School Visits

RESERVATION POLICIES

• Reservations are required a minimum of 2 weeks in advance.
• Schools are welcomed Monday - Friday from 10:00 a.m (Early arrival accommodations can be made for groups of 50+)
• Education Workshops are not offered during school breaks including Spring Break or Holidays.
• Minimum number of students required to receive school pricing is 10.
• Minimum number of students required to schedule a workshop is 20.
• For every 5 paying students, 1 adult receives free admission
• Due to space restrictions inside our Center, outside food or bagged lunches are not permitted. Please let us know if this presents an issue so we can determine a solution.

HOW TO RESERVE YOUR TRIP

• All trips being paid for with a credit card can be completed online.
• If you are paying by check, please submit a booking request and our Booking Coordinator will assist in reserving your group.
• Payment in full by check must be received two weeks before visit once quantity of tickets have been finalized. Checks should be made out to SEA LIFE Aquarium New Jersey and sent to:

SEA LIFE^® Aquarium New Jersey
Attn: Booking Coordinator
A128, 1 American Dream Way
East Rutherford, NJ 07073

• TAX EXEMPT SCHOOL GROUPS BOOKING ONLINE WITH A CREDIT CARD:
  • Please email your tax-exempt form to newjersey@sealifeus.com after your online booking purchase. 

IMPORTANT VISIT INFORMATION

• Schools should plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your scheduled time. This will allow time for the group leader to check in and SEA LIFE Aquarium staff to organize the group and go over any necessary rules for the day!
• Larger schools and groups are divided into smaller group segments and entry is staggered to avoid congestion in the Exhibit Area and satisfy capacity regulations.
• Buses may drop and collect students at Parking Lot C
• Groups exit the Aquarium and assemble outside. In the interest of public safety, groups are not permitted to gather in the admissions or retail areas.
• Please note: for schools/groups bringing sacked lunches to enjoy in the food court following your visit; SEA LIFE cannot store lunches on-site. We ask that you keep them stored in your school bus/vehicle.
• Please note: If booking a combo visit, adults must be accompanied by a child in order to visit LEGOLAND Discovery Center. 

WHAT TO EXPECT

• Admire over 20 exhibits, 3,000 sea creatures and 100 species in an immersive setting
• Encounter a vast array of creatures including sharks, rays, jellyfish and more
• Learn how you can make the oceans a better place through our conservation program
• Gaze at creatures swimming overhead in our 180-degree ocean tunnel
• Touch an urchin, sea star & other rockpool creatures in the Interactive Touchpool
• Daily educational talks & feeding demonstrations that your class can attend
• FREE downloadable materials that can be used before, during or after your trip.

FREE DOWNLOADS

Download and print one of our FREE Activity Packs for each child in your group. They contain fun ideas and activities to complete during your visit to ensure you make the most out of your trip!

• Before and during visit activities
• Word searches & games
• Creature profiles & fun facts

Activity Packs are suitable for ages 6-14 years old:

• Activity Pack Free Download (6-8 years old)
• Activity Pack Free Download (9-11 years old)
• Activity Pack Free Download (12-14 years old)

FAQs

Can we pay for our school field trip after the visit?

No, all payment must be received prior to your visit to SEA LIFE New Jersey. We ask that if you are paying via check to send it 2 weeks before your trip to ensure we receive it. 

Where can we eat our lunch?

We do not allow outside food in our attractions; therefore, all food will need to be eaten in American Dream. American Dream has multiple areas that can provide seating for large groups.

We want to add LEGOLAND® Discovery Center to our visit. Do we book a timeslot for that as well?

If your school group would like to book both attractions, they can either break for lunch in between or walk right over to the other attraction. Once the group has left one attraction, they would not be allowed re-entry into the same attraction. You will not need a timeslot for the second attraction that you visit.

How do the Education Workshops work?

If you are booking an Education Workshop, you will need to confirm at least two weeks prior to the visit date. All 3 workshops that we offer use STEAM curriculum. They last 30-45 minutes and require at least 20 students to book. 

Where do we park? How do we get to the attraction?

Our team will send you all the information you will need upon confirmation of your trip! We are located in Court A, Level 1 of American Dream.

How long does the experience take?

Typically, school groups spend around an hour exploring our attraction. SEA LIFE New Jersey is self-guided and you will be able to spend as much time as you would like enjoying all of the exhibits we have to offer.