Travel & tourism school trips to East Coast USA

An icon in Washington DC’s skyline and a significant symbol of the American Revolution, the Washington Monument was built to commemorate the first President of the United States, George Washington. The monument is both the world’s tallest stone structure and the world’s tallest obelisk, and offers the perfect setting for discussions with your school group on United States history.

Home to Washington DC’s most iconic monuments, consider the Washington National Mall your base for sightseeing on your school trip. Here, you’ll find landmarks such as the Lincoln Memorial, the US Capitol building and the White House, as well as the world-famous Smithsonian museums, offering your students a range of learning opportunities to fit in with any curriculum objectives.

Students can learn about the complexities of the United States’ justice system with a visit to the Supreme Court, which is the highest federal court in the United States. Walk around the courtroom and first and ground floors of the Supreme Court Building as you build your group’s understanding of this independent branch of the government, which has ultimate jurisdiction over all federal and state court cases involving issues of federal law.

Home to nearly six decades of civil rights demonstrations, including Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous ‘I Have a Dream’ speech in 1963, the Lincoln Memorial is a must-see for any school group visit to Washington DC. The statue of the iconic President Abraham Lincoln will give your students an insight as to how Lincoln, who was a civil rights activist during the American Civil War, became one of America’s greatest heroes.

The largest military graveyard in the world, Arlington National Cemetery’s rolling hills mark the final resting place for more than 14,000 veterans – including those that fought in the American Civil War. As well as an opportunity to learn about war on US soil, school groups can also build on their understanding of the Confederacy; the cemetery is established on the estate of Mary Anna Curtis Lee – wife of prominent Confederate general Robert E. Lee.

Visit the oldest federal cultural institution in the US with this excursion, which serves as the research arm of the United States Congress. The site is the largest library in the world and contains incredibly important works from American history. While you’re there, don’t forget to seek out the rough draft of the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson.

A symbol of the American people and their government, the Capitol Building is the meeting place of the nation's legislature. Visit here, and give your students the opportunity to learn about the characteristics of the House and the Senate. If you’re lucky, you might even catch the meeting of the United States Congress in session.

Take a photo at one of the most famous and important buildings in the United States with this excursion, where students can learn about the history and political power of the US. Known as ‘The People’s House’, the White House has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800, and is steeped in history.

One of the undisputed icons of New York, Brooklyn Bridge offers incredible vistas that we’ve seen stun countless school groups. While the view from Manhattan is likely to take your students’ breath away, we recommend venturing on to the world’s first steel suspension bridge to enjoy the sights of the city, its twinkling lights reflected against the East River.

The place where bright lights, shopping, and shows collide, Times Square is a bustling amalgamation of the New York seen on screens, providing an unforgettable experience for your students. Spot yellow taxi cabs, soaring skyscrapers and street entertainment in this thriving heart of the Theater District, which draws around 50 million visitors each year.

Enjoy the spectacular views of the Empire State Building's 86th Floor Observation Deck with this fantastic excursion, which is one of our favourites here at Equity. Inside, school groups can also explore the landmark’s brand new galleries, which are complete with interactive exhibitions around the building’s construction and engineering.

A familiar setting of so many famous film scenes, Grand Central Station is one of the most recognisable train terminals in the world. With a guided walking tour of the station, school groups will learn about the creation, evolution and restoration of this iconic terminal. Be sure not to miss the Whispering Gallery, which is famed for its acoustic properties.

Housing a mind boggling collection of almost 200,000 pieces of artwork, The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York plays a fundamental role in the collecting and development of modern art in the United States. We can’t wait to see your students’ eyes light up with inspiration here, as they set their sights on famous art pieces such as Van Gogh’s The Starry Night, Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans, and The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali.

Let us take you to the largest art museum in the States, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (also known as The Met), which has a permanent collection containing more than two million works of art. With works representing Western, African, Asian, Oceanian, Byzantine, Islamic art and more, there’s plenty to inspire your students. Highly recommended by Equity staff.

Located inside the 9/11 Memorial Gardens, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum commemorates the horrific terrorist attacks at the Twin Towers in 2001, which killed almost 3,000 people. Students can contemplate the museum’s collection of more than 40,000 images, 14,000 artifacts, 3,500 audio recordings and more than 500 hours of video – each surrounding the deadliest terror attack in human history.

One of the world’s most recognised green spaces, Central Park brings scenes from the silver screen to life with its tree-lined walkways guiding visitors through fields, European-style gardens and a lake – among other glorious features. Do as New Yorkers do and lounge on Sheep Meadow (the perfect spot for a lunch break) or head to Central Park Zoo to prompt unforgettable experiences in nature for your students.

Take this 75 minute tour through Manhattan and get ready to enjoy a unique experience of light and sound. Your ride on board this multi-million dollar coach is complete with 40 plasma screens and 3000 LED lights, providing a movable theatre using the sights of NYC and street performances. Performing arts students will love the Flash Mob option – allowing them to perform in front of thousands in the centre of New York.

On a Hershey's Sweet Educational tour, your group will first be divided in half to allow more focused learning opportunities about one of North America's most popular chocolatiers. While one half is toured around by a guide, the other half of your group will be guided to make their own Hershey's chocolate products, or shop Hershey’s merchandise. They'll then swap over, so each student has equal time to explore the wonderful world of Hershey's.

One of the largest museums within the Smithsonian complex, the American History Museum houses more than three million artifacts, displayed through a variety of permanent and temporary exhibits. With areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military interest all covered in this prominent insight into American history, we guarantee each of your students will find something they’re captivated by in the museum archives.

Holding the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world, the National Air and Space Museum is also a centre for research into spaceflight and the science of aviation. We’ve seen school groups captivated by the museum’s exhibits, as theories around planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics encourage their imaginations.