Top Student Travel Destinations In The U.S. (2021 Edition)

Looking for inspiration on where in the U.S. to travel with your students? Drawing on data from 389 trips that WeTravel's userbase is currently organizing, we highlight some of the top student travel destinations for the upcoming months.

The locations have exciting educational and recreational opportunities for many types of student travel. Based on our data, they are the top choices for bands, orchestras, marching bands, classes, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, senior year bashes, grad nights, and more.

Whether you're interested in historical monuments, landmark sites, world-famous culture, outdoor fun, or thrilling amusement parks, these spots have it all. Here are the most popular travel destinations you might consider when organizing student trips in the near future.

Top Student Travel Destinations In The U.S. According To WeTravel’s Userbase

The graph below shows a breakdown by destination of 389 student travel trips currently being organized by WeTravel’s userbase. 

In writing, we'll look in more detail at why these might be popular locations for student travel. We'll also touch on the most common trip types going to each of the top ten destinations.

1. Orlando

Orlando, Florida, tops our list of top student travel destinations. It’s the most popular destination for the student travel organizers in our userbase, with close to a quarter of the total trips destined for the city. 

Of course, you can’t talk about Orlando as a student travel destination without mentioning Disney and theme parks! There’s Walt Disney World as well as Universal Studios and Discovery Cove.

However, there are other highlights to Orlando tourism. According to our userbase, it’s popular for student choir trips, band trips, visits to dance studios, and theatres, among other highlights.

2. Washington D.C.

It's no surprise that Washington D.C., the federal capital, is next on the list of popular student travel locations. The place is filled with history and politics, and there are loads of important memorials and monuments for young minds to see and learn about.

You can host class trips to visit places like Capitol Hill, the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian, and plenty more. And let’s not forget the many top universities here that are great for student visits.

Aside from the above, Washington is also a popular destination with our userbase for band trips.

3. New York

In student travel, the Big Apple is a hub for the arts. It’s a destination where you can visit famous museums, galleries, theatres, universities, and more.

Students can catch a production on Broadway, learn about Wall Street Finance, admire monuments like the Statue of Liberty, explore Central Park, or just enjoy the street food and unique culture of one of America’s great cities.

As to be expected, some of the popular reasons for going to New York include class trips, marching bands, gallery visits, choir, orchestra, and theatre excursions, as well as Christmas trips.

4. Danvers

Rebecca Nurse Homestead: Image from Facebook

Danvers, Massachusetts, has a place in history alongside Salem and the witch trials. Some of the top sites to visit and learn about here include the Rebecca Nurse Homestead and the Witch Trials Memorial.

Besides those famous sites, plenty of other worthy attractions make this pretty town one of the top student travel destinations. You can take your class to places like the Samuel Parris Archaeological Site and beautiful Endicott Park.

It is also extremely popular among schools for musical and choir trips.

5. Randolph

The town of Randolph in Massachusetts is conveniently situated for access to a number of world-class arts and entertainment venues. Expect to find Victorian-era homes and railroad architecture lining the streets, making it a fascinating destination to visit.

Top of the highlights list for student travel to Randolph includes the Chandler Center for Arts, a renowned performance venue.

Aside from that, you will find art studios, country inns, shops, and restaurants in this pedestrian-friendly town. Plus, it is surrounded by working farms and more than 240 miles of mapped trails for biking, hiking, cross-country, back-country skiing, and more.

Typically, our userbase visits the town for various entertainment and music trips; some of the popular ones being comedy and hypnosis.

6. Nashville

Tennessee’s capital city has always been a hit destination for students. This is mostly because of the incredible music scene that Nashville has to offer.

Any music fan will have the time of their lives seeing the many famous country music venues. There’s the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Johnny Cash Museum, Grand Ole Opry House, and many more music landmarks.

Nashville is an absolute treasure trove of musical attractions, historical sites, and art and culture for your student trips. 

7. Branson

Branson, Missouri, is an Ozark town jam-packed with fun activities. The town is famous for its theatre-lined 76 Country Boulevard, full of music and entertainment venues.

Then there’s the Silver Dollar City 1800’s themed amusement park, Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede Diner, the Hollywood Wax Museum, The Marvel Cave, and plenty more.

This town also has many exciting outdoor recreational activities on offer. You can go zip-lining, fishing, go-karting, and enjoy the beautiful lakes surrounding the city. There is even visit a replica of the Titanic to see!

Between the museums, the entertainment, the unique sights, and the action-packed attractions, Branson is certainly one of the top student travel destinations for classes, bands, and choir trips.

8. Anaheim

Anaheim, just outside Los Angeles in California, is a popular trip choice for more senior students. Not only is Disneyland close by, but so is the Honda Center indoor arena, Angel stadium, and Adventure City. It’s the perfect base for students to explore Los Angeles and San Diego. 

Between the theme parks, rides, restaurants, hotels, sporting events, and shops, there is loads of fun to be had here. Understandably, the top trip types traveling to Anaheim are for seniors and grad nights.

9. Bird-in-Hand

Bird-in-hand is a totally unique destination for student travel. This unincorporated community in Pennsylvania is a picture-perfect village with a large Amish and Mennonite population. It’s certainly a quiet place to visit. However, there’s an authentic country feeling here that you just can’t experience in other towns.

From the farmer's market to nearby fruit farms and horse buggy rides, there's plenty of outdoor fun to be had here. You could be adventurous and take students on a hot air balloon ride or use Bird-in-Hand as a base to explore the surrounding Amish country.

10. Charleston

This South Carolina city has become a sought-after destination for U.S. tourism. Charleston is one of the top student travel destinations thanks to its historic center, battery promenade, waterfront park, and historic plantation sites surrounding the city.

Students can learn all about the fascinating history of this city through the various museums and landmark sites. Beyond the history of Charleston, it's also become a trendy city with exciting food, music, and cultural scenes. It's a popular location for class and Christmas excursions.

Conclusion

And there you have it; the ten most popular student travel destinations in the U.S., based on active trip data. From musical tours to class getaways or choir performances, there is an ideal location for your school.

Watch the video below if you'd like to learn how WeTravel's booking and payment platform can help you generate bookings, take payments, and manage your student trips. Otherwise, get in touch with the team for a free demo today.