Field Trip Visit Information

Field Trip Visit Information

• Field Trips - All

  
  

  Groups may arrive at the Gardens beginning at 9:45 am.  

  Longwood Gardens and Visitor Center open at 10:00 am.    

  School buses or 15-passenger vans should park in the bus lot located at the front of the Visitor Center parking lot.   

  For directions and complete details, visit: Directions and Parking

  Group Check-In 

  Assign one teacher to check-in upon arrival to the Gardens.  The assigned teacher from the school group will check-in at the podium in the bus lot. To check in please provide:

  • School's name
  • Type of field trip; Educator or Self-Guided
  • Final count of students, free adult chaperones, school paraprofessionals and/or nurses and bus drivers.

  Students should remain on the bus until check-in is complete.

  All personal belongings must be left on the bus. Longwood will not store any personal belongings including backpacks or coolers.

  Restrooms are available inside the Group Visits entrance.

  Entry to the Gardens 

  All student admissions will be on one ticket and must enter the Gardens as a group.

  The lead teacher will distribute tickets to each adult in the group.

  Complimentary adult chaperones, school paraprofessional and/or nurses will scan their own individual tickets to scan upon entry.

  Groups may stay as long as you wish; however, re-entry is not permitted.

  To view hours by date, visit: Hours 

  Exploring the Gardens 

  Students (ages 4–18) must be always accompanied by an adult chaperone (19+).

  Groups are welcome to explore all open areas of the Gardens. 

  All guests must observe our visiting guidelines. Chaperones are responsible for communicating these guidelines to ensure the safety of all guests, exhibit and plant collections.

  View Mobile Map

  Download Printable Map

  Download Children’s Map Help your students navigate our Gardens with a print-ahead map designed just for them with child-friendly highlights.

  Explore Our Gardens

  What's in Bloom

  Fountain Show Schedules

  Calendar of Events

  Accessibility in the Gardens 

  To explore accessible options available to you, visit: Accessibility 

  Complimentary wheelchairs are available on a self-service, first come, first served basis inside the Visitor Center Lobby.

  Strollers and electric scooters are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Rentals area in the Visitor Center. Photo ID is not required, but scooter drivers must be 18 or older. Strollers are free to Longwood Gardens members. To learn more, visit: Wheelchair, Scooter, and Stroller Rentals

  Weather 

  Field Trips are held rain or shine, and the majority of the Gardens are outdoors. Dress for the predicted weather forecast. 

  We recommend:   

  • Wearing comfortable walking shoes
  • Bringing water bottles  
  • Applying sunscreen and bug spray 

   

  
  

• Educator-Guided Field Trips

  
  

  Preparing for Your Field Trip 
  Assign one teacher to act as lead for the group and be responsible for the group’s check-in upon arrival to the Gardens.
  Create nametags for students with their first name and assigned student group number.
  Prepare a student group list for each chaperone and include the lead teacher’s phone number for emergencies on the day of the field trip.

  Travel to the Gardens 
  If you are running late on the day of the field trip, alert us at 610-388-5377. Your late arrival may affect the total program time.

  Student Groups 
  Students will be divided into groups of 15 or less for the 60-minute guided program. The number of student groups is determined by the final student count and will be confirmed by email one week prior to the field trip.

  Each student group may have up to three adult chaperones (19+), including teachers. School paraprofessionals and nurses are exempt from this ratio.    Additional adults can enjoy the Gardens during the 60-minute guided program.

  Café Tent 
  The Café Tent is reserved for use by educator-guided school group students and adults to eat bagged lunches. Advance reservation required; capacity is limited.

  Bagged Lunches 
  Bagged lunches are permitted in the Café Tent. Students may not carry individually bagged lunches into the Gardens. Bringing reusable containers, such as hard sided coolers or cooler bags, is not recommended.  If you do bring reusable containers, you will be responsible for transporting them to the bus lot after using the Café Tent.

  To prepare bagged lunches for transport to the Café Tent:   

  1. Collect enough large disposable boxes or plastic bags to accommodate all lunches. 

  2. Clearly label all large disposable boxes or bags with the School and Teacher's name.  

  3. Collect the bagged lunches before they leave school.

  4. Collected bagged lunches can be placed on the benches in the bus lot. Longwood staff will transport collected lunches to the Café Tent.

  5. Bagged lunches will be placed on tables inside the Café Tent. Your group may share the Café Tent with other school groups during your assigned lunch time.    

  Other Lunch Options 
  A Picnic Area, is located outside the Gardens, across the street from the main parking lot, a two-minute drive for Longwood visitors. The picnic area is available after April 13, 2026.  Bagged lunches are permitted in the picnic area. If using the area, plan on having your lunch before or after your field trip, as re-entry to the Gardens is not permitted.

  Food can be purchased in the Café, located inside the Gardens. The Café accepts cash or credit card payments; seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. Food purchased in the Café must be eaten in the Café seating area and cannot be brought into the Gardens. To view current menu, visit:
  Café Menu

  Delivery of food to the Gardens is not permitted. Personal water bottles are permitted.

  Day of the Field Trip 
  Collect all bagged lunches in large boxes or bags before leaving school. Individuals may not carry bagged lunches into the Gardens. 

  Distribute prepared nametags to students.

  Count the number of students and free chaperones, paraprofessional and/or school nurses attending.

  Program Schedules 
  Groups may arrive beginning at 9:45 am.

  Longwood Gardens and the Visitor Center open at 10:00 am.

  Groups may stay as long as they wish after the program, however, re-entry is not permitted. To view hours by date, visit: Hours

  10:30–11:30 am Program
  10:00 –10:15 am: Group Check-In 
  10:30 –11:30 am: Guided Program. Longwood Educators will meet groups in the bus lot to begin the program. 
  11:30 am – 12:15 pm: Garden Exploration 
  12:15 –12:45 pm: Café Tent 
  12:45 pm - Closing: Garden Exploration 
   

  12:00–1:00 pm Program
  10:00 –11:00 am: Group Check-In 
  10:00 –11:30 am: Garden Exploration. Lead teacher will escort the group into the Gardens. 
  11:30 am –12:00 pm: Café Tent 
  12:00 –1:00 pm: Guided Program Longwood Educators will meet groups at the Cafe Tent to begin your program. 
  1:00 pm –Closing: Garden Exploration

  Student Accessibility 
  If individual students participating in an educator-guided program require learning or mobility accommodations, alert us prior to your arrival at School and Youth Programs. Groups participating in the K-12 Accessible Garden Discovery program will be contacted prior to the field trip to discuss the group's needs.

   

  
  

• Self-Guided Field Trips

  
  

  Preparing for Your Field Trip 

  Assign one teacher to act as lead for the group and be responsible for the group’s check-in upon arrival to the Gardens.
  Create nametags for students with their first name, grade level and school name.
  Prepare a student group list for each chaperone and include the lead teacher’s phone number for emergencies on the day of the field trip.

  Travel to the Gardens 

  With the exception of 10:00 am reservations, groups may enter the Gardens 30 minutes before or after the designated reservation time. Entry may be delayed until the next available time slot for groups arriving more than 30 minutes after the designated reservation time.

  Day of the Field Trip 

  Distribute prepared nametags to students.
  Count the number of students and free chaperones, paraprofessional and/or school nurses attending. 

  Field Trip Schedule

  Groups may arrive beginning at 9:45 am.
  Longwood Gardens and the Visitor Center open at 10:00 am.
  Self-guided group check-in is available 10:00 am–2:00 pm.

  Groups may stay as long as they wish, however, re-entry is not permitted. To view hours by date, visit: Hours
  
  Group Check-In

  The assigned lead teacher will check-in at the podium in the bus lot. To check in, provide:  
  School's name   
  Type of field trip - Self-Guided 
  Final count of students, free adult chaperones, school paraprofessionals and/or nurses, bus drivers.

  All student admissions will be on one ticket and must enter the Gardens as a group. 
  The lead teacher will distribute tickets to each adult in the group. Complimentary adult chaperones, school paraprofessionals and/or nurses must scan their individual tickets upon entry.  

  All personal belongings must be left on the bus. No outside food and/or beverages, including bagged lunches carried by individuals or groups, are permitted inside the Gardens. Water bottles are permitted.

  Student Groups

  Longwood Gardens requires one adult chaperone for every 10 students attending the field trip. 
  Students (ages 4-18) must be always accompanied by an adult chaperone (19+). If a student becomes separated from the group, alert Longwood Security staff, identifiable by their bright yellow shirts.
  All guests must observe our visiting guidelines. Adult chaperones are responsible for communicating these guidelines to ensure the safety of all guests, exhibit and plant collections.

  Lunch Options

  No outside food and/or beverages, including bagged lunches carried by individuals or groups, are permitted inside the Gardens. Bagged lunches may not be stored inside the Gardens, or eaten in the bus lot.

  Delivery of food to the Gardens is not permitted.  Water bottles are permitted.

  Due to limited capacity, the Café Tent, located inside the Gardens, is reserved for educator-guided school groups.

  Picnic Area

  March 11 – April 10, 2026: Picnic area is closed. The area is not available for use by guests during this time.

  April 13 - June 11, 2026: Self-Guided school groups may use the Picnic Area to eat bagged lunches. The Picnic Area is located outside the Gardens, a two-minute drive from the Visitor Center. Seating in the area is available first come, first serve. The Picnic Area has 70 picnic tables and restrooms but is not covered. Please arrange alternative plans in the event of inclement weather. Use of the picnic area is limited to before or after the field trip, as re-entry to the Gardens is not permitted.

  The Café 
  Food can be purchased in the Café, located inside the Gardens. The Café accepts cash or credit card payments; seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. Food purchased in the Café must be eaten in the Café seating area and cannot be brought into the Gardens. To view current menu, visit: The Café  

  Self-Guided Activities

  Download and Print Curriculum-Based Activities to Use During Your Field Trip

  Flower Power and the Map (Grades K-8)

  Measure Me Tree (Grades 3-5)

  Tree Ecology (Grades 3-5)

  Build a Tree Poem (Grades 3-5)

  Tree Sketch (Grades 3-5)

  Pollinator Math in the Gardens (Grades 3-8)

  Field Journaling at Longwood (Grades 3-12)

  Cartooning in the Gardens (Grades 3-12) 

  Accessibility

  If students require mobility or other accommodations, contact us prior to your arrival or call 610.388.5223.