Field Trip Fun: Highlights from Recent FXBG School Tours
‘Tis the season for…school field trips? That’s right; the EDT group tours team has recently hosted a flurry of year-end school field trips.
On December 5, Fredericksburg Academy’s kindergarten class visited historic downtown for holiday cheer and excitement. Each class created several Flat Stanley-style gingerbread people who managed to escape the confines of their school campus and take up residence in several downtown businesses. Students, accompanied by their teachers and parent volunteers, visited shops such as The Card Cellar, Monkees, Fort, River Rock Outfitter, and more to track down those pesky cookies. In addition to the scavenger hunt, each class participated in a Trolley Tour. We hear Heidi Bass, owner of Trolley Tours of Fredericksburg, lead the kids in a lively round of Jingle Bells. Before returning to school, students enjoyed a reception with hot chocolate and cookies hosted by the Fredericksburg Visitor Center and several Falcon parents. Check out this video created by Fredericksburg Academy staff documenting the trip.
On December 6, students in the Travel and Tourism program at Manchester High School in Chesterfield County visited Fredericksburg to experience all that goes into planning and marketing “a small town Hallmark-style Christmas.” After a brief presentation by EDT staff on the basics of destination marketing, program development, and the importance of partnerships, the students broke into small groups to go out and explore the City. They completed Window Wonderland 2024, took a class photo in Riverfront Park, admired the big Christmas tree, ate lunch in numerous restaurants, and made time to do a little Christmas shopping. As a bonus, the students even took pictures with Santa in the Fredericksburg Visitor Center before returning school. It seems even their teacher, Mr. Krausse, spent a little time with the big guy.
Finally, on December 11, EDT staff hosted students from Spotsylvania’s Riverbend High School hospitality class for a program inspired by the “Five Sectors of Hospitality.” The goal of the trip was to introduce students to the various jobs available within the local hospitality industry. Students visited sites whose primary business is Food & Beverage, Lodging, Recreation, Travel & Tourism, and Meetings & Events. Students began at the Fredericksburg Visitor Center with a presentation on destination marketing and the various ways in which tourism supports the local community before continuing to Foode, the Courtyard by Marriott Historic District, the Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center, the Fredericksburg Convention Center, and the Virginia Credit Union Stadium. The staff at all locations welcomed the students and provided them with presentations on possible career paths within that particular sector of the hospitality industry.
The City of Fredericksburg offers a diverse array of field trip opportunities. For more information on available field trip programs, check out the annual Field Trips and Youth Programs Guide.
Does your business provide unique field trip experiences for area students? Do you need help planning your next field trip to Fredericksburg? Check out the Student Tours page for more information on how our team can help.