Last-Minute Trip Ideas for your Student Performance Tour

There’s still time to plan a 2016 performance tour, and we’re here to make the planning easy with a selection of destinations that are ideal for a quick trip. From world-renowned symphony orchestras to one-of-a-kind experiences, each of these destinations has something unique and memorable to offer your students.

Chicago

The Second City is one of our first choices for weekend performance trips. Your group can get up close and personal with a T-Rex, mine for coal or meet eye-to-eye with dolphins in Chicago’s world class museums and aquariums. Afterwards, shop the Magnificent Mile, and enjoy the calm serenity of Millennium Park. Throw in a stop for the city’s classic deep dish pizza, traditional Greek dining or a dinner cruise on Lake Michigan.

Opportunities to experience the arts in Chicago are plentiful. Enjoy Broadway-style productions and student-friendly comedy shows, or take your group to see the world famous Chicago Symphony Orchestra or Chicago Lyric Opera.  Performance venues for your group abound in Chicago as well, including the Adler Planetarium, the Field Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, and St. Josaphat Church.

Cleveland/Sandusky

For a combination of thrills, culture and fun, look no further than Northern Ohio. Get close to rock and roll’s greatest treasures, blast off to space or take a stroll as sharks swim overhead in magnificent museums. Your group can also hear one of the nation’s best orchestras perform among magnificent Art Deco architecture.

When you are ready for thrills, head over to Cedar Point Amusement Park, the roller coaster capital of the world, and perform for hundreds of its guests. Other performance venues include the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. For a weekend student performance trip, Cleveland rocks.

St. Louis

The gateway to the west is also the perfect destination for a short trip. Learn about blues legends at the National Blues Museum, or take in a performance of the St. Louis Symphony. Visit the Missouri Civil War Museum, meet the Clydesdales at Grant’s Farm, and have an underground adventure at Meramec Caverns. No trip to St. Louis is complete without a riverboat cruise down the Mighty Mississippi and a visit to the Gateway Arch. When it’s time for your group to perform, venues in St. Louis include Union Station, the Missouri Botanical Gardens, and Grant’s Farm.

Nashville

Nashville is home to a musical history and heritage that has earned it the nickname, “Music City”. Start with a tour of the historic Ryman Auditorium and grab a front row seat for America’s longest running live radio show, The Grand Ole Opry. Explore the Country Music Hall of Fame and cruise down the Cumberland River on the General Jackson showboat. After a ride on the showboat, you may even want to take a tour of President Andrew Jackson’s home, The Hermitage.

Nashville’s performance venues, which are nearly as famous as the city itself, include the Country Music Hall of Fame, Grand Ole Opry, and the chance to record your group in RCA Studio B, the same studio where Elvis recorded over 200 songs. Nashville will provide a thoroughly enriching musical and historical experience unlike anywhere else.

Toronto

Just a short ride from the U.S. border, The Queen City is the ideal destination for a group desiring an international experience on a budget. Whether you’re enjoying the beautifully preserved Victorian architecture of the Distillery District or experiencing the myriad of fine arts offered by the city’s host of theatres, two symphony orchestras, and over fifty ballet and dance companies, entertainment opportunities abound. When your group is ready for their time to shine, performance venues include the CN Tower, Nathan Phillips Square, and St. Andrews church.

In addition to the arts, be sure to take in the Royal Ontario Museum, the 1,800 ft. CN Tower, one of Toronto’s 14 professional and amateur sports teams, or the 5,000 animals at the Toronto Zoo. Additionally, Toronto is just a 2 hour drive from Niagara Falls, making them an easy, and memorable, addition to your tour. With so much to see and do, Toronto is a city that’s not to be missed.

Time is running out to book a tour for the 2016 school year. Contact us today to plan an experience that will stay with your students for a lifetime.