HOME Field Trips
Field trips can enhance learning, increase interest and help to solidify concepts. Besides all that, they're fun! Join HOME at various locations throughout the year for some real-world learning experiences!
Coming up next...
Downeast Scenic Railroad
Come ride the train with us!
The Downeast Scenic Railroad offers a scenic, ten-mile round-trip train ride from Ellsworth, Maine on the historic Calais Branch Line. This is the first passenger train to run on the line in decades! Come join other homeschoolers for a beautiful ride.
While traveling this stretch of the line, we have observed many forms of wildlife, including osprey, blue herons, bald eagles, moose, deer, snapping turtles, foxes, beavers, and even bears!
Date: Thursday, June 8, 2023
Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm (Train leaves on time. Get there early. Don't be late!)
Cost: $9 per student and first adult, $14 each additional adult
Location: 8 Railroad Siding Rd., Hancock
Recommended Age Range: All ages!
Accompanying HOME Unit Study: Learn more about Trains and the impact on Maine history by purchasing HOME's unit study Trains. In this study, the student will explore trains and railways of Maine. Where did the lines run? What purpose did they serve? What has happened to them today?
Deadline to register: June 1, 2023
Desert of Maine
Fossil Dig at the Desert of Maine!
A field trip to the Desert of Maine gives kids an experiential window into the history, geology, and ecology of this unique destination and a day of wonder exploring the dunes. You will learn about human influence on the land, starting with a participatory historical re-enactment in the historic farmhouse. You will meet members of the Tuttle family, whose unsustainable farming practices accidentally uncovered a "desert", beginning around the time of the Civil War. From there we will go to the Fossil Dig exhibit where kids will dig for smaller fossils and uncover a 30-foot whale fossil replica. Kids will come away from the Fossil Dig with an understanding of how geological forces have changed the land over time, including why the Desert was once at the bottom of the ocean! The field trip will conclude with a nature walk and optional scavenger hunt, designed to inspire kids to become the next stewards of nature's recovery.
After our program, you can then spend an additional 90 minutes exploring the story walk, dunes and trails, discovering the unearthed Spring House, posing for a photo with a 1924 Model T, playing on the one-of-a-kind natural playground (complete with wooden moose for climbing!), and hunting for polished rocks in the labyrinth of Gemstone Village. If timing allows, an outdoor picnic space is available for everyone to enjoy their lunches on site.
Date: Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Time: 10:00am - 12:30pm
Cost: $13.50 per student, $6 for adults
Location: 95 Desert Rd., Freeport
Recommended Age Range: All ages!
Accompanying HOME Unit Study: Learn more about Rocks and Minerals purchasing HOME's unit study Rocks, Gems and Minerals. In this study, your students will delve into the study of rocks, minerals, and gems. It will include exploring geology, mineralogy, volcanology, and other areas that they may be interested in as a result. Having a basic rock kit would be handy, but not essential, in doing this study.
Deadline to register: June 6, 2023
Maine Maritime Museum
Ecology Boat Cruise
Two-hour cruises include lessons on the industrial, environmental, and indigenous history of the Kennebec River and Merrymeeting Bay.
After the cruise, your student will have the option of participating in the Shipwreck Detectives Class for an additional fee.
Date: Friday, September 1, 2023
Time: Arrival time 9:15, Cruise 9:30 - 11:30 am
Cost: $23.50 per student, $36.75 for adults
Location: 243 Washington St., Bath
Recommended Age Range: All ages!
Accompanying HOME Unit Study: Learn more about the history of boatbuilding by purchasing HOME's unit study Boats and Boatbuilding. In this study, students explore boatbuilding, different types of watercraft and their importance in Maine history.
Deadline to register: August 24, 2023
* HOME Event Refund Policy - Registration fees may be refunded up to the registration deadline for any HOME field trip. No refunds will be made after the registration deadline. In the event that you must cancel, please consider making your fee a donation to HOME rather than requesting a refund! If an event must be canceled or rescheduled for any reason, HOME will notify participants. Refunds will then be considered on a case by case basis, depending on whether or not the event is rescheduled.
For More Field Trip Ideas...
Maine offers endless opportunities for field trips. Be sure to join the HOME Field Trip Forum on Facebook as a resource for ideas, news and updates on what's happening around our state.
** HOME does not take any responsibility for views expressed during scheduled activities. Please use your own discretion.