We love building all kinds of itineraries, but theme travel is always a favorite! It’s thrilling to build school trips around a given subject, especially if it matches the curriculum students have been studying beforehand. You can often request materials straight from the attractions on your itinerary to enhance the classroom preparation for your tour.
Theme travel can still take you all over the country and beyond. Of course, it’s easier to build a several-day experience in a given theme if you choose one of the larger destinations like New York City or Washington, D.C. Still, there are several destinations just made for themes like these.
Black History
American history in general is a wonderful and popular choice for educational tours. And African-Americans contributed dramatically to that story. Black history tours include connected attractions like the Black Heritage Trail in Boston or the African-American Heritage Trail in Atlanta, the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr. The trails showcase schools, churches and businesses founded by free black Americans, anxious to build communities for their children. Other tours visit the homes of famous civil rights activists or the places where they fought for these rights. A black history tour in D.C., for instance, will include the Lincoln Memorial and the inscription at the top of its steps that mark the place where Martin Luther King, Jr., stood to deliver his famous speech, saying, “I have a dream.” Cities across the United States highlight similar attractions. They celebrate a rich heritage and how far we’ve come as a nation in the pursuit of equal rights for all.
Law and Order
One of our most exciting tours takes place in Washington, D.C., largely known as the seat of our government. This exciting theme takes students into the world of justice, defense, and espionage. They’ll visit fascinating museums like the Museum of Crime and Punishment, showcasing infamous criminals from our history and allowing them to practice their own crime scene investigation skills. The International Spy Museum features the role of espionage throughout world history and introduces students to its tools today. The Pentagon and J. Edgar Hoover FBI buildings further introduce school trips to our Department of Defense.
Law and order have become prevalent themes in pop culture, and students will undoubtedly be familiar. This tour takes them inside the reality, and they’ll soon face law and order as a valid career choice, a profession to be respected, the role of heroes, and something we all count on for continued peace of mind.
Theater
A theater tour to New York City includes a Broadway Performance every night. Choose from Broadway’s musicals, comedies, dramas, and classic whodunnit capers! During the day, your group can learn from a Broadway Workshop or Broadway Classroom. Learn from Broadway professionals and practice acting, choreography, and other aspects of performance, or study the production side of things with lights, costumes, and more.
Film and Television
Hollywood and NYC are the most obvious choices for a tour that celebrates the film and television industries. Hollywood is where the magic often happens, and students can explore that world with studio tours and favorite Hollywood attractions like Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the Kodak Theater, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. New York City is one of the most filmed cities in the world and the exciting TV and Movie Site Walking Tour takes you to many famous locations throughout the city. The Central Park Movie Walking Tour is a way to do the same. Plus, it’s one of NYC’s most beautiful attractions in its own right. Other fun attractions for this theme include Planet Hollywood, the NBC Studios, and the NY Skyride – a simulated flight over NYC narrated by Kevin Bacon.
Faith
Youth groups and religious organizations will find plenty of ideas for amazing travel when they choose this theme. Volunteerism is a popular choice, but you can also visit famous churches and temples. The Precious Moments Chapel is a beautiful attraction, and the Holy Land Experience is a theme park in Orlando that re-enacts many famous scenes and settings from the Christian Bible.
What about you? What has your class been studying? What lessons made them come alive with debate, discussion, and more questions than answers? This is where you should begin when choosing a theme for school trips. Group travel comes with enough decision-making. Make the attractions list easy by finding a memorable focus.
