Educational Tours & Graduation Trips » Graduation Trips » 2-Day NYC Grad

2-Day NYC Grad

View of Manhattan skyline

NYC Views Shutterstock Public Domain

Day 1 You'll See:

 

Day 2 You'll See:

 

Celebrate! Your seniors have been hitting the books and burning that midnight oil; this major milestone warrants special attention! You and your deserving grad group will get plenty of star treatment on this 2-Day NYC excursion. You’ll explore razzle-dazzle Times Square, discover the magic of Chinatown and tour acclaimed events arena Madison Square Gardens; head to the Top of the Rock, catch a taping of the Today Show, meet and mingle with eerily lifelike wax celebrities at Madame Tussaud’s and enjoy the Broadway production of your choice!

Day
1

Midtown Walking Tour
Midtown Manhattan is undeniably the busiest, most exclusive and most crowded piece of real estate in all of NYC, home to many important landmarks; you and your grad group will discover plenty of trademarks “classic city skyline”- type architecture right here. Stops on this exhilarating walking tour include the Times Square Theater District, Bryant Park, the New York Public Library, Grand Central Terminal, The Chrysler Building, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, Saks Fifth Avenue, the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and everybody’s favorite Big Apple icon – the Empire State Building! Bring your camera, wear comfortable shoes and prepare to be “wowed” on this fascinating and informative two-hour Midtown trek.

Top of the Rock
For a beyond-awesome bird’s eye view of the City that Never Sleeps, grab your grad group and beat feet to Rockefeller Center - NYC’s most famous landmark – home to so many businesses it has its own zip code! Duck into the cool supersonic elevator and soar straight to the twinkling, LED-lit “Top of the Rock” where you’ll enjoy exhilarating and completely unobstructed 360-degree views of Central Park and the breathtaking splendor of the city skyline from three observation decks. Spring for a special Sun & Stars ticket and score Heavenly views twice in one day – the view after dark is nothing short of spectacular!

Madame Tussaud's
A visit to this “Wax Museum to end all wax museums” is an absolute MUST for grads exploring the classic best of New York City attractions. Madame Tussaud's presents the ultimate “celebrity wax experience” in the heart of bustling Times Square, showcasing more than 225 celebrity figures so lifelike you may expect them to duck away from your cameras. If you can’t get to Hollywood, Madame’s showplace is the next best thing!

Times Square
While it’s certainly possible to encounter that special magic of “The Crossroads of the World” during daylight hours, there’s nothing like experiencing all the cosmopolitan vibrancy of Times Square after dark! Its huge digital billboards, brilliant neon lights, and dazzling storefronts are just a part of the amazing explosion of sights, sounds, and attractions awaiting visitors opting to visit this world-famous intersection in the heart of the Theater District after sundown. Times Square referenced and portrayed time and again in popular cinema, is the home of the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop, the Paramount Building, the Good Morning America show and so much more it’s also earned another nickname: “Center of the Universe”! You’ll see why.

Broadway Play
Put your heads together and decide what to see, beat feet to the theater and sit back and enjoy the show – it’s really that simple, and there’s nothing like catching a live performance on one of the World’s greatest stages! No visit to the Big Apple would be complete without a “Great White Way” experience; with dozens of Broadway venues to choose from, there’s something for everyone – and absolutely no excuse to miss out on this time-honored entertainment tradition. P.S.: Don’t forget to wait by the stage door for autographs.

Day
2

The Today Show
Get up early, grab some breakfast, then zip over to the Today Show Plaza to enjoy a live taping at Rockefeller Center! See how it all comes together, with great tips from the pros on how to create a high-visibility poster; nudge your way to the front of the barricade for the best chance to be spotted on TV and be sure to tell your friends and family back home to watch for you! For a shot at meeting the hosts, line up on the 49th Street side of the Plaza. How EXCITING...and so New York.

Madison Square Garden
This New York City icon bills itself as the most famous arena in the world. An acclaimed sports and events venue hosting over 320 major events annually – from basketball, boxing and ice hockey tournaments to circuses, ice shows, dog shows, and political rallies and celebrations, MSG is home to the New York Rangers, the New York Knicks and the New York Liberty women’s basketball team. The Garden is also a popular live concert venue and has featured performances by legends Sinatra, Elvis, John Lennon, Tony Bennett, Rod Stewart, and the Rolling Stones, as well as plenty of popular modern talent. An “All Access Tour” delivers your deserving grad group the ultimate Madison Square Gardens VIP experience! Explore the new state of the art arena; visit the Knicks and Rangers locker rooms, enjoy the “royal treatment” in new luxury suites, relive historic moments with the MSG ‘Defining Moments’ exhibit and more!

Chinatown
New York's renowned Chinatown in Lower Manhattan boasts one of the largest Chinese populations outside of Asia; you and your seniors will fall right in step with the industrious locals as they go about their daily business here in this swarming, gritty mecca of captivating sights, sounds, and smells. It’s the place to go for a sampling of delectable Asian delicacies, uniquely enchanting specialty and discount shops and fascinating open-air markets; you’ll find your square watermelons, yummy soup turtles, live eels and boatloads of knock-off designer goods here! Keep a sharp eye peeled and you’ll come home from your fantastic foray into the heart of the Big Apple with some true bargains and perfect souvenirs; there’s so much more to a tour of NY’s Chinatown than paper dragons and fortune cookies!