School Trips to the USA
We provide activity-packed school trips to the USA for secondary school students (KS3-KS5) across the UK. Our travel experts assist with everything from booking flights to risk assessment planning; we'll ensure you have everything you need for a safe, stress-free educational trip to America.
Why book a school trip to the USA?
Planning a school trip to the USA provides the perfect backdrop to learn about subjects such as history, art and economics to name a few.
Take your school students through an immersive experience of the Civil Rights movement, explore the country's ever-evolving art scene and observe commercial enterprises. The learning possibilities are endless and our team can help to plan trips and tours that support your learning objectives.
New York alone is home to a wealth of world-famous tourist attractions and multinational organisations. When you book a school trip to New York, your students can see famous sights such as the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and Times Square to name a few.
These serve as a unique backdrop for students to learn firsthand about a wide variety of subject areas. This includes art, design, media, film, business and psychology – to name just a few!
At NST, we pride ourselves on providing affordable school trips to the USA that blend a perfect mixture of museums, galleries, businesses and exhibitions, all at fantastic group prices.
Get in touch today if you’re looking for more information or advice on planning your perfect USA school trip.
Our USA school trip destinations include
New York
New York
You can guarantee that a New York school trip will be an unforgettable and incredibly valuable experience for any school.
You can find more information on each trip we offer below, or visit our page about New York school trips.
History
A history school trip to New York is ideal for your pupils to learn firsthand about Civil Rights to explore the origins of this movement and its effects throughout American history. Why not consider a multi-centre tour including a history visit to Washington DC to get the most out of your time away.
Art
An art school trip to New York offers pupils the chance to see some of the most dynamic contemporary art in the world.
Cultural
Take an even bigger bite of the Big Apple with a cultural school trip. Absorb the bright lights and pizzazz of Broadway with its shows and musicals guaranteed to get your group’s toes tapping.
Music
Manhattan offers music groups a wide range of performance venues and eclectic musical tastes, making it the ideal destination for a music tour for all abilities and genres.
Psychology & Sociology
A combination of excellent immigration and Holocaust-focused visits, together with world-famous New York tourist attractions create the ultimate psychology and sociology school trip.
Media & Film Studies
With our fantastic educational sessions, workshops and tours covering topics such as TV and film production, moving image and sound, New York is ideal for a media & film studies school trip.
Religious Studies
A religious studies school trip to New York offers excellent examples of integration and combined with exciting attractions and world-renowned museums.
English, Drama & Performing Arts
A school theatre tour to this dazzling destination will leave your English, drama and performing arts pupils feeling excited and inspired!
Maths
Few destinations in the world could be more exciting than New York when taking your pupils on a mathematics school trip.
Business Studies
This leading global city plays host to a number of influential organisations. From the major financial institutions on Wall Street to the United Nations headquarters, making it the perfect destination for a business studies school trip.
Computing & Computer Science
This leading global city plays host to a number of influential organisations, see how technology has influenced it's growth with a computing school trip.
Design & Technology
Explore our designed and made world and feel inspired by the many careers from which the subject can lead. A design & technology trip to New York is guaranteed to leave your design and technology students feeling inspired long after they return to the classroom.
Geography
Explore this world-famous city & offer your pupils a different view on life in the Big Apple by investigating the development of urban areas & characteristics on a geography school trip to New York.
West Coast USA
West Coast USA
You can find more information on each trip we offer below, or visit our page about West Coast USA school trips.
Geography
A geography school trip to West Coast USA offers unparalleled opportunities for pupils of all ages, with many geography and geology visits directly relating to KS3, GCSE and A-level study.
Cultural
Don’t hesitate to visit America’s West Coast on your next cultural school trip. With its areas of great natural beauty coupled with some of the world’s most awe-inspiring cities, you’ll be far from disappointed.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas
Geography
With its areas of great natural beauty coupled with some of the world’s most awe-inspiring cities, a geography school trip to Las Vegas will create memories that will last a lifetime.
If you’re looking for more information or free advice, get in touch with one of our expert travel advisors today.
Washington DC
Washington DC
Washington D.C. is packed with monuments, museums and eclectic neighbourhoods – the perfect destination for students to get a taste for American history, politics and culture.
You can find more information on each trip we offer below, or visit our page about Washington DC school trips.
History
A history school trip to the US capital city with it's many educational visits and sites, will give your pupils an invaluable insight into American history and how the country has evolved.
Art
During an art study tour to Washington DC, a visit to the Smithsonian Institution to see some of the world’s greatest works of art spread across a number of themed museums and sculpture gardens is a must!
Cultural
Chosen as the US capital for its tactical location between the South and the North, Washington DC offers a whole host of experiences for school groups, an ideal cultural school trip destination.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles
A school trip to Los Angeles can offer a unique and exciting learning experience for students - especially for those studying film and media.
Media & Film Studies
Take a unique school trip to the heart of America’s media and film wonderland, from studio and backlot tours to hands-on workshops led by industry experts, there's no place in the world like LA.
Orlando
Orlando
A school trip to the USA is a great experience, and Orlando is the perfect place to enrich your pupils' fascination for science.
You can find more information on each trip we offer below, or visit our page about Orlando school trips.
Science
Pupils can experience enriching science activities such as Kennedy Space Centre, Disney Epcot and the Orlando Science Centre, alongside the thrills and excitement of world famous theme parks!
Cultural
There is so much to see and do on a cultural trip to the ‘Sunshine State’. Pupils can experience the thrills and excitement of the world famous theme parks, alongside enriching science activities such as Kennedy Space Center, SeaWorld and Boggy Creek Airboat rides! This is a funpacked destination which offers up a wealth of learning opportunities.
Experience the excitement of New York
USA school trip experts
Hundreds of groups embark on school trips to the USA with NST every year. Members of our team also regularly visit New York, Washington, Orlando, the West Coast to really get to know the ins and outs of the area. Our travel experts vet everything from logistics to our range of student-friendly accommodation, to ensure we provide a high-quality travel experience for your group.
Your dedicated USA Tour Coordinator will use their knowledge to create an itinerary that’s bespoke, perfectly timed and meets your exact learning requirements. Our travel experts will also be happy to discuss trip itinerary details, offer an insight into your destination and suggest popular evening school trip activities too.
There’s a lot to think about when travelling abroad with students. This is why our NSTs Representatives support is invaluable whilst you're away. We can arrange for your representative to meet you on arrival, assist you with hotel check-in, advise on points of interest and public transport and provide your group with 24-hour emergency assistance.
With NST, you can rest assured that you’ll never be on your own on your USA school trip.
Planning your first school trip?
If you're planning your first school trip, our essential guide will take you through each step of the process...
- Choosing your destination
- Gaining approval from your Local Authority and/or your Head
- Promoting your tour in school
- Confirming your booking
- Tailor-make your tour
- Completing your risk assessments (including a sample risk assessment)
- Quick reference timeline
- Pre-tour checklist
Additional support, resources & information
Tour planning service
Tour planning service
With NST, you’ll get your own dedicated, knowledgeable Tour Co-ordinator who’ll work with you from start to finish. You’ll benefit from their unrivalled destination knowledge, and their experience gained from working with many other groups too. They’ll tailor-make your itinerary from scratch and take care of everything for you:
- Pulling together an itinerary that runs smoothly
- Planning the right balance of visits every day with realistic timings
- Pre-arranging and pre-booking your visits, entrance tickets, passes and meals
You’ll receive your final itinerary a full 4-weeks before you travel too.
Free school trip promotion pack
Free school trip promotion pack
We’ll support you and provide everything you need to advertise your school trip around school and to parents. Our free school trip promotion pack consists of:
- Parents’ letter & permission slip template for you to complete A3 posters to promote your trip around school
- PowerPoint presentation templates which you can tailor to your own needs
- Parents’ leaflets covering how NST manage safety, financial protection and details of our travel insurance
- Online parents’ video which showcases the benefits of taking a school trip
For selected destinations, we’ll provide a trip launch web page using video footage and imagery. This web page is provided by a weblink and can be shared with pupils and parents in many ways.
Risk assessment support including preview visits
Risk assessment support including preview visits
Risk assessment plays a vitally important part in the planning and organisation on any school tour.
Our risk assessment guide aims to help you understand more about your obligations and how you can more effectively manage group safety on your next educational visit and provide you with risk assessments for your trip.
Planning first school trip
Planning your first school trip
Organising your first school trip can appear to be a daunting process. If you're planning your first school trip, our guide will help to take you through each step of the planning process, answering frequently asked questions and providing tips and support along the way.
Our helpful guide covers the following:
- Choosing your destination
- Gaining approval from your Local Authority and/or your Head
- Promoting your tour in school
- Confirming your booking
- Tailor-make your tour
- Completing your risk assessments (including a sample risk assessment)
- Quick reference timeline
- Pre-tour checklist
Get live updates on your tour group's location
Get live updates on your tour group's location
Locate My Trip uses GPS technology and is the easy, convenient way for your school to follow your location whilst on tour. Specifically designed to provide reassurance to both parents and teachers, NST will know where your group are 24/7. If your schedule needs to change, we’ll put plans in place to keep your tour on track.
With Locate My Trip your group can also share photos and videos with the school and parents, via a secure link, to keep them updated on your experience whilst you’re away.
Watch our short Locate My Trip video here.
My Tour Manager
My Tour Manager
Save time and stay on track with your school trip admin with our online orgnaniser - designed to help busy teachers like you.
With My Tour Manager, you'll be able to download FREE resources and access trip paperwork online and in one place. Your personalised checklist details what you need to do and by when, plus you'll receive fortnightly reminders too.
What's more, you can take all your trip documents on the go whilst on your tour with our app, My Tour Manager-On-the-Go.
Find out more and watch out short My Tour Manager video here.
FREE classroom resources
Free classroom resources
We've created a range of free resources and educational posters to brighten up your classroom!
Take a look at our downloadable posters here.
Why choose NST...
Here's why thousands of teachers choose NST each year...
- Unrivalled knowledge
Your dedicated tour co-ordinator will use their unrivalled local knowledge and expertise of the USA to create a tailor-made, curriculum-linked itinerary to meet your group’s exact needs.
- Making it easier for you
With our online school trip organiser, travel app, FREE classroom posters and trip launch resources to support in-school promotion.
- Risk assessment guidance
Our risk assessment guidance will help you to manage group safety on your next educational trip.
- FREE group leader inspection visits
We offer a free inspection visit to your chosen destination to support your risk assessment planning.
- Value for money
We’re committed to bringing you the best possible value trips to help make every penny count.
- Peace of mind
Your group’s location can be followed with our trip tracking device - Locate My Trip - plus you’ll have 24/7 support from us whilst you’re away.
- More than 50 years’ experience
With over 50 years’ experience, with NST you can rest assured that your group is in safe hands.
- Offsetting carbon emissions
For every trip taken, we'll plant a Maya nut tree in Peru to support reforestation, local communities & biodiversity. Plus, we'll offset an additional tonne of CO2 to guarantee carbon emission reductions.
Looking for protection on your next school trip?
Booking with a school travel company is the best way for you to protect parents’ money and give yourself peace of mind.
Don’t forget – if your school arranges transport, accommodation and other services directly, you’ll be liable under the Package Travel Regulations – meaning you’ll have all the responsibilities of a travel company, both legal and financial.
Financial protection from the moment you book
NST are fully bonded:
- ABTA
- ATOL
- IATA
Managing safety on school trips
For your protection, NST's independently audited Safety Management System covers:
- 24-hour emergency cover
- Audited accommodation & transport
- Excursions & school visit assessment
- Group leader preview visits to assist with risk assessment planning
We're LOtC Council’s Quality Badge assured
The Department for Education advises schools to always look for the LOtC Quality Badge when choosing a school travel provider.
