Field Trips

We offer a variety of field trips that immerse students in discovery at both VanDusen Botanical Garden and Bloedel Conservatory. Ranging from self-guided exploration utilizing our customized online curriculum to 90 minute guided programs led by engaging interpreters, our field trips encourage students to connect with the natural world.  Download the brochure to explore your options.

Here’s what teachers have to say about our field trips:

“Our instructors were amazing! Very knowledgeable and great with the children!  They learned a lot and I will be back next year.” 

“My students learned a lot through hands on, real life experience. They have only learned about some plants and birds, but this was the first time they actually got a chance to see the real thing.”

“This is the best field trip I’ve been on in 15 years.”

Registration is now open for the 2019-20 school year!  Book early – spots fill up quickly. Create an online booking account. It’s free, easy and secure.

  • +Pre-trip Information

    Download the VanDusen Pre-trip Info Packet or Bloedel Pre-trip Information Packet  to prepare for a successful day in the Garden or Conservatory with your class. The packet includes:

    • Field Trip Policies & Guidelines
    • Code of Conduct
    • Directions

    Be sure to carefully review the information and share it with your students, chaperones, and colleagues as appropriate.

    Lesson plans and pre-trip curriculum for guided programs can be downloaded here. Click on the title of your program to find the link.

  • +Fees & Payment

    PLEASE NOTE: Our fee structure has changed effective 30 July 2019

    90 Minute Guided $250
    45 Minute Guided $200
    Self-guided $25 deposit, $5 per participant
    Pollinator Days $300

    Payment is due within 4 weeks of booking.  Cancellations within 4 weeks of booking receive full refund, less a $15 administrative fee. Cancellations prior to 4 weeks of program receive 50% refund. No refund for cancellations within 4 weeks of program date. VBGA accepts Visa, Mastercard, cheque or cash. 

    Maximum 30 participants for guided programs (24 students and 6 adults). Contact School Programs Manager if number of adult participants exceeds maximum; additional adults pay $5 each.

    Fees include entry to the Garden or Conservatory for as long as you like before or after your program.

  • +Financial Support

    We’re pleased to offer limited assistance for teachers and students in support of field trips.

    VBGA offers:

    • Free admission to underserved schools and community groups through our Connecting Urban Youth to Nature program
    • Bus bursaries for up to $300 to cover transportation costs for underserved schools

    Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation offers:

    • Go Grants cover transportation, project materials, or program fees. Visit their website for more information.

    Contact the School Programs Manager for more information or to apply.

  • +Library Teacher Catalogue

    Have you been to the Yosef Wosk Library at VanDusen?  You’ll find it’s an excellent resource for learning and teaching about plants, people, and the places that support them.  Download our Books by Theme Teacher Catalogue to explore titles to help you prepare lessons before or after your trip to the Garden.

Guided Programs

Using inquiry-based activities in alignment with the BC curriculum, students explore plants, animals, soil and water through hands-on experience outdoors.  Learn more about our 45 and 90 minute guided programs, including our new programming at Bloedel Conservatory!

Please note, a visit to VanDusen’s popular Elizabethan Maze is not incorporated into your 90 minute guided program. If you plan to go to the maze, please do so either before or after your program.

Self-guided Program

Browse our selection of self-guided tours, lesson plans, guides and scavenger hunts to design the perfect day for your students at the Garden. A self-guided program allows for customized tours with ample time for a visit to VanDusen’s Elizabethan Maze.

VBGA Education staff will work with teachers before their visit to identify the best resources for their classes. We will greet the group upon arrival for a short orientation and review of the Code of Conduct before you explore the Garden.

Pollinator Days

Explore our buzz-worthy field trip festival for students to learn about pollinators and their relationships with people and ecosystems.

As flowers bloom around VanDusen, bring your class to explore the special relationships between plants, pollinators, and people.  Over three days in May, our facilitators promote curiosity and stewardship through fun, hands-on activities at stations throughout the Garden.