Crafting Memorable Journeys
Lou Sobo
Lou grew up in New Jersey and earned a degree in History from Penn State University in 2003. After spending many years of teaching social studies and planning and leading HISTORY TRIPS, COMPETITION TOURS, GRADUATION TRIPS, and MUSIC FESTIVALS, Lou decided to take the leap and start NextStop Educational Tours & Travel.
Having spent years in the classroom and leading student trips—Lou understands both the educational value and the logistical challenges that come with school travel. His goal is simple: to bring the passion, joy, and deep learning of educational travel to more students, while making the process easier for the teachers and administrators who make it possible.
What We Do
At NextStop Educational Tours and Travel, we design customized local day trips and overnight educational experiences for middle and high school students. Our trips combine relevant curriculum connections, meaningful cultural experiences--and a lot of fun along the way!
With destinations throughout the Northeast, we work closely with each school and its lead teacher to build trips that align with specific academic goals, student needs, and scheduling and community realities. No pre-packaged tours here--every trip is thoughtfully tailored to the teachers and students traveling.
The Mission
Our mission is to make educational travel easy, meaningful, and accessible for schools. We handle the details--logistics, tickets, transportation, scheduling, and on-site leadership so that teachers don't have to juggle countless moving parts.
By coordinating the behind-the-scenes work and the responsibility of leading the tour, we allow students and teachers to focus on what really matters: learning, connection, and creating unforgettable memories that enrich students' lives and stay with them long after the trip ends.
Explore
Explore destinations, experiences, and possibilities
Each trip built around your students and your goals
New York City
History, Culture, Energy--NYC Delivers
Mix and Match
Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island
Lower Manhattan/Wall Street
9/11 Museum and Freedom Tower
Intrepid Air & Space Museum
Chelsea Market
Empire State Building
Broadway
The United Nations
South Street Seaport
Museum of Natural History
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Guggenheim
Bronx Zoo/Botanical Gardens
New York Public Library
Central Park
Brooklyn Bridge Walk
The High Line
Gettysburg
Powerful Stories, Unforgettable Setting
Immerse your students in the powerful history and meaning of Gettysburg
Gettysburg National Military Park
Soldiers' National Cemetery (Gettysburg Address site)
The Cyclotron
Exploring the town of Gettysburg
Philadelphia
Personality on Every Block
What Will Your Students Experience in the City of Brotherly Love?
Independence Hall
National Constitution Center
Liberty Bell
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Rocky Steps
Eastern State Penitentiary
Reading Terminal Market
USS Olympia
Penn's Landing
Mütter Museum
Pat's & Geno's Cheesesteaks
Philadelphia Mint
Museum of the American Revolution
Boathouse Row/Schuylkill Riverwalk
LOVE Park
Boston
Revolutionary at Every Turn
So much to see and do!
Freedom Trail
Faneuil Hall
Old North Church
Bunker Hill Obelisk
Lexington & Concord
Salem and the Witch Trials
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
USS Constitution
Harvard Campus Walk
New England Aquarium
Boston Common & Public Garden
Fenway Park Tour
Washington, DC
Big Ideas, Iconic Experiences
Mix and Match
White House Facade
Capitol Tours
National Mall & Reflecting Pool
Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson Memorials
WW2 Memorial
National Air & Space Museum
Museum of African American History
Museum of American History
The Smithsonian Suite
The National Archives
Arlington National Cemetery
The Library of Congress
Martin Luther King Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Union Station
Pentagon 9/11 Memorial
Or any other stops that fit where you want to go
Sample Trips--some ideas to get started, but everything is customizable
High School One-Day Philadelphia Trip
Depart School at 6:30 am
Liberty Bell and Independence Hall
Mütter Museum of Medical History
Lunch at Reading Terminal Market
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Eastern State Penitentiary
Dinner at Pat's & Geno's Steaks
Walking Ghost Tour of the Old City
Depart Philadelphia at 9:00 pm
Middle School One-Day New York City Trip
Depart School at 7:00 am
Bronx Zoo
Times Square
Madam Tussaud's
Dinner at Hard Rock Cafe
Empire State Building Observation Deck at sunset
Depart NYC at 8:30 pm.
High School Two-Day Washington, DC Trip
Depart School at 6:00 am
Tour of the US Capitol
Smithsonian Air & Space
National Mall
Lincoln/Vietnam/FDR/MLK Memorials
Dinner at Hard Rock Cafe
Safe overnight stay at a local hotel
Hotel Breakfast
Marine Corps Memorial
Arlington National Cemetery
Lunch
American History/Natural History Museums
White House Gates
Depart DC at 5:00 pm.
High School One-Day Boston Trip
Depart School at 6:00 am
Old North Church
Bunker Hill Memorial
Lexington & Concord
Salem and the Witch Trials
Dinner in and around Faneuil Hall
Depart Boston at 7:00 pm.
