Off the top of your head, what US sites would you imagine on the Forbes list of most visited?  The big flashy ones with commercials about how they make your dreams come true?  The ocean?  The mountains?  Number 23 on the list is hardly flashy and doesn’t boast either of these breathtaking natural wonders.  Still, one could argue that without it, America would be far less believing when it comes to the pursuit of our dreams.  It’s Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia, and it too made the list for favorite tourist attractions in the entire country.

The park is best known for the Liberty Bell.  It’s a national symbol of our freedom, something we understand from a very young age as the foundation for almost everything else we can choose, express, and pursue in our great nation.  A lot of legend surrounds the famous bell.  A story once suggested it was rung to announce the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.  Certainly it’s inscription celebrates  freedom, getting its name from the words proclaiming “liberty to all who live in this land.”  

The bell used to hang in Independence Hall, another important attraction in this national park.  Independence Hall is called the birthplace of our government.  It was the site for the signing of the Declaration of Independence – a fact that easily led to the legend about the Liberty Bell’s most important announcement – and the proceedings that led to our Constitution.  A tour of the building leads you directly into this all-important assembly room where George Washington himself presided from a seat now call the “rising sun.”

These sites are the most famous in the park and beautiful additions to Philadelphia educational tours.  But there are several more amazing historical sites in the park as well, including Franklin Court.  An abstract sculpture represents one of Franklin’s homes and signals the group of other Franklin sites showcasing his history, inventions, and pivotal contribution to Philadelphia as well as the nation as a whole.  

And still, this is just the beginning.  Independence National Historic Park is frequented by Americans every day because it’s foundational to everything we are – and that’s a claim to fame worth witnessing for yourself.

(photo by motleypixel on Flickr)

Forbes Traveler online has compiled the top 25 most visited tourist attractions in America.  And tons of sites made the list that we send students to all year long!  We’ve been recognizing their value for educational and student tours since our company was founded – and for the next couple weeks we’ll highlight them.  If you don’t have them on your list of must-see student attractions already, you will soon.  

The number one most visited tourist attraction in America (although I’m really not sure how they calculate this one; it’s not like there’s a ticket gate) is Times Square in New York City.  The Big Apple made the list three times, and I’ll highlight each of these great NYC attractions this week.

I know you’re familiar at least with the concept of Times Square.  It’s the most recognizable intersection in the entire country with its giant digital billboards famous around the world.  Whether or not you dream of being here on New Year’s Eve for the famous ball drop could easily separate one personality type from another.  Still, throughout the year Times Square is a great attraction for New York City student tours.  Good Morning America films there each morning.  It’s home to several Broadway theaters, Toys R Us, Virgin Records, and a Hershey’s store.  You’ll also find two unique and amazing museums in Times Square, Ripley’s Believe it or Not and Madame Tussaud’s wax museum – the one place in New York City you’re guaranteed to get a photo with your favorite celebrity.  All of this makes it extremely popular for student travel and, according to Forbes, the number one choice for American travel in general!

(photo by OliverN5 on Flickr)

It’s one of the top ten visited attractions in the whole United States and certainly at the top of the list for amazing museums.  The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has everything you want in New York City student tours – educational value, history, inspiration, culture, relevance, and art.

First and foremost an art museum, the Met puts its pieces in the context of history, giving you a two for one in educational value.  Its collections span the ages and the globe with pieces from Ancient Egypt, Europe, and more.  You know to expect world famous paintings inside, but the museum has other extensive collections as well, including sculptures, an armor gallery, costumes, and a historical display of musical instruments.

The Met is beautifully situated next to Central Park.  Together they have enough to offer for an entire day of activity – and much more than one if you’re thorough.  It’s simply one of the best museums in the world and absolutely perfect for student tours.

(Photo by OliverN5 on Flickr)

It’s difficult not to feature the Smithsonian Institution yet again in our list of amazing museums for students, because they have so many facilities to choose from.  This one is a must-see attraction for Washington D.C. student tours.

This museum showcases an innate human desire – that of flight and discovery even as it extends to the far reaches of space.  The museum celebrates that desire by displaying and discussing the accomplishments we’ve made so far – from the Spirit of St. Louis (pictured here by Brian Finifter on Flickr) to the plane created by the Wright brothers and every innovative step beyond.

This museum captures beautifully the American spirit to explore and to invent even in the face of near impossibility and various difficulties along the way.  It is filled with air and space artifacts – a greater collection of them than any other in the world.  Students will love to see the Apollo 11 command module, actual moon rocks, and an entire exhibit devoted to the jet age.  Students today may not even realize the profound change on international travel and commerce since the invention of the jet engine.  Imagine what their own minds can create to change the future to that same degree.  The inspiration they’ll receive from this amazing museum is a brilliant place to start. 

Everyone loves a great success story – like that of the human invention of flight – and everyone appreciates the mysterious – like the limitless boundaries of space.  The Air and Space Museum celebrates them both, educating and inspiring as they go, and will therefore thrill each and every visitor who steps aboard.

The American Museum of Natural History was featured in the Ben Stiller film, Night at the Museum.  In it, the figures in the exhibits come alive at night.  Although you needn’t worry that will happen on your visit (since it only happens after hours and all), this museum is the place for making history come alive to you.

If you’ve seen the movie – well, you haven’t seen anything yet.  There is so much more contained in this complex than any one movie could feature.  As expected (and briefly described in the movie, the museum contains all kinds of dioramas with mammals, ocean life, and everyone’s favorite prehistoric mysteries.  You’ll find a whale suspended above your head and stand next to a stampede of elephants from the savannah.  And that’s just the beginning of the amazing animal displays throughout.

The museum also tells the stories of human cultures throughout our rich and varied history.  The museum is four floors, each giving yet another glimpse at how much we’ve discovered about our earth and how we’ve lived in it throughout time.  Temporary exhibits keep the museum’s collection fresh and unique throughout the year.

Another exciting thing about this museum is the Rose Center for Earth and Space with the Hayden Planetarium.  The power of this visual masterpiece – combined with sound and lights – transports you to the depths of space where you can learn about astronomy, experience the developing of our earth from the theoretical Big Bang to now, and live right in the midst of all kinds of other scientific understanding about earth and space.  It’s not a movie theater – it’s a sound, lights, and virtual effects cocoon, and you’re going to want to be here for every single experience it offers. 

The American Museum of Natural History also has an IMAX theater – another thrilling way to experience the educational wonders offered by this amazing museum.

I haven’t tipped the iceberg as far as the sheer amount of displays in this museum that will astound and inspire you.  This museum is absolutely perfect for New York City student tours and should be added to any list of must-see U.S. museums.

(photo of Rose Center by adam.riggall on Flickr)

I don’t know why the Smithsonian Institution makes the names of their museums such a mouthful.  It sort of sets them up as something no student would ever willingly enter.  Like a textbook between walls.  But that would be such a misconception.  The Smithsonian’s museum of natural  history is more like the universe between walls.  It is full of wonders – large and small – that make our planet amazing.  Things no one person could discover on their own.  The building is recognizable by its warm, green dome, and by the time you leave you’ll understand how the color of life so perfectly represents the spirit of our earth.

The fascination you feel from the moment you enter this beautiful museum might surprise you.  The exhibitions are filled with details about our earth and our natural history that you have not even imagined.  You’ll discover natural treasure from the land and the sea as well as our unique human connection to them throughout our history.  We all find ocean life to be somewhat of a mystery, and the museum has exhibits that shed some light on that expansive part of our globe.  But the land has mysteries as well – especially when you consider its full history.  You’ll be shocked and amazed by the curious gem stones gathered from our earth.  And surely you’ll join other visitors in finding the results of our combined research about dinosaurs one of the most fascinating in the museum.

But not all wonders are oversized.  The museum’s collection includes millions of insects and plants carefully preserved for you to discover their complexities for yourself.  The museum explores every aspect of our soil and helps us navigate the atmosphere, which protects our planet with its perfect, miraculous balance.

The temporary exhibitions in this museum uncover all kinds of mysteries.  You’ll find something new here every time you visit.  It’s a beautiful museum that will open your eyes to the wonders all around you, and it is perfect for Washington D.C. student tours.

(Photo of the Science on a Sphere exhibit by woodleywonderworks on flickr).

Are you ready for the first attraction in our list of fascinating museums perfect for student tours?  This is the Field Museum, and it is part of a museum complex in Chicago’s Grant Park that includes two other world-class museums.  You may remember Grant Park as the setting for President Obama’s historic election night victory speech.  It is considered Chicago’s front yard, and together with that history and three amazing museums, it is an excellent choice for Chicago student tours.

The Field Museum was named for one of its benefactors.  You can see from this photo (by DanJBailey on Flickr) that the building itself is somewhat breathtaking, and that is just the reaction students get from some of the amazing exhibits inside.  Right now until October of this year, student will love the exhibit into the fascinating world of pirates.  The museum is also famous for Sue, the most complete, most famous fossilized T-rex in the world.  Other once-living legends at the Field Museum include Bushman, a gorilla who lived in Lincoln Park Zoo – one of the oldest zoos in the nation – and the infamous Tsavo lions that once terrorized East Africa (brought to film in The Ghost and the Darkness with Val Kilmer).

Further permanent exhibits include Bird Habitats, Animals of Africa, and Animal Biology.  Plus, the museum offers amazing temporary exhibits throughout the year.  You can check out their website to learn exactly what they’ll be offering when you’re in town.  The Field Museum makes every exhibit a beautiful way for a student to experience scientific discovery.  I guarantee they’ll be fascinated, but you may even find they’ve been inspired – in which case the future just gained another valuable scientist or two.  Do not miss that opportunity – nor the chance to visit this powerful museum and complete  world-class museum complex.

We’re headed into baseball season for my little leaguers, which I guess explains the on-deck analogy – the point being that I wanted to give you a heads up on what the blog will highlight next week.

This is a picture (by Boobooo on Flickr) of the amazing Guggenheim art museum in New York City.  This building is a masterpiece in and of itself.  You begin your tour on the elevator that takes you to the top.  From there you descend this spiraling hallway to view the various galleries.  As you read our blog, you’ll notice over and over again how different creative and scientific teams work together to create the places we all love to see.  I can just imagine the artistic bent in the designer and architect of this building – it probably rivals that of the artists featured inside.

There are so many fields in which you can excel if you find interest in them, grow in knowledge about them, and pursue them with all your heart.  Student tours are a great way to get out there and discover what it is about the world that excites and inspires you.  in which glorious corner of it do you want to play a part?  Will you paint or write songs?  Will you invent tomorrow’s greatest innovation or make awesome scientific discoveries in medical research?  When you travel you open your mind to it all, leaving room for all kinds of inspirational magic.

Next week on the blog we’ll highlight some of the most inspirational museums in the country.  They’ll span several great cities for educational tours.  You’ll soon discover there are very few things you can’t learn more about in some museum somewhere.  Hopefully, we’ll change your entire perspective on them!

Welcome to an exciting blog in which we convince you just how amazing it is to take your student peers outside of the classroom to discover the big, wide world.  

This blog will take you front and center to live shows around the country that you don’t want to miss.  We’ll highlight the best cities for student travel destinations.  We’ll showcase the attractions that make each city great.  And we’ll dangle before you all the incomparable thrills of student travel, so that you can’t wait to get out there and experience it for yourself.

Pictured here is Grant Park where our country’s newest president gave his victory speech on the 2008 historic election night.  Did you know Grant Park is known as Chicago’s front yard?  And that it contains one of the most popular museum complexes in the country?  These are kind of discoveries you’ll make every day on our blog as you celebrate with us the awesome opportunities for student travel.  Check back soon for more exciting attractions.  And feel free to leave specific questions in the comments section!  Not sure what student travel is all about or how to begin?  This is the place to find out!

(Photo of Grant Park by jetzenpolis on Flickr).