7 Exciting Educational Trips for 2017

Student trips are about a lot more than just having fun and celebrating the end of the year. Sometimes they are all about education outside of the classroom, culture immersion, and fact-filled adventures. 2017 is the perfect year to take your student group on an educational outing, with so many special opportunities coming that we know your students are going to love.

Here are our top 7 exciting educational trips!

the Jefferson Memorial during the Cherry Blossom Festival. Washington, DC

Jefferson Memorial during the Cherry Blossom Festival. Washington, DC Dollarphotoclub

  • Destination Inauguration

One of the biggest, most monumental, and most educational trips for students in 2017 is hands-down the January Presidential Inauguration. Whether you’re burning for Bernie or hailing for Hillary, you are going to truly love being part of this history-making moment for the United States. Not only will you be a part of the big day for the President, but you will also have countless opportunities while in D.C for extra learning moments, this city being a super hub for travel, government, and educational activity. Stop and learn all about such popular landmarks as Arlington National Cemetery, Capitol Hill, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the Pentagon Memorial, the White House, the Washington Monument, or even one of the Smithsonian museums.
Read More Here: Destination Inauguration 

  • Solar Eclipse Stops

2017 is going to bring one of the most visible total solar eclipses to the United States, the first one for 26 years! Eclipse day 2017 is set for August 21, and the path runs from Oregon to South Carolina. If you don’t live in one of the following states, you should plan a trip: Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Cities such as Portland and Kansas City will be among the best viewing areas, just be sure to wear eye protection during your observation! This is the perfect opportunity to learn all about our solar system, the science and history of solar eclipses, and even plan a visit to your local, or one of the viewing states' local, planetariums for extra gold stars. Don’t leave this trip opportunity out, the next one won’t happen until 2024!
Read More Here: Best Spots to See the Solar Eclipse

  • New York Museum Scene

The Big Apple isn’t just one of the best cultural, shopping, and theater destinations in the United States, it is one of the most educated cities in the country due to its variety of interactive museums. New York offers the all-famous Metropolitan Museum of Art, or MET, American Museum of Natural History, the Guggenheim, New York Hall of Science, Museum of Modern Art, The Frick Collection, Brooklyn Museum, and Museum of Moving Image, and this is just the tip of the iceberg! There are endless learning opportunities around every corner, not to mention all of the great and immersive cultural options! Be sure to check when the next NY Museum Free Day is, a day when many of NYC’s top museums are completely free of charge.
Read More Here: Destination Fascination

  • Bright Botanical Gardens

Botanical gardens, in our opinion, are some of the most interesting, unique, and rewarding learning experiences out there. Horticulture, agriculture, and ecology are sometimes thrown aside in educational travel-making plans, but the truth is the information your student group will receive immersing themselves into native flora and fauna is priceless. Our top two choices for the best garden experience? Little Rock’s 4-acre Garvan Woodland Gardens and St. Louis’ Missouri Botanical Garden. There are, of course, several more to choose from, such as the Chicago Botanic Garden, Atlanta Botanical Garden, UC Davis Arboretum, Denver Gardens,  and Memphis Botanic Garden. Grab your boots and your sun hat and head out on an eco-adventure full of fun outdoor facts today!
Read More Here: 7 Best Botanical Gardens

  • Herkimer Diamond Mine Geological Expedition

This next educational trip idea is a true hidden gem, the New York Herkimer Diamond Mines. Herkimer diamonds are faceted quartz crystals with points at both ends, and this spot in Middleville, NY, is supposed to be one of the only places in the world to find them. A trip to Herkimer will allow your student group to be immersed into the world of geology, and exciting digging adventure that will spark their curiosity about our earth, and maybe even walk away with some gems! There are several places like this throughout the country, for instance, Ace of Diamonds Mine is located just 30 miles south of this NY stop!

  • Remembering Pearl Harbor on the Big Island

Hawaii is always a top choice for student groups traveling afar, with its spectacular sunny scenery, majestic volcano hotspots, and iconic film locations (you’ve got to see where Jurassic Park was filmed while here). However, we think Oahu is the best option for educational travel, holding the Pearl Harbor and USS Arizona Memorials, tours, and museums. This is the perfect place to pay your respects to the many lost lives of the attack and learn more about the sunken battleship, historic naval base, and the war itself. You can also stop and learn more about the USS Bowfin Sub Museum and Park, USS Oklahoma Memorial, USS Missouri, and the Pacific Aviation Museum!
Read More Here: Finding Films & Educational Trips: Hawaii

Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA at the pier.

Cocoa Beach, Florida, at the pier. Shutterstock

  • Florida Space Coast Adventure

Florida attracts students far and wide with its wide sandy beaches and warm tropical breezes, but one of the best reasons for you to come here is possibly all of its many hidden educational opportunities, especially along the Space Coast. Over 75 miles of barrier-island Atlantic coast, from Cape Canaveral to Vero Beach, make up the Space Coast of Old Florida and feature several space centers and small museums dedicated to the history, future, and science of the U.S. space program. Cocoa Beach offers a great mix of both fun and education, and there are seemingly endless spots to see quintessential Florida wildlife, ecology, and maritime events. Save plenty of time to see the Kennedy Space Center (you’ll see the Space Shuttle Atlantis!), Merritt Island National Refuge, Manatee Cove Park, and even Cocoa Beach Pier!
Read More Here: Florida's Space Coast