Student Group Tours
Our team of tour professionals is committed to transformational student travel. Our tour guides have seen firsthand the powerful effect that educational travel can have on a young person.
We are eager to share our knowledge of Washington DC relative to its importance in US history, government, policy, leadership and more. We recognize each school group is unique, with differing curriculum by state or even school district. We will work with teachers and parent organizers to customize the ideal trip for each group. For example, some groups can spend two or three days in DC while others longer, or some groups see a second or third city, like New York or Philadelphia. Some will arrive by air and others by bus. Some trips might emphasize history over the workings of government.
What is it that you want your students to learn while in DC, and what is it most of all that you want them to see? Please contact us for more information and to start planning. Ideally, planning should start a year in advance, but we are happy to work with your student group on short notice, even if your trip is only in a matter of weeks or even days. This sometimes happens when a group is coming to the area for a game or a performance and the tour is secondary, but when this happens the memories of the tour become primary after returning home!
Small Groups Welcome
Our specialty is smaller groups who might think that they are too few in number to travel, or that were told they must combine with other schools in order to participate at a level that is within their budget. While other student tour travel companies are scaled such that they need to have large groups in order to be worth their time, we are happy to work with groups as small as 15 or even 10 students. Traveling with a small group has some considerable advantages, the most important being the level of personal attention both in the planning stages and with the tour guide who you will be traveling with. Even if you have already booked your travel and accommodations, we can help with your tour itinerary, tour transportation, and placing you with the best tour guide for your students.
A personal note from the founder:
Like many American kids, my first visit to DC was as an eighth-grader on a middle school trip. It was an unforgettable experience that has always remained significant to me. There were many firsts: my first flight on an airplane, first time staying at hotel without my parents, first time I kept a budget in order to plan out my spending. The list could go on.
Decades later, the feelings of wonder and the thrill I experienced on the trip still ripple through me. I recall seeing architectural marvels like the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, the US Capitol Building, the Library of Congress, the US Supreme Court and the Washington National Cathedral.
I still recall the moment I saw the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives. Back then one had to step up to see it. I just remember being in awe at the sight. It was the very first thing we did after landing at DCA. It was after dark, probably about 6 p.m. Back then the Archives had later hours, so it was the perfect thing to do before checking into the hotel.
My classmates and I were all exhausted after traveling all day, rising about 3 am to be at the school in Pomona, CA in order to catch the flight that morning. But our excitement overcame our fatigue as we were propelled by the excitement of being in Washington, DC. Seeing firsthand our nation’s capital left me with a profound appreciation for this county as well as a deeper knowledge of our history and the workings of government.
