Day Trips, New York Metro Area

 

ONE DAY TOURS BIG APPLE

Broadway and Off-Broadway
See the best shows with discounted prices. Ask us about our Broadway Gives Back campaign to receive 5% back to your school*! Packages include other NYC attractions, guided tours, and lunch or dinner. Add a hands-on theatre workshop to the package to enhance the theater experience. Workshops are available in all aspects of theatre production.

Lower Manhattan/ 911 Memorial & Museum
The tour begins with a ride down the “Canyon of Heroes”. A stop at the famous “bull” at Bowling Green is an ideal photo opportunity. We then visit Battery Park, the “sphere” and eternal flame from the World Trade Center tower. A visit to 911 Memorial follows and the long awaited new 9/11 Museum. Our lunch break is at nearby restaurants, or bring your own lunch. We then board the Zephyr for a one hour cruise.

Financial New York
This constantly evolving tour took a giant step the end of 2006, with the opening of the Museum of American Fiance(formerly Financial History) at the former band of New York Building on Wall Street. Permament and changing exhibits dedicated to the democratic free market and entrepreneurship highlight the visit. After lunch break visit the Gild Vault, fifty feet below sea level, at the Federal Reserve.

Liberty Island
Our One If By Land tour escort guides you through Liberty Island. Tour narration begins at your school. Bring a bag lunch, or eat at the concessions. Tour of Battery Park, ferry ticket, and a narrated tour is included. A visit to “911 Memorial” can also be included. When the National Immigration Museum opens it will be an added addition to this already historically inspiring tour.

New York Mosaic
This tour offers a new twist on an old theme. A visit to three vibrant neighborhoods-Little Italy, the Jewish Lower Eastside and Chinatown now include visits to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, the Shrine of St Anthony, a walking tour, and a Chinese or Italian Feast. (Luncheon may be eliminated)

The Immigrant Experience
The tour combines Liberty Island with a tour of either the Jewish Lower East Side, Chinatown or Little Italy. An optional luncheon in Little Italy or Chinatown can be provided. The museum of Jewish Heritage can be substituted. Admission to the Tenement Museum is included.

New York’s Finest and Bravest
The tour offers student a great opportunity to understand the history and hard work of the police and firefighters of New York City. Experience FDNYC from it’s early day to the first permanent memorial dedicted to the 343 members who lost their lives on 9-11 at the NYC Fire Museum. Visit NYC Police Museum at it’s current temporary location it will give students a thick slice of true-crime Americana from Al Capone’s sub machine gun, to a high-tech video training system for police. Experience five hundreds of artifacts, such as mug shots, uniforms and a vintage “Car 54”.

Dance Around The Island
Board the Spirit of New York or your private charter for a DJ dance cruise around Manhattan. Your three-hour private cruise includes a DJ and catered meal. Choose a ship and a meal to meet your group size and budget. The cruise is ideal alone, as a prom or combined with other “Big Apple” attractions.

Classic Midtown Manhattan
A guided tour of the United Nations is followed by a visit to the Empire State Building. Take the Skyride simulating a helicopter ride around Manhattan. After the unique experience, we take a ride to the observation deck for a panoramic view.

Rockefeller Center Experience
Our visit to “30 Rock” is both exciting and self-contained. Spend the entire time at attractions of the GE Building, or venture out to 5th Avenue. Our tour begins with a ride to the “Top of the Rock” observation decks of Rockefeller Center. With it’s one of a kind view on three observation decks, exhibits, and a multi-media shows are all available to you! Lunch break is at the concourse shops. After Lunch visit the Nintendo Zone, take a walk through the “Channel” or St Patrick’s Cathedral. NBC Studio Tour Closed for renovations.

Uptown Renaissance
Visit Harlem, America’s most celebrated African-American neighborhood. Our specialist boards your coach and leads you through an area rich in culture and history. The experience includes a guided tour of the Apollo Theatre, a visit to Abyssinian Baptist Church, a tour of the Morris-Jummel Mansion. A luncheon at a famous soul food restaurant is included.

 

ONE DAY TOURS – THE BOROUGHS

QUEENS

Queens for a Day – Louis Armstrong House Museum and Museum of the Moving Image

We visit two gems in Queens – The Louis Armstrong House Museum and the Museum of the Moving Image. A docent guides us through the home of the famous “Satchmo” as we learn about jazz through various decades and Louis Armstrong’s vital contribution. A few minutes away from the Louis Armstrong House Museum is the Museum of the Moving Image. Housed in the former Kaufman Astoria Studios, the interactive museum focuses on the art, history, technique and technology of film, television, and digital media. We go behind the scenes where students may record their own movements as a sequence of still photographs that can be printed out and made into a flipbook; create their own stop-motion animations, which they can save and email; record their voices over dialogue from a film, following the same procedure that actors use when dubbing their lines in post-production; choose sound effects to add to the images of well-known movies and television shows; add music to scenes from movies, and to experience how music affects mood and tone.

 

Kings of Queens- Citi Field and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center

Citi Field Tours offer fans an insider’s look at the home ballpark of the New York Mets, allowing access to many restricted, non-public areas. Highlights include the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, a view of the productions control room, club spaces, the press box, a suite visit, the warning track on the field, the dugout, the bullpens, the Mets clubhouse, the press conference room, the Mets Hall of Fame & Museum, and more. We take the ramp from Citi Field and enjoy a sixty to ninety minute behind-the-scenes guided walking tour of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open, the world’s highest-attended annual sporting event. Take advantage of a once in a lifetime peek inside exclusive Players’ areas and experience the world of pro tennis through the eyes of the athletes and sports journalists.

 

Queens Connected – The New York Hall of Science and the Queens Zoo

With 100,000 plus square feet of indoor exhibition space, NYSCI (New York Hall of Science) presents more than 450 interactive displays that explain science and demystify the world. Explore ideas such as ecology, connected systems, sustainability and climate change through works created by artist-and-scientist teams. Discover South America’s spectacled bears or the smallest deer species before getting up-close with domestic animals at the Queens Zoo. View magnificent birds of the Western Hemisphere at the Aviary and feed the animals at the farm. The world is connected at these two venues.

 

BRONX

Bronx Tale – Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Zoo

Experience the Home of Baseball’s Most Storied Franchise! Tour Yankee Stadium and absorb the rich history of the 27-time World Series Champions. Visit iconic locations such as Monument Park, get up close to historic baseball artifacts and familiarize yourself with Yankee Stadium events which go beyond baseball. Each tour is led by a knowledgeable tour guide to ensure everyone’s trip to Yankee Stadium is complete. After the tour we head to Arthur Avenue (iconic Italian section) for lunch. After lunch we visit the Bronx Zoo. The Bronx Zoo, the Wildlife Conservation Society’s flagship park, opened on November 8, 1899. Since then, the zoo has created a unique window into the natural world for city dwellers in the heart of the Bronx – and serves as a springboard and hub for conservation efforts across the entire planet.

 

BROOKLYN

Rebirth of Nostalgic Coney Island – New York Aquarium and Luna Park

The New York Aquarium is the oldest continually operating aquarium in the United States, located on the Riegelmann Boardwalk in Coney Island. It was founded at Castle Garden in Battery Park, in 1896, and moved to Coney Island in 1957. The facility occupies 14 acres and boasts 266 species of aquatic wildlife. Its mission is to raise public awareness about issues facing the ocean and its inhabitants with special exhibits, public events and research. Just up the street from the New York Aquarium is Luna Park. – the name of an amusement park that opened on May 29, 2010, at the site of Astroland, an amusement park that had been in operation from 1962 to 2008, and Dreamland, which operated at the site in 2009. Enjoy some of the coolest rides, games, and attractions on the boardwalk.

 

Ships, and Buses, and Trains – Building 92 and the New York Transit Museum

The Brooklyn Navy Yard was once the nation’s most storied naval shipbuilding facility, which for over 150 years built and launched America’s most famous fighting ships, including the USS Maine, USS Arizona, and USS Missouri. The Yard also served as an important point of the passage, home, and workplace for countless veterans as they served our country. Once abandoned, the Yard is a vibrant economic location. Building 92 Building houses the permanent exhibition Brooklyn Navy Yard: Past, Present & Future. Building 77 house a fabulous food court. The Transit Museum is located in a decommissioned subway station at 99 Schermerhorn Street Brooklyn, NY 11201, and accessible by over 20 bus and subway lines. The entrance to the Museum is down two flights of stairs. A second, wheelchair-accessible entrance is located on the corner of Schermerhorn and Court Streets. Visitors can board the vintage cars, sit at the wheel of a city bus, step through a time tunnel of turnstiles, and explore changing exhibits that highlight the cultural, social and technological history – and future – of mass transit.

 

OUTDOOR EDUCATION & RECREATION

DreamWorks Water Park
An indoor water park within the American Dream shopping and entertainment complex, at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. The park opened on October 1, 2020. The water park includes 40 water slides and 15 attractions, and covers 8.5 acres. Full packages for a hour visit including a one hour buffet are available.

Club Getaway
This unique venue in Kent, Connecticut (2 hr. from NYC) provides the ideal positive outdoor experience Skills such as team building, cooperative leaning, self-awareness, decision making and leadership are taught through safe and supervised adventure programming. A professional staff leads a structured program throughout the 300 acres sports resort. Nature hikes, scavenger hunts and orienteering are combined with a DJ dance party and a barbeque lunch.

Pocono Valley
The Pocono Valley Company plans a full day of activities for the students. The day’s events include obstacle course, rock climbing, zip lining, basketball, volleyball, tennis, softball, disco and lunch. In the case of poor weather, there is an outdoor sports facility and indoor theatre with a giant television screen and a large movie library.

Great Wolf Lodge
Your Great Wolf Lodge Poconos adventure begins in the massive, 84-degree indoor water park. Splash the day away in over 79,000 square feet of water-packed excitement, including jaw dropping slides for thrill seekers or zero depth entry areas for little ones. A catered lunch inside the lodge is also included with package.

Six Flags Great Adventure
In Jackson, New Jersey (about one and a half hours from New York City) you will find over 1,100 acres of family entertainment, state of the art thrill rides, water rides, arcades, and first class shows. Catered picnics are available.

Dorney Park/ Wildwater Kingdom
A short 2 ½ hour drive from NYC to Allentown, PA and you will find the heritage of over 100 years of fun and excitement. Dorney is a classic, user-friendly family park. Enjoy the thrill rides, arcades, entertainment venues, and a full water park!

Hershey Park
While it takes a little longer to get to Hershey (3 1/2 hrs. from NYC) the ride is worth it! Students enjoy great land and water rides and quality high-energy shows in a safe environment. A visit to Chocolate World is free of charge and is a fun prelude to the day at the park. Hershey offers excellent catering options as well.

 

ONE DAY TOURS PENNSYLVANIA

Philadelphia
Our Philadelphia walking tour uses Independence National Historic Park to trace the footsteps of our colonial heritage. The tour has been greatly enhanced by the opening of the National Constitution Center. Tour highlights include a guided tour of Independence Hall, brief film and exhibits at the Liberty Bell Pavilion, a visit to Betsy Ross House, and Elfreth’s Alley (the oldest continuing neighborhood in America). Bring or buy your lunch at the Bourse or the National Constitution Center.

Philadelphia Liberty
Combine the highlights of the historical Philadelphia tour with the exciting National Liberty Museum. There are four floors of galleries including “Heroes of Liberty”: tributes to courage from the Founding Fathers to heroes of 9-11, “Coming to America”: The Immigration Story, and the 30 foot Flame of Liberty sculpture.

Philadelphia/ Franklin Institutes
Our most popular tour outside of New York City incorporates Historic Philadelphia and the National Constitution Center, with the excitement of the hands-on experience at the Franklin Institute Science Museum. See live exhibitions, go online, or solve problems with state of the art computers. The self-guided visit is highlights by Omnimax presentation. (May be eliminated)

Philadelphia’s African American Heritage
Your tour includes Historic Philadelphia with an emphasis on African American history. Visit the Liberty Bell, the All Wars Memorial to Colored Soldiers, and the Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church. After a lunch break visit the African American Museum.

Amish Experience
Our visit to the “plain people” begins with “Jacob’s Choice” at the Amish Experience Theatre. Students can relate to Jacob, an Amish teenager, who faces the choice of becoming a modernized American or remaining in his community as an Amish adult. After the high-tech presentation, our local guide joins us for a tour of the farmlands and attractions of Lancaster County. We conclude the day with a Pennsylvania Dutch family-style meal at Plain & Fancy Farm. Buggy rides, pretzel factories and one room school house visits are options that can easily be added to the tour.

Gettysburg
A one-day journey into civil war history is packed with attractions. The day trip includes a film and diorama at the visitor’s center, a tour of the battlefield with local guide; “Mr. Lincoln Returns” a monologue by Abraham Lincoln look alike. A luncheon buffet is also included in the tour package.

 

ONE DAY TOURS CONNECTICUT

Maritime Aquarium
The beautiful Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk features an Aquarium, IMAX Theater, and Maritime Museum under one roof. Only one hour from NYC, it is an ideal all-season attraction. Special workshop programs can be arranged at a small additional fee.

Mystic Seaport
The Seaport Museum offers 17 acres of historic homes, waterfront trade buildings and famous sailing vessels. A whaling movie and exhibition are also scheduled. Special educational hands-on programs may also be combined with a guided tour of the Nuclear Submarine Nautilus Museum.

Mystic Seaport/ Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration
With a multi-million dollar expansion the Mystic Marine Life Aquarium becomes a “world class” attraction. Watch the feeding of the sea lions or sharks, observe the habitat of many species of fish, and top it off with everybody’s favorite, “The Dolphin Show”, after your morning at Mystic Seaport.

Essex Valley Steam Train & Riverboat
Relive history as you travel aboard the Connecticut Valley Steam Line Steam Train. Next board the steamboat for a ride on the unspoiled Connecticut River. Finally, we visit the mysterious Gillette Castle.

 

ONE DAY TOURS BALTIMORE

Baltimore
A “Star Spangled” day awaits you at one of the finest cities on the East Coast. A day trip to Baltimore may include a flag folding at Fort McHenry (where the Star Spangled Banner was conceived), a visit to the Maryland Science Center with the Imax Theatre, the National Aquarium, and some time at the Inner Harbor restoration.

The African-American in Maryland
For the study of African American in Maryland One If By Land offers two choices; The Underground Railroad, or the African-American Heritage tour. Our local specialist boards our coach for a three hour tour of the highlights of the Underground Railroad to include Hamden Mansion, Freeman Bureaus School and Havre de Grace. Our local guide in Baltimore provides students with an appreciation of the rich contributions of African Americans from their earliest lives to the present. After each tour we visit the Great Blacks in Wax Museum in Baltimore. Time at the Inner Harbor will also be part of the day’s itinerary. A choice of buffer or theme restaurant can be included in the tour.

 

ONE DAY TOURS NEW JERSEY

Medieval Times
Return to the days of knights and ladies-in-waiting. Cheer on your favorite’s knight through his series of contests. While you enjoy the action, kitchen wenches serve you a medieval banquet. The indoor arena guarantees performances regardless of weather. Extended programs with banners, discos, and DVD’s are available.

Liberty Science Center Discovery Challenge
The Liberty Science Center re-opened with the slogan: “The lifelong exploration of nature, humanity, and technology begins here.” There are dozens of all new hi-tech interactive exhibits such as “Skyscraper”, “Infection Connection”, and “Eat and Be Eaten”. Combine your visit with an IMAX or Digital 3-D film. Some schools may want to combine the visit with Medieval Times just minutes away.

Medieval Times/ Statue of Liberty
After experiencing the excitement of Medieval Times, your motorcoach takes you to Liberty State Park where you board the ferry to Liberty Island. Your One If By Land guide conducts a tour of the island, admission to the Statue of Liberty is included. Return via ferry to Battery Park or Liberty State Park, where your coach awaits.

 

ONE DAY TOURS MASSACHUSETTS

Sturbridge Village
Discover rural New England when the nation was young. The hands-on educational program is equal to the beauty of the 20 acres of the woods and meadows. Choose a workshop for the morning and after lunch, browse the restored village on your own.

Basketball Hall of Fame
Just a short drive from NY the The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is a fantastic destination for everyone from lifelong basketball fans to the families with children who are just beginning to explore the world’s most popular sport. The Hall of Fame is located in “The Birthplace of Basketball”, beautiful Springfield, Massachusetts. It houses nearly three hundred inductees and more than 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Hundreds of interactive exhibits share the spotlight with skills challenges, live clinics, and shooting contests. Lunch can be included as a stop on the way home.

 

ONE DAY TOURS NY STATE

Capitol New York
A visit to the New York State Capital includes a guided tour of the State Legislature and a hands on workshop with film at the New York State Museum. Don’t miss the “911: exhibit! A ride on the Albany Aqua Ducks, a visit to the Schuyler Mansion, or the Vietnam Memorial may also be included.

Albany/ Howe Caverns
Share the day between our State Capital and an exciting tour of Howe Caverns. The Caverns tour includes the popular boat ride, as well as a walking tour.

West Point/ Hyde Park
We begin the day with a guided tour of the United States Military Academy. Time and space allowance is provided for the picnic overlooking the Hudson. After lunch we visit the F.D.R. Home/ Museum.

Historic Hudson Valley
Travel only one hour and visit Sunnyside the restored home and garden of the 19th Century, American Author Washington Irving. Next, return to the 17th Century Trading Center at the Phillipsburg Manor, where an operating gristmill and other period demonstrations are ongoing.