Academic Expeditions

03/24/2026

Spring is springing in Washington DC! 🌸

03/04/2026

It’s been a cooler than normal winter in DC and looks like that’s pushing the official start of spring/cherry blossom peak a little later as well. Blossoms or not at Academic Expeditions our spring is officially underway. Excited to meet all the students and their adults coming our way over the next couple months! 🌸🌷

🌸 D.C.’s cherry blossoms may take their time this year.

After the chilliest winter in more than two decades, the trees are just beginning to wake up. Warm weather this week should kick-start development, but cooler conditions later in March may slow the progression toward peak bloom.

📅 Our forecast: April 3–7 for peak bloom at the Tidal Basin.

That would be the latest since 2018 and notably later than last year’s March 28 peak.

Over the past century, peak bloom has shifted about a week earlier on average because of climate warming — but this year looks like a throwback to a later bloom.

Link to our full cherry blossom outlook in the comments

Photo by Matt McLain

02/12/2026

As we get ready to celebrate President’s Day this weekend here are just some of the sites that we get to visit on various itineraries associated with Abraham Lincoln. How many have you been to? Any other presidential sites on your bucket list?

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in a log cabin in rural Kentucky. His journey from humble beginnings to the presidency, and his enduring commitment to preserving the Union and advancing freedom, continue to inspire.

The National Park Service preserves six units wholly or partially dedicated to the 16th President:

🎩 Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park (Kentucky) — honoring his humble origins with the memorial cabin and surrounding landscape.

🎩 Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial (Indiana) — the farm where he grew from boyhood to young adulthood

🎩 Lincoln Home National Historic Site (Illinois) — the only home he ever owned, where he raised his family and built his political career

🎩 Ford's Theatre National Historic Site (Washington, D.C.) — the theater where he was assassinated, now a site of remembrance and live performances

🎩 Lincoln Memorial (part of National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, D.C.) — the grand tribute to his vision of equality and unity

🎩 Mount Rushmore National Memorial (South Dakota) — his iconic image carved among four presidents, symbolizing leadership and endurance

Numerous other national park sites feature Lincoln connections, from battlefields to historic trails.

Have you visited any of these places? Which one resonates most with you?

Explore more and plan your visit: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/presidents/visit.htm

Image: Front facade of Lincoln’s home in Springfield, Illinois.

11/07/2025

We had the serendipitous bonus tonight of both seeing the full moon rise over Iwo Jima (Marine Corps) Memorial, along with meeting two 99 year old veterans of that very battle in WWII. They are in town for the Marine Corp's 250th Birthday on Nov 10th.

07/28/2025

Marketing and Operations Manager
Location: Fully Remote (15–30 days of travel annually)
Status: Full-Time
Reports To: Director of Operations
Compensation: $60,000–$65,000 annually
Benefits: Full medical coverage, matching 401(k)
retirement plan
About Academic Expeditions
Academic Expeditions is a full-service student travel provider specializing in high-quality,
multi-day educational experiences for students and youth groups across the United States.
With a strong foundation in cities like Washington, DC; New York; and Philadelphia, we are
excited to expand our reach to additional domestic and international destinations.
Role Overview
This position resides within the Operations Department and bridges both marketing and
operational responsibilities. The ideal candidate will be proactive, creative, and highly
organized, with a passion for educational travel and youth engagement.
Key Responsibilities
Marketing Duties:
• Develop and distribute a quarterly outreach newsletter
• Manage and track new school contacts through our CRM system
• Identify and assess relevant sales conferences for company presence
• Draft proposals and marketing content
• Create web content, including copywriting and visual content selection
• Innovate and implement new marketing strategies and ideas
Operational Support:
• Coordinate with hotel vendors to ensure quality control and standards
• Assist with day-to-day support across travel operations
Preferred Qualifications
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Monday.com, and Canva
• Experience in travel and tourism, preferably in the student travel sector
• Understanding of middle and high school environments and the educational travel
decision-making process
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to work independently• Strong collaborative and communication skills, both written and verbal
• High emotional intelligence and team-oriented mindset
Equal Opportunity
Academic Expeditions is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an
equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds without regard to
race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or veteran
status.
How to Apply
To apply, please send your resume and a detailed cover letter to [email protected]

05/16/2025

One of the parents on one of our recent trips created this wonderful highlight video of their trip...

11/24/2024

We are lucky to get to be a part of experiences like this!

10/30/2024

We have spent a couple fun days exploring all Quebec’s beauty, history, and exciting sites to be able to expand our Quebec City Winter Fantasy tour offerings. If you want to come back to sample all the poutine after a thrilling snowshoe trek let us know! Perfect for practicing your French! 🇨🇦❄️

08/13/2024

Thank you SYTA for an amazing conference weekend! We had a great time catching up with old friends, making new friends, and getting to explore some iconic New York sites. 🍎 🗽 🎭

07/24/2024

Job Opportunity!!!

Academic Expeditions runs multi-day day student travel throughout the world, with a particularly heavy focus on our nation’s capital. We pride ourselves on providing fully inclusive, safe, and educational trips to middle and high school students from around the country. We are seeking assistance for “behind the scenes” logistical support during the spring and fall, the busiest portions of our year.

If you live in the Washington, DC area and would like to help out, DM us with your email for more details!

06/07/2024

It has been great to see how the world has honored our "still" living veterans of D-day and WWII on the 80th Anniversary. All of them around 100 years of age, we won't have them much longer as our direct connection to one of the most pivotal events of world history. A huge part and purpose of our expeditions is to try and bridge that gap between generations, when that direct connection is lost with the inevitability of time. One of the best sites you can visit to engage with the experiences of the WWII generation is the Museum of the Army at Ft. Belvoir on the outskirts of DC. This photo is from a recent visit to the WWII gallery. While nothing beats a real life conversation with an aged veteran while they are still with us, this museum is ultra modern, immersive and interactive to put you in their shoes in their time.

02/29/2024

Happy "Leap Year Day" Feb. 29th. When we're out on tour, we love to encourage memorable, fun photos at the sites. Here's Isaiah's guide to capturing good "Landmark Leaps".

Isaiah Mosteller's tips for capturing great "leaping" pictures with landmarks in the background.