Business Information

Student field trips and educational tours to Washington D.C., Florida, Chicago, Boston and more

Web Site: 

Sonshine Educational Tours, Inc

Email: 

karinsonshinetours [dot] com

Toll Free: 

800-247-2590

Phone Number: 

954-346-0900

Fax Number: 

954-346-0906

Contact Person: 

Karin Hoffman

Location

Spoken Language: English

Business: Hospitality, Travel

Student field trips to many educational destinations. Tour our nation's capital in Washington D.C., Sight see Disney's Magic Kingdom, Travel to historic Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine.  Experience learning by visting where the history unfolded. Destinations include Chicago, historic Virginia, Boston, Philadelphia, Orlando, New York and more. Sonshine Educational Tours are:

Atlanta educational tours<

Emory University <

Emory College combines the personal engagement and excellent teaching of a traditional liberal arts college with the groundbreaking scholarship and resources of a major research institution.

Georgia Tech<

Georgia Tech’s campus occupies 400 acres in the heart of the city of Atlanta, where more than 16,000 undergraduate and graduate students receive a focused, technologically based education.

Spelman College<

Spelman College is part of the largest consortium of historically black institutions of higher learning in the world. Its four partner institutions include Clark Atlanta University, the Interdenominational Theological Center, Morehouse College and Morehouse School of Medicine.

Morehouse College<

Morehouse College is a private, four-year, all-male, historially black liberal arts college. The school is largely Christian and of the Baptist denomination but no official religion is declared by the institution. The college has an enrollment of 3,000 students and is on of four remaining traditional men’s colleges in the United States.

Atlanta Cyclorama<

Step back in time with Sonshine Educational Tours to July 22, 1864 and experience the Battle of Atlanta. The heroism of soldiers fighting bravely for causes they believed in is brilliantly portrayed as the paintings, foreground figures, music and narrative combine to relive that fateful battle of the Civil War.

Fernbank Science Center and Planetarium<

The Fernbank Science Center is a museum, classroom and woodland complex, owned and operated by the DeKalb County School System. The planetarium and Fernbank Observatory telescope are open for public shows.

Fernbank Museum of Natural History<

With Sonshine Educational Tours at the Fernbank of Natural History your students will come face to face with the world’s largest dinosaurs, explore the development of the Earth through the landscapes of present-day Georgia, connect with cultures from around the globe and engage in a variety of hands-on exhibits.

Martin Luther King Jr. National Site<

Sonshine Educational Tours would would like to assist your students explore the history of the Civil Rights Movement at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Site. Established in 1968 by Coretta Scott King, the King Center is the official, living memorial dedicated to the advancement of the legacy of Dr. Marting Luther King Jr., leader of America’s greatest nonviolent movement for justice, equality and peace.

Boston educational tours<

The Freedom Trail<

A walk along the “Freedom Trail” includes the locations of 16 historical sites that were critical in our nation’s struggle for freedom. Boston Commons, the oldest public park in the United States. The Old State House, Boston’s oldest building and location of the first reading of the Declaration of Independence, the Paul Revere House in Boston’s oldest neighborhood, the site of the oldest public school in America, and the Old South Meeting House where the launching of the Boston Tea Party took place. More than 1.5 million people walk the trail each year and discover our revolutionary past.

New England Aquarium<

The New England Aquarium is one of the most prominent and popular public aquariums in the United States. Founded in 1969 on the city’s waterfront, it is considered one of the first modern public aquariums. The New England Aquarium includes vibrant coral reefs from the Bahamas, Pacific and Australia along with marine mammals from around the world.

Harvard Yard<

Harvard Yard is a grassy area of about 25 acres adjacent to Harvard Square in Cambridge, which constitutes the oldest part and the center of the campus of Harvard University.

Old State Capitol Building<

Boston’s oldest public building was the site of the city’s first reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Quincy Market<

Quincy Market is a historic building in a shopping center called Faneuil Hall Marketplace in downtown Boston. It was constructed from 1824–1826 and named in honor of Mayor Josiah Quincy, who organized its construction.

Chicago educational tours<

Jamestown<

Sonshine Educational Tours is ready to take your students on an adventure to Jamestown. Founded on May 14, 1607 Jamestown is regarded as the first permanent English settlement and the birth place of democracy in what is now the United States.

College educational tours<

Lynn University<

The mission of Lynn University today is the same mission that has defined the institution through its first 46 years and that will continue to define it in the future. Our mission is to provide the education, support, and environment that enable individual students to realize their full potential and to prepare for success in the world.

Florida Gulf Coast University<

Florida Gulf Coast University, with its innovative programs, technology friendly campus, and outstanding facalty, is one of the most exciting educational environments in America.
FGCU, a Member of the State University System of Florida, is a comprehensive university created to address the educational needs of the rapidly growing Southwest Florida population.

University of Florida<

The University of Florida (UF) is a major, public, comprehensive, land-grant, research university. The state’s oldest and most comprehensive university, UF is among the nation’s most academically diverse public universities. UF has a long history of established programs in international education, research and service. It is one of only 17 public, land-grant universities that belongs to the Association of American Universities.

University of South Florida<

USF opened its doors in 1960 to 2,000 students. Today, the USF System welcomes more than 47,000 students from across the country and around the globe and is recognized as one of the nation’s top 63 public research universities.

University of Tampa<

Early in the morning on Aug. 2, 1933, a battered pick-up truck arrived at Hillsborough High School. This was the day when Tampa Junior College was transformed into The University of Tampa and when its headquarters moved from the local high school to what is now known as Plant Hall. Riding on the truck was its president, Frederic H. Spaulding, the former principal of Hillsborough High School and the man who had been the motivating force behind establishing the first local university for Tampa’s high school graduates.

Field trips<

Disney’s Performing Arts<

Disney offers many great performing opportunities and workshops for your students, such as:

• You’re Instrumental
• Disney Dancin
• Disney Dancin-Young Performer Edition
• Disney Sings, Disney Sings-Young Performer Edition
• Disney’s Auxiliration

Disney’s Youth Educational Series<

The Disney Youth Education Series offers educational field trip programs for K–12 grade student groups of 25 or more. These programs are specially designed to thrill, inspire, and showcase young people. Programs take place within and behind the scenes of all Disney Theme Parks.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom<

Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park commemorates Walt Disney’s great love for animals. Groups can explore the magic, fun and wonder of the creatures who inhabit our world and our imagination. Explore the Safari Village and the symbol of Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park, the Tree of Life.® Experience the new TriceraTop Spin, Primeval Whirl® and view Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade. Don’t miss the newest ride, Expedition Everest.™ The Festival of the Lion King is a big-as-Broadway show that surrounds audiences with a cast of singers, dancers and acrobats.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios<

Step onto Hollywood Boulevard and see your favorite Disney stars. Ride through the fifth dimension on The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.™ Everyone is sure to be enchanted by Beauty and the Beast — Live on Stage! Journey Into Narnia: Creating The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Visit with JoJo, Skeebo, and Goliath at Playhouse Disney — Live on Stage!

EPCOT<

Explore the cultures of eleven nations on your journey around the World Showcase. You’ll find a world of entertainment with every turn. Journey through time and space and feel the force of a space launch on Mission: SPACE® as the power of the liftoff pins you to your seat.

Test drivers can push the pedal to the metal at Test Track, one of Disney’s longest and fastest rides and feel like the size of a pea viewing the popular 3D movie, Honey, I Shrunk the Audience! New attraction Soarin’™ is a must to experience.

Ft. Myers Trips<

Ft. Myers Imaginarium<

Ft. Myers is a great addition to your visit to the Ford & Edison Homes with Sonshine Educational Tours. Their Hands-on programs involving live animals, physics, chemistry and a variety of other topics will provide an endless learning experience for your students.

Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens<

Sonshine Educational tours recommends the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens in combination with your trip to the Ford & Edison homes. Get ready to hear the roaring lions and laughing hyenas in southwest Florida’s only nationally accedited zoo. You will get close to big cats, have fun chatting with keepers and cruise on a guided boat tour past islands of monkeys, lemurs and apes. Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is the only zoo in Florida featuring all four of Africa’s top predators. Come rediscover natural fun!

Ford & Edison Homes<

Your visit to the Winter Estates of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford will be a fascinating trip. Both men spent many winters working, talking, and relaxing together.

Visit the winter get-away of Henry Ford, the man responsible for bringing the automobile to the nation. See many of the first automobiles to come off the assembly line. Visit the winter retreat and workplace of Thomas Edison, the man responsible for bringing us the electric light, the phonograph, and many other wonderful inventions.

The botanical garden supplied Edison with plant byproducts for his scientific investigations, and is incidentally one of the most complete in America, containing more than a thousand varieties of plants. The specimens include an African sausage tree and a Banyan tree, which was a gift from Harvey Firestone.

Historic Virginia educational tours<

Yorktown<

This was the site of the last major battle of the Revolutionary war where General George Washington and the French trapped a major British force commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis in 1781.

When Cornwallis was forced to surrender the British government was compelled to sue for peace granting the United States the freedom which was so hard fought. Tour the battle field with Sonshine Educational T0urs, see the re-creation of a Colonial Army encampment and experience the hardships of those brave Patriots who fought for our freedom.

Busch Gardens/Williamsburg VA<

Sonshine Educational Tours can arrange for your group to visit this park as part of your trip to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. Thrilling rides, great shows and villages with a European flavor make this a theme park to remember. Busch Gardens/Williamsburg is seasonal. During the spring they usually open on the weekend’s only.

Luray Caverns<

A trip to Luray Caverns is a nice addition to your visit to Monticello and Michie Tavern. Your students will marvel at this spectacular cave. It will definitely be a highlight of their Sonshine Educational trip to historic Virginia. Luray Caverns is a large, celebrated commercial cave just west of Luray, which has drawn many visitors since its discovery in 1878.

The underground cavern system is generously adorned with speleothems (columns, mud flows, stalactites, stalagmites flowstone, mirrored pools, etc). The caverns are noted for the Great Stalacpipe Organ, a lithophone made from solenoid-fired strikers that tap stalactites of various sizes to produce tones similar to those of xylophones, tuning forks, or bells.

Michie Tavern<

When you plan your trip to Monticello you will want to have lunch at the Historic Michie Tavern. 18th century homemade southern fare based on the period and authentic costumed hosts and hostess.

Monticello<

Explore the extraordinary house of Thomas Jefferson with Sonshine Educational Tours. Thomas Jefferson was the principle author of our Declaration of Independence, our first Secretary of State, second Vice-President and third President. Thomas Jefferson designed and built and furnished for himself and his family. See the books, gadgets, art, furnishings and objects that reveal Jefferson’s unique mind.

New York educational tours<

The Intrepid<

See the US Aircraft Carrier Intrepid that played a pivotal role in WW II and served through the Vietnam War. The Intrepid was also used to recover Mercury and Gemini space craft. You can see her now with an assortment of aircraft along with the a Concorde, and the USS Growler Submarine.

Statue of Liberty<

The Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States, and is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy.

Rockefeller Center<

Built by the Rockefeller family, Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering 22 acres between 48th and 51st Streets in New York City. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1988. It is the largest privately held complex of its kind in the world. The Top of the Rock provides an unobstructed 360° view of the breathtaking landscape from its 70th-floor observation deck. It includes an unparalleled panorama of Central Park and the northern half of Manhattan. New York’s other landmarks are visible as well, including the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Times Square, the Hudson River, the East River, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty. It is, quite simply, the most spectacular view in New York City.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral<

This massive cathedral, situated across from Rockefeller Center on Fifth Avenue, is the largest Catholic cathedral in the United States. With its two soaring 330-foot spires, it is also one of the city’s most spectacular architectural sights. Construction on the neo-gothic structure was begun in 1850 and completed in 1878. Inside, it boasts a seating capacity of 2,500, numerous altars and stained glass windows, and a giant organ with over 7,300 pipes.

Metropolitan Museum of Art<

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, often referred to simply as “the Met,” is one of the world’s largest and most important art museums. The main building is located on the eastern edge of Central Park, along what is known as “Museum Mile.”

Philadelphia educational tours<

Washington’s Crossing<

Visit the location of George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware on December 25, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War — the first move in a surprise attack against the Hessian forces at Trenton, New Jersey, in the Battle of Trenton.

Amish Farm and House<

The Amish Farm and House exist to provide a quality educational experience, reflecting both the historical and contemporary Amish culture in Lancaster County.

Congress Hall<

Congress Hall is the structure where the US Congress sat from December 6, 1790, to late 1800, when Philadelphia was the temporary capital of the United States while Washington, DC was still under construction.

Pamplin Historical Park<

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a Virginia Historic Landmark, and a National Historic Landmark, Pamplin Historical Park is recognized as one of America’s premier historical attractions and as the most innovative Civil War history park in the country.

Franklin Court<

Franklin Court was once the site of the handsome brick home of Benjamin Franklin, who lived there while serving in the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention, and as President of Pennsylvania.

South Florida & the Keys educational tours<

Everglades National Park<

A “River of Grass” was the description given to the landscape in the 1940s by pioneering conservationist Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Within the park, this river still flows slowly toward the sea and gulf. Take the Shark Valley Tram tour to explore the beauty of the Everglades. See wildlife in their natural habitat.

Key West<

Travel with Sonshine Educational Tours to the southernmost point in the United States over the breathtaking seven-mile bridge. While at Key West, visit the home of the Keys most famous writer, Ernest Hemingway, and many other unique locations.

Take the Conch Tour Train through the streets of Key West, and stop by Mel Fisher’s Museum to observe his gold treasures. Visit the Key West Aquarium and the Shipwreck Historeum Museum. Visit Harry S Truman’s Little White House, Florida’s only presidential museum.

Theater of the Sea<

Theater of the Sea, established in 1946, is the second oldest marine mammal facility in the world. Its natural salt water lagoon was originally a quarry that supplied rock for Henry Flagler’s famous railroad which opened the Keys to the rest of the country in the early 1900’s.

Today the lagoon is home to Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, California sea lions, sea turtles, tropical and game fish, sharks, stingrays and other forms of marine life. Our 17-acre tropical paradise is also home to wild and exotic birds, lizards and crocodilians.

John Pennekamp<

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is a Florida State Park, located on Key Largo. It was the first underwater park in the US. The primary attractions are the coral reefs and their associated marine life. Enjoy a unique glimpse into the serene undersea world in style and comfort, on a 65 foot high-speed catamaran with a glass bottom.

Sonshine Educational Tours suggest that you combine John Pennekamp glass bottom boat with The Theater of the Sea. John Pennekamp also offers half-day snorkeling tours which can be combined with the glass bottom boat.

Jungle Island<

Sonshine Educational Tours can arrange for your students to experience Jungle Island, which features exciting shows and exhibits, including a parrot show, playful baby apes, flamingos, and so much more amidst a lush tropical jungle. It is the home of over 1,100 tropical birds and numerous varieties of plants and flowers.

St. Augustine educational tours<

Colonial Spanish Quarter<

Sonshine Educational Tours can arrange for your group to visit the Colonial Spanish Quarter on St. George Street. This living history museum will transport your students back to the 1740′s when the Spanish controlled St. Augustine. Your students will visit the blacksmith, carpenter or the soldier’s wife as they go about their daily activities. They will explore the homes they lived in, watch them weave cloth and learn about the foods they ate.

Mission of Nombre de Dios<

Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles, with soldiers, priests and colonists, landed here and founded St. Augustine September 8, 1565, making it the oldest continually occupied European settlement in North America.

Flagler College<

Students’ imaginations will run wild as they contemplate the possibilities of attending this liberal arts college, originally the Ponce de Leon Hotel built by Henry Flagler as a winter ultra-luxury resort for the very rich.

The Oldest House<

The Gonzalez-Alvarez House is St. Augustine’s earliest original dwelling. Thousands of Sonshine Educational Tours students have discovered how the colonists – Spanish, British and Americans lived on the Florida frontier.

Tallahassee educational tours<

Florida A&M University<

Sonshine Educational Tours has been inspiring students with colleges tours for several decades. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) was founded in 1890 and is dedicated to the “advancement of knowledge, resolution of complex issues and the empowerment of citizens and communities.” FAMU is a four-year, public, co-educational and fully accredited institution of learning. The campus comprises over 130 buildings on a campus of over 400 acres.

There are over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs within its 12 schools and colleges with an enrollment approaching 9,000 students. This beautiful campus makes an excellent addition to any Tallahassee trip.

Florida State Univerity<

A Sonshine Educational Tours college trip should include Florida State University. FSU is a public research university located in Tallahassee. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs involving very high research activity (as determined by the Carnegie Foundation). The University comprises 16 separate colleges and 39 centers, facilities, labs and institutes, offering more than 300 programs of study, including professional programs.

Governor’s Residence<

Be sure to visit the governor’s mansion on your Sonshine Educational trip to Tallahassee. The official residence of the governor of the state of Florida. Portions of the home are open to the public, via tours that afford visitors an excellent opportunity to view an elegant interior adorned with a treasure trove of 18th and 19th century antiques.

Florida History Museum<

The Museum of Florida History collects, preserves, exhibits, and interprets evidence of past and present cultures in Florida, and promotes knowledge and appreciation of this heritage. As the state history museum, it focuses on artifacts and eras unique to Florida’s development and on roles that Floridians have played in national and global events. Through exhibits, educational programs, research, and collections, the Museum reflects the ways that people have shaped and reacted to their cultural and natural environments.

Challenger Learning Center<

The Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee is a 32,000 square-foot facility located on beautiful Kleman Plaza in downtown Tallahassee. The Center is the K-12 outreach facility of the Florida A&M University – Florida State University College of Engineering and uses aerospace as a theme to foster long-term interest in math, science, engineering and technology; create positive learning experiences; and motivate students to pursue higher education and careers in these fields.

Washington, D.C. educational tours<

Smithsonian Museums<

There are 19 different museums the favorites for student Smithsonian field trips include the American History, Air And Space and Natural History Museums.

Ford’s Theatre & The Petersen House<

This Washington, D.C. tour to Ford’s Theater will bring you back to the night that made history. Shortly into his second term, and only five days after the surrender of general Robert E. Lee, President Lincoln went to a play at Ford’s Theater called, “My American Cousin”.

While President Lincoln was watching the play, a famous actor by the name of John Wilkes Booth, crept into the president’s box and shot Lincoln in the back of the head with a 44. caliber Deringer. The death of the president shocked the people, who were celebrating the end of the war and had believed that the worst was over. This infamous event has made Ford’s Theater a place of interest and curiosity for tourists, and has added it to the lists field trip hotspots in Washington D.C.

Jefferson & F. D. R. Memorials<

Because of their close proximity to each other Sonshine Education Tours recommends seeing these memorials together.

Mt. Vernon<

Mount Vernon, located in Virginia, was the plantation home of the first President of the United States, George Washington. Tour his home, pay your respects at his and Martha’s tombs and visit the new Ford Orientation Center. Learn about George Washington’s exceptional life and accomplishments through interactive displays and a short film at the educational center.

Visitors will get an unprecedented look at furnishings, china, silver, clothing, jewelry, Revolutionary War artifacts, rare books and manuscripts, and other personal effects of the Washington family.