Field Trips

Effective June 1, 2023 – The State of Tennessee department of revenue has informed us that we are not allowed to take any Tennessee tax exempt form that is dated prior to July 1, 2023. All tax exempt entities should have already received their new tax exempt form.

Please make reservations at least seven days prior to your expected visitation date.

NOTE: Guided education tours are no longer available after May 1st, 2015.

New for 2024 Season – We do have a train ride that goes through a part of the zoo that you can not see by walking. If your class would like to do the train ride the cost is $5 per rider and that does include the tax. On average the train can seat about 60 students. Normal train times are 11:30, 12:30 and 2:00. For school field trips if arranged in advance we can run an earlier train as well.

Reminder: Brights Zoo does not allow drinking straws on Zoo grounds. Teachers, please let parents know that Capri Suns or juice boxes with straws are not allowed. The wrappers and straws are a major choking hazard to the animals.

Education Group Field Trips
Your group can experience the wonders of animal species from around the globe at Brights Zoo. Think of our park as a living, changing, growing part of the World community. There’s always something new to discover and learn about, whether it flies, swims, or walks!

Signs with information about the animals on exhibit are strategically placed around the zoo, so groups can move about at their own pace. School groups are welcome to split into smaller groups as long as each group of students (age 12 and under) are accompanied by a teacher.

4-27-2016
“Thank you so much for such an amazing experience last Tuesday! Our students, parents, and teachers were all so excited and raved about it being the best field trip ever. Many students have said they look forward to bringing their families back this summer! I just wanted you all to know that we truly appreciated the opportunity to come visit – for some of our students, seeing giraffes and zebras was something they may have only experienced in a book. You brought that to life for them. Thank you.”

Sincerely,
Melissa Rivers
Lincoln Elementary
2nd Grade

How to Register Your Education Group

Choose date for visit (See available dates)

To register your group for a visit, click on one of the links below:

CONTACT THE GIFT SHOP IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BRINGING A GROUP
For groups ordering box lunches, download the convenient Box Lunch Form.

Send in (by mail) the Education Group Registration Form, and Box Lunch Form if you are ordering box lunches.

MAIL: Brights Zoo
Attn: Education Group Registration
3425 HWY 11E
Limestone, TN 37681

Please review and adhere to our rules and policies. Be sure to read the “Group Visit Rain Policy” for important information when inclement weather is expected on the day of your scheduled visit.

Also, please note that education groups that reserve a date for field trips, but are unable to attend, must cancel at least 24 hours in advance, or be invoiced for 25% of the estimated amount. This policy does not apply to weather cancellations or postponements, provided the Zoo is notified before the group is scheduled to arrive.

Why enforce this policy? Brights Zoo must allocate additional staff for parking, concessions, and animal feedings – when an education group is a no show, these employees must be paid anyway. The Zoo also caps the number of students that may visit each day. Schools inquiring about a particular day for a visit are often not allowed, because of the number of students already scheduled to visit; a school that does not show up on one of these days has also prevented other schools from reserving the same date.