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Touring Chicago With Student Travel Groups

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Chicago, Illinois is the third largest city in the United States. It is also a city that is culturally rich and diverse. With its varied architecture, multitude of museums, culinary delights, and its own style of music, Chicago is a smart and fun destination for students groups of all ages and interests.

The Shedd Aquarium
Science and nature students will have fun at the Shedd Aquarium as they explore the 90 unique habitats in the barrel-vaulted galleries of the Waters of the World exhibit. Hundreds of species of fishes, otters, lizards, frogs, turtles and other marine animals are housed in natural habitats that reveal their world above and below the waterline making it a great introduction and overview of life in the waters of the Earth.

The Shedd’s Wild Reef exhibit consists of 20 different habitats and features 500 species, including two dozen sharks, in the largest public display of live coral in the Midwest. The Wild Reef is a living illustration of the importance, diversity and frailty of reefs and is a great learning tool for students of biology, marine biology, and ecology.

The Shedd Aquarium’s other exhibits include Amazon Rising, Caribbean Reef, Oceanarium, and a variety of changing exhibits. And to increase the level of fun and learning, the Shedd Aquarium offers a variety of “Ten Fun Finds” on their website, www.sheddaquarium.org.

See “Sue” at The Field Museum
The Field Museum of Natural History is a must-see stop for any educational travel group. This museum was founded to house the biological and anthropological collections that were assembled for the Columbian Exposition of 1893 and it is still one of the most prestigious natural history museums in the world.

Students visiting the Field Museum will be able to come face-to face with the largest most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil in the world, Sue. And if dinosaurs get your students excited, check out the Field’s Evolving Planet exhibit where visitors can journey through 4 billion years of life on Earth. This Exhibit is packed with unique fossils, large and small, animated videos, interactive displays, dioramas, and more dinosaurs than you can count.

Because the Field Museum offers so many different exhibits and learning opportunities, it is suggested that teachers check out the resources for them on the website, www.fieldmuseum.org, to help plan and organize their visit with a student group.

Hands-On at the Museum of Science and Industry
On the more human side of history, the Museum of Science and Industry is one of the largest science museums in the world. It houses more than 35,000 artifacts and close to 14 acres of hands-on exhibits that will spark a student travel group’s creativity and interest in scientific inquiry. ROTC and JROTC students will enjoy the chance to see the only German U-boat in the country and even go on board it. And after a day of walking, everyone can sit back and enjoy a scientific adventure in the Omnimax Theatre, a five-story wrap-around theatre.

Lincoln Park Zoo – A Living Oasis
The Lincoln Park Zoo, just north of Chicago, is a natural oasis for animal lovers. It is a green world of wildlife in the shadow of skyscrapers where lion’s roar and gorillas climb trees. The Lincoln Park Zoo is a living, breathing classroom, allowing students to learn about today’s natural world in juxtaposition to the world’s fossils they learned about at the Field Museum. The zoo is open 365 days of the year and is always free. The website, www.lpzoo.org offers animal fact sheets and planners for field trips and a perfect afternoon at the zoo with your students.

Entertainment for Student Travel Groups in Chicago
Student travel groups can round out their visit to Chicago with visits to the Navy Pier. This Midwest version of Coney Island, Water Tower Place, features an eight level atrium and over a hundred stores. Do not forget to put high rises on the student travel itinerary. Sears Tower Skydeck or the John Hancock Observatory both offer sweeping views of the Chicago skyline.

Students Travel Groups: Well Fed Chicago Style
When everyone gets hungry, there are marvelous restaurants across the city. For some authentic Chicago deep-dish pizza, you may want to dine at Gino’s East Pizza. And for great food and fun times, you may want to take your student group to the Hard Rock Café or the Rainforest Café.

Educational Travel…and All That Jazz
As you go from place to place, your students will marvel at the wealth of architecture, the soaring skyscrapers, and an enormous untitled sculpture by Picasso; budding musicians will delight to hear some real Chicago jazz; and everyone will enjoy the view of Lake Michigan and two great rivers. All in all a three or four day trip to the Windy City is rich in educational opportunities and experiences for any student group. Because Chicago is such a large city with many sights worth seeing, it’s best to start planning your trip with some research and the help of an educational travel professional.

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Articles, Washington D.C.

Washington D.C.: Popular Places to Dine, Entertain, and Shop With Student Travel Groups

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Students traveling to Washington D.C. on tour are more likely to enjoy themselves when the educational experience is coupled with dining and entertainment experiences they find exciting. An educational travel company and the tour guide working in the Washington D.C. area can work together to add some age appropriate experiences to student travel that will be well remembered. The good news for parents, teachers, and administrators is that it is not necessary to depart from the educational objectives of the student trip to satisfy the student group’s yearning for something different.

Recently, I interviewed Ann Greenwald, a Tour Director and a licensed Washington D.C. guide who has been working in the profession for eight years. Greenwald has given knowledgeable and insightful guided tours to many student travel groups in and around Washington D.C. and has a real feel for the types of dining, entertainment and shopping experiences students enjoy. The selections discussed are popular and economic choices for student travel tour itineraries.

Student Travel Groups: Shopping in Washington D.C.
When students shop, they do so to purchase souvenirs, or small gifts for their families and friends. A shopping experience for a student on tour in Washington D.C. can be as simple as visiting the National Archives and picking up a replica of the Declaration of Independence in the gift shop. “At the Air and Space Center, students get a kick out of buying the freeze dried ice cream that astronauts eat,” says Ann Greenwald.

Student travel groups often gravitate toward the more economical choices for shopping – such as a souvenir store. Ann Greenwald says there are two very popular stores among student groups in downtown Washington D.C.: “Students love Souvenir City & Joes. Both stores offer reasonably priced t-shirts and sweatshirts. FBI and Secret Service hats are popular among student travel groups and can be purchased at either store. Any shopping experience tied into the educational experience can be rewarding and fun.”

Combine Dining and Entertainment in Washington D.C.: Student Favorites
There are several great restaurants in the Washington D.C. area that combine dining and entertainment and are well loved by student travel groups. “McGill’s Pizza in Annandale, Virginia is a student favorite,” said Greenwald. “McGill’s has an arcade with a game room, so students can win things when they purchase tickets,” she added.
The ESPN Zone, in downtown Washington D.C. is also popular among student travel groups. It’s conveniently located around the corner from Ford’s Theater in Washington D.C. Greenwald says, “Student groups can have a meal, and if it’s included in their tour they receive a $10 card that may be used in the downstairs arcade.”
Another popular eatery for student groups on tour of Washington D.C. is the Hard Rock Café. “Student travel groups just think it’s cool to go into the Hard Rock Café,” says Greenwald. “There’s the memorabilia, pictures, and rock music playing all the time,” she continued, “and all of this adds to the appeal for student travelers.”
Consider combining food and entertainment on a student travel tour of Washington D.C. one evening to lighten the student group’s spirits and put them in a great mood for touring the next day.

Entertainment for Student Travel Groups
There are numerous choices for entertainment in Washington D.C. that will captivate student travel groups. Greenwald says that if it’s in the student travel budget, attending “Sheer Madness” at the Kennedy Center is an evening that student travelers enjoy immensely. The interactive murder mystery dinner theater format gets students involved with the theater production and outcome of the ‘whodunit’ plot.

Finally, an evening illuminated tour of the monuments in Washington D.C. can be a great way to draw student travelers into the experience of history. Greenwald commented, “ As the symbolism is explained at the various monuments, kids gain a better understanding of history. Instead of just staring at an inanimate object, I explain why the monument is there, and what the symbolism signifies. They come away with a greater understanding of U.S. history, and the permanent mark it has left on Washington D.C.” An evening walk around Washington D.C. in the spring or fall adds an outdoor dimension to touring that is appreciated by all. Students should plan accordingly by brining appropriate clothing for Washington D.C. weather during the time of year they visit.

These recommended choices for dining, entertainment and shopping for student travel are by no means a comprehensive list of the possibilities. The suggestions Greenwald makes for student groups on tour of Washington D.C. are simple and cost effective so they make great additions to a trip itinerary. For the student traveler, a tour of Washington D.C. is an intense four to five day learning experience which needs to be balanced with some good old fashioned fun. Request a Quote for a student travel tour of Washington D.C. that includes some great dining, shopping and entertainment choices.

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Underground Railroad Tour Near Gettysburg is Active Learning About Black History

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Just outside of Gettysburg National Battlefields in Pennsylvania, are historic sites that served as stations for the “Underground Railroad.” The “Underground Railroad” is a part of our nation’s history that is still shrouded in mystery. The mythical “underground railroad” was a series of safe houses that sheltered slaves who were running from their southern homes, northward, to freedom.

Just on the other side of the Mason Dixon line from Maryland, is Adams County, Pennsylvania, which was at one time a Quaker stronghold and a place where the Underground Railroad was active. William and Phebe Wright were two Quakers in the area who figured prominently in the Underground Railroad activities. They worked closely with sympathetic people in and near the town of Biglersville to help slaves find their way to freedom.

Student travel groups interested in exploring black history, the Civil War period, and the way in which in slavery has affected the fabric of the United States, will benefit from the Underground Railroad Tour of Adams County near Gettysburg. This tour works well with a student group travel tour of Washington D.C., Philadelphia, or New York City, because Gettysburg is just a two to three hour bus ride from these student travel destinations.

Here are some of the highlights of the Underground Railroad Tour:

Yellow Hill (church and cemetery)
Yellow Hill was a central location for the Underground Railroad. Nearby resident Basil Biggs guided many fugitive slaves there. At Yellow Hill, slaves were given refuge until other residents and Quakers in the town hid and cared for them, protecting them from harm. Yellow Hill Church was burned at one time as a racist act. The Yellow Hill Cemetery contains the remains of many who lost their lives due to the tense circumstances of their time.

Quaker Meetinghouse (1880s)
The Quaker faith proclaims an aversion to violence and a peaceful resistance to oppression. The Quaker Meetinghouse in Adams County served as a place to publicly voice opinion about the Abolitionist movement, and to organize effective acts against it. Throughout U.S. history Quakers have always been conscientious objectors to war. Student travel groups will learn about the Quaker perspective on Civil Rights and violence while touring the Underground Railroad and how their viewpoint directly impacted the Abolitionist movement.

U.S. Colored Troops
Adams County was a central location between North and South, and Yellow Hill Cemetery is a historic site where many mysteries of that era are buried. Many students are unaware that U.S. Colored Troops who served in the Civil War are buried at Yellow Hill as well. This site serves as a reminder to student group travelers that there were indeed many casualties of racism in the United States and they date to the earliest periods in this country’s history.

Mathews Family
The Mathews, an African American family who lived near Yellow Hill during the Civil War era, were destined to be involved in the secretive Underground Railroad. Student tour groups will listen to stories about many of the local families, including the Mathews, who helped over 1,000 slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad in this area of Pennsylvania.

The Underground Railroad Tour of Adams County is perhaps one of the best active learning tools available to teach students about Black History. In addition to reading about the Underground Railroad, students may visit the historic sites and learn the stories about real people who helped operate the Underground Railroad. This adds a tangible element to learning about African American history and instills in students a real sense of the diversity inherent in our nation’s beginnings.
To request a quote combining the Underground Railroad Tour of Adams County with a student travel tour of Washington D.C., Philadelphia, or New York City, visit Request a Quote and fill out the form for group travel.

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