I’ve worked at a student travel company for a couple years now. I have been to the beautiful, the incomparable, the please-don’t-dismiss-this-place-as-only-for-honeymooners-and-old-people, Niagara Falls. And yet, I’ve only recently sealed in my mind that second “a”. It’s not NIAGRA, people.

What is it about water? It’s such a pure, simple element. And yet it has such power when you see it moving and crashing in an ocean or stampeding over cliffs like those at Niagara. Water can be such a perspective changer. It’s symbolic of refreshing and making things new. It reminds us that we don’t take up nearly all the space on earth, or even most of it. And despite our free will, our ability to use and abuse the planet without much regard for the immediate or the future, it definitely puts us in our place.

If you’re one of those who’s taken the Falls for granted as something for only those other types of vacationers, you’re not alone. I did the same thing until I was there. And all I did was stand there and look at them. So although I can tell you how amazing they appear, how small you might feel next to them, and how far away you can still feel the mist from their splashing, I can only tell you in theory all the amazing things there are to do there.

Helicopter Tours

I thought Niagara, USA, was pretty amazing from where I stood, but I can imagine it’s absolutely breathtaking from a helicopter in which you can see it from several powerful views. This is just one of the many, but perhaps the most thrilling, ways to view the Falls.

From a Boat

Niagara offers several boat tours of the Falls. Maid of the Mist is a popular one in which you’re taken close enough to need a poncho for the mist. For an even more thrilling experience, though, the Whirlpool Jet Boat Tour is an exciting choice for Niagara Falls student tours. On it you’ll travel the lower Niagara River through Class Five Rapids – a very wet and very fun experience.

Up Close and Personal

Cave of the Winds is a hike to the base of the Falls and to Hurricane Deck where the Falls cascade right over you. If the Falls look powerful from the observation decks above, imagine how powerful they feel when you’re standing under them.

For Educational Tours

Try the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center for history and interactive exhibits about the Falls through time or Power Vista to see how the Falls are used to create hyroelectric power.

And For More Fun

There’s still an amazing amount of fun in the Niagara Falls area. There’s a snow park for year-round snow-tubing, ice-skating and more. You can take a two-hour boat cruise through the Erie Canal and its lock system. There’s a cave tour with an underground boat ride, a theater adventure, and history tours with everything you ever wanted to know about Niagara Falls.

This area is a great choice for students. Both the US and Canada side have something to offer. If you see both, you’ll join in the company of those who can say which one they find prettier. But on either side, you’ll find tons of adventurous ways to discover this beautiful natural wonder.

Photo by James Marvin Phelps on Flickr.

Friends of mine (also from Missouri) were scuba diving in Hawaii one year, raving about the experience, when the instructor told them there was great snorkeling in Florida and Mexico. “You should just pop down there on the weekend every now and then,” he added in complete sincerity.

And when a natural disaster hit one part of Australia, we worried for the one person I actually knew in the country, until we discovered she was hours away from the situation. Hours and hours away.

The point is, things look closer on a map sometimes than they are in reality. And few of us can comprehend the distance from one place to another unless we’ve experienced it.

On that note, we do create several student tours that encompass more than one exciting destination. Here are three combos we often arrange and that students always enjoy. These locations actually are close enough to include in one brief trip!

New York City and Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. is a flight away for many of the groups we work with, but New York City is only a bus ride from there. These are easily the most popular cities for students, and groups love to combine them. Choose D.C. for the powerful inspiration of the monuments and memorials throughout the National Mall or for just a few of the many exciting museums there, including those comprising the Smithsonian. Then travel to New York city for the final days of your tour and enjoy Top of the Rock, Broadway performances, Central Park, and all the amazing walking tours New York City has to offer.

D.C., Williamsburg and Jamestown

Or, if you want to keep the historical/educational theme going, you may prefer adding these stops to your Washington D.C. tour. Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia is a fascinating community where costumed residents live and work as they would in colonial times. Visitors love this authentic look at life in the early 1800s. Jamestown (and Historic Jamestowne) offers reenactments and costumed guides as well showcasing the efforts of Jamestown colonists. Visitors can also see the original Jamestown as it is unearthed by archeologists. These three stops together are perfect for Washington D.C. educational student tours.

D.C., Philadelphia, and NYC

Another popular combination involves two great favorites, New York City and Washington D.C., plus the most visited spot in the nation (according to the 2009 Forbes list). Every year Americans flock to the Liberty Bell, to Independence Hall, and to Franklin Court in the city that represents the birth of our nation. And, fortunately, Philadelphia is close enough to allow for a tour that includes all three of these go-to choices for student and educational tours.

These combos are all on the east coast. Do you have other favorite destination combinations that can fit easily in 5 to 7-day tours?

Photo by wallyg on Flickr.

There are many ways to turn a leisure trip to the Big Apple into something that can officially be called New York City educational student tours. First of all, few cities come even close to offering the wealth of educational value you’ll find in New York City. Pick a theme – any theme – and Manhattan can accommodate. Take a tour of the Apollo, Harlem, and the Hip Hop Culture Center, for instance, for a fascinating black history experience put on by H3 Tours. If art is your group’s greatest interest, this City provides hours and hours of viewing and hands-on experiences in its many museums, only three of which include The Met, The Guggenheim, and the Museum of Modern Art.

Besides the the many attractions for looking back on history, art, and culture you’ve already studied – and there’s nothing like student travel to make those subjects come alive – New York is also a great choice for looking ahead. Consider this exciting destination when you want to take in a few college campuses as you’re planning for your future.

Have you heard of the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn? This college is committed to artists and creative professionals. Their intention? To take your creative energy and efforts and help you become community leaders with that innovation. A tour here could be especially inspiring for those who hope their creativity has a future.

Columbia College is just one small part of Columbia University. And situated in the heart of Manhattan, it’s a great choice for blending the thrill of a New York City visit with the real work of choosing higher education.

And NYU offers tours of its campus by NYU students who will help you identify not just the campus buildings around Washington Square Park but throughout Manhattan as well.

And between college tours, there are so many other amazing things to do. A Fifth Avenue Walking Tour is a must, and depending on the time of year – though all of the seasons have their charm – Central Park is always a favorite with its still, quiet spaces just yards from busy Manhattan streets. A Central Park Movie Walking Tour is a fun way to make new places feel familiar as you discover sites you’ve seen in hundreds of favorite films. The best student tours to NYC also include a visit to one of the morning shows for the chance to be on television (“Hi, Mom!”). Times Square is filled with popular attractions, besides basically being one in and of itself, and Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center is quickly becoming a favorite way to see the city from above.

You can do it all on New York City Campus tours, and whether you end up there for your college years are not, this tour will definitely stay with you for a lifetime.

I recently contacted the Daytona Beach CVB to find out everything I could about it for spring break trips. And I discovered something interesting. Though a gorgeous beach with classic beach activities, attractions, night clubs, and beach bars, Daytona Beach has during the spring break season (which they call March through May) been taken over by someone besides college students.

This beautiful part of Florida, smack dab between theme-park-central Orlando, historic St. Augustine, and the space coast (including Kennedy Space Center), has for some time been promoting its beach for families, and it’s totally working.

If you visit Daytona Beach during the spring break season, you’ll likely find plenty of college students. But they’ll be equaled or outmatched in number by families and seniors. In my opinion, this is good news for lots and lots of people. Families and seniors, sure. But there are even students who seek out more family-friendly atmosphere for their warm getaway and escape from the daily grind of homework and research papers. And Daytona Beach brings the deals to back this promotion for vacationers of every kind.

Daytona Beach has all the things you need and want in a sunny getaway – the ocean, for one, plus all the thrilling activities that come with it, including but not limited to: Parasailing, surfing lessons!, and kayaking.

The area also offers culture with its Museum of Arts and Sciences and Southeast Museum of Photography. Along these more educational lines, groups love the Daytona Beach Aqua Safari, which is a tour of the area’s fascinating ecosystem. For families, you can’t beat Daytona Lagoon, a year-round family fun center with rock climbing, race cars, arcade games, and wet and wild water slides.

January and October turn Daytona Beach into speed central with Speedweeks at the beginning of the year. This includes the world-famous, and often family-beloved, Daytona 500. In the fall, you’ll find the International Speedway purring with motorcycles instead of stock cars during Biketoberfest. Both can be a great time for families just as spring break has come to be.

Whether for student tours, family getaways, or group travel of any kind, Daytona Beach definitely has something to offer.

Texas has several beaches, and with its warm climate, it’s definitely not a bad place for winter and spring break vacations. If you’re in the state, visiting the beaches of Galveston, the history of San Antonio, or perhaps a sporting event in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, nearby Grapevine, Texas, is great place to add to the list.

Grapevine student tours offer charming touches like live artisan demonstrations in the beautiful Grapevine historic district. Other historic sites include the Grapevine Vintage Railroad with an 1896 steam locomotive, and Nash Farm, reflecting the farming life of Grapevine’s earliest settlers.

But Grapevine is also the perfect choice for thrills. X-Drenaline is a popular outdoor paintball course for an exciting competition with friends. Or if you prefer indoor sports, Main Event offers everything from bowling and billiards to arcade games and popular laser tag. Finally, Grapevine Mills is perhaps the most popular destination in Grapevine. It’s a huge shopping and entertainment center, perfect for every season, with available activities way beyond the average mall.

Grapevine has so many great places to visit, you can even take a tour on the popular amphibious vehicles known as DUCKS. It’s a great way to start your Grapevine experience as the entertaining narrator guides the way and helps you decide exactly what you want to do next.

Have you considered Charlotte, North Carolina, for a warm-weather destination? Hopefully after this post you will. Charlotte student tours offer everything from white water rafting to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and a variety of performing arts venues, plus everything in between. Here’s a look at some of the highlights.

US National Whitewater Center

The whitewater rafting is just the beginning of the adventure possible at the US National Whitewater Center, an official U.S. Olympic Training Site. Other activities include a mega zip line, mountain biking, a climbing center, and more – all created to help promote healthy lifestyles and environmental awareness. But healthy/inspirational agenda aside, visitors will love every thrilling activity here.

Discovery Place is one of the most visited attractions in the Carolinas. In its simplest label, it’s a science museum. But with the unveiling of its all-new exhibits, there’s even more proof that Discovery Place is much more than that. Hands-on activities, unique ways to experience marine life, the rain forest – even physiologic systems of the human body – all make this museum like none you’ve seen.

Charlotte Motor Speedway

NASCAR fans will love the behind-the-scenes tour of this popular raceway, including the full-tilt experience of 24-degree banking and a photo op in Victory Circle. The tours are only offered on non-event days, but they’re definitely a popular choice. For even more celebration of the famous racing events, visitors will love the NASCAR Hall of Fame with almost 40,000 square feet of memorabilia and interactive exhibits celebrating the sport.

And you know, these are just the beginning, right? Charlotte also offers much more with history, art, and thrills. And it’s a perfect choice for educational tours.

Walkway to Cocoa Beach

I entered Cocoa Beach by a walkway very much like this one (by hyku on Flickr). In fact, this could be the wooden steps I took toward my favorite day in Florida.

Now, you have to know a couple things about me. First, I’m a Disney girl. I see very little reason to be in the Orlando area without being on a Disney resort spending as much time as possible either in one of the major theme parks or on the monorail between them. I heart Disney. Also, I’m not a fan of hanging out in my swimming suit. Being raised in conservative, land-locked Missouri, it’s just not how I roll. These things combined to equal a sort of “meh” attitude towards discovering what all the fuss was about when it came to Cocoa Beach.

I had a new baby at the time. He was only a few weeks old (obviously, I wasn’t there for spring break), and I quickly thanked heaven he was able to experience the ocean at such a young age.

It’s not like I hadn’t experienced it before, but this time was different. I’d just been through a tumultuous year, having been pregnant and diagnosed with cancer. I’d just finished by final treatment, and the world really seemed brand new. The ocean felt like heaven.

Cocoa Beach is indeed a popular place for spring break trips. But don’t rule it out for families as well. There’s plenty of space for all kinds of vacationers on these miles of Florida coastline. Apparently the waters here are some of the best for surfers on Florida’s east coast. Yet the waves lapping at the shoreline are perfect for children as well. The beach offers several volleyball nets for a favorite sand sport as well as, again, plenty of room for sunbathing, lounging with friends and family, and sandcastles for the kids and kids at heart.

One of my favorite parts of our day at Cocoa Beach was the pier. We browsed souvenir shops and ate at Marlins Good Times Bar & Grill where we could see dolphins out the window as we ate. The Cocoa Beach Pier stretches over 800 feet over the ocean. At least two bars can be found beyond Marlins. They offer live entertainment and a great view of the Florida sunset. Several venues around the Cocoa Beach area fit into the exciting nightlife category, but what could be more exciting than drinks on the Pier?

Cocoa Beach is one of America’s classic seaside destinations. It’s great for families, romantic getaways, and college breaks. You can’t miss with this popular beach and its entertaining pier.

The most I used to know about Bath came from Jane Austen novels. And I have to say, the author didn’t seem all that impressed with the city. Now I know a bit more. The city features in some of our sample itineraries, and it’s a great addition to Europe student travel tours.

Getting There

Bath is about one hundred miles west of London and a perfect day trip if you’re staying in the jolly capital. Day tours to Bath sometimes include a stop at Windsor Castle first and a visit to Stonehenge. Even without a guided tour though, with the price of fuel in the UK you’ll probably find that bus or motor coach is the best way to travel – especially in groups.

The Bath Experience

Bath is built over England’s only natural hot spring. The Romans built their famous bathhouses at the springs, and today’s Bath still embodies the great architecture and ancient luxury of Rome. When visiting the Roman Baths you’ll walk in the same luxurious halls the Romans once frequented for relaxation (all of them but the Christians and philosophers – apparently Bath wasn’t so popular for them). In the Pump Room you can actually sample the spring water. This is a luxurious room with seating for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea.

The ancient rooms and treasures don’t end with the famous pools. You’ll find remnants of what used to be some of the most luxurious surroundings the Romans knew, filled with colonnades, vaulted ceilings, marble, and mosaics. Of course, even though Bath is a World Heritage Site for its long and famous history, you can also enjoy it with all the modern luxury of the twenty-first century.

Thermae Bath Spa makes use of the same natural hot spring the ancient Romans used but now in modern style, including a warm, roof-top pool. The visitor’s center here is free, though you can pay for various spa experiences as well – including aroma steam rooms, waterfall showers, and the open-air pool on the roof.

Bath is an amazing natural wonder with a history of man-made pomp and circumstance as well. It’s a great day trip for London tours and can be combined with any number of popular landmarks in the UK.

(Also: Consider Bath for literature tours in Europe. The city featured often in the novels by Jane Austen.)

Photo by Meygun on Flickr.

The upside to the size of our country is how many seaside escapes it has to offer. You can pretty much choose your climate, nightlife, and texture of sand and find the perfect beach destination somewhere in the country. The downside? It would cost some major travel bucks to visit all of them, and it’s almost impossible to even know how many wonderful beaches exist.

If what you’re looking for in a seaside destination is charm, lots of natural beauty, historical sites nearby, and an authentic wooden boardwalk, Ocean City may be just the place.

It’s located along Maryland’s coast and its authentic wooden walkway flanked by games, activities, and classic boardwalk attractions is perfect for spring break trips, family getaways, and group travel of any kind.

Any time you choose a lesser-known beach location, you choose some obvious upfront benefits. The trip is likely to be more cost-effective than destinations with a higher tourist density, and that lower density is something many people consider its own benefit.

A beach in Maryland may not be where you’ll choose for getaways in the dead of winter. But for late spring and summer, Ocean City is the perfect choice. Besides the ten-mile beachfront in the area, the three-mile boardwalk in Ocean City, and tons of old churches, schools, and museums highlighting American history and black history within it, the area also has nature trails, forests, and a nearby island where you may spot actual wild ponies from one of the two herds known to graze there.

It’s a great place to return to the simple life and to travel green as you can spend almost all your time hiking on foot or biking on over one hundred miles of bike trails. This pretty east coast area has definitely rolled out the – well- wooden carpet for all its guests. After just one visit, you’ll certainly add Ocean City to your list of beaches worth escaping to.

Photo by surrfred on Flickr.

Palazzo del Priori, Volterra

There are a couple new cities of interest in Italy. They’ve had a spike in tourists since one featured in a sequel to the breakout novel, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and the other was used as the location for the film version. Italy is a popular choice for Europe student travel anyway. For some, the added allure of Edward and Bella having met the famous Volturi in its historic streets and underground makes this area completely irresistible. Pictures like this one, though, convince me that with or without vampire fever, these cities would make a romantic addition to any European tour.

Volterra is the city of the sequel, New Moon. In the book, it’s the dark, underground hallways of this very building that the Volturri make their home. The Volturi is the name given to the vampire royalty in the book, and the walled cities that make up a perfect New Moon tour have a touch of royalty about them as well.

Volterra offers a New Moon tour twice a week (only once a week in winter). It includes the dark hallways, actors in robe, a miniature reenactment, and the whole works. You won’t find a fountain as depicted in the book and in the movie, but these narrow streets, historic buildings, and shops have all the aesthetic appeal to stand completely on their own.

I don’t know if diehard fans will be disappointed or not, but Volterra is not where New Moon the movie was filmed. Let’s think of it in the positive, though. It gives tourists (and film and literature fans) yet another Italian city to explore. The movie was filmed in Montepulciano. Its square is almost identical to the one in Volterra, including the clock tower that features in both the book and the film. The all-important fountain doesn’t exist here either, however. An artificial one was built for the movie location. Again, though, fans won’t be disappointed in this locale either. Pure medieval charm.

It’s a dream for most students – the whole backpacking across Europe thing with a stop in Venice, Florence, and the beautiful cities in between. Throw in the location from a favorite film, and the dream gets even bigger. The thing is, now’s your time. Europe may only be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but at least make it that. And the land of the Volturi is just one of the many beautiful places to consider.

Photo by AJanssen on Flickr.