In celebration of the summer solstice, many of us have baseball on the brain. We’re participating in local leagues and planning vacations around a trip to the Stadium. Some of our favorite destinations for student travel tours can include an experience with the great American pastime. Some of them offer the richest traditions in baseball history.

These cities are full of many other exciting attractions as well. If you want to see Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals for instance, we’ll also send you to the St. Louis Zoo and to the top of the St. Louis Arch, symbolizing the Gateway to the West. For a tour around Yankee Stadium, we’ll fill your itinerary with observation decks like Top of the Rock and a stroll through Central Park.

But what about one of the oldest franchises in the country? The Boston Red Sox certainly have a layered history, and they are known for some of the most fiercely loyal fans in the nation. Fenway Park is therefore a thrill for any baseball fan with its long history with the sport. Because of this, a trip to see the Red Sox play or to tour Fenway might make it to your to-do list whether you’re specifically a Boston fan or not. If so, here are some of the other attractions you’ll want to include in Boston educational tours.

Boston Public Garden

You can’t miss this Boston beauty when you visit in warm weather. The Swan Boats are out, the flowers are blooming, and residents and tourists alike find perspective in the comforting walkways and beneath the majestic trees.

Faneuil Hall Marketplace

There’s a lot of history in the indoor markets you’ll find here and plenty of Boston culture throughout. There’s a variety of shopping and dining to make your Boston visit complete. You’ll even find attractions that just may seem familiar.

USS Constitution

It’s the oldest, still-afloat, still-commissioned ship in the United States. You may recognize it by the nickname Old Ironsides, and you’ll certainly want to visit and get the story from the specially commissioned officers on board.

DUCK Tours and/or Codzilla

One of our favorite ways to familiarize travelers with a new city is on the water. DUCKS are the military-born, amphibious vehicles that tour cities across the nation by taking their guests on land and into the water. Codzilla is Boston’s famous speed boat, its painted teeth merely a foreshadowing of the entertainment you’re in for as your guide points out the sights.

Museum of Science

This huge and exciting museum will interest anyone. The IMAX is one of the largest in the world, adding to the fun. You may be able to enter the museum with a small interest in science, but it’s bound to grow before you leave.

Boston is an exciting city with rich, historical treasure and modern culture as well. These are just a few of its highlights and some of the attractions to consider if you head the way of Fenway Park.

We only viewed the Statue of Liberty from the water on our New York City tour, but that was enough. Enough to feel a sense of awe we had not expected at its magnificence, its inspiration, and its message.

It was our guide who suggested the cruise-by. Ferries carry guests several times a day to the Statue of Liberty and to Ellis Island. Our guide suggested we ride it straight to Ellis Island. The cruise provided a beautiful view of Lady Liberty, but stopping there would have taken time away from the rest of our itinerary. And our guide suggested a stop there might not add that much to our experience. So instead, we remained on the boat, moved and awed by the close-up view, then further inspired as our guide quoted the powerful inscription at her feet.

Ellis Island is a remarkable historical attraction in a City best known for its modern sights, theater, and activities. I dare you to visit the wide open spaces and smaller museum ones without feeling deeply inspired by the beginning of things. It’s so remarkable to see the poor and troubled faces that entered our country through Ellis Island. To realize that those who arrived as lower class birthed children and grandchildren who owned their own businesses, acquired their own land, and contributed greatly to the growth of our nation.

The Ellis Island Museum tells the stories of these immigrants through photographs, literature, and artifacts. You’ll learn about early Americans from many different cultures, with different languages and faiths. You’ll see the process they had to go through at Ellis Island. And through that, you’ll marvel at their determination – perhaps, their desperation – for a better life.

Consider Ellis Island and a Statue of Liberty cruise for all New York City educational tours.

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost a year since my first trip to Washington DC and New York City. I still remember how we toured until our feet hurt. I can still feel what it was like to see the amazing sights I’d only written about, how I cried at the inspiring historical landmarks, at the beauty of D.C., and the dream come true of seeing New York City for myself.

It truly changed my life to visit these beautiful American cities, in part because everything I’d been told and everything I had imagined about their life-changing ability for student tours, proved true. I look at the pictures and still feel so excited that I’ve been there. I wake up grateful pretty much every day that I didn’t miss my chance. I see New York in photos and on film and I think, or say, so proudly, I have been there. And then, there are the souvenirs, my tangible proof. And I love them all, but I have a special affinity for one that’s kind of strange – my metro pass.

It’s a souvenir for many reasons. First, because it’s not something I could have picked up in a gift shop just anywhere. No I-Love-NY stand in a mall is going to have a tired, used metro pass for sale. Second, it’s something I had to have in order to navigate the City. And outside of my personal love for the little piece of cardboard, the metro pass reminds me of a tip I strongly support for New York City group travel: Public Transportation Rocks.

We send student groups to several cities. And for some we recommend a motor coach. Students can ride together on a bus to the destination and stick with that transportation from one attraction to the next. It also makes a big difference if groups stay at a hotel a little outside the city. The attractions are sometimes a good distance from each other, depending on the type of student tour you choose, and it helps to have transportation between them to keep the group together. Sometimes we even schedule a driver guide. That way students learn a ton about the destination and its landmarks besides those they get to tour inside.

So, yea, a motor coach has its place – it’s destinations, rather. But after about five minutes in New York City, I became convinced motor coach is not the way to go there. In that time, our bus sat trapped between double-parked vehicles on either side and a kind passerby had to wave us through one half-inch forward and one inch back at a time. I smiled – because I was in New York City, after all – and then I put my hand on the pocket of my purse that contained the metro pass I would fortunately be using from there on out. That more suitable NYC transportation proved itself moments later when we walked one block to a subway station, made it onto the train and then to our destination with zero hassle and grateful hearts for the wonderful inventors of the New York City subway.

But it’s not just my one-time experience I bring you. Our expert guides agreed that metro is the right choice for groups, no matter how large or small. As the seven of us and our guide squished onto a crowded subway car one afternoon, I wasn’t so sure about the merit of the metro for very large groups. But our guide disagreed. As long as you organize, have enough chaperons, and communicate clearly about each stop, groups can navigate the subway system just as easily as an individual.

So there you have it, a New York travel tip based on one of my favorite, and most used, New York City souvenirs. If you’re ever headed that way, definitely grab yourself an any-time metro pass, learn the trick of not pulling the wrong side of the entry gate, and take full advantage of this delightfully cost-effective mode of transportation in the amazing city of New York.

Yes, this photo is me on Bow Bridge in New York City June 2010. And, yes, I’m still counting the days since that trip of a lifetime, and I’m filled with more goodies to share with you about travel in general, student travel specifically, and Washington D.C. and New York City up close and personal.

Therefore, I thought I should pop in and tell you why the blog has been quiet lately and why it might be hit and miss for another couple of months. I’m facing some health treatments that take time and energy.

But don’t go anywhere! I’ll be back and healthy at the end of that time and ready to stir you up with all kinds of student travel goodies. There is so much to see, so much to do, and I’ve only begun to tell you about it.

One more thing – it’s only the blogger who’s out of commission for a time. If you know where you want to go and that you’re taking a large group with you, our student travel home page is still the place to go for all the help you’ll need. Happy traveling! And Happy 2011!

Serenity

The Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC was one of the most amazing experiences I had in that city. So I’m thrilled, if you haven’t heard of it yet, to tell you about an equally moving educational center in the Midwest. Based on what you’ll learn here, I guarantee you will want to visit this center immediately, and you’ll definitely want to include it in Chicago educational tours.

Though a well-established educational center, this museum is located in a  new facility. Each new story, exhibit, and educational center – all dedicated on Sunday, April 19, 2009 – represent a brand new focus on the Holocaust and the lessons we must take away from it. President Bill Clinton gave the key note address at the opening. His prominent endorsement was only fitting for a museum and learning center that should become a centerpiece for the education of students everywhere.

Remembering the Holocaust brings with it all kinds of opportunity for teaching. Administrators can focus on compassion and empathy, on bigotry, and how these things look in our world today. This museum embraces each of these learning opportunities, presenting them in fascinating exhibits, through the words and pictures of survivors. Students will even understand the lessons in the context of genocides that have taken place more recently and those still happening today.

One prominent section of the Illinois Holocaust Museum is designed specifically for younger children. You can confidently share this exhibit with your middle graders, who will appreciate its interactive and hands-on activities, which help students place themselves in the world and literally view their impact on it. Through these exhibits, students will be inspired to “Make a Difference.”

A beautiful facility, an incomparable learning experience, and an important time of remembrance, the Illinois Holocaust Museum is one of Chicago’s newest and brightest features for students. Don’t forget it when planning your next educational tour.

Photo by kongtemplation on Flickr.

You recognize this guy, right? Photographed here by David Paul Ohmer on Flickr, this is the charging bull sculpture located a couple blocks from the New York stock exchange and meant to symbolize the strength and power of the American people. The media often still uses it today to reflect optimism in the stock market.

With that in mind, you probably haven’t seen a lot of it lately. That is, unless you got a glimpse of it the day people were praying to it for a positive change in the economy. And whether you’ve ever seen it in the media or not, this New York City icon is definitely a must for New York student travel.

To get the most from your view of the beast, it might help to know a little more about it. The famous bull was the sole idea of its sculptor and was originally placed on Wall Street without anyone’s permission. It was sculpted and placed there after the stock market crash of 1987. Apparently the police impounded it, but the people cried out for its return. I think it’s a fascinating story. I appreciate so much when artists find a way to raise our awareness as well as our hopes.

A lot of educational tours to New York City include a visit to the famous bull of the financial district. It is one of the most photographed attractions in the city. It certainly seems to capture the American spirit in many ways as well as the spirit of the powerful daily energy on Wall Street. As in the game of Pitt, which mimics the stock exchange, the bull counts for you if you win – but way, way against you if you lose.

I think it’s a bit much to pray to the guy. But I definitely like the idea of a little tangible inspiration to keep us believing in our ability to get through any difficulty and come out as American, and as full of possibility, as ever. It’s a bit of hope we keep coming back to over and over, something we all need reminded of even today.

Until last spring, the best I could say about my knowledge of the DC monuments and memorials was that I had read and written a lot about them.

Not that reading didn’t open my eyes to some pretty cool things. As I read about the different parts to each memorial, I was amazed. Before then I hadn’t realized there were so many parts to any given memorial and that each part held significance. E.g., Oh, it’s not just a statue of the guy, his words are inscribed behind him! Very cool.

So I read, and I felt inspired, and then I wrote about every bronze and granite piece and the artistic design and inspirational words that make up each of the amazing monuments and memorials on and around the National Mall.

THEN I WENT TO THEM.

I stood at President Lincoln’s feet and marveled at how much more larger than life he seemed in real life. Then I saw the sun set over the reflecting pool beyond it. I walked around the soldiers in the Korean Memorial, moved by the intense expressions on their faces (pictured above). I ran my hand along the pillars that make up the World War II Memorial. And, it only took me a moment to realize, no reading can compare to actually being there.

The thing that struck me the most was the amazing detail in every memorial we visited. Suddenly I wanted both the experience of being there and the written literature on everything I looked at. Why did they use that material and what was the process like to choose the design? Why the wreaths at the World War II Memorial? Does every face on the Korean Memorial Wall mean something specific or were some themes repeated? I was astounded over and over by these details. I’d read enough to know that the designers of these memorials put thought into each and every aspect, and suddenly I was fascinated to know each and every one.

The monuments and memorials on the National Mall are practically a given for Washington DC group travel tours of any kind. And all I can say is, look closer. Don’t rush through these deeply inspiring scenes. I would even recommend you take a guide with you or interesting literature, because there’s so much more in every detail than you can imagine just by looking.

I’m still saving back all kinds of details about my New York City visit – things I’ve written about for years but just this spring experienced for myself. I’m drawing out the thrill of it – my thrill in sharing it, not so much your thrill I know. And that’s why I haven’t dumped all the goodness out on the blog yet. Today, though, I’m highlighting a little NYC treasure that I did not see in person but will definitely be on the list for the next time I go. It’s a great choice for all kinds of educational travel, including educational tours in art and architecture.

This is a picture of the inside of it. I sometimes describe the outside as a giant dollop of concrete sour cream. Do you know it? Never fear if you don’t. You know I’m going to tell you.

This unique photograph is the inside of the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. It is both a gallery of art and an artistic masterpiece itself, designed with a sprawling downward spiral for the art lovers who view the amazing collection within. And it’s one of the premier art museums in the world.

The Guggenheim was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, one of the most prominent architects in American history, which is why the building makes a great stop for students in architecture.

The Guggenheim was made (and filled) by people with beautiful philosophy. The pieces inside come from private collections and so they are arranged not chronologically or really any kind of logically. They are arranged in groupings as they might be displayed and showcased in a home. Similarly, the architect designed his buildings with thoughts far bigger than bricks and mortar. Frank Lloyd Wright believed that beautifully designed buildings make a difference in our lives. And this certainly seems true of the Guggenheim.

Photo by Evelyn Proimos on Flickr.

I’ve written about a lot of places since working for a student travel company, and many of them I couldn’t wait to see for myself. One of these attractions is a favorite for Washington DC student tours. So of course it made my list when I visited DC last spring.

It’s called the Illuminations Tour, and I had understood it to be somewhat of a drive-by. I thought groups were loaded on buses and driven around the National Mall and the rest of DC’s famous spots, so that they could view the pretty sights lighted up after dark. My Illuminations experience was quite a bit richer and more personal than that. But I did learn some things along the way.

Our first stop was the Lincoln Memorial, and the sun went down while we were there. We didn’t see it in its fully lit beauty until later. It wasn’t fully dark yet when we reached the Vietnam War Memorial either. The full effect – the first memorial I witnessed after dark – and only after dark was the Korean War Memorial.

Do you know much about that one? It’s perfect for educational travel and it’s a part of the National Mall, so I’m sure you’ll see it if you ever visit. And it’s nice to know a bit about what you’re getting into. This memorial has several parts, most notably the larger-than-life soldiers which appear to be walking through a field of juniper. They represent several races, several branches of the army. And their faces truly are haunting, perhaps especially after dark while lit from below.

A second portion of the memorial is a wall with images engraved that represent many, many other jobs in the military. (Our guide helped us engage with the images by listing things to find and discover – I definitely recommend this for student groups). And here’s where I will introduce the tip.

While at the Korean War Memorial, though it was beautiful and haunting in the lights, I wished – well – that I could see better. That feeling was reinforced at the World War II Memorial with its beautiful pillars and fountains and decorative wreaths and so much detail. I felt certain I was missing some of that detail by only seeing them in the dark.

My final feeling was that the Illuminations Tour of the Washington DC monuments and memorials is absolutely not to be missed. Still, I think the best way to experience this most moving part of Washington DC is to view them during the daylight as well. There’s too much here to only view after dark.

I have a thing for art – not just pieces on a wall but the whole experience of creating or experiencing beautiful creativity. I think travel is a great inspiration for it, which makes art one of the most obvious of our  educational theme tours.

Art lovers would travel almost any distance for a famous art museum. And they wouldn’t really need any other attraction beyond the beautiful pieces they love. New York City is one of our favorite choices for all kinds of student travel, including art tours. Visitors to Manhattan could easily spend more than one day in the breathtaking Metropolitan Museum of Art. This attraction displays art from all over the world, from many different cultures, and from many different historical eras. You’ll find larger-than-life modern pieces on the terrace, temporary exhibits on fashion, pop culture, and more, plus the class pieces you’ve come to expect and many that will surprise and move you. The Met also has restaurants inside and everything you need to spend hours studying the magnificent pieces – from paintings and drawings to musical instruments, costumes, and so much more.

Beyond this attraction, New York City offers still more. The Museum of Modern Art, or MoMa, is another popular art museum in the city. Its focus is on modern and contemporary art, and some of the exhibits here will truly astound you. And then there’s the Guggenheim, which is as much a wonder on the outside as in. The building spirals from its wide bottom to its narrower top. To view the displays, you ride an elevator to the top, then descend the spiraling walkway through the amazing exhibits.

You can see what I mean about New York City’s environment for art. A tour there could include at least these three museums, and there are many other attractions to round out your itinerary. But there are art museums throughout the country that will surround you with beautiful pieces as well. All of them were founded with the same goals in mind – to connect people to art for education, inspiration, and to develop a better understanding of our world.

The St. Louis Art Museum embraces this purpose so thoroughly that they want any person to be able to enjoy the experience they offer. Designed as part of the 1904 World’s Fair, this museum is free to all its guests. It offers displays and exhibitions, plus a variety of educational tours. If this museum could give every person in the world an understanding of the gift of art, I’m sure they would do it. St. Louis is a fascinating city, the Gateway to the West and marked as such by the sleek, familiar Arch – a beautiful St. Louis attraction in its own right, resting on a peaceful park. A tour of St. Louis might include any number of fascinating attractions besides the Art Museum, and it’s a great choice for student travel because of it.

Of course, there are many other cities with art museums. Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles all have popular art museums, as well as MANY cities in between. Find one near you, and consider a theme in art for your next educational tour. The inspiration is priceless.