Educational Tours: Boston vs. Philadelphia

Your trip should visit cities that are exciting and fun for you and your students. That’s why we’ve created this honest review of two American history-rich cities, Philadelphia and Boston. Read this guide and decide which city is the best fit for your trip. 

Educational Tours in Philadelphia

Pros

Philadelphia is a modern city with a well-preserved historical past. The old city of Philadelphia is known as “the most historic square mile in America.” Meander through historical alleys of revolutionary era homes, discover meeting houses, or take in a history museum in “the city of Brotherly Love.”

Your student group will love exploring the birthplace of our Nation, where our forefathers discussed, debated, and formed our country. Students will get close and personal with the iconic liberty bell. They'll step into Independence Hall and see where our founding fathers debated and signed the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. Have your students run up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, as immortalized by Sylvester Stallone’s in the film "Rocky." 

Nearby Philadelphia

Visit nearby rolling hills at Valley Forge, where your students can touch the cannons and explore the huts where soldiers lived in the frigid winter of 1777-1778. Take a day trip (or even spend the night) to Gettysburg and explore the Gettysburg National Historical Park. Your group will love the battlefield’s guided tours, visitors center’s museum, film, and cyclorama replica of the battlefield. 

Affordability - Some of the Philadelphia activities are free, which helps bring down your trip costs. 

Museums - Philadelphia museums have created outstanding educational programs for student groups. The city’s rich history museums include the National Constitution Center, American Revolution Museum, National Museum of American Jewish History, and the African American Museum. Students studying STEM will love The Franklin Institute, The Academy of Natural Sciences, and the Science History Institute.

Your group will have an ah-ha moment in museums that connect to what they learned in the classroom. At the National Constitution Center, your students will see a live performance of freedom and reserve a “judge chat” where they will learn about the courts from a retired federal court judge. The recently opened American Revolution Museum provides trained docents to escort your group through the museum and answer questions. These sites are all within walking distance in the one square mile old city section of Philadelphia.

Hotels 

Philadelphia and the Philly suburbs have a moderate inventory of hotels to meet the needs of student groups. Pro Tip: Staying near your morning activities will save your group time driving in the morning. 

Crowds - It might be a surprise, but “the most historic square mile in America” rarely sees large groups like the other cities on the Historic East Coast. 

Cons

Activities heavily weighted towards Learning - Philadelphia activities skew towards history and science education. Work with your tour operator to add fun activities to balance your group’s itinerary. Some of our favorites are the madcap theatre and East State Penitentiary.

Septa (public transportation) - Most Philadelphia activities are within walking distance, and public transportation is rarely needed. A group’s motorcoach does not get much use during a day of touring. 

Evening Activities - The madcap theatre is a great place to take students at night. Still, Philadelphia does not have the infrastructure of monuments, rich nightlife, or ghost tours as its Historic East Coast counterparts. 
Food - Cheesesteaks are great. And the reading terminal market and Bourse are excellent places for a group to grab good food and take in history and culture. Philadelphia has limited choices on sit-down restaurant choices for large student groups. 

Student Travel in Boston

Pros - 

Boston is an excellent balance of history and STEM activities for student groups. Walking the cobblestone streets of the freedom trail will pique the curiosity of your students. Reenact the Boston tea party by throwing bags of tea Boston Tea Party and Ships Museum. 

Boston has excellent science museums and STEM workshop learning opportunities for students. Two group favorites are the Harvard Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Science. 

At night, take in a professional sports game or a performance by the Boston Pops. Spend a day or two on a road trip visiting Salem, Plimoth Plantation, and the battlefields and author’s row in Lexington and Concord. Hike around Walden Pond and find the site of Henry David Thoreau’s cabin in the woods. 

Food - Groups love eating a lobster dinner, Clam chowder, and North End Italian food. Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market are excellent places to grab lunch with your students.  

Sports City - 

Bostonians love their sports teams. Student groups can join the excitement of watching a game at the Boston Garden (now TD Garden) or Fenway Park. Sit in the stands and cheer on the home team and be a part of the Boston sports tradition. 

Colleges and universities - There are a total of 45 institutions of higher learning in the Boston area. Inspire your students with a visit to Harvard yard. See the labs and outdoor sculptures at MIT. Just outside of Boston, several prestigious universities have a smaller town feel. 

Museums - Explore the hidden side of Boston. The Freedom Trail is a brick-lined path of 16 historically significant stops. Groups love seeing the Old North Church and Paul Revere’s home. Some other favorites are the Boston Tea Party and Ships Museum, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Science. 

Cons

Price - Costs of hotels, shows, food, and other Boston attractions are slightly higher than in Philadelphia and Washington DC but not as high as in New York. 

Distance

Boston is a far distance from the other cities on the Historic East Coast. Traveling by motorcoach between NYC and Boston can take 3+ hours. With only so many hours to travel

Traffic 

Traffic is an old city with modern traffic problems. Narrow streets, bridges, and tunnels contribute to delays for groups—Pro Tip: when possible, plan your activities to reverse traffic patterns and enjoy the ride. 

Best Time of year for a student tour to Philadelphia?

Avoid the heat and humidity and travel with your student group to Philadelphia in the spring or fall. You’ll need to pack layers as the weather is mild but generally unpredictable. Traveling to Philadelphia in the fall is slightly more budget-friendly, and there are far fewer people. Plan your best school trip to Philadelphia in the spring or fall.

Best Time of year for a student tour to Boston?

Avoid traveling to Boston in the chilly seasons of late fall, winter, and early spring. Late Spring, summer, and early fall are great times to visit Boston. The late spring and early fall are crisp and pleasant for a group visiting the sites. The summer in Boston is much less humid than its mid-Atlantic counterparts. 

 If your group has a tight budget traveling in the late fall is another excellent time to see Boston. The leaves are changing colors, and you feel like you are traveling in art. Plan your inspiring Boston school trip in the late spring, summer, or early fall. 

Philadelphia vs. Boston

2-3 days - Slight edge to Philadelphia over Washington DC. The sites and museums in Philadelphia are walkable. A day trip to Gettysburg and exploring the underground railroad are unforgettable moments for students.

Philadelphia vs. Boston

4-7 days - Boston gets the nod. We do recommend staying closer to 4 nights in these cities. Our experience is that Boston and Philadelphia are most enjoyable when paired with New York or Washington DC. 

Your group will be immersed in the indoor and outdoor museums that Boston has to offer. Boston offers fun night activities like attending a professional sports game or Boston Pops performance at night. Groups love visiting Salem, Plimoth Plantation, and the battlefields of Lexington and Concord. 

1. Where should you take your students?

Middle School Students - slight edge to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Valley Forge and Gettysburg day trips factored significantly into Philadelphia being a better fit for middle school student trips. 

High School Students - Boston, Massachusetts. Colleges. Freedom Trail. Culture. Great jumping-off point to see colleges in the Northeast. Your tour guide will expertly lead your students in Boston. High school students will imagine themselves going to school in the area and be inspired. 

1. Key Takeaways

• Avoid extreme weather and crowds. Travel with your students in the late spring, summer (avoid Philadelphia in July and August), and early fall. 

• If budget is a concern, Philadelphia is slightly less expensive. We recommend a Boston-based driver, which typically costs a little more than a motorcoach based outside of New England. Hotels in Boston generally are more expensive as well. 

• We recommend student groups pairing Boston and Philadelphia with another city on the Historic East Coast. While there are plenty of activities for a 3-7 day trip, both cities shine when paired with New York or Washington DC.

Conclusion. 

Combine Washington DC and Philadelphia in the early spring or late fall for an epic educational trip. Combine New York City and Boston for a fun historical based trip. Both the city of Boston and the city of Philadelphia have committed to preserving their historical roots. No wonder why both call themselves (among other things) the birthplace of America.

We support memory-making trips for teachers and their students. Click the let’s talk button, we’d love to hear your goals to create an inspiring trip. Happy travels!