

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Michael Charboneau is a freelance writer covering gear and the outdoors, and he’ll be writing The Wild newsletter for the next few months. He has written for a variety of publications, including Men’s Journal, Runner’s World and InsideHook, and he lives in West L.A. When he’s not writing, he can be found running, hiking and biking around Los Angeles and its mountains.

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