
Studying Nature First Hand
The San Antonio Outdoor Education Center (SAOEC) offers unique educational and recreational opportunities to schools in the greater San Antonio area. With 140 acres situated on the banks of the Medina River, there are endless possibilities to see, investigate, study, and enjoy. Come experience hands-on STEM learning in nature’s classroom using our TEKS-based programs. We provide grade-specific field trips and camps K-8 that can be customized to your specific needs. High School programs are in development and available upon request.


School Field Trips
Inspire young minds with memorable lessons while enjoying time outdoors. Bring theory to life in our outdoor nature classrooms where we explore topics including plant and animal adaptation, biology, geology and land formations, chemistry, and physics.
Check out our list of program offerings below. Don’t see a program to fit your curriculum, let us know. We can create a program tailored to the material students are learning in the classroom.
Highland Park Elementary has enhanced their program with ours, and credits their success to our partnership – they have had the best science scores of the 92 schools in their district for the last two years! We’re delighted to be part of their winning streak! Let us be part of our science success too.
Home School Days
Our Instructional Team can create age-appropriate curriculum for home-schoolers on various themes throughout the year. Contact us for more information and to set up a date for your group to experience SAOEC.
STEM Camps
Students of all ages get the most educational growth out of engaging, hands-on activities. Stem Camps are available throughout the year and are open to all. Looking for a STEM Camp for your organization? Our staff will work with you to create a camp that supports your program.
Field Days
Bring your group to Mays Family Scout Ranch for a field day to remember! Our Outdoor Team has everything your kids need for a fun-filled day of activities. Participants shine in individual competitive activities as well as cooperative teambuilding challenges – all designed to build confidence and smiles.
STEM/Field Days
Looking for both STEM activities and field day fun? Choose two of our STEM sessions and two of our field day sessions for a fun, educational day out at the San Antonio Outdoor Education Center.

Set up a tour or schedule your experience today!
Contact Vivian Schneider, Outdoor Adventure Executive
(210) 243-5091 or email SAOEC@alamoareabsa.org
Reviews
“My students were very excited about everything they learned! The activities according to all of them were very engaging. Next year, I would like to book two trips for the third and 5th graders.”
Dr. Engelbrecht, SAISD Principal
“We absolutely loved the field trip, and we know that our students did benefit from it as well. All of the speakers were very knowledgeable. All of the activities were TEKS aligned and very well with the same vocabulary that we use in the classroom. The outdoors was perfect because we are unable to show them these examples outside our classroom.”
Highland Park Elementary, Fifth Grade Teacher
“I just wanted to let you know that not only did our students love the STEM field trip, the teachers did, as well. We did a journal writing today, and the students’ responses were positive and they discussed all 4 classes, with detail. They wrote about soil, instead of dirt…lol, they talked about matter, landforms and observing nature, using the anemometer device and digging in soil and seeing beetles, etc. The most responses were that they loved hiking. They said it was beautiful. Nature is beautiful. Our students don’t experience nature. One of my students never touched sand before, let alone wet sand. So, the Landform class helped us because our Science Lab has few supplies. They were able to better understand weathering, erosion and deposition. Thank you! We had a spectacular day and we will be back. We loved all of your staff. Frisbees too! Thank you!”
Carillo Elementary, Fifth Grade Teacher