Art & design school trips to California

Experience the incredible exhibits of San Francisco’s Exploratorium, which are designed to amaze and astound individuals of all ages. A museum of science, art and human perception, the Exploratorium will inspire your students and open up a whole new world of experimentation to them through hours of interactive fun.

The international icon of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge has been declared one of the Wonders of the Modern World, its beautiful red hues in perfect contrast with the azure San Francisco Bay below. Here, students can learn about this excellent example of engineering, as well as the view back across the city and to neighbouring Marin County.

One of our favourite San Francisco excursions at Equity, Fisherman’s Wharf is much more than just a shopping hub, offering a great opportunity for students to learn about tourism trade in a more relaxed way. Don’t miss Pier 39’s famous seals, which have been arriving by the hundreds in the pier’s docks for more than 30 years.

Marvel at the incredible architecture that houses the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum – one of San Francisco’s principal museums of fine art. Located in Golden Gate Park, the museum contains an excellent collection of American, African, Pacific and European works, making it the perfect location for your students to learn about the fine art styles and materials utilised around the world.

Featuring 40,000 square feet of interactive galleries and world-class exhibits, this incredible museum offers your group the opportunity to delve into the life and legacy of Walt Disney. Follow Disney’s journey to world-class entertainer through early drawings, cartoons, movies, music and more, each narrated with Disney’s own voice.

Explore more than 33,000 works of modern painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, design, and media arts at the incredible San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). Spread across 16,000m² of exhibition space, you’ll find excellent works from 20th and 21st century artists such as Warhol, Bourgeois and Kahlo.

Widely regarded as one of the premier ballparks in the world of baseball, Oracle Park is a must-see for any sports fan. The stadium is home to the San Francisco Giants, the three-time World Series champions, and hosts a behind-the-scenes tour where students can explore places only the players and staff go to, including the Giant Vault, Major League Dugout and the Field.

Get up close to the majestic Golden Gate Bridge on this cruise, which will take you and your school group beneath the bridge and past Angel Island State Park before circling the mysterious Alcatraz Island. On your journey, students will hear intriguing stories about Alcatraz escape attempts and gain an understanding of life in this maximum-security prison.

Learn about conservation, climate and sustainability at San Francisco’s Aquarium of the Bay, which gives students the chance to come face-to-face with the Pacific’s most fascinating residents. From sharks to octopuses – plus thousands more marine animals – school groups will get to walk through the crystal tunnels and explore the wonders of the Bay in an experience they’ll never forget.

Once one of the world’s most famous prisons, Alcatraz housed some of America’s most difficult and dangerous felons during its operation from 1934 until 1963. Now a National Historic Landmark, Alcatraz Island hosts groups to explore the former cell blocks, accompanied by an award-winning audio tour we know will captivate your students.

One of the most iconic sites representing America’s majestic natural beauty, Yosemite National Park is famous for both its giant, ancient sequoia trees and for Tunnel View – the iconic vista of towering Bridalveil Fall and the granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome. Students will be amazed by the wildlife and sights on offer here, making it more than worth the journey.

An exceptional excursion for any student, a day trip to the Grand Canyon is a great way to round up your trip to the United States’ West Coast. School groups can experience breathtaking aerial views of the world’s most well-known canyon on the Grand Canyon Skywalk, and experience the magnificence of this marvel – considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

Pay a visit to the glitziest city of the world with a trip to Las Vegas, where we’re confident your students will be dazzled by its lights and vibrant life. Outside the wonders of the Strip, you’ll also find a superlative desert of streaming sand dunes, snow-capped mountains, multicoloured rock layers, water-fluted canyons and three million acres of wilderness.

A hub of entertainment in downtown Las Vegas, the Fremont Street Experience (FSE) is home to a large pedestrian mall and attractions which span five blocks of the historic Fremont Street. Home to several of Las Vegas’ ‘firsts’ (such as its first hotel and paved street), the FSE also hosts free concerts, a light and sound show and a zipline which we know your students will love.