One of the best-valued zoos in the country, the St. Louis Zoo is devoted to the animals and you. Their mission is to consistently conserve global wildlife and to offer educational and inspirational services to the public. This is a zoo that truly cares about the well-being of the animals and strives to promote global research and conservation practices to support the world’s animals.

In some ways the zoo is like a living laboratory as the zookeepers and scientists observe and research animal behavior, disease, and more to learn about how to better protect and treat animals both captive and wild. The zoo is also a safe haven for endangered species to reside away from poachers and deforestation where they might, sometimes with a little help, rebuild the species’ population.

With more than 18,000 animals, the St. Louis Zoo has a plethora of interesting and entertaining attractions for your group. Take a guided tour or guide your own way through the exhibits to see penguins, Asian elephants, the Bird House, the primates, the marvelous felines of Big Cat Country, sea lions, sharks, and much more. Personalize your visit with the help of zoo staff to custom design activities and tours to fit your desires. Plan scavenger hunts, picnics, or field trips with themed tours. Rent the zoo for weddings, receptions, birthday or anniversary parties, corporate team-building events and more.

Not only does the zoo feature thousands of fascinating creatures but it also has themed attractions for the young at heart. Visit the Zooline Railroad, the Children’s Zoo, or the Conservation Carousel if your group contains small children or trek on over to the 4D motion simulator theater to experience a multi-sensory film. Watch the Sea Lion Show, take a Safari tour or a Behind-the-Scenes tour for a more informational visit.

Are you searching for something to do to unwind? Well, Valley Forge After Hours has several options. Featured options include: Living History Tours, as well as Storytelling and Reenactments. There are also places to shop for Valley Forge Souvenirs. Featured Living History programs include: Tippler’s Tour: Colonial Pub Crawl and Valley Forge After Hours. On the After Hours tour, the group will travel back in time to June 1778 which was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. You will spend an exciting evening at the famous encampment at Valley Forge. You will experience what nights were like for the continental Army. The evening begins with a traditional colonial dinner with Martha Washington. After the meal, you will check in at General Washington’s Headquarters. At the end of the evening, the group will sit in front of a campfire and listen to the soldier’s tales. This program is fun for all ages.

The John James Audubon Center is located near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The museum stands in the first historic U.S. home of John James Audubon. This museum features a unique combination which includes nature, art, and history. It also houses all of Audubon’s major works. Audubon was a famous artist. The museum contains one of the country’s most impressive collections of oil paintings, original Audubon prints and Audubon memorabilia. Visitors will enjoy the nature trails and wildlife that can be found at the Audubon sanctuary which is part of the home and estate of the First American Naturalist. John James Audubon was also an author as well. Mill Grove was built in 1762 and sits three miles from Valley Forge National Historical Park. Audubon’s father bought the home in 1789. The surrounding woods inspired Audubon’s first painting. In the years 1803-1806 the young man first fell in love with the American landscape and spent his time sketching native wildlife. Bring your group to this museum where you will have an eye-popping experience viewing Audubon’s work.

Pottsgrove Manor is located in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The location was the historic 1752 home of John Potts. Potts was a colonial ironmaster and also the founder of Pottstown. The group will get a unique look at the lifestyle and times of John Potts, his family, servants and slaves. There are several events for your group to consider. Featured events include: guided tours, public programs, and other events. Tours last 45-minutes. The original mansion was situated on a 1000 acre plantation. By 1762, the location included the town of “Pottsgrove.” John Potts was appointed Justice of the Peace and judge on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. He was also elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly from both Berks and Philadelphia counties. Even though only four acres of the original property exist today, Pottsgrove Manor has not lost any of its original charm and architectural beauty. Your group will view the beautiful landscape during the visit and experience life of the mid-18th century.

Elmwood Park Zoo is located in Valley Forge. The group will get to meet different animals and view exhibits. Take time during your trip to visit this one-of-a-kind attraction. Featured animals include: amphibians, Birds, Fish, Mammals, and Reptiles. Birds include: the Bald Eagle, the Barn Owl, the Blue and Gold Macaw, the Burrowing Owl, the Chilean Flamingo, the Golden Eagle, and the Muscovy duck. Reptiles include the following: the American Alligator, the Black Rat Snake, the Box Turtle, the Diamondback Terrapin, the Green Iguana, the Northern Pine Snake, the Red Footed Tortoise, and the Western Hognose Snake. Amphibians include the following: the Blue Poison Dart Frog, the Hourglass Frog, and the Surinam Toad. Mammals include: the American Bison, Big Horn Sheep, the Black Footed Ferret, the Bobcat,
the Capybara, the Coatimundi, and the Cougar. The group will enjoy seeing the animals and learning about each species.

Valley Forge contains the National Historical Park. Visitors can tour the location. Your group can also participate in other special programs as well. There are a few tours to consider. Featured tours include: Ranger-led Walks, Trolley Tours, Bicycle tours, and Living History programs. Your tour will begin at the visitor center. The group can browse the encampment Store. The visitor center also contains a museum with a collection of exhibits that pertain to the 1777-1778 winter encampment and the Revolutionary War. There are also exhibits which focus on the cultural and natural history of Valley Forge. On the Ranger-led Walking Tour, visitors will take a 1.4 mile walk and discover the Muhlenberg Brigade Huts. The tour focuses on a variety of topics from the Valley Forge winter encampment and the American Revolution. After the walk, the group can learn more about camp life by touring the replica log huts and surrounding historic area of the Muhlenberg Brigade. On the Trolley Tour the group will climb aboard an old-fashioned trolley. You will make extensive stops at the Muhlenberg Brigade Huts and Washington’s Headquarters. The tour is 90-minutes long.

Student groups planning a quintessential Upstate getaway with their hearts set on exploration of the stunning Niagara Falls area in all its magnificent glory will want to dedicate a few hours of their itinerary to wandering the grounds and compounds of popular national historic landmark Fort Niagara, a 250 acre fortification opened in 1726 near Youngstown, New York, on the Eastern bank of the Niagara River. Fort Niagara, originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America, is the oldest continuously occupied military site in North America; visitors embark on a fascinating journey back in time to an era when powerful empires struggled for control of the wild territories we now know as the United States and Canada. Marvel at the sight of the Fort’s original War of 1812 flag, revel in breathtaking panoramic views and wonderful 18th century architecture, participate in exciting living history programs, view an award-winning orientation film and peruse introductory exhibits filled with original artifacts. Tour original buildings where Native American, French, British and American soldiers lived and worked from the 18th to the 20th centuries, experience thrilling musket and artillery firing demonstrations and witness skilled artisans at work-imagine the hardship of everyday life on the rugged 18th century Niagara Frontier. You’ll meet talented re-enactors who skillfully recreate the lives of past fort garrisons, carefully depicting the trials and tribulations of the day, providing groups on Niagara excursion a captivating cross section of the struggles that birthed our great Nation.

Any group wishing a more comprehensive Niagara Falls history lesson than self-guided wandering might deliver will definitely want to include a stop at this popular educational attraction in Niagara Falls State Park in New York on their Upstate itinerary. Your fellow excursionists shouldn’t need too much convincing to take a well-deserved break from hours of serious hiking, sightseeing and exploring and step inside, where a truly exciting and absolutely immersive Niagara Falls experience awaits! From the air conditioned comfort of your choice of 314 stadium seats you are regaled with boatloads of fascinating Falls information, legend and lore that would take more than a lifetime of steadfast adventuring to amass! You’ll want to hold onto your hats as “Legends of Adventure” comes whooshing to life on a fabulous 45-foot screen while the thunderous and unmistakable roar of the iconic Niagara Falls is delivered through deafeningly realistic digital Dolby surround-sound. Experience for yourselves all the mist, myths and mysteries of one of the most magnificent and storied natural wonders of the world during this spectacular 30-minute presentation showing on the hour at the new Niagara Adventure Movie Theater located on the bottom floor of the Niagara Falls State Park Visitor Center. A stop by Niagara Adventure is an unforgettable piece of every group’s Upstate excursion; to date, more than fourteen million visitors have come away with an enhanced perception and knowledge of the region, a magical place of grand historic, scientific and geographic significance. Complimentary headsets for French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Korean and German languages and wheelchair accessible seating are available.

Plucky itinerants visiting Upstate New York wanting to see and do it all while touring the region will appreciate the fact this landmark attraction is just a 30 minute jaunt from magnificent world wonder Niagara Falls (via Route 31 East) in Lockport, New York. Lockport Cave & Underground Boat Ride ushers groups wanting to get to the heart of local landmark legend and lore on informative and exciting 70-minute guided tours through America’s industrial history. Guests will explore the famous Flight of Five Locks, visit notorious haunted ruins from an earlier industrial age and amble through an unbelievable 1600 foot tunnel blasted out of solid rock in the 1800s. America’s longest underground boat ride ushers you and your group through a dimly lit portion of the raceway that once supplied water to power three industries; you will study fascinating geological formations at all stages of development and marvel at intriguing artifacts left behind by men of iron constitution whos backbreaking labor built this magnificent passageway in the early days of the iconic Erie Canal. The fun and informational Lockport Cave and Underground Boat Ride is guided at a leisurely stop and go pace and is primarily a walking tour that includes stairs; it is not handicapped accessible and comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Hourly tours start at the ticket office, located in downtown Lockport at 5 Gooding Street next to the Pine Street bridge overlooking the Erie Canal and Lockport Locks. Grab your group and prepare to experience history come to life along the Erie Canal on this popular expedition through time and spooky space!

Groups visiting the magnificent Niagara Falls intent on exploring the surrounding area – a region rich with historical interest – will not want to miss this relaxing and uniquely educational two – hour Erie Canal cruise which includes “locking through” and being raised the 49 foot elevation of the Niagara Escarpment (the same one that creates Niagara Falls) in the only double set of locks on the hand-dug, 363-mile Erie Canal. Originally, 83 stone locks overcame the 571-foot difference in the level between the rivers; enlarged in the early 1900′s, now just 35 locks allow larger vessels to travel across New York State. Pass under lift bridges, marvel at millions of gallons of water cascading over Lockport’s famous “Flight of Five” 1840′s locks, and travel right through the solid walls of the “rock cut” as your capable Captain narrates this interesting voyage, describing architecture and points of interest in excellent detail and even sharing bits of well-loved folklore along the way. Regularly scheduled cruises depart daily from May to October from Lockport’s unique Canalside – a versatile, elegant complex/special events venue located dockside along the banks of the Grand Old Erie, tendering visitors good eats year-round and a vast selection of Canal gifts and memorabilia. Travel is delightfully tranquil; passengers experience three fabulous seasons of Nature at its best – fruit trees abloom and fragrant in Spring, seas of gorgeous native wild flowers brushed into Summer’s landscape and all the fiery magnificence of Autumn in the Memorial Tree Garden in Lowertown as they drift back in time to the dulcet tones of period music on this famous old waterway that is, truly, an engineering wonder and local attraction not to be missed!