Visit Padilla Bay with your group

Whether you are a classroom teacher, a scout leader, home school group, or community group, Padilla Bay educators look forward to providing a program to meet your needs. Our programs focus on estuary ecology, healthy watersheds, and how our actions and decisions affect the Salish Sea.

We can accommodate groups of 10 to 60 participants. Groups smaller than 10 are welcome to visit our free exhibits and aquarium on their own Tuesday through Saturday, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Scheduling considerations

Spring dates fill up quickly. We suggest contacting us in late summer or early fall to schedule for the following spring.
If you would like to bring a group to tour the exhibits on your own, we ask that you call ahead to schedule this. We want to avoid too many people in the exhibits at the same time.
A phone call to 360-428-1558 may be the easiest way to schedule your group and get answers to your questions. You can also email Susan Wood at susan.wood@ecy.wa.gov.

School bus unloading children at Padilla Bay. — School bus unloading children for a visit at Padilla Bay.

Overview of group programs at Padilla Bay

Grades 4 through 8

Our full-day program (3 to 5 hours) includes a brief introduction to estuaries and the Salish Sea, exploring Padilla Bay's mud flats, plankton viewing, tour of the exhibits and a "chalk talk" presentation of human interactions with estuary resources.
A shorter indoor program is also available, and includes an hour-long presentation and time to tour the exhibits and aquarium.
Estuary Guide Level 2 - Classroom activities and a detailed description of this program

High School and college

For high school and college groups, we offer time exploring the beach, marine biology presentations, discussions about current scientific research and coastal and marine issues, an introduction to ocean acidification and climate change, and the opportunity for microscopic studies. We also have resources to help your students get the most out of our interpretive exhibits and aquarium.
We are happy to tailor the program to meet your educational objectives.
Estuary Guide Level 3 - Student readings with content questions, student activities, and resources such as a field guide to animals found on Padilla Bay's beach.

Other groups

Senior and adult programs can be designed to fit your needs. We can provide everything from a brief introduction to our reserve and programs to an in-depth look at current research and issues.
We welcome summer and after-school youth programs with a minimum of 10 participants. Our informal Mudflat Safari is a 2 hour program that includes a tour of our exhibits, followed by a beach exploration.

Padilla Bay's Estuary Guide curriculum books

Teacher resources

Download our Estuary Guide curriculum and see our favorite resources for teaching about estuaries and coastal issues.

Contact information

Susan Wood
Education Coordinator
susan.wood@ecy.wa.gov
360-428-1066