Part of Jamestown

Jamestown in Virginia is part of the Historic Triangle. Never heard of it? Three treasures from American history are situated in the area, making up this figurative triangle. The first is Jamestown divided into Historic Jamestowne (with statues, recreations of a church and Glass House, and the excavation of the original settlement) and the Jamestown Settlement (with recreations of the ships that brought the English settlers to the area and recreations of both the James Fort and a Powhatan Indian Village). The other two points of the triangle are Yorktown (scene for the final battle in the American Revolution) and Colonial Williamsburg (a working community straight from colonial America).

February is theme month in Jamestown - and probably in many more historic attractions around the country - as the month is dedicated to black history. Jamestown offers this amazing black history experience in its community.

From Africa to Virginia

This experience takes place at the Jamestown Settlement with its recreated ships, Indian village, and fort.There are several discovery centers here. The first known Africans in Virginia came from the kingdom of Ndongo in Angola. Jamestown gallery exhibits and a special gallery brochure through February will feature the experience of these Africans in 17th century Virginia. Daily tours are offered of the recreated centers - the ships, the Jamestown fort, and the Powhatan Indian Village - every hour until closing (which varies). During the last part of the month, February 13-28, visitors can compare the technology used in 17th century Virginia with the skills of Africans in Angola. Skills featured include fishing, hunting, construction, and metalworking.

This special exhibit in Jamestown also tells the story of the Africans to arrive at the Jamestown settlement after they were captured from a Portuguese ship on its way from Angola to Mexico. Visitors to the recreated ships will experience the tale through role play. It's a fascinating look at black history at a prominent American landmark and a unique addition to Williamsburg educational tours.

Photo by Ken Lund on Flickr.

Boston's Skyline

It's Black History Month, and one of our favorite cities features many attractions perfect for black history.

The city is Boston, pictured here. There's a lot to love about Boston ad many reasons for Boston educational tours. Visiting its historic sites puts you in the middle of the American Revolution and the first brave steps of our country as an independent nation. It's cliche, but seriously, history comes alive here. Sometimes literally - as you can view reenactments of several historical events and of legendary people, like the Boston Massacre and Paul Revere.

Many of Boston's historic sites dating to the American Revolution are organized in a red-brick route known as the Freedom Trail. It's on this self or expert-guided tour that you'll visit Boston Common, Old North Church (where Paul Revere's message was declared by that famous lantern light), the Boston Massacre Site, and all of the attractions listed at the bottom of this post.

Boston has a wonderful African-American heritage as well. The first blacks in the city were slaves, but by 1700 a free black community had emerged in the north end. By the census in 1790, not one slave was reported.

Though it wasn't easy, the black population in Boston set to work building their community, carving a place for their children and their children's children. The Black Heritage Trail celebrates those efforts, memorializing the African Meeting House, a school, and prominent residences. The historic tour describes each of them and the fascinating history of the black community in eighteenth century Boston. The tour continues inside at the African Meeting House and Abiel Smith School.

These are two Boston tours perfect for educational tours, but the city has so much more to offer as well. The Freedom and Black Heritage Trails are only the beginning.

Attractions: Boston Freedom Trail

• Boston Common
• Massachusetts State House
• Park Street Church
• Granary Burying Ground
• King's Chapel and Burying Ground
• First Public School Site and Ben Franklin Statue
• Former Site of the Old Corner Bookstore
• Old South Meeting House
• Old State House
• Boston Massacre Site
• Faneuil Hall
• Paul Revere House
• Old North Church
• Copp's Hill Burying Ground
• USS Constitution and Charlestown Navy Yard
• Bunker Hill Monument

Photo by ReneS on Flickr.

Bread line at the FDR Memorial

February is about a lot of stuff. Right now, it's sort of heavy on the hearts, roses, pink and red. I love that part. It's also Black History Month, so hopefully schools, museums, and historical sites around the nation are showcasing exhibits on the Civil Rights Movement and all that came before and after exemplary of the prominent role of African-Americans in our nation. (We'll be highlighting some on this blog as well).

And February is packed full of something else too, especially for such a little month. We celebrate Presidents Day this month as a combined celebration of the birthdays of President Lincoln and President Washington. So, in deference to this February theme: A list of presidential memorials, how they differ, and what makes them so special. Every one of them should be included in all Washington D.C. educational tours.

Washington Monument - You can't beat this most prominent structure our nation's capital which celebrates our most prominent historical figure and president, George Washington. A fearless general in the American Revolution, a man who helped oversee the writing of our Constitution, and our country's first President, George Washington is someone to celebrate any time, including his birthday month of February. The monument has exhibits to the famous first President in its base and offers an incomparable D.C. view from the top. (Zoning laws ensure no building will be taller than this noted obelisk).

Lincoln Memorial - Perhaps the most familiar of the presidential memorials modeled after Grecian temples, the Lincoln Memorial anchors one end of the tourist-friendly National Mall with miles of fascinating structures (including the Washington Monument above). The oversized statue of Lincoln in a seated, philosophical posture creates the prominent feature of this memorial. But one of the most moving aspects is the beloved President's words inscribed throughout. President Lincoln spoke some of the most moving words in our nation's history, even as he led us through one of our most difficult times, and it's inspiring to visit his memorial and read them again.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial - Speaking of beloved presidents, you can't get much more so than FDR with his fireside chats that literally sustained national morale in a time of War and of desperation. Franklin D. Roosevelt was at the helm for the Great Depression and for World War II, two gripping, tragic eras in our history. His memorial offers statues of the President in four poses in four different "rooms", one for each of his terms in office. Fountains and the President's own words complete the tableau in this refreshing memorial.

President's Park - Not too far away from the National Mall (which incidentally contains many other must-see monuments and memorials), visitors can now enjoy Presidents Park. It's located in Williamsburg, an area with a wealth of its own historical landmarks. Presidents Park, though, is relatively new. It's a lovely park and garden. Its walkway features larger-than-life busts of all the US presidents, including facts, trivia, and their biographies.

All these attractions can be included in one great tour, and they're all inspiring ways to celebrate our country's presidents.

Photo by OakleyOriginals on Flickr.

Whatever your reason - frustrating gas prices, concern for your carbon footprint, or just the need to slow down and actually take in the world around you - biking is the new leisurely drive.

This popular activity fits the bill on all three counts. It certainly cuts down on the fuel expense. It's also the greenest way to travel and therefore a popular choice for ecotours. And for slowing things down? There's almost nothing better.

America's coastlines offer some of the best cycling tours in the nation. With beautiful seashore on one and a variety of scenery on the other, these tours are the perfect way to really discover wherever it is that you are.

Ocean City, Maryland, is one such coast - one you may not have thought of before. What this area offers on the other side of your trail from the seashore? Both nature and charm. There are hundreds of miles of bike trails in the area, along both Maryland's and Virginia's coasts, through forests, along rivers, and beside and through historic towns.

Ocean City itself offers a three-mile boardwalk visitors love. Even the side streets are worth exploring here; much of Ocean City's historic downtown has been restored for even more to enjoy.

The Viewtrail is a 100-mile loop in rural Worcester County. Its highly scenic, definitely low-impact, and perfect for group travel, students, and romantic getaways. It offers the perfect respite from the daily grind and the perfect way to enjoy Maryland's natural beauty and historic charm.

This is just one example - one area in the country that's rolled out the red carpet of asphalt for those who love to tour on bicycle. There are many more - probably some near you, definitely scenic routes throughout the United States that create the perfect vacation getaway. Next time you discover a new place, rent a bicycle. It's a beautiful way to go.

Photo by oedipusphinx on Flickr.

Lake Superior Gulls, by Isle Royale

Some cities are inherently perfect for student and educational tours. They feature all over our website. They're stuffed full of museums and historical sites and people, people, people - all the time. They're the biggies. But when it comes to travel, sometimes the greatest treasures are found in more obscure packages.

We've highlighted some of these in our theme tours section and other educational tours. Some of our lesser known fascinating destinations include places like the following.

The Bridges of Madison County, Iowa

Let's face it, Iowa probably isn't the first state that comes to mind for group travel of any kind. But there's a lovely literary tour there (or movie tour if you're the type that prefers your stories on film) that shouldn't go unnoticed. It would make a great romantic getaway or family weekend out of town. The Bridges of Madison County were featured in a novel of the same name and a film with Meryl Streepe and Clint Eastwood. They're beautiful pieces of history and charm. This tour is exciting as you visit each bridge still standing and some of the other sites in the area, including a cafe where Clint was filmed for the movie.

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

I know, Pigeon Forge doesn't sound like the name of a place you'd voluntarily visit. But this beautiful area in the Smoky Mountains is actually a great place for group travel. Dollywood features all the charm of the Smokies with glass blowing, woodworking, and other crafts, plus live entertainment showcasing the best in country music, and even roller coasters and other rides. It's really a fun day for everyone. Another favorite by the same little blond franchise is Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. This is a truly entertaining dinner theater that takes the definitely of that term to brand new heights. The four course meal is truly delicious and unique as you don't use silverware for any of it. The entertainment is music, dancing, history, and pageantry plus crowd-pleasing competition. This attraction really is worth every penny.

Isle Royale, Michigan

Isle Royale is featured as one of our ecotours. This largely undeveloped island is reached only by boat or plane and provides tons of nature-loving exploration and discovery. Historic lighthouses, amazing wildlife, and shipwrecks are all a part of the wonders of Isle Royale.

And Now It's Your Turn

You see what I mean about undiscovered treasure? You might not have ever thought of these unique destinations if I hadn't shared them with you. And maybe you've got a destination that you're just dying to introduce to the world. If you're the marketing coordinator for unique place to visit, you're probably looking for more places to get the word out. We have more than one website that may be able to help you! If you're interested in writing original content about your destination and its attractions in order to have them featured on our web pages (proven to draw new travel seekers every day), you should contact me - our web content administrator - at serenity [at] adventurestudenttravel.com. I'll send you the specific instructions, and if you can get us content before March 1, 2010, we'll showcase it for free for life. (A value of $495 per page!)

This helps us because we want fresh ideas and content for the students, educators, and group travel coordinators who visit our site. And it helps you because it gets your fabulous destination noticed. It's an excellent opportunity for us all, and I hope you'll take us up on it!

Photo by jmagnusphoto on Flickr.

Natalie Portman - Red Carpet Arrival

You don't have to look any farther than the red carpet to know that Hollywood and fashion simply belong together. Similarly, Los Angeles, home to the literal Hollywood is a perfect choice for fashion tours - an exciting student travel theme.

The Hollywood attractions are almost unending here. Two of the classics include Grauman's Chinese Theater with its famous celebrity footprints out front, and similarly, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a favorite must-do, L.A. experience where you can discover the stars for all your favorite performers, celebrities - even fictional characters.

The Hollywood Museum is filled with an amazing collection of Hollywood memorabilia both from film and from the celebrities themselves. The Kodak Theater hosts The Annual Academy Awards and the American Idol final, so it's also a true Hollywood attraction. This year, a Cirque du Soleil attraction will take up permanent residence in the Kodak as well.

The Universal Studios theme park brightens any Los Angeles itinerary. Students will love the coasters, rides, and movie-themed attractions in this park with something for everyone. Other studios offer tours as well, like Warner Brothers and Paramount, but none are quite so entertaining as Universal.

But what about the fashion? Unless you're lucky enough to catch a premiere or get bleacher seats outside an awards show, you probably won't witness an actual red carpet scenario while in Hollywood. Still, you can certainly shop where the stars do when you visit Rodeo Drive or Downtown Santee Alley. For an interest in the career of fashion, though, you'll want to add in the Fashion District and Showrooms as well as the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. See what it's like to really move in the fashion industry. Be inspired by the creative work behind it as well as the business aspect.

When in L.A., of course, don't make it all about Hollywood or about career choices. Take some time for the beach or hit another of the amazing theme parks in the area. Knott's Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, and Disneyland all wait to thrill you with their popular rides and entertainment.

Basically, L.A. is perfect for high-energy, high-profile fun and excitement - no matter what the theme.

Photo by Josh Jensen on Flickr.