Nashville is ranked among the friendliest cities in the country, and its Southern hospitality combined with amazing attractions makes Nashville among the top destinations for group travel. With just one visit you’ll quickly see (and hear) why Nashville is known as Music City. During a recent trip my group experienced several of the places that have given Nashville its rich musical heritage.
Located in Nashville’s vibrant downtown is the Ryman Auditorium, known as the “Mother Church of Country Music,” and a former home of the Grand Ole Opry. Music can still be heard on its famous stage, and the list of artists who have graced the Ryman vary from Elvis and Bob Dylan to Keith Urban and Taylor Swift. Student performing ensembles are able to play on the stage with prior approval
The Country Music Hall of Fame, located only 2 blocks from the Ryman, traces the roots and influence of Nashville’s musical legacy through its vast collection of photographs, costumes, instruments and, of course, recordings. The Hall’s “Stories Behind the Songs” session allowed us to interact with a local songwriter and hear the stories behind some of music’s biggest hits!
The star treatment is what Nashville does best, and the Country Music Hall of Fame brings it all together in the “Star for a Day” package. Our group’s experience began with a personally guided tour of Historic RCA Studio B, “Home of 1,000 Hits,” and took us into the heart of Nashville music-making during one of its most exciting periods. To complete the studio experience, our band group participated in an actual recording session standing right where Elvis himself stood to record over 200 songs! After the excitement of touring and recording, our group enjoyed a homestyle barbecue buffet and line-dancing lessons at the world famous Wildhorse Saloon. Everyone was delighted one more time when we heard our “latest hit” over the restaurant’s incredible sound system!
No visit to Nashville is complete without taking in a performance of the Grand Ole Opry, the country’s longest-running radio show. We enjoyed the Opry Backstage Tour where we were able to stand in the artist green room, see the newly renovated artist-themed dressing rooms, and stand on the world famous stage.
History lives at The Hermitage: Home of President Andrew Jackson. Exploring the times, challenges and traditions that shaped our young nation at the home of our 7th president was a truly educational experience for our students!
Not only does Nashv
ille have world class attractions and music, it has mouth-watering food! My group dined on some of the best the South has to offer at the Loveless Café. Located in a former roadside motel, “the Loveless” is known for its fried chicken, biscuits, and mouth watering home-made preserves. Our group took the “Iron Skillet Competition” and created our own version of classic Southern dishes. Student groups really enjoy the buffet at the Wild Horse Saloon with a free line dancing lessons.
Planning a group trip to Music City is easy with the staff at the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau. For your upcoming group travel plans I highly recommend a trip to Nashville, where the Music is always playing!
It was hard to believe I was just 30 miles outside the nation’s capital. 
When I stepped onto the grounds of the Manassas National Battlefield Park, everything was quiet, serene. I looked out to the countryside and envisioned the men marching up the hill for battle and could feel the ghosts of those who spilled their blood on this land. I was standing on hallowed ground, the site of two Civil War battles.
The battlefield is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Civil War. Prince William and Manassas have numerous historic sites like Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre, the Manassas Museum and Ben Lomond Historic Site that help tell the story of the soldiers, the slaves and the families that lived more than 100 years ago. When visiting these sites, the history I learned in school came alive. They are perfect attractions for educational, student or group tours.
Not a Civil War history buff? Let me tell you, there is something for everyone in Prince William and Manassas.
To learn about the Marines, I visited the National Museum of the Marine Corps. There, I got to do everything from land a helicopter in Vietnam to pilot a plane in World War II. The interactive museum is another great destination for student or group tours. It is also a great location to have a school performing ensemble prent a concert in their lobby
If you are looking to get away with your girlfriends or spend a romantic day with your loved one, visit the picturesque streets of Old Town Manassas and historic Occoquan. The quaint main streets allow you to step back in time and visit mom-and-pop shops and restaurants that offer unique gifts and exquisite food.
While the historic districts of the community offer great, unique stores, Potomac Mills provides visitors with more than 200 outlet shops and eateries. The indoor mall that includes an IMAX theater is a perfect destination for a tour group looking for a bargain.
After I finished shopping, I visited the new Hylton Performing Arts Center. When I pulled up to the facility I was amazed at its beautiful exterior, which features a nine-story copper-covered tower. The venue hosts both local and national, dance, music and theater groups. Bring a theater class here for an evening of entertainment or host an event in its grand foyer. In addition, what a great location for a music festival or performance music clinic.
If you are planning a group tour for people who love the outdoors, Prince William and Manassas have places like Leesylvania State Park and Prince William Forest Park where you can camp,fish, canoe and hike. Tours can also be booked with Rivershore Charters- a passenger boat that cruises the Occoquan River. Or, come during baseball season and take in a Potomac Nationals Game-the Washington Nationals’ Class A minor league team.
With the help of Discover Prince William & Manassas, VA, the region’s convention and visitors bureau, I was able to take in all that Prince William and Manassas have to offer. This is an excellent destination for group tours, class trips or educational tours.
When it comes to student travel, everyone remembers having to take a trip to the state capitol in grade school. Sacramento offers much more than the standard visit to the state Capitol. In one short trip, my group and I were able to visit the Capitol, pan for gold at the 
originating site of the Gold Rush, watch canons fire at Sutter’s Fort, navigate my way through vintage railcars at the California State Railroad museum and witnessed some Old West-style hijinks from costumed gunslingers among the historic buildings and wooden sidewalks of Old Sacramento. My group was thrilled that it wasn’t just a basic trip to the Capitol. We were able to witness current government in action as well as visit the history of the Gold Rush and the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. We were also able to work in quality meals to our itinerary and budget. Planning a group trip to Sacramento was easy because of all wide range of options to suit my group. I was also pleased to notice the wide range of performance venues available for student choirs, bands and other arts-based performance groups.
The Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau has developed a great resource with their “Goldology” website (http://www.discovergold.org/students/). Click throug
h the site to find out more about all the opportunities Sacramento has to offer student groups. I also enjoyed Leticia’s Goldology video newsletter, which featured real students enjoying their tour through the California State Railroad museum.
From history and government to environment and agriculture, educational tours based in Sacramento offer student groups a wide variety of options that have proven to keep groups interested and stimulated. In fact, the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau was recognized in 2011 by the British Education Travel Association with a Bronze Award for Best International Youth Destination. I have enjoyed working with the SCVB to create itineraries that feature Sacramento as a top notch student-friendly destination.
Well this time I went to a most interesting FAM trip. My goal is getting more and more international student tours to Europe. Europe is still the most attractive international destination for educational and performance tours. Most of us are coming from Europe, so feel where our ancestors came from.
Wens Travel, a tour operator based in Holland was hosting this trip. Wens Travel is in business since 1975 and a real expert in special interest travel and is offering tours al over Europe. Only 10% of their groups are going to Holland, so Europe is really their backyard and natural habitat.
What is of interest to North American students, regarding performing as well as educational tours? Italy, yes, intriguing, combination Hungary-Czech republic and ending the trip in Vienna, wow inspiring, or to London – Paris, the capitals of Europe with a stop at the Landing Beaches in Normandy – most meaningful.
Well London – Paris, to start with. Upon arrival in London a heartfelt welcome by our tour manager Almar, most experienced and dedicated to student groups. He showed us around the main can-not-be-missed highlights , but also showed us most interesting Churchill’s War rooms and Shakespeare Theatre. For the performing groups the Royal Academy of Music, what a lovely place to hold a festival and to the church at Covent Garden, where orchestras and choirs can perform in front of a captive audience. Of course we went to a musical, like all students do and we used the underground system. Once explained, it was easy and fast.
On to our n
ext destination, Normandy in France. D Day, June 6th, 1944. Taking the challenging Chunnel from London to Calais. On to Bayeux, lovely French town with world famous tapestry of Mathilda. The wife of William the Conqueror depicting the Battle of Hastings, 1066! With an expert guide we continued to the impressive landing beaches of Omaha Beach, St. Mary-Eglise, the Paratrooper Museum, Bridge at Troarn, ending at the American Cemetery where we laid down flowers to pay our respects at the hundreds of crosses and stars of David for the deceased. How impressive will this be to our students. We will never forget this experience.
On to Paris, city of lights. Almar keeps up the spirit and on foot, by metro and by coach we discovered the city, ending with a romantic Seine boat trip after dinner, to see Paris illuminated. To sit down at a side walk terrace with the locals, have a tour behind the scenes at Opera Garnier, shop at Galery Lafayette and eating late at night in a real Bistro, gets you in the French mood. Performance venues were inspected too. And YES you can march with your band underneath the Eiffel Tower, imagine the picture! Or give an intimate concert at the Church of St. Germain des Pres, Jardin du Luxembourg during lunchtime, during High Mass or recital with your choir in Notre Dame or have an exchange with a French choir, it is all possible.
Our time was limited, we missed Oxford, Versailles, Mont St. Michel, all big name attractions, but we were so pleased with the focus on these 3 destinations.
Packed with memories we returned to the USA. For sure we will share our enthusiasm for Europe, for these destinations – and many to follow! - and the comfort level we experienced with Wens Travel, with our music directors, teachers and students. Peak Performance Tours has a great partnership with Wens Travel.
Being a tour escort for student performing groups can be one of the most rewarding
experiences. Having “escorted” many student groups for Peak Performance Tours, no two tours are alike and every now and then there’s that unique performance tour that makes you smile just thinking about it! Earlier this year I had such an experience with the internationally known Texas A & M Aggie Wranglers, a western style dance group that performs dance movements from the two-step to acrobatic like lifts, “Aggie” as they call themselves was meeting me for the last leg of their 5 day Eastern U.S. trip – 1 ½ days in NYC. Driving from Baltimore, they were meeting me at at Ellen’s Stardust Café in NYC.
Almost 1.5 hours late due to a serious of vicious rain downpours the East Coast had seen all Spring, Aggie arrived with smiles on their faces, cowboy hats in tow ready to chow down and watch the “dancers” at Ellen’s. At one point, 2 of our guys were ready to jump on the tables and join in the dance routine. Had it not been for our timed tickets to the Top of the Rock to view the magnificent skyline of NYC, Ellen’s might have seen some heel stomping and hat throwing. More on the hats in a moment.
After breakfast the next morning we headed to the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island National 
Park for a performance at the Ellis Island Wall of Honor. Upon our arrival and much to our dismay, the performance area had suffered some damage from the rainstorm of the night before. Fear not though! After working out the logistics with the Park authorities (not an easy feat I might add but that’s what we Peak escorts do), Aggie was able to perform in the front section of the visitor’s center but the surface was grass!! According to Aggie, no worries and off they went to warm-up. About 30 seconds into the routine a ferry docked full with passengers who cheered in amazement as the group did their flips, turns and acrobatic like throws without missing a beat. Everyone was in awe! 
Now about the hats. After dinner at HB Burger in Times Square, we were walking to our Broadway show Wicked. All of our guys wore their cowboy hats and if you’ve not been to Times Square, there are large screen monitors that capture people as they walk by a certain area so you can see yourself. So as Aggie walked by the monitor all you could see were a sea of Aggie Wrangler Cowboy hats – it looked like a commercial and people started hooting and hollering for fun. We even had someone approach us to say hello – they were an Aggie Alum!
The last day of the trip brought the dancers to the Middle School for Marketing and Legal Studies in Brooklyn for a morning performance and dance clinic to a packed theater of middle school students. Students and teachers alike were mesmerized, clapping and cheering throughout the performance and in support of those students who volunteered to come up on stage and get a lesson. At the conclusion of the lesson, all the Aggies lined up on stage to take questions. Although shy at first, questions started to pour in – have you ever fallen, how long did it take you to learn the steps, have you ever been to Philadelphia and my favorite, keeping in mind Aggie dancers are couples, do you have to date someone on the team to be on the team?! I’ll blog the answer after our Aggie trip this year!
Off to LaGuardia airport to get the Aggie’s on the plane back to Texas. A Peak Performance Tour to remember for sure – oh, and yes, I’m smiling as I write this!
Escorting various student groups on trips is always something that I look forward to and wholeheartedly enjoy. I have been on group travels with Middle school and High school bands, choruses and other various musical organizations. However, my most unique trip happened when I met up with the Texas A & M Aggie Wranglers, a dance group 
of international fame. Their "costume" consisted of western style clothing, boots and, of course, their 10-gallon hats.
This trip encompassed visiting the many interesting sites in and around our Nation's capitol and, best of all, watching them display their own brand of Texas hospitality to locals and visitors alike.
The monuments in Washington, DC are awesome and cover a wide range of Americana, from heroes to events, from earliest revolutionary times up to including exploration of outer space. The Aggie Wranglers experienced some of the 
Smithsonian museums (there is never enough time spent at the Smithsonian, so the group is looking forward to their next trip to DC), various commemorative sites such as WWII Memorial, The Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Wall, and Arlington National Cemetery, the home of our fallen heroes, to name but a few; and a special tour of the Capitol building which was arranged by their Congressman.
Also, the Wranglers performed their special combination of Country dancing, jazz, flips and turns at the Old Post Office building in front of hundreds of delighted visitors. They received a well-deserved standing ovation! Their most unique performance was a visit to a local elementary school. There, inside a small gymnasium, over 100 children watched in amazement at the Wranglers danced their way into the imagination and spirit of these pint-sized future leaders. After the "formal" dance routine, the Wranglers answered fascinating questions which were proposed to them. These questions ranged from "Where do you keep your horses?" to "How can I learn to dance like that?" To everyone's amazement, one of the dancers revealed that she was visually impaired and depended on her partner to guide her, unnoticed by most, through the complex dancing routine. This was very eye-opening to the young students. Despite a busy, jam-packed schedule, the Wrangles extended their time at the school , with the Principal's permission, and got the audience (students and teachers also) to stand up and learn some basic "line-dancing" steps. I'm not sure who had more fun: the students or the dancers!!!
After spending 4 days learning about our country's capitol, the group proceeded to Baltimore Harbor and then to NY City for more sightseeing and dancing performances. Upon parting, the Wranglers were already discussing their next group trip and challenging Peak Performance Tours to come up with another worth-while and interesting program.
There’s a reason Gettysburg, Pa, is among the top student travel destinations in America
. With 15,000 motorcoaches a year, this small town not only shares its rich Civil War history well, it’s got group travel down to a science.
We embarked on a two-night trip there this fall and were surprised about how many places there were to visit. Most obvious – and popular – were the Gettysburg National Military Park (the battlefield), and the newly opened Visitor Center, but spread throughout town are museums on every corner – all open for group business.
We started our visit at the 
Visitor Center, where tickets include admission into the incredible museum, the famous Cyclorama Painting and a film that helps visitors understand how Gettysburg fit into the Civil War and what led up to the battle in Pennsylvania. In all, the experience took more than two hours. The Visitor Center has a great book store and restaurant on-site.
Like most groups that visit Gettysburg, we hired a Licensed Battlefield Guide, some of the best tour guides in the country. Our guide boarded our bus at the Visitor Center and we embarked on a two-hour tour through all three days of the battlefield. The guide answered questions and did an amazing job of explaining the complicated battle to our group.
We also visited a few other museums – like the David Wills House and the Shriver House – and had allotted some time for the group to visit shops in Downtown Gettysburg. The group enjoyed the time on their own and found a lot of interesting shops and art galleries – even some neat Civil War stores.
Our group stayed in a hotel east of Gettysburg along U.S. Route 30 among a cluster of hotels and restaurants, but there is lodging scattered across the region, including downtown and on Steinwehr Avenue, a tourist hub that includes museums, gift shops and restaurants.
Steinwehr Avenue features an array of restaurants perfect for group trips, including the Dobbin House Tavern and . Restaurants are located throughout the town, some more suitable for smaller groups.
While Gettysburg slows down in the evening, many visitors – especiall
y students – love to take candlelit ghost tours, one of the more popular attractions in Gettysburg. The prices aren’t bad and the students really enjoy the tours. They weave the history of the Civil War in with the stories that haunt people today. Tickets are less than $10, and we tipped our guide for a great tour.
Before we left Gettysburg, we made one last stop at Soldiers’ National Cemetery, where Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. It was a solemn, but beautiful place. Lincoln’s speech is marked with a modest monument in the cemetery, but it was the unmarked gravestones that impressed the group so much. More than 3,500 Union soldiers are buried there, many of them unidentified.
We were pleasantly surprised with how much our group seemed to enjoy the history, even after two days. We didn’t get everywhere – there are many more museums and tours to take. A lot to do for an educational tour, but a perfect location for a class trip.
Upon arriving in Pigeon Forge, my head was turning from side to side taking in all the fun attr
actions that my student tours would love to do. I had no idea that this little town in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains was focused on FUN! First thing I see is WonderWorks, an upside-down building where the unexplainable will come to life and the unusual will be the norm. Next thing I see along the Parkway is the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Show. If the outside of the theater is a taste for what happens inside, student groups are in for some Feud'n and Feasting Fun!
Next door is the Titanic Museum Attraction. Can you imagine one of my performing groups entertaining and then stepping inside to experience the stories of the passengers that sailed on the Titanic? I even found a Titanic Scavenger Hunt on their website that can be downloaded and used for the visit. With prior notice, the crew at Titanic can research a group's city or state to make their visit more personal. Did you know that 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the ship's maiden, and last, sailing? With over 400 artifacts on display, students will learn of the courage of the 2,208 passengers. This museum attraction brings the history to life!
A little of
f the Parkway, it's Dollywood! In 2012 this award-winning park will introduce Wild Eagle, America's first wing coaster with nothing but air above and below you as you travel 60 mph. Wow! Performing groups have the opportunity to perform at Dollywood before thousands of park guests. For educational tours, Dollywood's Science in the Park program and Careers in Theme Park Management and their Wings of America programs are easily adaptable in school standards.
Continuing down the Parkway is Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction, The Smokies Most Fun Place Place to Eat! Whether you're rooting for the North Side or the South Side, it's a friendly and fun rivalry with lots of competition, music, special effects and laughs. I sure didn't leave this show hungry!
Student groups love video games, right? Well, how about having them spending time playing a live-action video game? Magiquest castle sits right on the Parkway and provides six different adventures in one building. Your wand will track everything you do as you use it to solve clues. Another fun adventure attraction is Tomb right across the street. Here, you take on an Indiana Jones-type persona and try to find your way out with clues. Another fun attraction, The Track, sits on the corner of Stoplight 3. Mini-golf, go-carts and bumper boats are loads of fun for youth groups. After an unforgettable experience of rolling down a hill in a giant sphere at Zorb,
I'm ready for more action!
I've often been faced with having to find restaurants in destinations that can feed up to 250 people at a time. Well, Pigeon Forge is not lacking in this department! There are several all-you-can-eat buffets with private dining rooms that can handle our student groups! In addition, there's plenty of motorcoach parking in town. I found it to be a motorcoach-friendly and group-friendly place!
With the Smoky Mountain National Park in the town's backyard, there are plenty of educational and scenic adventures that can be found. Step-on guides can even describe the diversity and history of this national park. Among the over 800 miles of trails in the Smokies, there are several sm
all hikes perfect to release that youthful energy!
Here's something else! Marching groups can join Dolly Parton in Pigeon Forge's Homecoming Annual Parade in May. It's a great way to show off a band's talents! In addition, I found several attractions and theaters that welcome performing groups!
There's even more attractions, theaters, and special events than I have room for in this blog! My list of things to do that are perfect for students could go on and on!
Pigeon Forge – What a fun destination for Peak Performance's student travel. Oh, did I mention....it's an affordable trip?
From Dance Teams to Senior Class Trips to music tours, I just never get bored d
oing student travel. This week I had a great time at Smuggler’s Notch with a group of High School seniors. These trips always have a unique dynamic since the kids are all focused on creating lasting memories as part of the culmination of all their years as classmates. It’s hard to think of a better winter wonderland to create those memories than Smuggler’s Notch in VT!
I have had lots of group ski trips there over the years, and the kids I was with this week certainly had as good a time as I can remember! The great thing about an all inclusive resort like Smuggs, is that once all the hard work of planning and fundraising is done, the kids know they can just come and have FUN! And boy did these kids embrace that idea with gusto. I met them at the Ben and Jerry’s factory in Waterbury 
VT, where we took the tour, sampled ice cream and channeled inner peace! It is never too cold for ice cream - especially in VT! Then we jumped on the buses and went ‘round the mountain to the resort. The kids were so excited when they saw their condos - with great living spaces and cozy sleeping quarters. The teachers and chaperones got everyone settled and we took care of all rentals and lift tickets before walking over to the restaurant for dinner. As soon as dinner was over, the kids fanned out in groups to explore the teen activities available at Smuggs. This became a nightly ritual of them hanging out a dance party or in the yurt playing video games or at a comedy show - whatever they wanted to experience.
Next morning we hit the slopes. Some of the kids were experienced skiers and snowboarders and got right to it, others signed up for various levels of instruction. All over the slopes there were smiling faces and laughter as people whizzed by me or learned how to snow plow to control their speed! Lots and lots of photos and short videos being taken of friends in action on the slopes in VT. Some of the kids who just didn’t want to ski or snowboard were busy instead ice skating or taking to the snowshoe trails. Others split their time between all the daytime activities offered at Smuggs. The instructors and staff are so friendly that by the second day the kids all felt as if they were old friends.
At night some of us took advantage of the snow tubing that is set up once the slopes close for 
the day. It may not have the thrill factor of careening down the Madonna 1 run, but it sure is a lot of fun and you need a lot less equipment! We all gathered to watch the staff do their Lantern-lit Ski Parade. They each carry “laterns” or flares and ski down the slope by the main lodge - it is a beautiful, peaceful and graceful event. The kids were trying to guess which skier was their instructor from their form. Some of them got it right, and it was a lot of fun to watch them and sip our hot chocolate out in the beautiful crisp VT air.
By the last morning at breakfast everyone was getting excited to share their adventure with the friends and family back home. I think it is always a sign of a great senior class trip when kids tell me they can’t wait to come back with their family. I lost count of how many of them said that this time. But they are right, Smuggler’s Notch is a great place to go with friends or family, and these kids had a great time!
I am still feeling the southern CA sun on my face as I settle back into my daily routing in PA. I just had a great trip to Los Angeles with a high school dance team as their Tour Manager. The directors had spent months in conjunction with us here at PPT planning the perfect blend of educational and entertainment activities in the Los Angeles area. There were a lot of pieces that came together beautifully to make this such a great trip! The dance team did a great job fundraising so that the cost of the trip was easily attainable, they learned some amazing routines and came ready to soak up everything Los Angeles has to offer.
We started each morning with the ever awesome Embassy Suites breakfast! There is always 
something for every student group tours at their buffet, from bagels to a made to order omelet station - so that we jumped on our bus each day ready and raring to go! On our first day together we got right into the spirit of the life of the stars by having a terrific local step-on guide who would tell us all about Hollywood and Beverly Hills. It’s amazing to think of how simply Marilyn’s house seems by comparison to her huge personality. The students were all talking about all the little bits of gossip or facts they had learned on the tour while we ate lunch at the Farmer’s Market. After some free time checking out all the booths at the Farmer’s Market it was time to head over to their first master class at the Millenium Dance Complex. This was really what they were here to do - dance. And dance they did!! They worked so hard and the instructor was so inspiring we were all surprised at how quickly the time passed. The directors were just amazed at the way the team clicked in the newly learned routine and spent a good deal of time on the bus afterwards talking to the dancers about how they could apply what they had learned to their current performance routine. Dinner and some free time for shopping made for a perfect end to the day.
Up early the next day to head to Disneyland for their Magic Music Days performance! They did an outstanding job and really got the crowd on their side right from the start! They were so excited about how professionally they had been treated from the moment they arrived backstage at Disney Land. They all agreed it was worth every penny, every minute of practice and every sore muscle to have it all come together in the performance. After that it was fun, fun, fun with Mickey and friends as we spent the rest of our day in the park.
Our last full day in sunny California started off bright and warm! We headed t
o Grauman’s Chinese Theater for a tour of the area including the Kodak Theater, where the Oscars are held each year. We took lots of funny pictures with the famous handprints - more smiles and laughs than even with Mickey the day before! There was free time for the students to wander the Walk of Fame a bit more and grab some lunch before heading to the Edge Performing Arts Center next round of master classes. These sessions were even more intense than the day before and the students also had the option to join in an open dance class. This was a really neat experience as they were able to interact with local dancers of various ages and learn a lot about what was happening in Los Angeles for dancers. We all left amid the dancers practically floating on air from the opportunity. As we headed over to the Santa Monica Pier for beach time and later dinner, the students and instructors agreed they had learned more than they had hoped for. The students especially felt really encouraged that they had received so much positive reinforcement from the various dance instructors they had met.
After a picture perfect time on the beach and pier we met up for our last dinner in Los Angeles - watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean...can anyone think of a better job to have in student travel?!
One last breakfast and off to the airport to head for home. Suitcases stuffed to the limit, new sunglasses and shirts on most of the kids and smiles and memories to keep them warm as they head back home to winter weather. Another really fun Peak Performance Tours group trip for me that I was able to share with a nice group of people, seeing the sights, tapping our toes and soaking in the California lifestyle!