Pigeon Forge Spring Break & Spring Rod Run 2012!

Bring Pigeon Forge coupons and get more “bang for your buck”! Pigeon Forge attractions are teaming up to save you some money on fun things to do in the area. Just sign up for this newsletter and you will instantly receive Pigeon Forge coupons right to your inbox! You’ll save money on things like: Go …

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Youth Groups Visiting Pigeon Forge Labor Day Weekend 2011

Not much too exciting going on for youth groups visiting Pigeon Forge this Labor Day weekend but I have a few ideas I’d like to throw out as suggestions. We all need to save money when and where we can in this day and age so that’s reason enough to visit this weekend. We have …

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Horseback Riding In Gatlinburg Tn. – Perfect For Photography Groups

If  your youth group is contemplating visiting the Great Smoky Mountains area, you might want to consider horseback riding.   Gatlinburg Tn. and the surrounding areas offer a pristine environment that will allow your group to get back to the natural wonder of the Great Smoky Mountains. It’s fresh air,  beauty and peacefulness can reinvigorate all …

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Pigeon Forge Attractions For Youth Groups

After looking around a while I managed to find a new, exciting adventure available for youth groups in Pigeon Forge, Tn. Adventure Park at Five Oaks, on the Sevierville and Pigeon Forge city line, would be a great choice for groups looking into one place where members would have a choice of outdoor fun! This …

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Youth Group Ideas In Missouri

With Fall officially kicking off, student, youth ministries and youth groups will hit the roads looking for unique destinations and fun new experiences. Today we will be looking at the “Show me” state of Missouri and explore some places that might be of interest to you and your group. To start off, let’s take a …

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Pigeon Forge Spring Break & Spring Rod Run 2012!Youth Groups Visiting Pigeon Forge Labor Day Weekend 2011Horseback Riding In Gatlinburg Tn. – Perfect For Photography GroupsPigeon Forge Attractions For Youth GroupsYouth Group Ideas In Missouri

Nov 02

Choosing a reliable tour operator for your youth group

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Tour Operators

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Choosing a reliable or reputable tour operator will be a top priority while making plans for your next youth group outing. There is one website in particular you might want to take a look at which is, the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA). There you will find some common sense ideas to keep in mind to assure your student or youth ministry trip is a success.

On their website they recommend asking these 4 questions:

1. What is my dollar buying?
2. What is the tour company’s policy concerning reservations, deposits and cancellations?
3. What is my responsibility and that of the tour operator?
4. How do I know whether a tour company is reliable?

By going over these four questions carefully you can eliminate many issues that might come up before you ever commit to a package. Do some searches in Yahoo, Google or Bing using the tour operator’s company name with some keywords like disappointing, unhappy, recommend and see if  others have given them good or bad reviews.

If they are members of  the USTOA this will assure they have met stringent guidelines put in place by that organization and this can go a long way in giving you “peace of mind” about your choice.

The Yahoo directory has a very large list of tour operators for you to get some initial  ideas on what’s available in the way of tour operators and you may want to explore this list.

Just be sure to take all necessary precautions before choosing who is going to have the privilege of carrying you and your youth group safely to your next U.S. destination.

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Oct 29

Take your group to the “Keystone State” of Pennsylvania

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Pennsylvania

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Pennsylvania gets it’s nickname because it was in the middle of the 13 original colonies much like the “keystone” used in construction to lock together the arch in a door or window. Given this fact,  it’s no wonder why this state has so much to offer the many students that make this their destination of choice each year.

Below we are going to do things a little different. Since this state was the beginning of so many “firsts” we are going to make a list of of these and then it is up to you and your group leader to find out what city this took place in. As I was doing my research for this article, I  had no idea this great state could boast the beginnings of so many important firsts!

  1. Cable television
  2. Nation’s Capitol
  3. Hospital
  4. Motion picture theater
  5. Library
  6. Zoo
  7. Newspaper
  8. Electronic computer
  9. Television and radio broadcast
  10. Railroad Locomotive

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Oct 26

California among top 10 SYTA favorite destinations

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When it comes time to plan your youth group’s next rendezvous, you might want to consider California especially if your focus is on the performing arts or education. This state offers a wealth of sites to see for either agenda. In today’s article we will look at some locations that are considered by many young adults, to be some of the best around this golden state.

In future posts, we will look more closely at all the options for students of the performing arts or those seeking to see firsthand the many historical sites located in California. Let’s take a look below at just ten of the most visited by

  1. Disneyland
  2. Universal StudiosS
  3. ea World & the Zoo Of San Diego
  4. Sequoia National Park
  5. Bodie: California ghost town
  6. Mark Twain’s Calaveras County
  7. Hollywood district
  8. Alcatraz Island
  9. Old faithful geyser
  10. Fisherman’s Wharf

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Oct 23

Popular Halloween costumes in 2009 for the ladies in your youth group

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Well, without a doubt it will be a tough choice for the young ladies in your youth group this Halloween when it comes to “what to where”. The selection can be made a little easier however by narrowing the field down into either actresses, sports figures, politicians or singers. The trick is to get the makeup and wardrobe perfect and when possible add a prop to make your impersonation undeniable. Below we will look at some you might want to consider.

  1. Hillary Clinton
  2. Kate Winslet
  3. Anne Hathaway
  4. Caster Semenya
  5. Arianna Huffington
  6. Beyonce Knowles
  7. Princess Fiona
  8. Emma Frost(X-Men)
  9. Gossip Girls
  10. Michael Jackson

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Oct 20

Popular Halloween costumes in 2009 for guys

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Halloween

by admin

Well, it’s that time of year again so let’s take a look at some current costume ideas for Halloween 2009.  In this brief  list we will be looking at the trends for 2009 for guys and not the usual devils, vampires and super heroes. It seems many people get their ideas for costumes from the people and characters they see movies, television and news stories and this year certainly had some notorious characters!

Some you pass on the street, see at parties and show up on your doorstep will be the same as years past but for different reasons like; Michael Jackson, Sarah Palin and Britney Spears. Please add any that you can think of to this post and let’s see how many ideas we can come up with together. Come back very soon as we will look at some hot and trendy costume ideas for the young ladies in your group!

Let’s begin with however with these 10:

  1. KyleBusch
  2. Lil Wayne
  3. Jon Gosselin
  4. David Letterman
  5. Barack Obama
  6. Kanye West
  7. Brett Favre
  8. Jerry Ferrara
  9. Jeremy Piven
  10. Any Transformer (not easy but would be impressive)

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Oct 17

Virginia is a favorite destination for many different reasons

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Without a doubt, Virginia has been a long-time favorite destination for many class trips and youth groups. Offering something for all ages from historic sites, museums and aquariums to water parks and amusement parks, Virginia has a wide array of choices.

Below you will see a list of 10 popular choices by many who venture off to Virginia but with a little research and discussion time by your group this list can soon grow much larger!

If your trip is during the summer, be sure to check out the Virginia Beach area and it’s beautifully maintained shores and very impressive boardwalk. If your group is going during the fall and winter months you might want to explore some of the excellent museums like the Virginia Museum of Natural History, located in Martinsville or The Virginia Aviation museum in Richmond.

For those groups wanting to just make it a fun trip you will want to be among the 6 million visitors that explore the fast and furious rides at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg then finish off at their magnificent water park just down the road.

Virginia  is #5 on the SYTA’s list for many good reasons but don’t take my word for it, gather your group together and start planning and you will soon see why this is such a great destination!

  1. Williamsburg
  2. Yorktown
  3. Jamestown
  4. Busch Gardens
  5. Water Country USA
  6. Virginia Space Flight Adventure Camp
  7. Virginia Sports Hall of Fame & Museum
  8. NRA National Firearms Museum
  9. Virginia Beach
  10. Arlington National Cemetery

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Oct 15

10 great reasons to visit Massachusetts

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Massachusetts

by admin

While many of  the places in the list below are located in Boston, you will also  find other choices around the great state of  Massachusetts in this compilation.  Your youth group could easily spend a week here just taking in some of the sites on this list so you might want to be sure to have your budget ready to go as you start to explore this historic state.

In Norfolk County alone you will be visiting the birthplace of four United States presidents and while in Lowell you will be standing in the birthplace of the industrial revolution. These 2 reasons alone would be enough to encourage a group of youngsters to experience Mass. but as you will see below, this is just the beginning of what will be a trip to remember.


  1. Plymouth Rock
  2. Harvard University
  3. Martha’s Vineyard
  4. Sam Adams Brewery
  5. New England Aquarium
  6. Museum of Fine Arts
  7. The Basketball Hall Of Fame
  8. Franklin Park Zoo
  9. Boston Harbor Islands National Park
  10. The Boston Symphony Orchestra

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Oct 13

Florida youth group ideas

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Florida

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Orlando seems to the place to be when it comes to visiting Florida!  Of the top 10 places we have below for youth groups to visit in Florida, six of them are in or near Orlando. Of course we all know who tops the list and it all started with one little cartoon mouse but as you can see there are many reasons to take your group to Florida.

This state is rich in not only fun attractions but holds a wealth of educational value as well. Below you can find something for everyone in your youth group from those that have an interest in sea life to those that can’t get enough of  outer space and everything in between.

On your next visit to our blog, we will list some of the great historical sites to see in Florida including; St. Augustine, Pensacola and Tallahassee.

Thanks for stopping by!
1. Disney’s Magic Kingdom

2. Sea World

3. Universal Studios

4. Gatorland

5. Daytona 500

6. Discovery Cove

7. Disney Animal Kingdom

8. Aquatica at SeaWorld

9. Lion Country Safari

10.Kennedy Space Center

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Oct 09

Youth groups visit Tennessee attractions in Pigeon Forge

Categories:

Tennessee

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In a recent  schedule of events for Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville the “Youth Outreach for Christ” had their eye on this area because it does so well at accommodating young travelers. This area is known for not only it’s magnificent setting among  “The Great Smoky Mountains National Park” but also for the numerous attractions that call “the Smokies” home.

Among with the well known Dollywood theme park and Ripley’s family amusements the young and “young at heart” can find many other  ways to fill their agenda while they visit. A favorite for many visitors to Pigeon Forge seems to be Startracks, who has developed a reputation for having the  “fastest go carts” around. And while visiting Tennessee how could you not include Elvis in your itinerary and a quick trip to “The Elvis Museum and Gift Shop”?

There are always new venues being created for the youth performance market and one in particular is “The SMART organization” who’s recent events included a  music festival in Pigeon Forge. This organization’s mission is “to provide a unified identity to enlighten the student travel industry as a whole with greater opportunities for educational and responsible events. To promote destinations and attractions that will afford student groups unique and educational experiences. To provide educators with a forum to seek answers for responsible travel.” To learn more about them you might want to visit their website.

Please come back soon as we look into more student youth destinations and explore some of the state of  Florida.

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Oct 02

Washington D.C. is a favorite destination for many youth groups.

Categories:

Washington D.C.

by admin

With so many places to see your group might want to set aside a week or more to take in all there is in our nation’s capitol. The wealth of historic knowledge that can be taken away by each of your members is vast and the memories will last a lifetime!

On my first visit with my family I was in awe as everywhere I turned I saw something that until then,  I had only seen on T.V. and in books. Just driving around the heart of this glorious city makes it hard to sleep the first night there as you anticipate all that’s about to unfold  the next day.  As you wonder from one block to the next you see monuments and statues of  brave soldiers that fought the battles to make our country free and keep it that way. Turning another corner, you find yourself  in front of the Vietnam memorial and the wall that is much too long,  displaying the names of the valiant men and women that gave their lives. A little further another direction and you find yourself next to the reflecting pool where Martin Luther King gave his “I have a dream” speech and you can’t help but remember the movie “Forrest Gump” .

The sites are spectacular and the city is well seasoned in knowing how to bring the best it has to the millions of visitors it receives from around the world each year. While preparing your students or ministry for this trip you might want to start by contacting  the capitol and asking for some free brochures.

Set up a time for all members to meet and explore the many options on your upcoming excursion to allow feedback from participants. As a group leader you will want everyone to get the most out of their trip to the capitol so be sure to get their input on the most important locations to tour.

Below is a list that I found,  to give you just a glimpse into what this beautiful city has to offer your group. It’s not a complete list so be sure to do your research and “leave no stone unturned”  before you set out on your journey. Have a great time and please come back and share with others more about Washington D.C.!

  1. National Mall
  2. US Capitol
  3. The White House
  4. Washington Monument
  5. J Edgar Hoover FBI Building
  6. International Spy Museum
  7. The Smithsonian Institution
  8. National Gallery of Art
  9. US Holocaust Memorial Museum
  10. Lincoln Memorial

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