Student Travel - Which city is better for student groups?
Washington DC and Philadelphia vs. Washington DC and Colonial Virginia
Student groups (like any other group) want to maximize their value, experience and see as much as possible on their trip. Trip leaders are often torn when deciding their destination cities and activities.
We have heard this question from trip leaders many times. "What is the best itinerary for a student group visiting the Historic East Coast?" The answer to this question depends on the goals of the group. Are the trip participants a middle school group or high school group? What is the budget of the group? What time of year is the group traveling? How many days will the group be traveling?
We've evaluated the following educational trip for student groups.
Educational Trips in Washington DC and Colonial Virginia
Educational Trips in Washington DC and Philadelphia
The group travel itinerary rankings will be broken up into the following categories:
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Pros/Cons/Best time to travel
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Price Rankings
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Middle School/High School Rankings
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Best of the 3-day itinerary, 5-day itinerary, and 7-day itinerary Rankings
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Key Takeaways
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Conclusions
Educational Tours in Washington DC and Colonial Virginia
Discover or Nation's colonial past on an immersive trip through the historic triangle of Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg. Reenact colonial life by participating in educational opportunities based in the 1600 and 1700s. Richmond and Charlottesville are rich in their history and excellent for student groups. Paired with Washington DC, Colonial Virginia shines. Your students will love the energy of Washington DC and the tranquility of Colonial Virginia.
Pros
Affordability - Colonial Virginia and Washington DC are the most affordable destinations on the Historic East Coast. Great for groups on a budget.
Museums
Washington DC is home to the Smithsonian and dozens of other powerful Museums for student groups. Many group leaders report that they could've spent more time on the National Mall going from museum to museum.
The Colonial Triangle of Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg offer unique experiences for student groups. Start your journey at the Jamestown settlement, America's first permanent settlement, and step onto the Powhatan Indian village and three English ships. Next, travel back in time to 1770 on a visit to Historic Williamsburg. Your students will love walking the streets, seeing original building replicas, and meeting the countless colonial characters. Yorktown was the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War and home of the American Revolutionary Museum. The American Civil War Museum in Richmond is a must-see for student groups. Drive a few hours north and visit the home of Thomas Jefferson at Monticello and the home of George Washington at Mount Vernon.
Memorials and Monuments
Washington DC is home to an amazing collection of Monuments and Memorials. Groups love walking along the Potomac river visiting the iconic Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. See DC from a birds-eye view atop the Washington Monument. Half a day or more could be spent visiting memorials and monuments in Washington DC. The largest Memorial is at the moving site at Arlington National Cemetery.
Monuments and memorials dot the landscape of Colonial Virginia, but the focus of the region is living history. The wide-open spaces dedicated to preserving history are what makes Colonial Virginia special.
Food
Washington DC and Colonial Virginia have tasty food options that groups love. Most hotels in Washington DC and Colonial Virginia provide a full American-style breakfast for school groups.
The Washington DC area has a few dozen terrific student dining options. Groups love eating lunch at Union Station or at a museum. Colonial Virginia offers tavern meals and modern fare for groups.
Hotels
Washington DC has excellent hotel options in and around the city if you are staying outside the district. Breeze through morning traffic by booking a hotel with easy access to one of many highways with HOV lanes for busses.
The hotels in Colonial Virginia are spacious and plentiful. There is a hotel for every budget and preference in Colonial Virginia. Hotel operators in Washington DC and Colonial Virginia work well with school groups.
Cons
Learning-centric - This trip can skew heavily towards history and learning. Add Busch Gardens, a performance, a river cruise, a ghost tour, and attend a professional sports game for more fun!
Traffic / Crowds - Washington DC can be crowded in the busy season. Traveling to DC off-peak is a great way to experience more with your school group. If a group must travel in the spring, tour operators can make appointments and create a custom itinerary to maximize touring time. There is typically heavy traffic heading into DC on weekday mornings. Leveraging HOV lanes is a great way to cut down on traffic and maximize touring time. Having an experienced driver that is familiar with DC roads should be standard for all groups.
Colonial Virginia is much less crowded than Washington DC. The outdoor spaces are divine, and there is little to no traffic in Colonial Virginia.
Flights - Washington DC has three major airports and plenty of non-stop options for student groups. Groups that pair Washington DC and Colonial Virginia should consider whether to fly into and out of Washington DC or to arrive or depart in Central Virginia. There are limited flight options into and out of Norfolk or Richmond. Most flights have a layover out of these smaller airports. The time spent on the bus driving back to Washington DC might be the same amount of time as a layover. Also, Richmond and Norfolk's airport has fewer large planes that would accommodate a large group. Have flexibility on flights due to limited options.
When Is The Best Time of year for student groups to Travel to Washington DC and Colonial Virginia?
The best times of year to travel in Washington DC and Colonial Virginia are spring and fall. The bottom line, the summer in Washington DC and Colonial Virginia is humid, which makes travel less comfortable. Enjoy the open spaces and dress in layers for spring and fall travel. The fall has the added bonus of seeing the leaves change colors and have fewer crowds.
Educational Tours in Washington DC and Philadelphia
Washington DC and Philadelphia are modern cities with historic roots.
Washington DC is a top destination for student groups. Three airports in the DC area provide many flight options for student groups. Student-friendly hotels and restaurants are commonplace in and around the district. Washington DC is home to four major professional sports franchises, world-class museums, monuments, memorials, AND is affordable. Show your students the White House, Supreme Court, and the US Capitol. Washington DC has something to offer groups of any interest or budget.
Philadelphia, also known as the city of brotherly love, is a wonderful place to take your students. The most historic square mile in America showcases Philadelphia's history. Take a walking tour of the old city and learn about America's first daily newspaper, hospital, and zoo. Visit the Liberty Bell. See Independence Hall, where the framers debated and ratified the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
Bonus Options
Add Gettysburg to your itinerary for a full day or half-day. The Gettysburg Vistors center offers a Film, Cyclorama, and Museum that perfectly set the stage for your battlefield tour. Eat a meal at a tavern and see the secret side of the underground railroad. Your group will love Gettysburg. See the sites in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and have a memorable meal with an Amish family.
Pros
Affordability - Most of the activities in Washington DC and some of the activities in Philadelphia are free, which helps bring down the costs of your trip.
Museums - With nearly 100 museums in the Washington DC metro, there are museums for every student's interests. Some group favorite history-related museums are the
National Museum of American History, US Capitol Tour, National Archives, National Portrait Gallery, US Holocaust Museum, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. For groups interested in learning more about STEM, some favorite museums are the International Spy Museum, the National Air and Space Museum (In DC and Chantilly, Virginia), and the National Museum of Natural History.
There are outstanding educational programs at Philadelphia's museums. The city of Philadelphia's National Constitution Center, American Revolution Museum, National Museum of American Jewish History, and African American Museum are some of the finest history-focused museums in our country. Groups that want to learn about STEM will enjoy the Franklin Institute, The Academy of Natural Sciences, and the Science History Institute.
Many museums in DC and Philadelphia are all within walking distance of each other. Depending on weather conditions, proximity groups can walk from most locations to a museum.
Hotels - Washington DC has the most hotel options on the Historic East Coast for student groups. The number of school groups that travel to the district has created a great supply of student-friendly hotel options. Philadelphia has a moderate supply of group-friendly hotel options.
If your group is going to Gettysburg, consider staying the night. Most groups will ask to stay in DC or Philadelphia, but Gettysburg shouldn't be overlooked. Gettysburg has a nice inventory of student-friendly hotel accommodations. Many of Gettysburg's hotels are within walking distance of activities and restaurants. Trip leaders have reported that it's restorative to visit Gettysburg.
Food - Washington DC has several student-friendly dining options. DC area restaurants have created space, menus, and experiences for student groups. At lunch, groups love food courts with dozens of options or having lunch delivered to their bus. Most hotels provide full American breakfast for student groups. Philadelphia is a great food city. Groups love the options and experience eating lunch at the Bourse or Reading Terminal Market. Large group dining options are limited in Philadelphia. Gettysburg's food options are limited but excellent for groups.
Cons
Activities heavily weighted towards Learning - This is Not necessarily a con rather something to address during trip planning. A tour operator will find plenty of fun daytime and evening activities for groups of any interest.
Traffic / Crowds - Washington DC can be crowded with student tours, especially during the peak travel season. Having tour operators make appointments and working with an experienced bus driver can help save time for groups. Philadelphia has traffic issues as well (what city doesn't) but is far less crowded than Washington DC. Groups hardly ever experience crowds in Gettysburg. Restaurants in Gettysburg can book up fast, so make sure to make appointments early if you want your group to eat at ideal times.
When Is The Best Time of year for student groups to Travel to Washington DC and Philadelphia?
The best times of year to travel in Washington DC and Colonial Virginia are spring and fall. The summer in Washington DC and Philadelphia, Virginia, is humid, which makes travel less comfortable. Enjoy the open spaces and dress in layers for spring and fall travel. The fall has an added bonus of less demand and lower pricing.
What destination cities are best for a 3, 5, and 7-day trip?
Three days - Slight edge to Washington DC and Philadelphia over Washington DC and Colonial Virginia. In most cases, we would recommend only visiting Washington DC for a 3-day trip. If a student group wanted to add a second city, here's how we would approach the itinerary—overnight flight or bus into Philadelphia. Spend day 1 visiting the sites and museums in Philadelphia. Depart for Washington DC area hotel after dinner. Spend days 2 and 3 exploring the sites and museums in Washington DC. Fly or bus home in the afternoon of day 3.
Philadelphia edged Colonial Williamsburg because a group is able to see more in Philadelphia in a short amount of time. Philadelphia's old city is known as America's most historic square mile. Philadelphia international airport has more direct flights than the airports that serve Colonial Williamsburg, Richmond, and Norfolk. Student Groups are able to see more in Philadelphia because of the number of sites in the old city and the number of flights at Philadelphia International Airport.
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Washington DC and Philadelphia
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Washington DC and Colonial Virginia
Five days - What student trip is better for five days? Washington DC and Philadelphia or five days in Washington DC and Williamsburg? The answer? It's a tie.
Five days is just right for both trips. The Washington DC and Philadelphia tour hits all the major sites and is enough time to include Gettysburg. A five-day trip in Washington DC and Colonial Virginia would include all the major sites in DC and a day and a half exploring the sites in the Colonial triangle cities Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. A five-day trip to Washington DC and Philadelphia or Washington DC and Williamsburg comes down to the goals of the group and the preference of the trip leader.
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Washington DC and Colonial Virginia (TIE) and Washington DC and Philadelphia (TIE)
Seven days -
We gave a slight edge to Washington DC and Colonial Virginia over Washington DC and Philadelphia.
On a seven-day trip, most groups like to escape the city for a few days. There are several days worth of fun activities in Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown Colonial Williamsburg. Colonial Virginia is a much different experience than the major city of Washington DC. Groups love spending time at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg to cap off a fun trip.
Washington DC and Philadelphia for seven days is enough time to see all the major sites without being rushed. Adding a day trip in Gettysburg is a nice way for groups to have a different experience in between visiting Washington DC and Philadelphia.
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Washington DC and Colonial Virginia
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Washington DC and Philadelphia
"Where should I travel with my middle school students?"
The Slight edge goes to Washington DC and Colonial Virginia. Middle school trips love the monuments, memorials, and museums in Washington DC. Middle school student trips are excited to have the living history experience that colonial Virginia offers.
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Washington DC and Colonial Virginia
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Washington DC and Philadelphia
"Where should I travel with my high school students?"
Boston. 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.
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Washington DC and Philadelphia
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Washington DC and Colonial Virginia
Key Takeaways
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Travel with your students in the spring and early fall.
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Price. Trips to Washington DC and Colonial Virginia and Washington DC and Philadelphia are about the same price.
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The best 3-day Historic East Coast trip for student groups - Washington DC and Philadelphia
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The best 5-day Historic East Coast trip for student groups - (TIE) Washington DC and Philadelphia and Washington DC and Colonial Virginia
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The best 7-day Historic East Coast trip for student groups - Washington DC and Colonial Virginia
Conclusion.
Travel in the spring or late fall and enjoy mild weather. Choose the educational tour that aligns with the goals of the group and the preference of the trip leader. Either itinerary will be the foundation of a memory-making experience for trip leaders and their students. If you want to learn more, click the let's talk button. Happy travels!
