Field Trips & Groups
 

About

Challenge the imagination of your class or group through exploration. Happy Hollow’s parallel play experiences help students explore life science while learning to appreciate nature and the outdoors. Where else can you observe the striking beauty of an endangered lemur, then leap like one on the playground?

Interested in having an educational program added to your group reservation? Consider added one in for an additional fee. View class topics and coordinate your program with the education team here!

Hours

Field trips can be booked for weekdays that Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is open. Requests are accepted 14 days or more prior to the requested date. Groups of 14 or more can preregister for self-guided visits at a discounted rate. To view Happy Hollow’s upcoming operating hours, click here.

Getting started

Please book your reservation at least two weeks in advance for a better chance of securing your first choice date and arrival time.

1) Complete the group reservation form online.
2) You will receive a confirmation letter within one to three days.
3) Print your confirmation letter with your reservation number and bring it with the day of your trip.

Payment

Payments are processed upon arrival. We accept Visa, MasterCard, check or cash. We do not accept American Express.

Contact Us

Phone number: (408) 794-6400
Email: [email protected]

Non-Peak Season Pricing:

September through January

Groups Rate – $10

Peak Season Price:

February through August

Groups Rate – $12

Ask about our Title I Discount

Parking –
$6 per car

Discounted parking rate is only available for groups with reservations.

Reserve a Picnic Area

  • 14-50 People – $75
  • 51-100 People – $100

The pricing listed is for guests 2 years and over and includes everyone in a group reservation (students, teachers, parents and chaperones).

Everyone is required to have a ticket for entry.

Guests can purchase multiple picnic areas if needed but staff will suggest that the group split up into smaller groups for different lunch times to utilize one space if cost is an issue. Areas are reserved on a first come first served basis. 

Early Entry:

Available April through June, Thursdays & Fridays
Early Entry groups may arrive at 9:15 a.m.

Group Rate per Ticket with Early Entry – $13

Entrance & Payment Policies for Group Reservations

*Please review and go over with all chaperones.

  • Your group must pay on the day-of your visit; contact our office if other options are needed. Everyone in the group reservation needs a ticket for entry including guest 2 years and older, students, teachers, parents and chaperones. Tickets are non-refundable; all group members must be present to enter the park together.
  • Please note: if anyone who is part of your group and has a separate admission ticket and/or membership card with us, they will need to enter the park separately than the whole group. 
  • Keep in mind that if your group chooses a designated meeting point before departing, it must be in our grass areas (i.e. meadow, bio swell), outside the park. (i.e. the front gate plaza, or parking plaza). Groups are not permitted to block any paths/sidewalks when exiting. Please be considerate to our other guests by exiting in an organized manner.
  • We strongly recommend group hosts provides their contact information to all chaperones before your date of visit. Your entire party must be present in order to began the entry process.
  • Chaperones must supervise all students for the entire duration of their visit. We ask all guests to respect the plants, nature and all the animals in our park and zoo. Name tags should be self-adhesive, and not secured by yarn, string, pins, or any other metal objects. We recommend the cell phone number of the group leader be available on all name tags.
  • For your safety, shoes and shirts must always be worn.
  • Coolers of any type, (including rolling coolers), rolling backpacks, carts, or wagons are not permitted in the park, unless you have purchased one of our picnic areas to keep them stored.
  • Commercially prepared foods (i.e. KFC, McDonald’s, etc.) are not permitted in the park. Individual brown bag lunches are allowed.  
  • Feeding animals is always strictly prohibited; for the health and safety of our animals.  
  • Due to space limitations and health regulations, Happy Hollow Park & Zoo CANNOT store or refrigerate any food items.  
  • Radios/other sound equipment, alcoholic beverages, tricycles, scooters, roller or shoe skates, sports equipment and pets are NOT allowed inside Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. 
Upon Arrival:
  • Entry Gates open at 10:00 A.M. Please arrive at your designated arrival time. Entry into the park may take up to 30 minutes after payment is processed on a busy day. Please note: In May, Wednesday through Friday are our busiest days. 
  • As we gather your group to walk the bridge, please inform chaperones that everyone that is part of the group must be in a single-file line to the left-side of bridge (adults included). This will help in entering the park in an organized fashion as well as to verify your final headcount. 
  • We highly urge all groups to gather within the grass areas when re-grouping/organizing as you enter and before exit. We cannot have the walkways crowded or blocked, groups must continue walking as they are entering and exiting. We have the grass area in the Meadow and next to our Carousel (Bio Swell) to re-group. 
Payments:
  • Please be advised if you book your reservation for more than one class at once, there must be ONE representative that has payment for entire group. You are welcome to make separate reservations for the same day and we would take each class in separately at time of entrance.
  • Payments we accept are Credit Card: Visa, MasterCard, & Discover (NO American Express), Check, and Cash. If paying by CASH, it must be in LARGE Bills to expedite entrance. (ex. 20s, 50s, 100s)
  • Please make all checks payable to The City of San Jose.
  • We do ONE payment transaction per reservation.
  • There are NO REFUNDS for purchased group tickets. If your count entering is less than what you paid for, you will be given COMP tickets to use another time. Comp tickets expire 1 year from issue date. If your count is more than what you paid for, Group Representative will need to pay the difference.
What is Permitted in Park:  
  • Tote bags/ backpacks to carry lunches
  • Bagged lunches
  • Strollers
  • Service Animals
What is NOT Permitted in Park: