Join Us for Banana Slug Day!
Banana Slug Day 2024 has passed. Thank you to our over 4,000 wonderful guests on April 13!
Please check this page in spring 2025 for information on Banana Slug Day 2025.
Are you an admitted transfer student? Please check this site in mid-April for information and registration for Transfer Banana Slug Day on Saturday, May 11!
Banana Slug Day
Saturday, April 13, 2024
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Admitted students, join us for a special preview day! This will be a chance for you and your family to celebrate your admission, tour our beautiful campus, and connect with our extraordinary community. Events will include campus tours led by a student S.L.U.G. (Student Life and University Guide), next steps presentations, majors and resource tables, and live student performances. Come experience Banana Slug life -- we can't wait to meet you!
Parking: We are expecting a full campus on Banana Slug Day, so please allow plenty of extra time for traffic, parking, and wayfinding. Signage and attendants will be available to guide you to one of several different parking areas, depending on capacity. After you have parked, shuttles will take you to your destination on campus.
Our parking areas are purposely designed to maximize the natural beauty of our campus and minimize the impact of motor vehicles, so we thank you for your patience as we get everyone situated.
Bay Tree Store: Your source for UCSC swag! The Bay Tree Store, located in Quarry Plaza, will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Banana Slug Day. Admitted students and families get a 20% discount!
Campus Tour
Join our friendly, knowledgeable student tour guides as they lead you on a walking tour of the beautiful UC Santa Cruz campus! Get to know the environment where you may be spending your time for the next few years. Explore the residential colleges, dining halls, classrooms, libraries, and favorite student hangout spots, all on our lovely campus between the sea and the trees! Tours depart rain or shine. Can’t wait? Take a virtual tour now!
Coastal Campus Tours
Location: Coastal Campus
We’re pleased to offer an introduction to our beautiful oceanside Coastal Campus! Our Coastal Biology Building will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. In addition, tours of our Seymour Center research and educational facility are included with the $12-per-person Seymour Center admission fee and depart every hour from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. These tours are filled on a first-come, first-served basis (space is limited to 20 participants). All participants must be present to sign up. Sign-ups begin one hour before the tour start time, at the admission desk. Tours depart rain or shine.
If you wish to tour this part of UCSC, we recommend that you park at the Seymour Center for the duration of Banana Slug Day (parking is free with Seymour Center admission). Shuttles will be provided to and from the main campus.
Engineering Tours
Location: Jack Baskin School of Engineering
Interested in one of the many cutting-edge majors offered by UCSC’s Jack Baskin School of Engineering? Join faculty, students, and staff on campus for tours, demonstrations, tabling, and more! Meet your future professors and fellow students, and get information on student clubs! Tours offered from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tours depart rain or shine.
Student Resources & Majors Fair
Location: East Field
Is there tutoring available on campus? What about mental health services? How can you build community with your fellow Banana Slugs? This is a chance to begin connecting with some current students, faculty, and staff members! Explore your chosen major(s), meet the members of a club or activity you’re interested in, and get connected with support services such as Financial Aid and Housing.
Dining Options
A variety of food and drink options will be available throughout campus. Specialty food trucks will be located on the outdoor basketball courts, and Cafe Ivéta, located in Quarry Plaza, will be open that day. Want to try a dining hall experience? Inexpensive, all-you-care-to-eat lunches will also be available at the five campus dining halls. Vegetarian and vegan options will be available. Bring a reusable water bottle with you – we’ll have refill stations at the event!
