You are here: Home / Trip Themes

Trip Themes

Washington and Oregon

Natures Bountiful Gifts

Trip #1: Washington, Oregon
Learn about the awesome power and beauty of nature by exploring the Pacific Northwest.  From volcanic superstars like Mt. St. Helens and Crater Lake to the Oregon Sand Dunes and the Columbia River, See and experience natural wonder in all it's glory.

Nevada, Utah and Arizona

The Wild West

Trip #2: Nevada, Utah and Arizona 
Follow the history of the Southwest, from the National Parks, to the interesting characters on the western frontier to the casinos of Vegas.

Destination #3: Idaho, Wyoming and Montana

The Adventures of Lewis and Clark

Trip #3: Idaho, Wyoming and Montana
Explore the natural wonder of these states and trace the path of Lewis and Clark, the brave men sent by Thomas Jefferson to explore and document the land of the Louisiana Purchase along with their guide Sacagawea.

Destination #4: New Mexico and Colorado

Cowboys and Native Americans Indians

Trip #4: New Mexico and Colorado
Gain a deeper understanding of the cowboy culture and the lives of Native American tribes.  See how they lived, their art and culture, and how they adapted to the environment.

Destination #5: North and South Dakota

Homesteaders on the Prairie

Trip #5: North Dakota and South Dakota
Understand first hand about the life of homesteaders out on the prairie and appreciate what it took to settle new land out on the frontier.

Destination #6: Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma

Pioneers in the Heartland

Trip #6: Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma
Learn all that is special about the center of the United States, a place that many folks never see. From blazing new trails on the pony express, to breaking the chains of segregation, to blasting into space you can find it all here in the heartland.

Legends and Longhorns

Legends and Longhorns

Trip #7: Texas
Find out where Texas pride comes from and the meaning of the lone star.  Explore Texans rich and bloody history and their undying commitment to the land they call home.

Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin

The Immigrant Experience

Trip #8: Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
America is the ultimate melting pot.  Explore different immigrant communities from Europe and Scandinavia and other parts of the globe and understand how their contributions over generations shaped American culture.

Oceans and Everglades

Oceans and Everglades

Trip #9: Florida
From the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean, the natural landscape of the water has influenced they way of life in different ways in this unique southern state.  From the Cuban refuges who came by boat and settled in Miami, to the Seminole Tribe and those who make the Everglades their home.

Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama

Civil Rights and American Music

Trip #10: Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama
Learn about the battles fought for fairness and equality and how Gospel, Country and other musical influences gave birth to Rock and Roll.

Industrialization on the American Waterways

Industrialization on the American Waterways

Trip #11: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky
Find out how the automotive and other American industries like pork processing grew and developed around the great lakes region and why.

Hawaii

Pacific Cultures and American Imperialism

Trip #12: Hawaii
Should the islands of Hawaii really be our 50th state? Understand the history of the islands and you may find yourself asking that question.  Trace what happened to the Hawaiian culture under the influence of American business.

Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina

Colonies and the Civil War Part 1

Trip #13: Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina
Get in touch with the soul of the south, from the origins of plantations to the role they played in secession and the eventual Civil War.

Minute Man National Historical Park

Rebels and Revolutionary Ideas

Trip #14: Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine
Explore what prompted the colonists to revolt, and learn about the bloody battles and the daring strategy that resulted in the victory that gave birth to America. Find out the other ways that these smaller states distinguish themselves in their own unique way daring to be different.

DSC_0093

The Last Frontier

Trip #15: Alaska
Discover the wonders of nature and wildlife. Learn about native Alaskans and their relationship with the land, wildlife and how they survive in an unforgiving environment. Also learn about the Alaskan gold rush and the discovery of oil and how it continues to affect the Alaskan wilderness today.

6914320-empire-state-building-new-york

Bright Lights, Big Cities and Bold Ideas

Trip #16: New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania
Find the history amid the cultural diversity of grand metropolises like New York City and Philadelphia. And don't forget the places in between like Valley Forge, Thomas Edison's Lab and the Erie Canal where radical ideas changed the course of history.

The Defense of Ideas & The Civil War: Part II

Trip #17: Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia
Understand how passions inspired by freedom, the arts, commerce and culture have fueled our greatest achievements and our bloodiest battles.