San Francisco Zoo takes $10 off three membership levels for teachers, and it’s the only teacher-specific discount we found on the zoo’s own pages. The membership page says the discount covers Individual Plus, Family and Family Plus memberships, with a valid photo ID required and available on site only. We didn’t find a teacher discount on daily admission.
If you’re a teacher who ends up at the zoo with your own family a few times a year, a membership is where the zoo builds in a teacher rate. If you’re planning the class trip instead, the school group rates are further down.
How To Get The San Francisco Zoo Teacher Discount
The discount is on a membership, and you buy it in person. The membership page lists teachers among the groups that get $10 off, marks the line with an asterisk, and says a valid photo ID is required and available on site only. It doesn’t say what counts as a teacher, so it’s worth asking before you make the trip.
The three levels the $10 applies to cost $149, $199 and $239 on the same page. Individual Plus is $149 and admits one named adult and any one guest. Family is $199 and admits two adults and up to three children under age 18. Family Plus is $239 and admits three adults and up to four children under age 18. The page also says all membership sales are final and non-refundable, so settle on the level before you pay.
Visiting On Your Own
The zoo’s tickets page says there are several ways to get in at reduced rates or with added value. We found no teacher or educator wording on that page. Students ages 12 years through college and retired and active military personnel get San Francisco resident rates, and so do guests with disabilities. Visitors who take Muni to the zoo get a $1 discount off the price of admission.
Taking A Class To San Francisco Zoo
The school field trips and group visits page says SFUSD school field trips are free. Students and chaperones within the 1 to 5 ratio are included, and additional adults over the ratio are charged the non-SFUSD rate.
For non-SFUSD school field trips and groups, the page lists weekday per person rates. Adults, chaperones and teachers are $14.50, grades 9 through 12 are $14.50, ages 2 years through 9th grade are $10, and seniors ages 65 and over are $12. The page says weekend and holiday rates may be higher. To get the group rate, the page says you must bring 15 or more people, entering the zoo together at one time, with 1 adult for every 5 children.
For reservation requests, the page asks you to contact the zoo 3 weeks before your preferred visit date.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
The membership page doesn’t define “teachers” and doesn’t list which documents count beyond a valid photo ID. We didn’t see an end date for the offer. We also found no free teacher entry on a non-SFUSD trip: those teachers are on the $14.50 rate.
Q&A
Do teachers get into San Francisco Zoo free?
Not on their own, as far as the zoo’s pages say. On an SFUSD school field trip, students and chaperones within the 1 to 5 ratio are free.
How much is the teacher discount?
$10 off Individual Plus, Family and Family Plus memberships, which cost $149, $199 and $239.
Can I buy the discounted membership online?
The membership page says a valid photo ID is required and the discount is available on site only.
Can I get a refund on a membership?
No. The page says all membership sales are final and non-refundable.
What does a teacher pay on a non-SFUSD school trip?
The page lists $14.50 for adults, chaperones and teachers at the weekday per person rate, and says weekend and holiday rates may be higher.
How big does a group have to be?
The page says 15 or more people, entering the zoo together at one time, with 1 adult for every 5 children.
More Information:
The details above come from San Francisco Zoo’s own membership, tickets and school field trips pages as they loaded when we checked, and programs change without notice. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.