All tours require a two-week advanced reservation, a deposit, and 72 hours notice of cancellation. Tour dates are not guaranteed until your confirmation notice from the Aquarena Education Office has been processed. The listed group rates apply to any group of 15 people or more. Prices subject to change without notice. Listed prices are for school groups, all other groups please visit our Private Group Tours Page.

To reserve a tour time please fill in the Tour Reservation Form or call the Education Office at 512-245-7540. Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions Page for more information.

Tours listed will be customized for your group.  Please be sure to state the grade level, unit you are studying, and any special needs when you book your tour.  A list of activity options is available below. 

Group Glass Bottom Boat Tour

Appropriate for All Ages

Price:

Students $3.50, Adults $5.50

Length:

30 minutes

As students glide across Spring Lake in Glass Bottom Boats, they have a rare opportunity to see underwater life from a different perspective. View over 1,000 springs that bubble up 150 million gallons a day of clear water from the Edwards Aquifer to form Spring Lake, the headwaters of the San Marcos River. Declared a Critical Habitat by the Federal Government in 1980, Spring Lake is the home of five endangered species. Tour time is approximately 30 minutes. Your group may choose to self-guide through the aquarium, wetlands walk, and Texas Rivers Center before or after your boat ride at no additional charge. You may download a map of the park on our Frequently Asked Questions Page.

General Tour

Appropriate for All Ages

Price:

Students $6, Adults $7

Length:

1.5 hours

For schools in a time crunch this hour and a half long fully guided tour includes all the basics of Aquarena Center: a Glass Bottom Boat Ride, a walk through our Aquarium Exhibits, and our wetlands walk.

Circle of Life Tour

Appropriate for 1st through 8th with modifications

Price:

Students $6.50, Adults $7.50

Length:

2 hours

Discover the interconnected ecology of the San Marcos Springs and the delicate balance of resources found in this special habitat. Learn about the unique plant and animal communities that benefit from this natural wonder. Students will have hands on opportunities to understand the circle of life as they explore the connection of all living things in the niche of the San Marcos Springs. At the completion of the tour, students will understand the importance of this critical ecosystem on a regional and global scale. Learn many things including:

* Plant and Animal Communities of San Marcos Springs Ecosystem
* Food Webs and Food Chains of San Marcos Springs Ecosystem
* Water Renewal and Habitat Requirement

This tour includes a 30-minute Glass Bottom Boat ride that explores the underwater San Marcos Springs habitat. Tour time is 2 hours.

Wild, Native, and Endangered Tour

Appropriate for 2nd through 8th with modifications

Price:

Students $6.50, Adults $7.50

Length:

2 hours

Explore the unique habitat created by the San Marcos Springs. Learn about the vanishing endangered and threatened species that are only found in the San Marcos Springs and Edwards Aquifer. This interpreter lead tour provides hands on activities exploring the importance of biodiversity and critical habitat preservation. Students will also visit the Endangered Species exhibit to view our locally protected species, including the Texas Blind Salamander, Fountain Darter, and the San Marcos Dwarf Salamander. SalamanderLearn about many different things on your tour including:

* Endangered Aquatic Species of the San Marcos Springs
* Critical Habitat Preservation and Conservation
* Importance of Biodiversity and Exotic Species

This tour includes a 30-minute Glass Bottom Boat ride that cruises the critical habitat of Spring Lake. Tour time is 2 hours.

Water Alive! Tour

Appropriate for 2nd through 8th with modifications

Price:

Students $6.50, Adults $7.50

Length:

2 hours

Water is important to all creatures, great and small. Discover the aquatic life that thrives in the unique ecosystem created by the San Marcos Springs. This interpreter lead tour will focus on the importance of fresh water and the Edwards Aquifer, a major resource for Central Texas. Students will have the opportunity to explore aquatic food webs, wetland habitats, investigate aquifer and spring systems, estimate water quality, and much more…

Aquatic Life of the Springs
*The Edwards Aquifer
*The Water Cycle and Groundwater
*The Importance of Water

This tour includes a 30-minute Glass Bottom Boat ride that cruises the San Marcos Springs system. Tour time is 2 hours.

Native American Tour

Appropriate for 4th-8th with modifications

Price:

Students $6.50, Adults $7.50

Length:

2 hours

Explore human cultures through artifacts. Discover the unique characteristics of the San Marcos Springs that have attracted human settlement for over 12,000 years! Take a ride on a glass bottom boat to visit an underwater archaeological dig site that first brought attention to San Marcos history. Students practice Native American skills through games and activities. Take a journey along the time line of Central Texas history while learning tid bits about several aspects of San Marcos' exciting past:

* Historic Settlement of the Springs
* Study of Cultures through Artifacts
* Native American Culture

This tour includes a 30-minute Glass Bottom Boat ride that explores the underwater archeological dig site. Tour time is 2 hours.

The Wonders of the Wetlands

Appropriate for 2nd-8th with modifications

Price:

Students $6.50, Adults $7.50

Length:

2 hours

Wetlands are vital, valuable areas that all living things need. Wetlands provide clean water, flood protection, sources of food, wildlife habitat, and are home to many endangered species. Explore the wonders of wetlands at Aquarena Center at the height of their growing season to witness the amazing plant adaptations or while it is dormant to better appreciate the specialized soils. Students will learn what defines a wetland and understand the importance of wetlands.

This tour includes a 30-minute Glass Bottom Boat ride. Tour time is 2 hours.