Field trips were a great way to get outside the classroom and see the world. I loved the classroom and loved school. Still do! But I also love to learn, and field trips presented us with new, hands-on learning experiences. And one field trip in particular was just good ole fun, a treat for our hard work at school, and a celebration to end the school year.
Junior Kindergarten Field Trips
Growing up in Miami, Florida, I was introduced to field trips in junior kindergarten. We went on a field trip at least once a month, maybe more. Our teacher, Mrs. Sherman, kept a big calendar in front of the room. Every day, she would move a square that highlighted the current day. Field trip days were marked with a colorful picture, and I watched as that square marker moved closer to a field trip day.
I don’t remember all our field trips from that long ago. But I do remember a few: police and fire stations, a strawberry farm, horse stables, and a tour of post office operations, where we mailed a Valentine’s Day card to our family. Mrs. Sherman was very big on teaching us in the classroom and then bringing us into the field to experience things first hand.
Elementary School Field Trips
When I started elementary school, we had annual field trips I enjoyed. On field trip days, we would board a school bus, which was an interesting experience because I rode my bicycle to school. We would each bring a lunch from home. Because it was a special occasion, my mom always let me take a generic black cherry soda on field trips. I wasn’t allowed to drink soda at home, so that was a real treat.
Miami Science Museum
I remember two annual field trips I enjoyed. One was to the Miami Science Museum. At that time, the museum was located at Vizcaya, a 1916 historic landmark estate on the waterfront in Coconut Grove. (Today, Miami has a new science museum in a different location.)
I loved science and nature, and by the time I was in second grade, I had the entire tour memorized. When family and friends would visit from out of town, we would take them to the science museum, and I would give them a personalized tour, quoting everything I had heard the official tour guides say.
As a bonus to visiting the science museum, we would watch a show in the adjoining planetarium. I have always loved looking at the night sky and still do to this day. It’s possible my fascination was born in that planetarium. Every year, the planetarium show improved with new technology and interesting storytelling. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful field trip day.
At the science museum, I was also fascinated to get mac and cheese for lunch out of a can from a vending machine. Sounds gross, but I thought it was the best thing ever. I’m amazed my mom allowed me to indulge like that, as she cooked super healthy meals at home. But she was always a big supporter of my getting in on interesting cultural experiences.
Lowe’s Art Gallery—University of Miami
Every year, we also took a school field trip to the Lowe’s Art Gallery at the University of Miami to see the Christmas tree displays. The gallery was filled with evergreen trees decorated in every theme you could imagine. It was like walking through an indoor forest with twinkle lights and beautiful ornaments.
I also enjoyed eating lunch outside and watching all the college students scurry by. College seemed like such a distant dream, and the students all seemed so grown up. I couldn’t wait till it was my turn for that college experience. When the day finally arrived that I went off to college, the experience was as wonderful as it appeared to that little kid sitting on the lawn.
Planet Ocean
A new field trip was added to the menu in the mid 1970s, when Planet Ocean opened in Miami. Located on Virginia Key near the Miami Seaquarium, Planet Ocean was an interactive oceanographic experience. That may not sound like much today, but interactive stuff felt very cutting edge back then.
What I remember most about Planet Ocean was the iceberg. Who had ever thought to encounter an iceberg in Miami? It was a sizable chunk of ice that little hands could touch and melt, and watch it refreeze. To someone born in Miami, looking at and touching ice that wasn’t broken to bits inside a glass of tea was amazing.
Marine Biology—Crandon Park Beach
I always loved the ocean and was fascinated to learn more about it through all those interactive stations at Planet Ocean. If I had my career to do over, I might become a marine biologist. That reminds me of another field trip, reserved for sixth graders, which at that time was the final year of elementary school. We got to spend a few days working alongside marine biologists at Crandon Park Beach.
These marine biologists set up hands-on stations where we could work on different projects from start to finish. We would each go to a station and follow the instructions, then submit the results of our project. We got to rotate through several stations and get a close-up view of marine biology work.
I remember feeling very grown up, heading out to their lab each day and completing our projects. It’s a wonder I didn’t pursue that line of work, as I was so fascinated by it. I am currently writing a novel related to marine biology, so the interest is still there.
Cuban Restaurant with Spanish Class
Another special field trip in sixth grade was eating at a Cuban restaurant with our Spanish language teacher. In Miami in the 1970s, we had Spanish language classes all through elementary school. I enjoy learning languages as well as exploring different cultures, so those classes were fun for me.
As our grand finale, we got to join our teacher at a Cuban restaurant, order our food in Spanish, and learn about the different dishes. It felt like a real privilege, and our teacher began to feel more like a friend. She had gotten us through many language struggles and triumphs. Now we got to hang out with her in a less formal way and get to know her a little better.
Miami Public Library
Another grand finale field trip for the sixth graders was a tour of downtown Miami, including a visit to the gigantic public library at Bayfront Park. (It has since moved from that location.) That was probably my most grownup moment, seeing the bigger world of adulthood up close and thinking where I might want to work some day. The library was definitely on my list of employment options. In the end, I hit pretty close to that, becoming a professional writer and book editor.
Venetian Pools
And at last, the most fun excursion of the year, a field trip our class had to earn through behavioral points during the year. The award for most fun trip goes to Venetian Pools. We kids loved that place, which was created in Coral Gables in the 1920s. Just hearing the words “Venetian Pools,” kids got excited. It was an incredible privilege to take a class field trip there.
My words cannot do justice to Venetian Pools, so it’s best if you look for a video online. Even a video cannot capture the feeling of being there, especially seeing the place through the eyes of a child.
Picture this big old grotto carved out of a coral rock quarry, with caves, a waterfall drenched in greenery, a sandy beach, and a Venetian-style plaza with steps cascading into the water. Those are the four sides of this giant pool. The caves had an opening in the wall that we could swim through. It was such an adventure and so picturesque. We truly felt like we had been transported to another land. Best field trip ever for kids in Miami in the 1970s. A great send-off from our long years at Miami Shores Elementary.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour of 1970s Miami through the lens of class field trips. If you ever visit Miami, even more amazing adventures await, still today. It’s a bustling, ever expanding city, but it’s never lost its beauty.
Exploring Generations 