Rockefeller Center is one of the best attractions for student tours. This is not your typical skyscraper. It’s much more than that-and it’s fun!

Top of the Rock offers great photo opportunities at the Top and while you are getting ready to go up in the fast elevators. Each group can have their photo taken on a steel beam that appears to have the old NYC skyline in the background. It can make for some great pictures.

Next, if there is any kind of a wait (don’t worry, any wait is short) or if you have a large group, you can watch a video. In fact there are 3 different videos that you can choose from and there is plenty of room for everyone.

One of the best features of this attraction is the elevator ride where there is no endless line (like at the Empire State Building)! Don’t confuse the lack of a line with a lack of popularity. Though you don’t have to wait for two hours for an elevator ride (it’s more like 10 minutes) the ride itself is a neat experience. Looking up while riding to the top the ceiling offers an educational experience like no other. There are lights and a movie showing on the ceiling while you move quickly towards the observation deck.

Once you are at the top, you will be able to go outside for a spectacular view. Just as the photo above shows, you will have a great view of Central Park and Northern Manhattan Island. The view is also unobstructed as clear plexi-glass is used instead of steal bars (like at Empire).

To get a view south you need to go through another room, but there is a surprise waiting for you. As you enter the room, look up. You just became a color on the ceiling. As you move around, your color follows you. Everyone in the room has a color. Try hugging a member of your party and your colors will combine to form a new color. It is really neat and students love it.

One of the great things about TOTR is that they have 3 observation decks. The first two have views of part of the Manhattan skyline, but the top one offers a panoramic view of NYC. Be warned, though, it can get very windy!

Overall, Top of the Rock is one of the Best Attractions in New York City and it is tons of fun. Not that your New York City Educational Tour group should avoid the Empire State Building necessarily, Top of the Rock is a better experience totally-no comparison!

When our company started years ago, I was amazed at how difficult it seemed to be to get tours to the White House. I really could not find a good way to get our clients into the WH and was very frustrated trying. Other companies had decided against the idea all together. In fact, no other companies tried. they simply told their clients it was their responsibility to do it on their own.

Thankfully, the story did not end there. Through hard work and persistent efforts, we have since been able to obtain or assist groups by getting them into the White House. The key is your Congressman’s Office. Normally each Congressman has an assistant who is responsible for requesting up White House tours as well as other tours in Washington DC. They are very helpful and can request or help you request a tour of the White House.

Once you “get in” it is important to stay informed about what is happening as the Security Level may be too high for White House tours to take place. Here is a number where you can find the most current information: 202-456-7041. This number is a 24 hour number, so keep it while on your tour.

If you are planning an educational tour to Washington DC, our company will take care of all of the details for your group. However, if you want to go on your own, go to www.house.gov and find your congressman’s number. Call and request they get a White House tour for you. It is best to request your tour 4-6 months in advance, but there are some cancellations that open up last minute spots for late planners.

Over the past several years I have set up field trips to museums for thousands of students from all over the country. I have also visited these same museums with my family as well as led school groups to them. From these experiences I have developed a 5 Best Museums for student Travel groups to visit. Here they are.

#1 Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. One of the more modern Smithsonian Museums, the Air & Space Museum has some of the best exhibits found anywhere. An IMAX Theatre and Planetarium also make this museum a great place to visit. Also, some of the most famous planes, jets, missiles, and rockets are displayed here. Plus, the history of flight and the arrangement of our solar system are explained in easy-to-understand terms for all visitors.

#2 Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago. This is a fabulous mix of hands-on and interactive museum with plenty of staff conducting experiments and giving talks on a variety of subjects. This museum has the best variety found in any museum anywhere in the US and is really worth visiting. The Submarine exhibit is a neat must-see along with its Enigma machine from WW II.

#3 Mel Fisher Maritime Museum in Key West, FL. This is a real dazzler as you will see exhibits laden with gold, silver, and precious gems. Pick up a gold bar that was recently found off the coast of Florida as well as see an exhibit of silver that will amaze you. As a real bonus, you can purchase any number of actual Spanish Coins or purchase a piece of history.

#4 St. Louis Science Museum is a neat place. Couple that with it’s admission price (FREE) and you get a value that can’t miss. Once again, this museum has an IMAX and a planetarium that satisfies the needs of all science types as well as the many hands-on exhibits. A liquid nitrogen demonstration is a real crowd pleaser as is the laser show that is repeated hourly.

#5 Indianapolis Children’s Museum. Don’t be fooled by the name as this museum has quite a bit for students of all ages. Plus, there are plenty of things to occupy inquiring minds. the giant water-clock is a neat exhibit that demands your attention as you enter the facility.

Of course there may be several other museums that can fit into this list. Your list may be different (and should be). I could have included several others but this is a nice mix. The main thing is to visit these places and see what you can learn. Field trips are great opportunities for students and families. The main thing is to visit with a purpose. Nothing is more tragic than to see a group of kids running around, pressing buttons and moving from exhibit to exhibit without learning.

The Big Apple is an ideal destination for educational tours. This city that never sleeps has more to offer than your typical location. Skyscrapers, world-class museums, timeless monuments, and the ultimate in entertainment are all located in NYC. Every corner of the city has its own flavor and many neighborhoods have their own languages.

“Exciting” begins to describe the city, but it’s much deeper than that. No word or simple phrase can fully express what you’ll experience when you visit New York. And, for each person it’s different-and personal.

Each time I visit or lead a student tour I find something different. For example, I have visited the Empire State Building more times than I care to count. Standing in line and trying not to feel like a cow in a never-ending line to the elevators. On my last visit to NY, I took advantage of an invitation to the “Top of the Rock” at Rockefeller Center. My experience was totally different. No long lines, no being crushed on the elevator, and no worrying that some rude elevator person was going to treat me like just another tourist. No, this visit was great. Though it is a subject for a different post, my visit left me convinced that my visits to the Empire State Building were over.

A favorite destination for students is Times Square. This is an absolute pleasure-unless you don’t like crowds. The buildings and lights and people and street vendors and taxis create a continuous surge of energy that constantly overloads your senses, not to mention your personal space. It’s awesome, it’s never-ending and students love it.

No student experience is complete without a Broadway play. There are many plays to choose from and something for every taste. From the world-famous “Phantom of the Opera” to “The Producers” and many others Broadway is a great way to complete any school trip to NYC.

Of course every student trip to NY includes the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Given as a gift in the late 1800’s Lady Liberty stands as a symbol of American Freedom for all who see her.

There are so many things to see and do in NY and I have only mentioned a few. Central Park, Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and many more attractions make this one of the best locations in the US for student tours. Each time I visit it’s a great experience and each student I have led to NY or sent there has the same story.

Each time we are contacted by a student tour group to Washington DC, we are amazed at their reaction. School groups are amazed by what we consider to be common customer service but other student tour companies think is too hard.

One of the main services I am referring to is arranging a Capitol Hill tour. When I started this company several years ago, I was determined to offer top services at reasonable prices. The fact is, I never could believe that other companies were so afraid of setting up Capitol Hill tours while charging their clients outrageous prices.

At Adventure Student Travel we ALWAYS offer to set up a tour of Capitol Hill for our clients-and we are the only company to do it. In addition, we will be happy to assist with requesting a tour of the White House and a meeting with your State Representative. These are only a few of the services we consider to be our duty when a school group chooses to work with us.

If your group is ready for a fantastic tour with all of the services you deserve, try our company. Call toll-free 877-397-5700 and speak with a Student Tour Coordinator and set up a Washington DC Educational Tour today.