​ All About
​​​Destinations

General

 

Will domestic or high school international groups travel with other schools?

Whether you travel alone or with other schools depends on the size of your group. Schools that travel together generally make friends, which creates a fun dynamic. However, some groups have just one hometown group.

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What's included in the cost of a domestic or high school international program?

Every program is customized and what's included may vary from trip to trip. A typical program includes transportation (air or motor coach), hotel accommodations, meals, a daily guide (Course Leader or Tour Director), sightseeing activities, and immersive educational content. All programs also include all of our safety provisions and support. The registration letter provided by the teacher leading your program has all the inclusion details for your specific program.

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Who will lead the program?

The official group leader (hereafter referred to as the Program Leader), is most often a teacher at school. The Program Leader is supported by other chaperones as needed, usually either parents of traveling students or other teachers or administrators at the school. This person is supported by WorldStrides specialists at the airport, on the bus, and at the hotel. The educational part of the program is led by a Course Leader, who is an expert in connecting with students and sharing information about your destination. This Course Leader will be with your students at all times, leading them through the incredible destinations included in your program.

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What kinds of meals are provided for the students?

For domestic programs, students enjoy full American breakfasts at the hotel or at a local restaurant. Groups eat fast food, food court, or cafeteria-style lunches while touring and are provided with sit-down dinners. In some cases, lunches may not be included in the program price. Internationally, WorldStrides provides a continental breakfast each morning which may include juice, milk, tea, coffee or chocolate, bread/croissant/pastry, and fruit. Some hotels offer a buffet usually consisting of cereals, cold meats, and cheeses. This varies from one hotel to another, but is always more than enough to get the day started. For dinner, WorldStrides introduces local food to the students and makes sure that there is a variety of food and plenty of it!

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Will students room together?

Students typically room with three other students (four students to a room), and most hotel rooms have two full or double beds that are shared by students of the same gender. Many programs allow students to select their own roommates. Ultimate approval of all roommate selections rests with the Program Leader.

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What kinds of hotels will we stay in?

WorldStrides takes pride in providing safe, quality accomodations for all programs. Hotels are licensed by local authorities, inspected by WorldStrides staff and partners for cleanliness, quality, and location, and rated by Program Leaders on an ongoing basis. All of our domestic hotels are nationally recognized chain hotels including Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, Holiday Inn, and Hampton Inn. For international travel, WorldStrides generally uses centrally located 3- and 4-star hotels that have excellent access to sites and transportation. Some graduate programs may use 5-star properties. Please note students on some programs may participate in activities such as camping in tents or cabins, per the itinerary.

 

Can parent(s) or guest(s) come on the trip?

The teacher leading the program makes the decision about parents participating on the trip and will assign any chaperones, as needed. There is an additional cost for adults, depending on the number of program participants per room. Typically, adults room together in double rooms. Please contact the teacher leading your program for specific details and/or questions.

 

Can handicapped participants go on a WorldStrides tour?

Yes. WorldStrides welcomes handicapped participants and makes every effort to accommodate the student’s needs. Middle and High School students should ask the teacher leading their program to contact his or her Account Manager regarding any special needs so we may take care of the necessary arrangements. University students may work directly with their Account Manager. Please note that there may be some activities in which a traveler is unable to participate. WorldStrides will be happy to work with anyone who has mobility or other issues to try to make it possible for them to participate. Additionally, we recommend that students with special needs investigate their destination(s) to make sure any special care would be available. Review the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Travelers’ Health website for tips.

 

What kind of transportation will we use?

You will travel by either airplane or motorcoach, depending on how far your hometown is from your destination. A comfortable, air-conditioned motorcoach will be used to take your group to the various sites and activities in your destination city. In some cities, you will walk or take public transportation to many of the sites, when convenient.

 

What airlines do you use?

We use all major carriers; American, United, Delta, and Southwest are our top carriers.

 

What will our tour guide be like?

WorldStrides calls these guides Course Leaders or Tour Directors and they are often the highlight of the trip! Our guides are trained by WorldStrides and are unique in being LEAP-certified. Many have other careers that allow them to present interdisciplinary approaches to subject material and to make connections that extend beyond traditional classroom instruction. They include educators, scientists, writers, artists, teachers, singers, musicians, art historians, film producers, translators, and more. They all have fascinating stories. They are collectively multilingual, college-educated, well-traveled, passionate about the destinations in which they work, and enthusiastic about working with young people.

 

What sites will we see?

You can see your complete itinerary on your online registration portal. (Note it is subject to change a bit, but it should give you a good idea of what’s in store.) Can’t find your portal? Go to register and use your TripID to log in.

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How much spending money should students bring?

The amount of spending money students need to bring depends on the length of the tour. It is also a personal preference—meaning that if you want to buy a lot of souvenirs, then you’ll need to bring more spending money. As a general guide, we recommend $50 in spending money to purchase souvenirs for programs lasting three or more days. Be sure to check the information provided to you by the teacher leading the trip. On some of our programs, not all the meals are included so students will want to bring an additional $7-$12 to buy lunch each day. Please note, these recommendations may differ if you are traveling internationally.

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What is the role of the Tour Manager?

All of our standard touring programs include a Tour Manager who will accompany your group 24 hours a day—from your group's arrival until your departure. The services of our Tour Managers are exclusive to each group—they stay in the same hotels as you, eat dinner with you, and are available to help with planning of evening activities, if desired. Their job is to attend to your group’s needs at all times. In all our destinations, we choose guides who are qualified to meet the unique needs of each particular group. We take great pride in matching guides to groups based on age, gender, or sporting experience.

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OnStage Programs

 

What kind of audiences do concert performances attract?

On our performing tours, high audience attendance is always our priority. We strive to arrange concerts at venues that have excellent prospects of securing a sizable and appreciative audience. We pride ourselves on the careful selection of venues to suit each group’s individual performance and audience requirements.

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What types of venues will we perform in if we travel abroad?

We offer an unrivaled range of venues for your performing tour. Whether you prefer to perform in one of Europe’s great Gothic or Romanesque cathedrals, a smaller sacred venue, a public place, or a music festival, our operations staff has the experience and contacts to make the best possible concert arrangements for your group. Each one of our customized proposals includes a comprehensive list of frequently used venues in the cities on that itinerary. If a group has a particular venue in mind for a potential performance, we will do everything possible to secure it.

Perspectives Programs

 

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