Class Act Tours for Washington DC Field Trips

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Fieldtrips Chatboard

Class Act Tours for Washington DC Field Trips

by Sunnie Templeton

Aug 7, 2009

Hi...My name is Sunnie Templeton and I have been a Personal Tour Coordinator for Class Act Tours, an Educational Tour Company, for the past 20 years! I understand all too well your disappointed experience on your last class trip to Washington DC, where the students were not as prepared as you had hoped. At Class Act Tours, we provide teachers prior to the trip, fun and engaging assignments to ensure the students understand the many opportunities and experiences Washington DC has to offer. We also provide each student with a Personal Scavenger Hunt which lasts the duration of the trip, along with many educational scavenger hunts to be used at individual museums,etc. And yes, we also provide a "National Treasure" scavenger hunt upon request!! The students are also provided a fun pocket "work book" and inspirational diary to provoke meaningful thoughts and questions. We work hard to make our Washington DC Trips interesting, interactive and fun, while at the same time incredibly educationa...See More

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instructours Thanks for your comment, Sunni.

However, you have only skimmed the surface by offering the services of your tour company. A scavenger hunt is just one of the many ways to engage a group.

While I am not a tour operator, I am a professional educational travel program designer who creates custom, curriculum-based programs both for sc...See More

Aug 10, 2009

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Carol As a private school Board member for 6 years, and as someone who has had the privilege of being part of several trips to D.C. organized by Class Act Tours ([link removed].

What I was most impressed with from Class Act Tours is the total accessibility that each group had with their tour coordinator. Being able to have 24-hour access to an ...See More

Aug 16, 2009

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socaliforniamagistra It's nice to hear positive feedback concerning student tour companies. I think we all need to start looking at the smaller companies for better service and educational content.

After traveling with the three of the large companies, our school has also found a wonderful company, (LEAD USA leaddiscoveryusa.com) that works with our standards ...See MoreIt's nice to hear positive feedback concerning student tour companies. I think we all need to start looking at the smaller companies for better service and educational content.

After traveling with the three of the large companies, our school has also found a wonderful company, (LEAD USA leaddiscoveryusa.com) that works with our standards and my teaching plan to design itineraries from scratch with hands-on activities. We (a public school) were recommended to them from a local Lutheran school that has traveled with them for a few years.

LEAD usually includes an historic character as a dinner guest and after dinner speaker. (The past two years we have had Thomas Jefferson join us in Williamsburg.)

In the past, we have reenactments scheduled as well as a Civil War Adventure Camp called Pamplin Park (we chose the full day and not the overnight). We also had an on-site archeology program in Jamestown and an Underground Railroad program in Pennsylvania.

They make arrangements with all the places to have pre-trip curriculum materials like 'trunks' and teaching plans sent to us.

And the food is great! We have never received coupons at food courts, in fact, we hardly do any fast food! My kids particularly love eating in a fine, French restaurant in Washington, DC before we go to Ford's Theatre.

The nicest part is that the tour designer or tour guide visits our school to conduct an introductory meeting for parents to describe the trip as well as a meeting for parents and students a week or so before we travel.

They also include all the fees and insurance in their price, and although it may seem expensive to the parents at first, after getting 'bids' from other companies and then adding in all their extra fees, LEAD was cheaper! (My parents were royally ripped-off by two companies that charged a lot of extra money right before we traveled.)

They are also responsive 24/7, but as we have guide with us throughout the trip, she always handles any 'situations'. (Our flight was cancelled at the last minute due to weather and air traffic problems, and our guide got us rescheduled immediately and stayed at the airport until we took off. I didn't even have to pick up a phone to call the office.)

So obviously, I recommend LEAD USA.

8/16/09, Carol wrote: > As a private school Board member for 6 years, and as someone who > has had the privilege of being part of several trips to D.C. > organized by Class Act Tours ([link removed];

Aug 17, 2009

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