We are now scheduling guided tours for 2024.
For tours between March 19 to June 26: tours are available on Tuesday or Wednesday mornings at 10am and 11am. To request a tour, email us. Please include ‘guided tour request’ in the subject line and let us know that type of tour requested (see below) and the number in your group. For school group tours, please include the number of students and adults.
For tours from June 27 on: tours should be scheduled by contacting Elina Nino at elnino@ucdavis.edu.
We offer three types of tours to meet varied interests. The content and fees are as follows, with all fees supporting the garden’s operation.
General tours (all ages welcome, but content is most suitable for 12 and older)
The fee is $8 per person for anyone 3 or older. Tours last 45 minutes and include the following topics:
- History and purpose of the garden: concept to reality, how it’s used, supported, and maintained
- Honey bees and other bee pollinators: biology, economic importance, why they’re in trouble and what’s being done to help
- Plants: what is pollination, how the garden’s plants are selected and grown
- Bees and food production: key crops and how they are pollinated, UC Davis research, ideas for home food gardens
- What you can do: applying principles of bee biology and ecology in your own garden, how to build and maintain a bee garden, how to observe and study bees, supporting bee outreach and research
School group tours (ages 6 through high school)
The fee is $5 per person, including adults. We require at least 1 adult per 15 students, with a maximum of 35 students per group. Tours last 45 minutes. Content is grade-appropriate and is based on the Science Content Standards for California Public Schools. Topics include:
- Why bees, pollination, and the Haven are important
- Bee and flower biology and structure and how they are related
- Overview of common bee and plant species in the garden
- Student collection and observation of live bees. This is done safely with adult supervision.
UC-affiliated groups
The fee for UC-affiliated groups is $3 per person. There is no charge for Master Gardener volunteer groups or UC Davis students as part of a class activity.
Cancellation policy: bees are not active during cool, wet, windy, or cloudy weather. Due to our exposed location, the garden is often windier than other parts of campus or Davis. Under these conditions, however, other garden features such as plants and bee houses can still be observed. Should you wish to cancel your tour, we require at notice at least two hours prior to your scheduled tour time. To cancel, please email us.
Click here for more information on planning your visit. Please note that we do not have drinking water, restrooms, or trash service at the garden. Nearest campus services are here.
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