Educational Travel in the US Tips
Read these 21 Educational Travel in the US Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Educational Travel tips and hundreds of other topics.
Spending Time In Washington, DC
Educational student tours of Washington, DC vary in length. Students who live near to Washington might have a day trip, taking in sights such as the White House, the Capitol and some of the main monuments. However there is a lot to see in Washington DC, so it might be better to plan for a longer visit. Many educational travel companies offer educational student tours of about a week, which allows plenty of time for educational activities and fun in Washington, DC.
What Parents Should Know About Washington
Parents can find out about educational student tours of Washington, DC in a number of ways. These include reading printed information from the Washington, DC student tour organizers. There is also a lot of information about tour itineraries on the Internet. Some web sites have used Internet streaming technology and Flash software to create online parents' meetings where parents can chat to teachers and others about educational student tours of Washington. This is a modern alternative to the pre-trip parents' meetings often held in schools.
Inside New York Education Travel
Students can combine learning with fun on educational trips to New York. Some suggestions for mixing education with entertainment include:
- a visit to the Central Park Zoo
- seeing the New York Aquarium, with more than 300 species of marine life
- seeing wax figures of celebrities at Madame Tussaud's House of Wax
- checking out the reptiles at Staten Island Zoo
- A visit to Yankee Stadium or Shea Stadium
- a ferry trip to Staten Island
- a ferry trip to Coney Island
International Educational in New York
There are two sites of international importance that students should visit on a New York City student tour.
1) The headquarters of the United Nations is located in New York. This organization fosters peace around the world. With six official languages and 185 member states, the United Nations would bring to life international politics and language for students.
2) A visit to Wall Street and the financial district, including the New York Stock Exchange. This is the largest securities exchange in the world.
New York Arts
Educational student travel tours can visit many New York sites related to the history of television and entertainment. For example, students can tour Radio City Music Hall, which has one of the world's largest indoor performance stages. The Museum of Television and Radio caters to a wide range of programming interests. Central Park has been used as a location for many famous films, so this would be a must see on an educational student travel tour. New York also boasts several cultural venues such as Carnegie Hall, Broadway and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Finally, no educational student travel tour would be complete without a visit to the bustling Times Square.
New York: Chinatown
Educational trips to New York provide a good opportunity for students to sample the culture and food of different groups of people, without leaving the United States. New York's Chinatown is a good example of this. More than 150,000 people live in this area, which is the largest Chinese community outside Asia. The area has several Chinese newspapers, Buddhist temples and restaurants. It celebrates the Chinese New Year every year.
Monumental Decisions in Washington DC
Washington DC is a rich location for educational student tours. Washington has a number of memorials and monuments to commemorate different events in national and world history. These include:
- Arlington National Cemetery
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
- Holocaust Museum
- Jefferson Memorial
- Kennedy Center
- Korean Memorial
- Library of Congress
- Lincoln Memorial
- National Archives
- National Cathedral
- Mount Vernon
- Supreme Court
- United States Marine Memorial (Iwo Jima)
- U.S. Capitol
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- Washington Monument
- White House
- World War II Memorial
A Good, Green Walk
Designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, Boston's chain of six parks is known as the Emerald Necklace. This urban oasis includes green, open spaces, rivers and ponds, and a wealth of diversity of trees, shrubs, flowers, and wildlife habitat. The Back Bay Fens, Riverway, Olmsted Park, Jamaica Park, Arnold Arboretum and Franklin Park stretch five miles from the Charles River to Dorchester and are linked up to create this 1,000 acres of beautiful parkland.
Historical Celebrity Graveyard
The city's third oldest burying place, Granary Burying Ground, was first used in 1660. The cemetery is the final resting place of many famous people. At the front of the burying ground you will see the marker of Samuel Adams who organized the Sons of Liberty, signed the Declaration of Independence, and also served as governor of the Commonwealth. On the left side of the burying ground, a large pillar marks the tomb of John Hancock, the well known signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of Massachusetts. Along the rear path, a square monument of white marble marks the grave of silversmith, midnight rider, and industrialist Paul Revere. This a great place to take a stroll and get a history lesson at the same time.
Nature & Exercise in the City
A great way to get away from it all without really going very far is the Minuteman Bikeway outside of Boston. This 11 mile bike path runs from Alewife Station in Cambridge to Depot park in Bedford. Surrounded by greenery, the bike path provides a great escape in the city. Whether it's walking, cycling, roller blading this a great way to get some exercise and visit nature in a busy city.
Great View
Boston's landmark Custom House building was purchased by the Marriot hotel chain in 1987. As part of the deal with the city of Boston the hotel agreed to share this private luxury hotel and timeshare with the public. As a result the hotel offers free tours,included in the tour is the amazing view from the outdoor observation deck and clock tower. Free tours run Sun - Fri 10 am & 4 pm, weather permitting.
Ice Skating
Try the outdoor skating rink in Harvard Square, Cambridge at the Charles Hotel. Great fun, reasonably priced (adults $5, children $3), hot and cold beverages are available, assorted cocktails and snacks.
Monumental Education in New York
New York has several memorials and monuments worth visiting on educational trips. Some of these are:
- The Statue of Liberty, which was a gift from France in 1886 in recognition of the friendship established during the American Revolution.
- Ellis Island, where the first immigrants landed upon arriving in America
- The Empire State Building, once the tallest building in the world (now the fourth tallest). The building has featured in movies such as King Kong and Independence Day
- The Brooklyn Bridge, which links Manhattan and Brooklyn, and was the first bridge to be built with steel
- The Federal Hall National Memorial, which contains exhibits from the time of George Washington.
Washington Trip Tips For Teachers
To plan a successful Washington DC student tour, teachers first need to research the city to see what sights are available. Teachers also need to think about how visiting these sights can be linked to educational objectives. Many educational tour operators provide sample itineraries which will help teachers who are planning a Washington DC student tour. Tour operators will also arrange accommodation for students on the tour. Finally, teachers can work with educational tour operators to create a customized Washington, DC student tour.
Why Washington?
Arranging a student travel program to Washington, DC is useful because the city is integral to the history and development of the United States. It is the nation's capital and contains a number of important government buildings, including the White House and the US Capitol. The city also has a wide range of museums, galleries and monuments, such as the Smithsonian Institution, the Washington Monument and the National Gallery of Art. A student travel program to Washington DC can enhance teaching and learning in many subject areas, including history, politics, art and science.
Education And Fun In Washington DC
Even while on educational student tours to Washington DC, students want to have fun. There are many educational trips in and around Washington DC that combine fun with education. Some of these are:
- the National Zoo, with tigers, gorillas, pandas and more
- Ford's Theatre, which has plays and dramatic performances
- The International Spy Museum, featuring the history of espionage and information on tradecraft
- the National Aquarium, which is the oldest in the United States
- the National Museum of Health and Medicine, with interactive tours
These sights will add an element of fun to educational student tours while enhancing students' learning.
Tour New York - For Free
In addition to all the paid attractions, there are a lot of free events to add interest to a New York City student tour. Look out for impromptu performances in Central Park. There are also web sites with details of free concerts, workshops, screenings, readings, tours and other events which will complement the educational aims of a New York City student tour. There are also many landmarks which students can visit free of charge. A simple stroll through SoHo, Greenwich Village, or Battery Park will yield endless activities, free of charge.
Washington DC - The Christian Way
A number of tour companies offer educational student tours aimed at Christian students. These tours explore Washington, DC, from a Christian perspective, examining the role of faith in shaping the United States and its government organizations. Christian educational student tours of Washington DC cover monuments, museums and institutions but looks at these from a Christian perspective. These tours are likely to include prayer and discussions about religion and faith.
New York Museums
Most educational trips to New York include museums such as:
- The American Museum of Natural History. This has more than 30 million artifacts and includes the world's largest star sapphire, the world's largest collection of dinosaur fossils and a model of a giant mosquito.
- The Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum. This is a decommissioned aircraft carrier. It includes a flight simulator and exhibitions of 21st century technology.
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, which was founded in 1870. The museum's artifacts span 5,000 years of history. It includes a famous portrait of George Washington.
Educational trips to New York that include these museums will help students learn about art, science, history and natural history.
New York Religion
Students who undertake educational trips to New York can choose to visit a number of churches.
- St Patrick's Cathedral holds 2,500 people and is the largest Catholic church in the United States. Construction started in 1853 and took 25 years. Two Popes have visited the Cathedral, which is in Manhattan.
- Trinity Church, which is done in the Gothic Revival style, is 150 years old. This Episcopal church is the second to stand on that site. The original church was founded in 1697 and burned down in 1776.
- The Episcopal Church of St John The Divine is on the edge of Harlem. Construction started in 1892, but the church is still not finished. It has seven chapels, each dedicated to a different faith or ethnic group.
These are some popular choices for students on educational trips to New York.
Slices of History
Educational student tours to Washington, DC usually include the Smithsonian Institute. This is the largest collection of museums in the world and includes:
- The National Air and Space Museum
- The Hirshhorn Museum (contemporary and modern art)
- The Freer, Sackler and Renwick galleries
- The Museum of African Art
- The Natural History Museum
- The American History Museum
- The International Gallery
- The National Postal Museum
- The Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture
- The National Portrait Gallery
Visits to any or all of these museums will improve students' education and enhance all educational student tours. Check with your tour guide or educational travel tour group for information on discount museum passes and group rates.
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| Mary White |
