Where to reenact your child’s favorite school field trip this summer as California reopens

The school field trip was among the many traditions wiped away by the COVID-19 pandemic.

While students across the Sacramento region eventually returned to in-person learning after months of online learning, most field trips were canceled. The trip to Sutter’s Fort. The overnight stay in the mountains. The nature walks. All canceled.

Now that school is out of session, many families are looking for activities to do with their children – and perhaps reenact activities lost by the tumultuous school year.

Popular field trip spots are open for the summer. The Sacramento Bee compiled a short list of some of the most fun, most interactive places for children to enjoy in the coming months.

Sutter’s Fort Historic Park

Sutter’s Fort, a historic state park located in midtown Sacramento, educates elementary aged children in California’s Gold Rush era of 1849. Visitors can learn about Swiss immigrant John Sutter, who used the land to build an agricultural establishment, and also visit the Indian Museum next door to learn more about California’s indigenous population whose lives were changed when settlers rushed to California.

Today, the state park is usually used for self-guided tours, school programs and overnight field trips.

Since March 2020, more than 7,000 students participated in free virtual field trips at the site. Sutter’s Fort will be open again for school field trips again, official Allison Parks said. Families can book tours through Reserve California.

“Sutter’s Fort really relates directly to school curriculum,” said museum supervisor Alison Parks. “It’s great for elementary school children to come here to learn about early California history. It was here before California was a state, and it played a role as to why California became a state.”

The oldest building at Sutter’s Fort dates back to 1839, revealing some of the oldest artifacts one can see in the Sacramento area.

Masks are required at the site if individuals are unvaccinated.

Sutter’s Fort is open everyday from 10 a.m. to 5 pm. In July, the fort will remain open until 8 p.m.

Sacramento-area museums

Most museums in the Sacramento area are open. Some museums, including the Aerospace Museum of California, are offering summer camps for children. The California Museum offers visitors a California hall of fame, educating people on who made contributions to the world.

All museums are requiring visitors to wear masks even after Tuesday’s state reopening. The announcement came from a group of seven local museums: The Aerospace Museum of California, California Museum, Crocker Art Museum, Locke Boarding House, Sacramento Children’s Museum, the SMUD museum and the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society museum.

“The extension is critical to protecting vulnerable community members, including children under 12 who are currently ineligible for vaccines, since only about 40% of greater Sacramento area residents are fully vaccinated,” said California Museum spokeswoman Brenna Hamilton.

Placer County Museums

Several museums in Placer County are open, including the Placer County museum on the first floor of Auburn’s historic courthouse.

“The Museum offers insight to the county’s history during the printing era and the state’s gold rush period,” said Renee Thompson, of the Placer County Museums.

Also open in the county are the DeWitt History Museum, open the first Wednesday of every month from noon to 4 p.m., and the Gold Rush Museum.

Sacramento Zoo

The Sacramento Zoo has been staple for field trips for preschool and elementary aged children. On the 14-acre zoo property, children can marvel at the herd of giraffes, lions and jaguars, walk through the reptile house, and enjoy more than 20 bird species.

The zoo is currently not allowing private events.

Masks are recommended for outdoors and required at all indoor locations. Children under the age of 2 are exempt from mask policies.

The zoo is not accepting cash. Advanced tickets are recommended.

The zoo’s hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Fairytale Town

Fairytale Town offers a place for imagination for children who can enjoy 26 play areas that are based on nursery rhymes and fairy tales. Masks are required for everyone over the age of 3.

Advanced tickets are recommended.

Fairytale Town’s hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Effie Yeaw Nature Center

Located in Carmichael, the Effie Yeaw Nature Center offers an educational program for children in a natural environment, teaching the importance of the ecosystem and how to conserve resources.

Visitors can enjoy the site’s butterfly garden, and the 30 non-releasable animals that are either recovering from injuries or orphaned. The site also has a Swainson’s Hawk, Peregrine Falcon and a Great Horned Owl.

The Nature Preserve and trails are open everyday. Dogs are not allowed.

The visitor center and museum are open Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sly Park

The Sly Park Education Campus is still closed, but teachers are still supporting Sacramento area students online and the center offers virtual tours.

Sly Park Recreation Area, run by the El Dorado Irrigation District, offers nine miles of trails, fishing, boating, water skiing and other lake activities.

Families can book overnight camping trips, but reservations fill up quickly at Jenkinson Lake. Masks are required in indoor spaces.

Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park and other Coloma activities

Coloma, east of Sacramento, offers children another look at what life was like during the Gold Rush.

The Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park features buildings that survived the 1849 Gold Rush and walking tours, hiking trails and an air conditioned museum Children can take gold panning lessons throughout the day, when the temperature is below 92 degrees. Families must register in-person for panning lessons on a first come, first served basis.

“We are where James Marshall found that first piece of gold that led to the California Gold Rush,” said park interpreter Holly Thane. “A lot of them missed it this year, and a lot of families are coming up trying to relive that.”

The historic park also offers a junior ranger program, where children complete a booklet and partake in a swearing in ceremony.

“It’s a chance to self explore the park when we haven’t been able to give tours or when we are overwhelmed with people,” Thane said.

Outside of the historic park, Coloma also offers a high ropes challenge course and an all-day eco-science program, whitewater rafting and the Coloma Outdoor Discovery School.

“We tend to be focused on the gold rush, but so much happened after that gold discovery,” Thane said. “Lots of agriculture first started here, and diverse groups of people first came here.”

Day use areas are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Quarry Park Adventures

This is a recreational site for younger and older school-aged children looking for some thrill and adventure.

The park offers rock climbing, a free-fall drop and ziplining above a crater-like hole in Rocklin. Participants must weigh between 70 and 250 lbs, and masks are required.

Visitors can expect to spend between two and four hours at the park depending on what package they choose.

Quarry Park is open seven days a week. Reservations are required.

Utility Exploration Center

The Utility Exploration Center in Roseville offers children an inside look on how to save energy, water and reduce waste.

Children can explore the Green House Frame, learning ways to create a sustainable environment around them, and design building structures just like an engineer.

“We recommend anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour,” said Interactive Services Program Lead Lauren Bradt.

Bradt added that the center has activity kids that families can check out. Prior to the pandemic, the site had larger, interactive items for kids to touch and play with, but the kits replaced those props.

“We also have so many activities families can do at home,” Bradt said. “The Backyard Creek Adventure includes a couple of sheets with a list of creeks in Roseville and an adventure log to fill out. Kids can bring it back for a prize.”

The center is now open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.