Adventure Student Travel

Washington, DC: Day 1 + 2

March 11, 2013 by Jessica Harris Leave a Comment

To start our adventure together, our group traveled from Kansas City, MO, to Washington, D.C., by air. It wasn’t a long flight, but we were ready to land in Washington, D.C. to start our tour. After checking into our hotel, we headed over to the Cheesecake Factory. The food was amazing and the service was excellent! For our evening activity, we watched Shear Madness. We all enjoyed the comical play taking place at a hairdresser’s shop. We were even active in deciding who the criminal was! I would love to watch it again.

Day two, our first full day in Washington, D.C., we started our touring with a visit to the Newseum. This was an interesting museum about the evolution of news and broadcasting. We visited exhibits with newspaper front pages from various locations and top stories. They also have a great exhibit about September 11.

Then, we were off to visit the Smithsonian museums. These included the National Museum of the American Indian, Air and Space Museum, Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of American History. Talk about an educational day! There was so much to see and do and nowhere near enough time. We all split up to be able to cover as much as possible.

But we still had time in the day, so our next stop was the Holocaust Museum. The exhibits in this museum were very deep, we all left in a very thoughtful state. It was a wonderful museum, as all the museums we visited were.

Dinner at Fuel Pizza was delicious and had a great atmosphere. To end the day we went on an Illuminations tour of some of the Monuments and Memorials. We visited the Martin Luther King Jr memorial. From the Lincoln memorial we had a great view of the Washington memorial as well. All the memorial were amazing and beautifully lit.

Filed Under: group travel

Surviving Your First Backpacking Trip

February 25, 2013 by Angie Valasquez 1 Comment

Photo by Adam Baker

Whether your team intends to conquer a multi-day backpacking excursion or you just want to test the waters out on day one, here is a short guide to get you through the initial experience without going over the edge!

As a novice, it can be really appealing to go out and buy everything the store says you need to have an awesome, safe and successful hike. Don’t do it. Research the place you are going to be trekking and read up on the local equipment stores where your whole group can rent exactly what they need for a fraction of the cost of going out and purchasing gear that is inevitably going to end up in storage or on Craigslist. This method also allows you all to try things out so that if you intend to make this backpacking a full time hobby or sport, you’ll know what you want to look for when you get home.

As students, you have learned by now to made educated guesses when you really don’t know what you’re doing. Ultimately, your goal is to ensure that the entire team has collectively gathered essentials and emergency items. One of the thrills of backpacking is that no one can guarantee what you will come across as you blaze your trail through the mountains. Communicate with one another. Make sure everyone has their own supply of adequate water, clothing, rain gear, food and things they may need should someone become separated from the group. These items must include some kind of fire starter, a flashlight, map, compass, good solid knife and a first aid kit with Aspirin. This is not Man Vs. Wild, if everyone has become acquainted with the geographical features of the area and knows what to expect as far as terrain, everyone will surely survive this hike. Only pack what you can carry, the guitar and laptop can stay home this time. Consider the weather, the colder it is, the more clothing and food you will have to pack.

Have a goal. Your best friend on this trip is going to be a guidebook with a topographic map. This is an indispensable item that lets everyone know what’s ahead so that your group may make common sense decisions regarding when it’s time to slow down and rehydrate, or how much further you can make it before sundown. Trail guides will place before you the options around hurdles and hazards you may not have expected, and they will also spell out for you any shortcuts if you feel you have miscalculated your own endurance. As your group plans the journey, a guidebook will give you reasonable advice as to how long it should take you to get from A to B and how much time to leave yourselves for setting up camp, a much easier thing when done in the daytime.

Give your bodies time to prepare. If you intend to hike 10 miles a day but never leave the couch aside from gym class, get some conditioning on the treadmill or simply loop your neighborhood a few times a day to build up your wind to really get the most out of your trip rather than huffing and puffing belly up in the dirt once you get on the trails. If you have three months to prepare before your ship sets sail, use that time to your advantage. You and your whole travel team will be glad you did!

Filed Under: Field Trips

Girl Scouts Rock the Mall

October 6, 2011 by Serenity Bohon Leave a Comment

You know better than we do what you can expect from Girl Scouts Rock the Mall.

You know the feeling of joining thousands of your Girl Scout sisters, surrounded by the museums, monuments, and government buildings of our nation’s capital, and participating in the Girl Scout tradition of a Sing-a-Long on the National Mall.

You know what your organization represents, starting with its founder, Juliette Gordon Low, who overcame many obstacles to create a place for girls of every background – a place for them to learn adventure out-of-doors, to develop self-reliance and resourcefulness. She encouraged girls to prepare not only to make a home but to thrive in the professional arena as well —in the arts, sciences or business. It’s an organization for girls becoming active citizens. And this is your chance to celebrate.

Rock the Mall will happen on the National Mall in Washington, DC, Saturday, June 9, 2012. And to make this year even more exciting, you’ll be celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Juliette Gordon Low’s dream. And even though you know better than us about her philosophy and how your organization carries it into the future every single day, we might know more about traveling with a large group of people. We may have been customizing travel for youth and student groups since 1997. And we may have all the tools you need to make this trip once-in-a-lifetime and stress and hassle-free.

Check out our website page on Group Tours to Girlscouts Rock the Mall for more. See how we can build an exciting itinerary around your stay. Learn about some of the unforgettable attractions you’ll experience, like the National Mall, the Smithsonian, and the Points of Light Volunteer Pathway on the Extra Mile which honors, among many other worthy persons, Juliette Gordon Low.

Consider joining this amazing celebration. We’ll take care of the details, you bring the enthusiasm.

Filed Under: Field Trips Tagged With: girl scouts, group tours, rock the mall

Our Favorite Tours

June 21, 2011 by Serenity Bohon Leave a Comment

Ever notice the “Employee Recommended” section at your favorite bookstore? Or “Contributor Favorites” in a fashion magazine? This post is just like that, showcasing the favorite and most popular tours our travel coordinators customize. Take a look at some of our faves to get ideas of your own. And in the spirit of pleasant traveling: Happy Summer Solstice!

NYC Fashion

Where: New York City

It’s one of our newer faves. This several-day New York City tour hits all the highlights – Statue of Liberty, Top of the Rock (or the Empire State Building for another favorite observation deck), Times Square, and Rockefeller Center. But at its heart you’ll explore the fashion industry, going behind-the-scenes of fashion publications, the Fashion Institute, and the National Design Museum. You’ll also tour the headquarters for Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss plus visit famous shopping centers like Macy’s Herald Square, Bloomingdale’s, and Fifth Avenue.

Black History

Where: DC, Atlanta, or Boston

There are several cities perfect for this popular theme. We send groups to Washington DC to explore the Lincoln Memorial and discover the inscription to Martin Luther King, Jr., where he stood to deliver his famous words, “I have a dream.” Nearby you’ll explore the Smithsonian’s Museum of African Art and the African-American Civil War Museum. Mt. Vernon offers a memorial to the thousands of slaves once buried unsung and in unmarked graves throughout the Mt. Vernon estate and surrounding areas. Besides what you’ll find today, a beautiful memorial to Martin Luther King, Jr., will soon be added to the many monuments on the National Mall.

Boston is also a favorite for black history tours. There you’ll find the Black Heritage Trail, which features schools and other components of community built by the black population of Boston, which was known for being completely free as early as 1790. In Atlanta you’ll find the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr., and a National Historic Site in his honor plus many other attractions perfect for black history tours.

DC Law and Order

Where: Washington DC

We love to build any lengthy visit to Washington DC, any tour that incorporates as many museums and DC attractions as possible since the city is so rich with variety and with educational value that’s entertaining as well. This tour necessitates several of the most popular choices though. For instance, the Museum of Crime and Punishment is one of the most exciting museums in DC, highlighting the history of infamous criminals and their crimes plus the process of crime scene investigation. In the Supreme Court you can view decision-making and other proceedings (or lectures on alternate days) and gain a deeper appreciation for the justice system. At the International Spy Museum you’ll learn about all things espionage and even get to try it for yourself.

Many other attractions make this tour one of our DC favorites.

TV and Movie Walking Tours

Where: Manhattan, Washington DC

New York City and Washington DC both offer this highly entertaining tour, which can be included on any itinerary. Imagine exploring an unfamiliar city by visiting its most familiar sights. That’s what you get, for instance, when you take the TV and Movie Sites Tour in Manhattan and visit exterior locations from The Cosby Show, Men in Black, Friends, and many more. Or take the Central Park Movie Walking Tour, and see the bridges, walkways, fountains, and boathouse that you’ve noticed in countless favorite films. DC offers this experience as well – a tour that truly makes you feel a part.

These are four of our favorites. We love themes, and we love educational attractions that entertain even as they teach. Have our faves inspired you?

Filed Under: Educational Tours Tagged With: Educational Tours

A Memorial and a Powerful Learning Experience

April 18, 2011 by Serenity Bohon Leave a Comment

Holocaust Memorial Museums around the country offer incomparable additions to educational student tours. My experience at the one in Washington DC proved all my research along these lines. The museums give us not just a window into history but a window to the present and the future. Through it we see our world as it is shaped by hatred and bigotry. Beyond it, we see how we can be catalysts for change, so atrocities like the Holocaust will remain in history.

Being from the Midwest, I’m thrilled, if you haven’t heard of it yet, to tell you about the Holocaust Museum in my region. It is also an amazing experience and should be included in Chicago educational tours.

The building that now holds the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center is relatively new and was dedicated on April 19, 2009. The keynote speaker, President Bill Clinton no doubt gave his prominent endorsement because of the importance of telling the stories within and because of the learning center that turns the stories into powerful lessons.

Exhibits within this museum present the Holocaust as well as more recent events and genocides still happening today – all in the context of the attitudes and misplaced philosophies that lead to such tragedy. Students learn to recognize hateful tendencies at their root, in their smallest degree, so we can all learn to face them and squelch them before they grow. Some Holocaust stories are so shocking, so abhorrent, we can’t imagine how they came to be. Others, like the use of propaganda to promote Hitler’s cause, seem all too familiar as we face the reality that seeds of ignorance can spread throughout a group with little effort.

In the Make a Difference exhibit, middle graders and other young students will find interactive hands-on activities. The displays here help children place themselves in the world, to realize their impact on it. It’s a favorite section of the museum for students and their eager administrators.

The Illinois Holocaust Museum is one of Chicago’s newest and brightest attractions for students. It is both a memorial and a learning center, a place of remembrance and a place to look forward. It is an absolute must for educational tours.

Photo by kongtemplation on Flickr.

Filed Under: Field Trips Tagged With: Educational Tours, illinois holocaust museum

The Perfect Itinerary

March 28, 2011 by Serenity Bohon Leave a Comment

When you call a travel professional, they’ll have several questions for you up front. Where do you want to go? And what do you want to see there? How large is your group? Questions like these help your trip coordinator know how to build your itinerary.

What exactly is an itinerary, you say? Let me elaborate for you. An itinerary isn’t just a list of attractions you’ll visit. It’s an invaluable resource for you. It keeps your group members on the same page. It’s the difference between a hassle-free experience and stress galore. A good itinerary could be the first pages of a great travel journal, complete with all the little reminders you need to describe every exciting moment of your journey.

An Itinerary Tells You What You’ll See

The main objective for an itinerary is, of course, to list which attractions are included in your specially customized tour. Companies like ours have tons of sample itineraries online, and they’re a good place to begin. But we customize each and every tour we build, so that really, no two are exactly alike. Your itinerary is personalized. It has your interests and your dreams built right into it.

An Itinerary Tells You When, Where, AND How Long

Do you know how long it takes to see the Met in New York City? A crazy long time. You really can’t even schedule enough time in one day for your group to explore all the exhibits there. But what about Willis Tower in Chicago? Do you need half a day for that experience? Probably not. Imagine how helpful it will be to build your tour based on the knowledge of someone who knows these things. Your itinerary has to take into consideration not just how long you want to spend at a given attraction but how long it will take your group to get from one to the next. This depends on your chosen transportation and definitely on the size of your group.

An Itinerary Keeps Your Group Together With Important Details

This is a big one for educational travel as it can really put parents at ease. But it’s invaluable for any group to encourage confidence in an unfamiliar environment. An itinerary should include the address and contact number for its attractions. It’s one thing to follow blindly – and certainly student group should always attempt a follow-the-leader sort of format. But how much better if at least the chaperons are armed with the ability to get to any attraction on the itinerary on their own if necessary?

This feature also prepares you for various security measures at each attraction. Can you carry a bag? Do you need your ID? It’s much easier to keep a group together if no one gets held up at the door!

An Itinerary Tells You How You’ll Get There and Who Will Lead

Some groups fly to their destination and then use public transportation, a format we often recommend for New York City, for instance. Other groups arrive on a bus and use it for transportation throughout the tour. A good itinerary will tell you not just when to be at a given attraction but when to leave it. You’ll know exactly when to meet back at the bus or public transit. Some attractions are best experienced with a professional guide, and we’ll definitely encourage this where advisable. Some groups like to have a guide throughout their tour. These professionals can make all the difference between a ho-hum experience and one that’s personal, in-depth, and entertaining as well as educational.

A Good Itinerary Never Forgets the Meals

This is easy to miss if you’re building your own tour. Easy to miss, and easy to avoid in favor of DIY mealtimes. But do-it-yourself isn’t always the most cost-effective for groups. Some restaurants, such as those in large museums, offer group vouchers to help meals go smoothly and cost the same for everone. Sometimes, of course, it is best to let everyone spread out, eat where they choose, and return at a given time. A good itinerary will probably have a combination of both. Also – and I share this from painful experience – make sure you know whether your hotel includes or even offers breakfast to its guests.

Having experience with it, I can’t recommend enough a detailed itinerary when you’re traveling with a large number of people. It’s an amazing experience when the choices are yours but the details are taken out of your hands and set in place by someone expert in them.

Filed Under: Field Trips

Takes a Little Time

January 19, 2011 by Serenity Bohon Leave a Comment

It’s been a while since we posted around here, and I thought I’d take a moment to let you know what’s up. This is a photograph of me in front of the US Capitol in June 2010. While there I got to see many of the exciting attractions we love so much to include in Washington DC educational tours for students and other groups. I can’t wait to tell you about everything I learned, everything I loved in that vibrant city.

However, blogging will be hit and miss a bit here. I’m facing some health treatments that will take a little time. When it’s all said and done, I’ll be back, healthy, and more excited than ever to share with you the thrill of museums, theater, parks, and historical attractions all over the globe. So hang in there with us, and in the meantime be sure to visit our student travel home page and discover all we have to offer – from art tours to Broadway, London to Paris, and more.

Filed Under: Field Trips Tagged With: student travel

College Tours in New York City

December 30, 2010 by Serenity Bohon Leave a Comment

There are many ways to turn a leisure trip to the Big Apple into something that can officially be called New York City educational tours. Few cities offer the wealth of educational value you’ll find in New York City. Pick any theme at all, and Manhattan can accommodate. Take a tour of the Apollo, Harlem, and the Hip Hop Culture Center, for instance, for a fascinating black history experience put on by H3 Tours. Or for art-themed tours, this City provides hours and hours of viewing and hands-on experiences in its many museums, only three of which include The Met, The Guggenheim, and the Museum of Modern Art.

NYC attractions can emphasize history, art, and culture you’ve already studied, and there’s nothing like student travel to make those subjects come alive. But New York is also a great choice for looking ahead. Consider this exciting destination for visiting college campuses as you’re planning for your future.

First, consider the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. This college is committed to artists and creative professionals. Their intention? To take your creative energy and efforts and help you become community leaders with that innovation. A tour here could be especially inspiring for those who hope their creativity has a future.

Columbia College is just one small part of Columbia University. And situated in the heart of Manhattan, it’s a great choice for blending the thrill of a New York City visit with the real work of choosing your course for higher education.

And NYU offers tours of its campus by NYU students who will help you identify not just the campus buildings around Washington Square Park but those throughout Manhattan as well.

Of course, between college tours, there are so many other amazing things to do. A Fifth Avenue Walking Tour is a must, and Central Park is always a favorite with its still, quiet spaces just yards from busy Manhattan streets. A Central Park Movie Walking Tour is a fun way to make new places feel familiar as you discover landmarks you’ve seen in hundreds of current and legendary films. The best student tours to NYC also include a visit to one of the morning shows for the chance to be on television. Times Square is filled with popular attractions, besides basically being one in and of itself, and Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center is quickly becoming a favorite way to see the city from above.

You can do it all on New York City Campus tours, and whether you end up there for your college years are not, this tour will definitely stay with you for a lifetime.

Filed Under: Educational Tours Tagged With: new york city college tours

New York City and Hollywood

December 29, 2010 by Serenity Bohon Leave a Comment

I sort of had a crush on New York City before I ever went there. And now that I have been there I love it even more. Similarly, I have a crush on the film industry. It’s my favorite art form, depending on the day – I have a few other favorites as well.

Fortunately there’s a company that indulges both my New York City crush and my Hollywood crush in a big way with their movie tours. On Location Tours designs guided tours all over Manhattan based on locations from favorite film and television. Here’s a glimpse at what they offer, in case you have a crush on Hollywood too.

T.V. and Movie Sites

If you recognize the building in this photograph, you must also be a fan of a little 90s classic titled simply and poignantly, Friends. This building was used for the exterior of Monica’s apartment. Most fans would know it anywhere, and on the T.V. and Movie Sites tour we can take a closer look and get an awesome (incredibly staged in this case) photo op in front of it. Other sites on this tour include the front stoop from the Cosby Show plus sites from Will & Grace, Law & Order, and The Devil Wears Prada, to name a few.

Central Park

The acres that make up this New York City landmark are fun to explore on any day for any reason. (We often include it in New York City student tours). But throw in some actual film locations from your favorite pop culture, and it becomes one of the most exciting things to do on a first time visit to the city. There’s something for everyone on this tour with film locations from the the fountains, bridges, and boathouse to the walkways of famous Central Park. The films are both recent and legendary and sure to please everyone in your group.

Gossip Girl, the Sopranos, and More

Three of the On Location tours are based on classic television. I’ve never seen it but I hear cupcakes are an iconic part of Sex and the City, and this tour can take you to them. There’s a whole tour built around the fashionable show, in fact. It’s the perfect choice for a girls trip to town, but absolutely any fan will love it. The Sopranos lent itself to some great NYC locations as well, and one tour focuses on those. One of the newer tours centers around the edgy teen show, Gossip Girl. If you’re a fan of any of these popular shows, you’re going to love the tours that celebrate them.

These are just five of the tours the company has created thus far. I personally have an awesome idea for a sixth. Having stalked On Location Tours for some time, because – well – I love what they do, I feel I can address them personally and suggest two words: Nora Ephron. I definitely think they should create a tour based on this self-proclaimed fan of the city. Ephron is a screenwriter and essayist who loves New York City as much as anyone can, and she paints it so well into her writings. She’s highlighted tons of great locations in the city, and there should definitely be a tour in her honor.

Not that I’m not completely thrilled with the choices they already offer! I’ll take a walk to Monica’s apartment any day of the week. And frankly, I’m just really happy this very cool company exists.

Photo by Smart Destinations on Flickr.

Filed Under: Educational Tours Tagged With: film location tours, New York City, student tours