Maybe you’ve chaperoned an educational tour to the East Coast. You had a great time, but wide-open spaces are more your thing. We get it. That’s why we wrote this review of National Parks and HIstoric East Coast Cities. 

With this information, consider the possibilities of leading your students (with the help of a friendly and experienced tour guide) to one of the National Parks or the Historic East Coast. In this article, we compare the benefits of taking an educational tour to the East Coast and National Parks. Spoiler Alert! Our Nation’s National Parks and Historic East Coast Cities are travel treasures. You and your students will have fun and create memories that will last a lifetime. 

National Parks

Grand Canyon National Park

Top Experiences - Fly into Las Vegas, and your motorcoach will whisk you and your group away to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Stop along the way and walk across Hoover Dam. Take a group photo at the South Rim. Experience sweeping views below the rim. Take a leisurely hike or challenge your group on one of many trails. Plan a rafting adventure on the Colorado River.

Have more photo opportunities on your drive from the South Rim to Paige, Arizona. Slot Canyon adventures await at Antelope Canyon. Get there early and experience both canyons in one day.  Enjoy scenic Horseshoe Bend and Monument Valley.

Review/Ratings - Lead a school trip that your students will never forget at the Grand Canyon and surrounding parks. 

Insider Tip(s) -  Stay a night in Las Vegas. See a show and have a different experience on the same trip. 

When to go - Spring and Fall temperatures are mild. Summer temperatures in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona often hit over 100 degrees. Winter temperatures are often below freezing at night. 

Cost - 

• 5 days/4 nights in Grand Canyon “air” costs $2,300–$3,300. 

• Five days/4 nights in Grand Canyon “bus” costs $2,100–$3,100. 

Arches/Bryce/Zion National Park 

Top Experiences - The National Parks in Utah amaze student groups. If you love unique rock formations, this is the trip for you and your students. Giant sandstone arches are abundant in Arches National Park. Bryce Canyon is home to the World’s most extensive collection of Hoodoos. Hoodoos are thin spires of rock sometimes described as tent rock, fairy chimney, or earth pyramid. Iconic views and group-friendly hikes abound in Zion National Park. 

Review/Ratings - Teachers and their students make core memories on National Park trips. Spend time in the Natural Wonders of Southern Utah and connect with your students like never before. 

Insider Tip(s) - You and your students will hike through the Zion Narrows’ scenic box canyon. Choose the less strenuous Bottom-Up route. 

When to go - Spring and Fall temperatures are mild. Summer temperatures in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona often hit over 100 degrees. October and November are excellent months to avoid crowds and see the fall colors change. Winter temperatures are often below freezing at night. 

Cost - 

• 5 days/4 nights in Arches/Bryce/Zion “air” costs $2,300–$3,300. 

• 5 days/4 nights in Arches/Bryce/Zion “bus” costs $2,100–$3,100. 

Everglades National Park

Top Experiences - Florida’s Everglades is the 3rd largest National Park. Your group will board a boat and experience the park’s natural beauty on a guided tour. Manatees, American Crocodiles, Panthers, and several bird species call the Everglades home. Pair the everglades with STEM activities in Southern Florida for a memory-making trip with your students. 

Review/Ratings - The Everglades and Southern Florida are lovely destinations for student groups. Feel the wind in your hair as you boat through the everglades in search of exotic animals. 

Insider Tip(s) - Sample frog legs and alligator (or a burger if you’re less adventurous) at the Gator Grill in Homestead, Florida. 

When to go - December through March is the best time to travel to Southern Florida. Anticipate bugs and humidity April - November. 

Cost - 

• 5 days/4 nights in Everglades “air” costs $2,300–$3,300. 

• Five days/4 nights in Everglades “bus” costs $2,100–$3,100. 

Yosemite National Park 

Top Experiences - Giant sequoia trees and towering Granite will surround you in Yosemite National Park. Feel the mist of Vernal and Yosemite Falls. Discover hiking trails off the beaten path like Tuolumne Meadows. Create a California dream road trip by pairing Yosemite with San Francisco. Los Angeles would also be an option, but it’s roughly a five-hour drive on a bus.

Review/Ratings - Your group will be thrilled by Yosemite’s granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, and giant sequoia groves. Traveling with classmates to Yosemite is a trip your students will never forget. 

Insider Tip(s) - Get an early start before the crowds. 

When to go - All seasons offer a unique perspective in Yosemite. The winter can be snowy and less crowded. As the snow starts to melt in the spring, waterfalls are more active. Summer is warm and dry and the most crowded season in Yosemite. The Fall is crisp, and the leaves are changing colors. 

Cost - 

• 5 days/4 nights in Yosemite “air” costs $2,500–$3,500. 

• Five days/4 nights in Yosemite “bus” costs $2,300–$3,300. 

Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park 

Top Experiences - Visit the southern of Yellowstone to see thermal activities. Old Faithful and the Mud Volcano are must-sees for your group. The Northern section is often called the American Serengeti for its abundance of wildlife. Why did the Bison cross the road? Not sure, but there’s a good chance it’ll cause a bison jam. Plan ahead. Groups have reported sitting in traffic for up to 45 minutes. Enjoy hikes around the Grand Teton’s pristine meadows and lakes. 

Review/Ratings - Thermal events, unique geology, and animal sightings are sure to wow your group. Plan an unforgettable trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton. 

Insider Tip(s) - Take your group Alpine Sliding at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It's a thing, and it's fantastic. 

When to go - Due to road closures, the best time to access the parks is April to August. 

Cost - 

• 5 days/4 nights in Yellowstone “air” costs $2,300–$3,300. 

• Five days/4 nights in Yellowstone “bus” costs $2,100–$3,100. 

Historic East Coast Cities

Washington DC 

Top Experiences - Your students will love a trip to Washington DC. Spend the first part of a day on Capitol Hill. Plan a US Capitol tour and arrange to meet the House member representing your district back at home. Across from the US Capitol is the Library of Congress. Walk the extensive and beautiful library in the US. Visit the Supreme Court and ask your docent questions about past, present, and future cases. Walk the National Mall and pop in your favorite Smithsonian Museum. The Native American History Museum and National Gallery of Art are less crowded and wonderful.  At night try interactive bowling or a dinner and DJ cruise. 

Review/Ratings -  Educators and their students love Washington DC. DC is a wonderful destination for groups of any age. 

Insider Tip(s) - Arrange for your students to participate in a public wreath-laying at the Arlington National Cemetery. Experience an illuminated tour of our National Monuments and Memorials at night. 

When to go - Travel to DC in the late Spring, Summer, and early fall. The weather could be snowy or humid depending upon your trip dates. Fall is the low season in DC. 

Cost - 

• 5 days/4 nights in Washington DC “air” costs $2,300–$3,300. 

• Five days/4 nights in Washington DC “bus” costs $2,100–$3,100. 

New York City 

Top Experiences - New York City is a magical place for groups to learn and have fun. Stay in Manhattan (the closer to Broadway, the better) for easy access to sites and activities. Board The BEAST Speedboat Ride and hit speeds of 45mph before taking stops for pictures at Ellis Island and the Statue of liberty. Take an official visit at Columbia College and walk across Central Park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET). 

Review/Ratings - New York combines fun and learning like no other place. Students and their teachers love Times Square and feeling like a New Yorker. 

Insider Tip(s) - Skip the chain restaurants and have an authentic New York City dining experience. 

When to go - Travel to New York from March to November. 

Cost - 

• 5 days/4 nights in New York “air” costs $2,600–$3,600. 

• Five days/4 nights in New York “bus” costs $2,400–$3,400. 

Boston 

Top Experiences - Step onto the iconic Freedom trail in Boston, Massachusetts. Visit the famous campuses of MIT and Harvard and enjoy an afternoon around Cambridge, Massachusetts. Make sure to plan an authentic Italian meal in the Northend of Boston. 

Review/Ratings - Add a STEM activity and sports game to engage students and add excitement to your Boston experience. 

Insider Tip(s) - Travel to Lexington and see where the shot heard around the world started the American Revolution. Walk around Walden Pond and visit the site where Henry David Thoreau spent two years living a deliberate life. 

When to go - Travel in the late Spring, Summer, and early fall. New England is extremely cold in the winter. 

Cost - 

• 5 days/4 nights in Boston “air” costs $2,300–$3,300. 

• Five days/4 nights in Boston “bus” costs $2,100–$3,100. 

Philadelphia -

Top Experiences - The birthplace of the USA. Boston may have something to say about that.. See where the framers wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Visit Ben Franklin’s printing press and see the site of his home. The National Constitution Center (NCC) offers unique workshops for student groups. Your students will have the rare opportunity to learn from a retired federal judge at NCC’s “judge chats” experience. 

Review/Ratings - You and your students will visit top colleges, historic sites and eat great food in Philly.

Insider Tip(s) - Gettysburg is a memory-making stop for you and your students. Explore the hidden side of the underground railroad. Meet Abraham Lincoln at a fantastic tavern meal. The Gettysburg visitors center offers a film, cyclorama, and museum. Don’t miss a guided battlefield tour where your students can fully experience what they learned in their studies. Have a group photo at the Liberty Bell! 

When to go - Spring, Summer, and Fall are the best time to travel to Philadelphia. The winter is cold, but crowds are limited. 

Cost - 

• 5 days/4 nights in Philadelphia “air” costs $2,300–$3,300. 

• FiveFive days/4 nights in Philadelphia “bus” costs $2,100–$3,100. 

Colonial Virginia 

Top Experiences - Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown, are the major cities in Colonial Virginia. The Civil War Museum and St. John’s Church in Richmond are some of the region’s highlights. Visit Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s home, in Charlottesville. The Jamestown settlement has films, immersive exhibition galleries, and an outdoor living history museum. 

Review/Ratings - Colonial Virginia is an American History treasure. The region teaches and preserves history like no other place in our country. You and your students will be transported back to the 1700s in Historic Williamsburg. This authentic and immersive experience is one that you and your students will love. 

Insider Tip(s) - Eat a tavern meal (or two) while you’re in Historical Virginia. 

When to go - Visit Historic Virginia year-round. Late spring and summer are the high seasons. 

Cost - 

• 5 days/4 nights in Colonial Virginia “air” costs $2,300–$3,300. 

• 5 days/4 nights in Colonial Virginia “bus” costs $2,100–$3,100. 

   

Conclusion - 

The only question is, where will you lead your next big trip? Do you prefer cities or wide-open spaces in nature? Either way, you and your students will have a fantastic experience. 

If you’re interested in leading a memory-making trip, we can help with that. 

We organize memory-making trips for teachers and their students. Schedule a call. We’d love to start working on your best trip ever.