Plan Your Visit to San Jacinto Battleground

Public and Adult Group Tours

A Monumental Experience
Timing: 1.5-3 hours, Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: Ages 12 and up $14, seniors, active military, veterans $10, Ages 4-11 $6, members and ages 3 and under free; adult and senior groups $10 per person

The San Jacinto Battleground is the site of the final battle of the Texas Revolution. On April 21, 1836, General Sam Houston and his men defeated the Mexican army after an 18-minute battle. The following day, General Santa Anna was captured and surrendered, effectively ending the Texas Revolution. You’ll gain a greater understanding of a history of the Battle of San Jacinto and the Texas Revolution with self-guided access to museum galleries, an elevator ride to top floor observation deck, and a showing of the movie "Texas Forever!”

Guided Battlefield Hike
Capacity: 1-50 people
Timing: 2-2.5 hours, Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $50 for the group; does not include admission to the San Jacinto Museum

Walk in the footsteps of history on a guided hike of the San Jacinto Battleground! One of our site educators will lead your group on a guided walk to the significant spots on the battlefield. This tour is an outdoor hike and will include long walks over the battlefield's natural terrain. Not accessible to visitors with limited mobility. Water, sunscreen, and bug spray are recommended. 

Battleground Van Tour 
Capacity: 1 to 14 people
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Sunday, 2:45 to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free with site admission; ages 12 and up $14, seniors, active military, veterans $10, Ages 4-11 $6, members and ages 3 and under free

Enhance your visit to the San Jacinto State Battleground Historic Site by joining site staff for a van tour of some of the battlefield’s 1,200 acres, where you’ll learn firsthand about the history of the Battle of San Jacinto in the broader context of the Texas Revolution. Visitors can either make a reservation in advance or sign-up at the front desk as space permits.

School Tours

The Battle of San Jacinto and the Birth of Texas
Grades: 4-12
Capacity: Up to 200 participants including teachers and chaperones with a 10:1 student to teacher ratio       
Timing: 2 hours, Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $5 per person, free admission for Title 1 schools

The 18-minute Battle of San Jacinto changed the course of Texas history forever. General Houston's victory at San Jacinto and the capture of General Santa Anna the next day secured Texas' independence from Mexico, paving the way for eventual statehood. In this program, students will learn about what happened in the battle, the people who fought in it, and discover what they can learn from what participants left behind. This tour is recommended for classes that have not yet covered the Texas Revolution and the Battle of San Jacinto and will include admission to the site, the museum galleries, the monument’s top floor observation deck, and a showing of the movie "Texas Forever!”

Visualizing the Runaway Scrape
Grades: K-8
Capacity: Up to 200 participants including teachers and chaperones with a 10:1 student to teacher ratio
Timing: 2 hours, Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $5 per person, free admission for Title 1 schools

As the Texian and Mexican armies marched toward San Jacinto, terrified Texians abandoned their homes and fled east toward safety. This panicked evacuation of women, children, the elderly, and enslaved people was known as the Runaway Scrape. In this program, students learn about the people who participated in the Runaway Scrape, their experiences, their motivations, and some of the hardships they endured. This tour includes admission to the site, the museum galleries, the monument’s top floor observation deck, and a showing of the movie "Texas Forever!”

Texas Revolution Celebrities
Grades: 4-12
Capacity: Up to 200 participants including teachers and chaperones with a 10:1 student to teacher ratio
Timing: 2 hours, Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $5 per person, free admission for Title 1 schools

Who helped shape the Texas Revolution and the outcome of the Battle of San Jacinto? What were they like? What did they do? In this program, we will look at some of the notable figures who were part of the last battle of the Texas Revolution. This program will introduce students to a wide variety of primary sources and deepen their knowledge of the Texas Revolution and the Battle of San Jacinto. This tour includes admission to the site, the museum galleries, the monument’s top floor observation deck, and a showing of the movie "Texas Forever!”

Discover the Battle of San Jacinto in Primary Sources
Grades: 4-12
Capacity: Up to 200 participants including teachers and chaperones with a 10:1 student to teacher ratio
Timing: 2 hours, Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $5 per person, free admission for Title 1 schools

The Battle of San Jacinto was a pivotal moment in Texas history, but it happened long before anyone alive now was born. How do historians know what happened during the battle? One of the major ways is by studying primary sources: things like letters, journal entries, artifacts and maps that were created during the time period or by people who were involved in the events. In this program, students will learn what primary sources are and have a chance to analyze some primary sources from the Battle of San Jacinto. This tour includes admission to the site, the museum galleries, the monument’s top floor observation deck, and a showing of the movie "Texas Forever!”

Scout Tours

"Playing the Past" Badge Girl Scout Program
Capacity: 2-25 Girl Scouts
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $10 per person

The Playing the Past program gives Girl Scouts the opportunity to experience life during the Texas Revolution. Museum educators will instruct scouts on local women, making their own 1830s accessories, participating in daily activities from the frontier, and playing traditional games. Scout leader-facilitated option available.  Your visit includes admission to the site, the museum galleries, the monument’s top floor observation deck, and a showing of the movie "Texas Forever!”

Texas Badge Cub Scout Program
Capacity: 2-25 Cub Scouts
Timing: 1 hour, Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $10 per person

For this program, a museum educator teaches Cub Scouts about our great state’s history and culture, including the first Texans, Battle of San Jacinto, and important Texas symbols. Scout leader-facilitated option available. Your visit includes admission to the site, the museum galleries, the monument’s top floor observation deck, and a showing of the movie "Texas Forever!”

San Jacinto Battlefield Award Hike
Capacity: 2-25 Boy Scouts of America 
Timing: 2-2.5 hours, everyday (excluding Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Year’s Day), 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
Cost: $50 per group; does not include admission to the San Jacinto Museum

Led by a museum educator, your troop will hike approximately two miles in the footsteps of Sam Houston and his Texas Army. Scouts will see the weapons and uniforms of the day and identify the significant spots on the battleground while learning about the Battle of San Jacinto. Scouts who complete this hike will earn the San Jacinto Battlefield Award. Water, sunscreen, and bug spray are recommended.

Guided Battlefield Hike
Capacity: 1-50 people
Timing: 2-2.5 hours, Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $50 for the group; does not include admission to the San Jacinto Museum

Walk in the footsteps of history on a guided hike of the San Jacinto Battleground! One of our site educators will lead your group on a guided walk to the significant spots on the battlefield. This tour is an outdoor hike and will include long walks over the battlefield's natural terrain. Not accessible to visitors with limited mobility. Water, sunscreen, and bug spray are recommended. 

Tour Reservations

Tour reservations should be made at least two weeks in advance by calling 281-479-2431, emailing san-jacinto-battleground@thc.texas.gov, or completing this tour request form.

If your group is looking for a specialized tour experience, contact the site directly to inquire about customizing your tour.

Facilities 

The San Jacinto Battleground has four picnic areas. Food and drinks are not for sale at the site and not allowed in the San Jacinto Monument. Public restrooms are in the San Jacinto Monument and the picnic areas. 

Visitor parking is available on site. Only park in designated spots. To help us with our preservation and conservation mission, please refrain from climbing on the monuments and markers or driving off the paved road. 

The San Jacinto Battleground and San Jacinto Museum can be rented for weddings and special events. For more information about facility rentals, visit the San Jacinto Museum's website.  

See our site map for picnic areas, parking, and other key spots. Use our mobile tour to see the top spots not to miss on your visit. 

Pets are welcome at the site but must be kept on a leash at all times. Only service animals are permitted inside buildings. 

Gift Shop 

A gift shop is located inside the San Jacinto Monument. Items available for purchase include books, t-shirts, postcards, and other souvenirs. The gift shop is open whenever the San Jacinto Museum is open. 

Accessibility 

The San Jacinto Monument and San Jacinto Museum are wheelchair accessible. Handicapped-accessible restrooms are located at the San Jacinto Monument and the covered picnic pavilion. 

The site is not wheelchair accessible; however, the majority of the site can be navigated by wheelchair. 

Photoshoots and Filming 

The San Jacinto Museum, Monument, and Battlefield sites are the ultimate locations for stunning wedding, engagement, graduation, Quinceañera, birthday, family, or style photoshoots. From breathtaking shots beneath the monument to the picturesque backdrop of the reflection pool and the natural environment found throughout the Battlefield, the site offers a diverse range of locations for your next photoshoot. 

A permit is required for professional photoshoots. Reservations must be made in advance. Walk-up photo sessions are not allowed. A signed agreement and full payment are due when reserving your shoot. If you need to change your date, your payment will be transferred to the new date and time. The cost is $50 an hour during regular business hours. For an additional $100, you can include a replica of one of the Twin Sister cannons during your photoshoot, available Monday-Sunday between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Please fill out the inquiry form to learn more or to book your shoot. Upon receipt of your form, you will be notified of the permit fee and arrangements for payment. Your permit will be sent to you by email once payment is received. 

Drones 

The use of drones is carefully managed at the San Jacinto Battleground to ensure the safety of the site’s natural and cultural assets, as well as the safety, peace and privacy of visitors. 

Visitors wishing to fly their drone at the San Jacinto Battleground may do so with prior authorization by the site manager. Authorization must be obtained before flying your drone and is granted on a case-by-case basis for the specific dates requested. For permission to fly a drone at the Battleground, please contact us at san-jacinto-battleground@thc.texas.gov. 

Archeology & Metal Detectors 

The San Jacinto Battleground is an archeologically sensitive site. Help us preserve these resources for future generations. No metal detecting or other archeological investigations may be conducted at the San Jacinto Battleground without an antiquities permit for archeological work issued by the Texas Historical Commission under Natural Resources Code Chapter 191. 

If you find what you think is an artifact on the site, do not remove it. Instead, take a picture or otherwise note the location and inform a staff member so they can properly document it. 

Wildlife 

The San Jacinto Battleground is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including alligators, coyotes, feral hogs, venomous snakes, and biting insects. Always use caution around wild animals and do not approach or feed any wildlife you see at the site. 

The San Jacinto Battleground is home to more than 200 species of birds! Birds from throughout the Western Hemisphere visit the marsh and prairie at the battleground during the spring and fall migration seasons. You can see wading and shore birds, wood storks, scissortail flycatchers, and more. 

Nearby Attractions 

While you're in the area, visit these nearby sites: 

• Armand Bayou Nature Center (approximately 15 miles from site) 
• Space Center Houston (approximately 20 miles from site) 
• Houston Museum District (approximately 25 miles from site)