| + Boo at the Zoo Overnight |
| Put on your costumes and flock to the Zoo for a spook-tacular group overnight! Meet creepy crawly animal friends, take two escorted behind-the-scenes tours, and spend an hour enjoying Boo at the Zoo (fee-based rides and attractions not included). Afterwards, grab a light snack and discover what creatures still lurk after dark during a night hike through the Zoo. For those who brave the overnight adventure, a continental breakfast and creepy creature encounter will await the next morning before your "mob" heads out to explore the Zoo for the day. |
Ages: 6 and up
Group Size: minimum 25, maximum 50
Dates*: October 15, 16, 17, 25 and 26
Time: 6:45pm until 9:00am the next day
Cost: $48 per person |
* Dates are limited, so register early.
If the Zoo cancels an event due to weather, overnights will be rescheduled or the deposit refunded. |
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| + Lights Before Christmas Overnight |
| Celebrate the season with a new holiday tradition, a group sleepover at the Zoo! Meet animal friends up-close and learn about their special winter adaptations. Take a peek behind-the-scenes and be dazzled by the holiday lights. Wrap up your festive evening with a snack and night hike through the Zoo. The next morning, wake up to the call of the siamangs, enjoy a light breakfast, meet an animal friend, and then enjoy the rest of the day exploring the Zoo. |
Ages: 6 and up
Group Size: minimum 25, maximum of 50
Dates*: November 19-December 15
Time: 6:45pm until 9:00am the next day
Cost: $48 per person |
* Dates are limited, so register early.
If the Zoo cancels an event due to weather, overnights will be rescheduled or the deposit refunded. |
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| + Night Howls |
| Looking for a nocturnal adventure without the sleepover? The all-new Night Howls is the perfect compromise for your pack! Meet education animals up close, take a look at some out-of-sight places with zookeepers and enjoy a light snack. Finally, discover what animals are sleeping and which ones are awake with a fascinating night hike. |
Ages: 6 and up
Group Size: minimum 15, maximum 50
Dates*: Call for availability.
Time: 6:30pm until 10:30pm
Cost: $30 per person |
* Dates are limited, so register early.
If the Zoo cancels an event due to weather, overnights will be rescheduled or the deposit refunded. |
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For more information and to register, call 803.978.1113. |
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Interested in learning more about the Riverbanks overnight program? We’ve tried our best to answer some of the most frequently asked questions below, and we look forward to providing a fun, memorable experience for you! |
View/download* an Overnight schedule.
View/download* the Night Howls schedule. |
| (click each topic for more information) |
| + Life Cycle Scramble (for grades 1-3) |
| All living things scramble through life in a series of stages. Join the fun as we review the 5 basic needs of all plants and animals, define a life cycle and unscramble various animal cycles. |
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| + Habitats around the World (for grades 2-4) |
| From tropical rainforests to the freezing arctic tundra, the earth is covered in different habitats! Come explore the characteristics that make each of these places unique and learn how organisms make these habitats their homes. |
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| + Amazing Adaptations (for grades 3-6) |
| The key to winning the game of survival is adaptations. Discover the variety of body structures and behaviors that animals use for defense, movement, growth and to obtain food. |
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| + Web of Life (for grades 3-6) |
| Life is an intricate web of eat or be eaten! Groups will build their own South Carolina ecosystem food web, explore organisms' roles in nature and learn to identify animal roles in ecosystems by studying skulls. |
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| + Animals Have Class (for grades 4-6) |
| Clarifying classification: putting method to the madness of taxonomy! Students will discover how scientists group organisms, learn the characteristics of the 5 main vertebrate classes and use dichotomous keys to identify the Zoo's education animals' scientific and common names. |
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| + Conserving Wildlife (for grades 5-8) |
| Each one of us can be an animal champion! Students will become familiar with the acronym HIPPO to better understand how human activity affects wildlife as well as the Zoo's role in conservation and how they can individually help conserve species. |
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| + Wild Careers (for grades 9-12) |
| Did you know Accountants, Teachers, Chefs, Event Coordinators, Horticulturists and Animal Keepers all work at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden? Discover how these careers are all important to the Zoo's mission and what it takes to be a part of the Riverbanks team. |
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| + Zooversity and Genetics (for grades 7-12) |
| Variety is the spice of life and the key to conserving wildlife. Students will learn the value of genetic diversity, ways it can be lost in nature and explore the challenges zoos face with captive breeding programs. Groups will also participate in a simulated Species Survival Plan (SSP) meeting where they recommend next year's breeding pairs for a zoo animal. |
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| + Wildlife in Winter/Lights Before Christmas Overnight (for grades 1-6) |
| Surviving winter is no easy task. Join us as we uncover winter adaptations that local wildlife use to overcoming the challenges of cold weather and little food. Participants will also take away some fun ideas on how to reuse household items and help animals in their own backyard. This overnight includes Lights before Christmas event activities. |
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| + Night Creatures/Boo at the Zoo Overnight (for grades 1-6) |
| Nocturnal animals are not creepy, just misunderstood creatures with incredible adaptations to help them survive after dark. Join the fun as we dispel some common myths about animals that prefer night to day! This overnight includes Boo at the Zoo event activities. |
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Yes, we will accommodate any request for separate sleeping quarters. |
Participants sleep on the floor in our 3-D auditorium or education classrooms. Air mattresses are allowed and recommended for adults only due to space limitations. Sleeping mats are available for participants if desired. Bathrooms are located within the education complex; however, showers are NOT available. |
All participants must be at least six years old. Younger siblings are not permitted. |
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Dinner is not provided, but your group will be served a light snack in the evening and a light breakfast with juice and coffee. Please plan on eating dinner prior to the start of your program. |
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Please bring the following items…
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Signed Consent Form for all participants (*requires Adobe Reader.) |
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sleeping bag and pillow - Overnights only |
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toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, etc) - Overnights only |
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sneakers or good walking shoes |
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water bottle |
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appropriate outer wear (i.e. rain coat, jacket, etc) |
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flashlights (adults only) |
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While the gift shop will NOT be open during the program, we do have cool “I SURVIVED THE NIGHT AT RIVERBANKS ZOO” glow-in-the dark T-shirts for sale ($15 each). Scout groups, we also offer the Riverbanks logo patch for $4 each. You may purchase the shirts or the patches once you receive your confirmation packet. |
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Remember that the cost per participant (adults included) is $48 for event nights, $42 for regular nights, $38 for discount nights, or $30 for night howls. Upon registering, each group will be charged a deposit fee ($96 for event dates, $84 for regular dates, $76 for discount nights, and $60 for night howls), which is due one month from the day that you schedule with us. Your deposit will be deducted from your total amount due once the program has taken place. The remaining program fees will be billed after the program has taken place. |
Yes! (Effective for groups that register after February 1, 2010)
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Register for a Sunday through Wednesday night (October – May) and pay only $38 per person. Must pay for a minimum of 25 participants. |
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Register for any day June – September and pay only $38 per person. Must pay for a minimum of 25 participants. |
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Group coordinators will receive free admission to their overnight! (Limited to 1 free adult per overnight) |
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**Night Howls vary see above. The group minimum is 25 (effective January 1, 2010) and the maximum is 50 total participants (adults included). If you do not have 25 total people, you will be required to pay for at least 25. If you arrive with more than 50, your Overnight program will be cancelled on arrival and your deposit will not be returned. If you anticipate more than 50 participants, we may be able to do two separate overnight programs on the same night if available or schedule an additional date. However, groups may not see the same animals or after hour tours. To book an additional overnight for groups of more than 50, you must notify us no later than 2 weeks in advance of the original overnight date. An additional $84 deposit will be due upon registration. |
Register today! For more information, please contact Roni Reeves at 803.978.1113.
Hurry - Dates fill up fast! |
