Feel the excitement!
Sturgeon City Field Trips
Field trips are 2 hours long where students rotate through each of the 4 stations for 30 minutes each. The amount of students will determine group sizes for each rotation.
Sturgeon City Environmental Education Center offers a variety of field trip options for schools and community groups that are looking to enrich their educational experiences with hands-on learning opportunities in nature.
Pricing & Flat Rate Policies
Standard per-student rates apply based on your final attendance. However, if final attendance falls below your original booked quote threshold, minimum flat rates apply.
Standard Rates
- Field Trips (Without Lunch Onsite): $8 per student
- Field Trips (With Indoor Lunch Space & Cleanup Included): $10 per student
- Note: While Sturgeon City does not provide or cater food, choosing an “Onsite Lunch” booking grants your group an additional 30 minutes of classroom reservation time, and our staff handles all cleanup.
- Teachers: Free
Minimum Group Attendance & Flat Rates
If your final attendance drops below the minimum required for your quoted booking tier, your total cost will convert to a flat rate:
- Reserved for 10–39 students, but less than 20 attend:
- Flat rate of $160 without lunch onsite
- Flat rate of $200 with lunch onsite
- Reserved for 40–59 students, but less than 40 attend:
- Flat rate of $320 without lunch onsite
- Flat rate of $400 with lunch onsite
- Reserved for 60 or more students, but less than 60 attend:
- Flat rate of $480 without lunch onsite
- Flat rate of $600 with lunch onsite
Spring Scheduling Note: Due to high seasonal demand, groups of under 60 students cannot be accommodated on Fridays during March, April, and May.
Our Sturgeon City educators are dedicated to engaging and teaching your students! To help us deliver the best experience possible, we ask that teachers and chaperones focus on active group management and student supervision throughout the visit.
Beyond the Blackboard
Thanks to a generous grant from The McCart Family Foundation, Sturgeon City is thrilled to offer fully funded field trips for Title I schools!
Our Beyond the Blackboard program is designed to eliminate financial barriers for families, combat the nature deficit by getting kids into the outdoors, and close the opportunity gap with hands-on, environmental and STEAM education. Through this initiative, we will serve a minimum of 500 students (and up to 1,000 students) along with 75 chaperones.
Field Trip Options
Grant funds go directly toward eliminating student and chaperone registration fees. Teachers and required educators are always free.
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Standard Field Trip: Fully covered at $8/student for hands-on, inquiry-based environmental programming.
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Extended Field Trip: Fully covered at $10/student (includes use of our on-site indoor lunch facilities, lunch is not included).
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Chaperone Support: Fully covered at $8/chaperone so parent volunteers can join.
Please Note: While this grant covers student and chaperone fees, it does not cover the cost of student busing/transportation. Schools will need to arrange their own transportation to and from our campus.
Scheduling Availability: Funding is limited to select dates. Please note that grant-funded field trips cannot be scheduled on Fridays or during our peak spring months (March, April, and May).
Are You a Title I Educator?
Once this funding runs out, it’s gone! The sooner you contact us, the more likely your students will receive this opportunity.
Fill out the inquiry form below to see if your class qualifies. Once submitted, a member of the Sturgeon City Team will review your request to confirm grant eligibility and reach out to you within 4–5 business days to discuss available dates and details! We will start scheduling the Beyond the Blackboard field trip in August and September for the 2026-2027 school year.
A Huge Thank You to The McCart Family Foundation for investing in our community’s youth and helping us serve deserving students this year!
Get involved
Field Trips
What to Expect on Your Sturgeon City Field Trip
We’re thrilled to host your group at Sturgeon City! To ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience, here’s what you can expect:
Upon Arrival
Please plan to arrive at least 10 minutes before your scheduled start time. This allows ample time for your group to unload from the buses and get ready for an exciting day of learning! Our physical address is 50 Court Street, Building 100, Jacksonville, NC 28540.
Group Organization
We tailor our group organization to provide the best possible experience for everyone:
- For groups larger than 60 students: Your students will be divided into three or four smaller groups. Each group will rotate through our engaging stations, spending 30 minutes at each, for a total experience of two hours.
- For groups of fewer than 50-60 students: Your students will be split into two groups. Each group will spend one hour with each of our dedicated educators. You’ll switch educators halfway through, ensuring everyone gets to experience both of the two exciting lessons.
- For groups of fewer than 30 students: Your students will remain as one group. Your groups will spend two hours with one of our dedicated educators, experiencing four engaging lessons.
Clothing and Apparel
We encourage students to wear comfortable clothing that’s suitable for outdoor activity. Our field trips often involve moving between different buildings and stations, which may require walking outside. Dressing appropriately will help ensure a comfortable and enjoyable day for everyone! We recommend closed-toe shoes.
Parents and Chaperones
Parents and chaperones are warmly welcome to join our field trips! Please note that there is an $8 per person field trip charge for all attending parents and chaperones. Siblings are also welcome; if they plan to participate in the field trip activities, we kindly ask that they also pay the $8 fee. Children aged 2 and under are free. We kindly request that chaperones actively supervise their assigned student groups.
Lunch
If you choose to enjoy lunch at our facility, your group will have a dedicated 30-minute lunch period. You’ll eat in one or two of the designated rooms located in our main building (50 Court Street, Building 100). We do not have a microwave or vending machines for field trip use.
Bus Parking
Buses can pull directly up to the front of our building for convenient student drop-off. After unloading, we kindly request that buses be moved to the designated parking lot located behind our main building. This helps ensure clear access for other visitors and emergency vehicles.
Payment
The cost for our field trips is $8 per student without lunch onsite and $10 per student with lunch onsite, and teachers are free. (While Sturgeon City does not provide or cater food, choosing an “On-site Lunch” booking grants your group an additional 30 minutes of classroom reservation time, and our staff handles all the cleanup.) We accept cash, credit cards, or checks. Payment can be made on the morning of your field trip, or if preferred, we can provide an invoice for your school or organization to mail a check to us later. Please make checks payable to “Sturgeon City.”
As a non-profit organization, Sturgeon City relies heavily on scheduling and preparation to keep our programs running smoothly. Our staff works very hard to prepare for your visit—educators are scheduled specifically to make your field trip happen, and single-use supplies are often prepared in advance for your activities. Because of these commitments, we enforce the following policies:
Cancellation Policy: If a field trip is canceled within three business days of the scheduled date, a $50 cancellation fee will apply. This fee is waived if the cancellation is initiated by Sturgeon City or if school is canceled due to a weather event.
No Call, No Show Policy: Groups that fail to arrive for their scheduled field trip without prior notice will be billed a $100 no-call, no-show fee.
Gift Shop
Don’t forget to visit our small gift shop table, where you can purchase merchandise! We accept cash, credit cards (including Google Pay and Apple Pay), and checks. Merchandise prices range from $1 to $35.
Restrooms
Restrooms are available in our main building and are clearly marked. Please encourage students to use the restroom before the field trip begins to minimize interruptions during activities.
Accessibility
Sturgeon City aims to be accessible to all visitors. If you have specific accessibility needs or require accommodations, please notify us in advance so we can best prepare for your visit.
Safety Guidelines
For the safety and enjoyment of all, we ask that all students and chaperones follow the instructions of Sturgeon City staff at all times. Please remain with your assigned group and do not wander off. In case of an emergency, staff will provide clear instructions.
We look forward to welcoming you and your students to Sturgeon City for an unforgettable educational adventure!
