What trip is better for student groups, NYC and Washington DC or NYC and Boston ? (Reviews/Ratings/Pricing)
Trip leaders and their students love educational travel to New York and Washington DC or New York and Boston. Which trip provides students a better travel experience?
A student travel program should be educational and exciting. Trip leaders want to make the best decisions for their student travel program. That's why we created this guide so that trip leaders can make the most informed decisions for their student travel program.
We've evaluated the following destination cities for student groups:
Educational Trips in New York and Washington DC
Educational Trips in New York and Boston
Group travel itinerary categories:
Pros/Cons/Best time to travel
Price Rankings
Middle School/High School Rankings
Best of the 3-day itinerary, 5-day itinerary, and 7-day itinerary Rankings
Key Takeaways
Conclusions
Educational Tours in NYC and Washington DC
Pros
Student travel programs in Washington DC and New York are the perfect balance of educational travel experiences and fun. Seeing the monuments, memorials, and museums in Washington DC and the bright lights, tall buildings, and Broadway shows in New York is a trip students will never forget.
Fun, Energy - New York and Washington DC are exciting cities for student travel programs. Students and trip leaders love seeing the monuments, memorials, and museums in Washington DC. Students can imagine the possibilities and feel inspired when learning about influential leaders in our Nation's Capital. Some memorable group travel spots in DC are the White House, Arlington National Cemetery, the US Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and the Korean War and Vietnam Veterans Memorials. Take your motorcoach or a water taxi to experience George Washington's home in Mount Vernon. Add some fun evening activities like river cruises, professional sporting events, a ghost tour in Alexandria, or interactive bowling for a fun and energetic trip to Washington DC.
New York is a vibrant city for educational travel programs. Watching your students experience New York is a sight that you will never forget. Eat a memorable meal in Chinatown or Little Italy. Travel to midtown and view the New York skyline from the Empire State Building. The Big Apple is a 10/10 on energy and fun for student groups.
Monuments and Memorials -
Get a bird's eye view of Washington DC from the Washington Monument's observation deck. The World war ii memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. memorial and the FDR Memorial inspire you and your students.
Manhattan's 9/11 Memorial & Museum will move you and your students.
Museums - Washington DC is home to nearly 100 museums, many of which are free. Take a stroll down the National Mall and choose between over a dozen free Smithsonian museums. Trip leaders have the freedom and options to select museums based on the group's interests. You and your students will never forget seeing the Declaration of Independence and Constitution at the National Archives. When visiting the US Capitol, don't miss excellent opportunities to see the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress.
Some STEM favorites include the National Air and Space Museum(s) (Washington DC and Chantilly), National Museum of Natural History, National Zoo, and National Geographic Museum. Groups love the African American History Museum, National Museum of the American Indian, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. DC is the very best place for students to experience museums.
New York has terrific museums for school groups. The Museum of Natural History, The Tenement Museum, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) have excellent educational workshops to add to the museum's experience. Enjoy sightseeing of the Statue of Liberty, and be sure not to miss the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. For groups that focus on Art, New York is an excellent place for museums. If a student travel program is not focused on art, New York has fewer museum options than Washington DC.
Perhaps this is what makes traveling to New York and Washington DC so unique. Where Washington DC has monuments, memorials, and museums covered, New York has culture and fun taken care of.
Food - Both Washington DC and New York have excellent food. Washington DC and surrounding areas have the space and volume of student groups to support group-friendly dining. New York has several student-friendly restaurants. Most are in Times Square with pockets in Little Italy and adjacent areas. A student travel company should incorporate the area's unique cuisine into meal choices. When on the East Coast, experience eating like an East Coaster!
Hotels
Washington DC hotels accommodate groups of any size and budget. Most DC area hotels include an American Breakfast in a ballroom setting. Book hotel accommodations in the city or just outside the district. Be sure to stay near an HOV lane entrance to ensure less traffic heading into DC in the morning.
Staying in New York typically falls into one of three categories. Staying in Times Square, Staying outside of Times Square and near a subway stop, or staying across the Hudson River in New Jersey. All are good options depending on the needs and budget of your group.
Cons
STEM learning - Student travel programs in New York and Washington DC have many more history and art options than STEM. The popular STEM options in New York and Washington DC are mainly natural and engineering in nature. While STEM-focused groups can undoubtedly impact the educational experience, other destinations on the historic east coast are better.
Traffic / Crowds - New York and Washington DC are the two most crowded cities on the Historic East Coast. Travel off-peak to avoid crowds or make appointments for activities when available.
Price - Many activities in Washington DC are free. Most activities in New York are on the pricier side. Together, educational travel to New York and Washington DC is on the higher side but not the most expensive place for a group to visit.
When Is The Best Time of year for student groups to Travel to New York and Washington DC?
Travel to New York and Washington DC in the fall. Travel in the shoulder seasons of spring and fall and experience milder weather and better rates for your students.
Educational Tours in New York and Boston
Pros -
Student groups come alive in New York. Groups focused on the arts will enjoy a Broadway show and participate in a workshop at the MET. Students concentrated on history can do a deep dive into their family tree at Ellis Island or study primary sources at the New-York Historical Society. Groups that love nature can walk the Highline or meander through Central Park.
Boston has a balance of STEM and historical activities, professional sports, and colleges. See where our Founding Fathers rebelled against the British and started the American Revolution. There is something for groups of any age and interest in Boston.
Food - Satisfying the palates of student groups can be difficult. Fear not. New York and Boston restaurants are great for groups. Inside Boston's Quincy Market, there are a variety of food options. For Dinner in Boston, groups rave about the food and fun tales of the sea at their Lobster Dinner.
In New York, lunch options are Food carts, food courts, delis, and delivery. Ellen's Stardust Diner and Carmine's are two dinner favorites in New York.
Sports City -
Sports fans in the Northeast are different. Long cold winters breed fans that are passionate about their teams. New York and Boston are sports rivals, and groups love being part of the fun tradition. Watching a major league baseball game or NBA basketball game is a memory-making experience for student groups.
Colleges and universities - Students gain exposure and inspiration visiting colleges on their educational program. The Boston area is home to over 45 colleges and universities. Harvard and MIT are down the street from one another. New York offers an urban setting to some of the best universities in the world. On the bus ride from New York to Boston, plan an official visit to schools like Yale or Brown.
Museums - Selecting the right museums' increases student engagement. Here are some favorites among trip leaders and students on tour. School groups traveling in New York enjoy the Lower East Side Tenement Museums and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET), among many others. In Boston, the Freedom Trail and the Boston Tea Party and Ships Museum are two of the top museums for school groups.
Cons
Price - Boston and New York are the two most expensive cities on the Historic East Coast. Pricing is a reflection of supply and demand—both cities attract visitors from around the world. "Hey, these cities must be doing something right!" Traveling in the fall is a way to save.
Traffic / Crowds
Driving to and from New York and Boston can cause your group delays and less time to enjoy your trip. No one likes traffic or a crowd—plan to drive times to avoid traffic and make appointments to avoid unnecessary lines.
When Is The Best Time of year for student groups to Travel to New York and Boston?
Boston can experience extreme weather from late fall to early spring. Late spring to early fall is ideal times to travel in the Northeast. Plan your best trip to New York and Boston in the late spring, summer, or early fall.
Three days - (Tie)
Only three days on your trip means a day or day and a half in Washington DC and Boston. Both cities have more than enough attractions, nighttime activities, food, and fun for a day and a half. Both cities have nearly identical drive times to New York. New York and Boston's pricing is marginally more expensive than New York and Washington DC.
New York and Washington DC AND New York and Boston
Five days -
New York and Washington DC get the nod. We typically recommend 2-4 nights in Boston and 3-5 nights in Washington DC. For school groups, there are more activities in Washington DC than in Boston. A side trip to Plimoth Plantation, Salem, or a college tour is an excellent add-on while touring Boston.
New York and Washington DC
New York and Boston
Seven days -
New York and Washington DC are the best combinations for a seven-day student program to the historic east coast. See our government inaction in Washington DC. Pay tribute to the great leaders at our Nation's monuments and memorials. In New York, experience our Nation's cultural epicenter. See a show, ride the subway, be a New Yorker!
New York and Washington DC
New York and Boston
"Where should I travel with my middle school students?"
New York and Washington DC. Middle school students love the activities and connection to the curriculum in Washington DC and New York.
New York and Washington DC
"Where should I travel with my high school students?"
The winner is high school students traveling to New York and Boston. High school students enjoy visiting colleges in New York, Boston, and the places in between. Lexington and Concord highlight the high school curriculum.
New York and Boston
Key Takeaways
Avoid extreme weather and crowds. Travel to New York and Washington DC in the spring and fall. Travel to New York and Boston in the late spring to the early fall.
If budget is a concern, New York and Washington DC are slightly less expensive.
On a three-day trip, there is a relatively similar excitement and interest trip to New York and Boston as a trip to New York and Washington DC. On a 5 or 7 day trip, we recommend student groups to visit New York and Washington DC.
Conclusion
Getting the best experience for students is the foundation of a successful school trip. The number of days on tour and the trip's objective are keys to making the correct decision for your tour. And never forget the purpose of student travel is to inspire students and create lifelong memories.
Want to learn more about leading a memory-making trip with your students? Schedule a call with us. We'd love to help. Happy travels!