For over 40 years Good News Travels has provided a world of travel experiences to immerse students of all ages in knowledge, culture and exploration. Our Virtual Tour Program opens even more opportunities for student groups with travel restrictions. Join us for a live presentation on exciting topics and destinations!

Program Highlights

  • Private Zoom live webinar session, fully customized for your group,
    on your schedule

  • 45-60 minutes in length

  • Live narration by professional presenter on the tour subject

  • Student chat box

  • Live links added throughout the presentation for future study

  • Q&A session

  • Optional quizzes

  • Attendance analytics

  • Professional college recruiter available for up to two colleges or universities within webinar

Our virtual tours are offered in the following categories. Please continue to scroll down to see all virtual tour topics within each section:

  • Destinations

  • S.T.E.M. Destinations

  • Careers and Vocations

  • Interpersonal Life Skills

  • Current Cultural Topics

We specialize in travel for schools, churches and other groups. We also proudly partner with TRIO Upward Bound and GEAR UP programs. Let us help you create the trip of a lifetime!

Atlanta, GA

Find out what makes “HotLanta” or the “ATL” THE place to start your college experience or career. A representative of Metro ATL and the ChooseATL team will give students an overview of the vast array of communities that make up the Atlanta Metro area, and serve as home to over 6 million people. Find out how these cities within the city offer literally something for everyone who is looking to further their education or find the perfect work / home balance.

*College tour add-ons available

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Boston, MA

Take a tour of the oldest city in New England, and learn how Boston is the “first” in a variety of different ways. Catch up on history of our nation, and see where Paul Revere hung his lantern, where settlers threw tea into the Boston Harbor and where British troops took refuge in the occupation of the city. Options include a tour of Harvard and MIT campuses, and a compare /contrast of the two educational institutions.

*College tour add-ons available

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Charleston, SC

Y’all come visit Charleston, South Carolina, the jewel of the Atlantic coast. Founded by King Charles II of England in the 1600’s, the current city center retains much of its Colonial charm in architecture and layout. Students will learn from a local guide about the historic significance of Charleston from founding through the Revolutionary War, Antebellum era, the Civil War and Reconstruction, through the contemporary period with time for live Q&A. Options to customize include a tour of available colleges and educational institutions, as well as major industry sectors and careers in each (avionics, automotive, chemical engineering, hospitality and health care), or a tour of an antebellum plantation with Gullah cultural emphasis.

*College tour add-ons available

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Chattanooga Zoo

Take a live virtual tour of the Chattanooga Zoo with zoo educators who will introduce students to what its like “behind the scenes” at an accredited wildlife conservation facility. Engage with staff as they lead students in a better understanding of why and how wildlife is preserved in a zoo, and the special and meaningful connections that are made between people and animals. Meet some of the staff’s “favorite” residents in this engaging and fun tour!

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Chicago, IL

Hear about the most populous city in the Midwest, that sits on the junction of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. A local guide will share the history of the city, taking students through the triumphs and tragedies that shaped Chicagoland, as well as the arts and architecture that draw tourists and students alike. Options include a tour of one or more Chicago area colleges, or a detailed architecture tour.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Los Angeles, CA

A local guide will moderate this tour that includes narrated slides and a Google Earth virtual component highlighting the City of Los Angeles. The location, history, climate and industry of this region will be discussed, as well as a fun “birds eye” view of the various attractions and their locations in and around L.A. Options include time spent exploring the campuses and educational opportunities offered by the wide variety of colleges in the Los Angeles metro area.

*College tour add-ons available

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

New York City

New York Manhattan Overview: Take a spin around Manhattan and discover what makes this little island the Big Apple. Hold on to your hat, there’s so much to see and learn about New York! 

Immigrant New York: Explore the many layers of immigrant history that clashed and fused on the Lower East Side: Chinatown, Little Italy, the Jewish East Side, and former Five Points.

Greenwich Village and Social Justice: A neighborhood of artists, writers, spectacular architecture and one of Americas leading Social Justice locations! 

Historic Harlem: Emphasizing the Harlem Renaissance, explore the history, people and architecture of this legendary neighborhood.

*College tour add-ons available

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Puerto Rico

Explore Old San Juan, one of the oldest cities in the Western Hemisphere with a local guide virtually by way of Google Earth. Walk with him inside UNESCO heritage sites and other unique landmarks from the 1500’s. Your guide will interpret the many facets of Puerto Rico, from its rich history to its vibrant culture and art. Students will see impressive colonial castles and learn about the exquisite cuisine. Also find out more about the opportunities of higher education that can be found in this tropical paradise.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Washington, DC

Visit Washington, DC our Seat of Government and the home of all three branches of power. Travel across the city with a licensed guide to learn about how the District was planned, fun facts about our founding fathers and leaders, and see memorials and other tributes to their accomplishments and other world events. Learn about the architecture and design of many of the different structures. Be enthralled with the scope and magnitude of the government, arts and museums - all within walking distance and many free to visit. Plan your next in person trip by picking your favorite places highlighted!

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Yellowstone
National Park

Walk the pathways of Yellowstone with a National Park Service educator who will open your eyes to the geological wonders, wildlife and natural science oddities of this wilderness classroom. Containing half of the world’s geothermal features, Yellowstone is a unique place for virtual learning and adventure.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

 

Huntsville / NASA

Visit Rocket City, USA to learn about how this small town in the Appalachian region of Northern Alabama became a hub for missile and rocket science, and a continuing integral part of the United States space program. Our speaker from the Huntsville Convention and Visitors Bureau is the grand daughter of a “rocket scientist” and an expert on all things Huntsville and space flight, and will make herself available at the end of the presentation for live Q&A. Options to customize this tour include general city highlights, a STEM focus on the Space & Rocket Center and Space Camp, or a careers emphasis on educational opportunities and STEM related jobs. (No Saturday dates available)

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Marine Exploration

Head south to the Florida Keys and explore marine life with the staff of a marine science research and education program that introduces students to the wonders of the marine world. Using both pre-recorded and live video footage from both estuary and reef locations, educators will take students on an underwater experience that will amaze and educate. This highly interactive tour is great for TRiO UBMS groups, but is suited to groups of all types and ages.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

New Orleans /
Mardi Gras World

Students will take a tour of Lane Kern’s Mardi Gras World with a local guide. This virtual tour will include a live on location video feed, along with supplemental pre-recorded video and commentary. Learning objectives include location and history of Louisiana and the Mardi Gras tradition, including the Krewes, parades and of course the magnificent floats. Students will learn how the floats are designed and constructed, and see the workshop, equipment and artisans behind the scenes. Equipment used includes CNC machining tools as well as traditional arts processes like paper mache. Time will be provided for live Q&A.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Outer Space Discovery

Artemis: NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon by 2024. Learn about the innovative technologies they will use to get there and explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. Hear how commercial and international partners are playing a role in the mission, and how the Moon may become our launching for the next huge leap - to Mars!

Virtual Tour of the Solar System: Explore our Solar System via pictures and video starting at the Sun and going through the Kuiper Belt

Careers in Space: Launch through space and explore the many different career paths involving space and space travel. From studying the effects of microgravity on the human body to building the next generation of telescopes, to creating environments on MARS that support human habitation, there are so many diverse and exciting jobs!

Current NASA Missions: Learn about the current NASA missions, including the Parker Solar Probe, OSIRIS-REx, New Horizons and more!

Lunch with an Astronaut: Come have a blast with an Astronaut and learn what it took to make his dream of traveling to Outer Space a reality. See and hear what it was like to train, lift off the planet, work and live in microgravity and more! Students will have live Q&A time with a living legend.

African Americans Reaching for the Stars!
Learn about the contributions that African American astronauts have made to our space program and about the careers and opportunities available at NASA.

Virtual Tour of Mars: Join the President of Explore MARS and open your mind to life on the Red Planet. From getting there, to exploration by the Perseverance Rover, to designs for human habitation, this fascinating hour will open your imagination.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

 
 

Arthrex Manufacturing

Step into the doors of one of the nation’s leading private medical technology innovators. Learn how one man’s inspiration has led to a lifetime of innovation, making a daily difference for surgeons and their patients. See how cutting edge innovation is meeting traditional medicine to improve patient outcomes, including the use of nanotechnology, CNC machining, videography and much more. Learn about the various careers available in this high growth field.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Charleston Careers

Introduce students to the major industry sectors and careers available in Charleston, SC.  Careers include: avionics, automotive, chemical engineering, hospitality and health care.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

New Orleans
Cooking School

Bring a professional chef into your home kitchen for a private cooking class. Learn about the culture and cuisine of New Orleans while preparing a traditional Cajun or creole recipe. Participants are provided advance recipe information, and programs can purchase cooking kits for distribution to students. 

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Women in Science

Hear about some of the women who have and are continuing to lead the way both in the laboratory and in field of science. From computer scientists to astronomers, astronauts, mathematicians and chemists, this class aims to celebrate women’s accomplishments in a way that empowers everyone to see their place in STEM fields.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

College Visits

Explore the campus of a college of your choice from our extensive list. An experienced College Recruiter will conduct a virtual campus visit, providing visuals and anecdotes to give you a sense of the college experience offered. They will also provide detailed information about the surrounding city, the student body, undergraduate majors, student-to-faculty ratios, application requirements, costs and other details about campus life pertinent to a prospective student.

Alabama: Alabama A&M, Miles College

Baltimore, MD & Richmond, VA: Virginia State

California: UCLA and USC

Chicago, IL: University of Chicago

Georgia: Emory, Georgia Southern, Georgia Tech

Florida: University of Florida, University of South Florida

HBCU: Morgan State, Morehouse, Spelman Colleges, Claflin University

Los Angeles: UC Berkeley

Massachusetts: Harvard University, Institute of Technology

New York: Fashion Institute of Technology, New York University, Northwestern, Yale

North Carolina: Duke, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, University of North Carolina

South Carolina: South Carolina State

Texas: Texas A&M, University of Texas Austin

Washington, DC: Georgetown University, George Washington University, Howard University, Johns Hopkins, Tufts

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

 
TRiO Virtual Tour Leadership

Leadership

This virtual empowerment tour will highlight and unpack the power of “Leadership” for students. After defining what a leader is, and is not, this presentation will dive into how leadership enhances social, academic and personal spaces. Students will discuss the different qualities of a good leader, view historical examples of leadership, and consider their own leadership characteristics. They will be empowered to lead without a title and from the heart in everything that they do.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Overcoming Conflict

This session will unpack the concept of conflict, how it is created, how it affects us, and how to work through it when it comes. Scholars will leave this session equipped with tools that will help them identify conflict triggers and avoid the ones that might cause setbacks within academics and life.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Perseverance

In the midst of challenging times, students must remember just how powerful and intelligent they truly are. This presentation  will help the audience better understand, comprehend and master the mindset of perseverance. Students will be encouraged to share their perspectives on what perseverance is, its importance in life, why some people quit, and what special quality exists that pushes those with a perseverance mindset to finish strong. At the end of this presentation students will be better prepared to embrace challenges, focus on their strengths and cross the finish line to success in life.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

 

Black History

Birmingham and the Civil Rights Movement
Birmingham has its feet deeply rooted in the Civil Rights Movement. Spend time with a guide from the Civil Rights Institute who will “walk” us around “Bombingham” and open our eyes to the conditions, events and people who shaped the civil rights movement before Dr. Martin Luther King brought the cameras for all of America to experience the effects of racism and social injustice. Learn names you haven’t read in history books, like Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth and Mary Monk, and “Bull” Connor. This powerful presentation will leave students with a better sense of how economics and small and large acts of civil “disobedience” impacted the fight for equality and the end to segregation.

MLK: A Black History Narrative
Interact with live actor who embodies the mouthpiece of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s with the iconic words of Dr. King.

Harriet Tubman
Join a skilled Chautauqua presenter who portrays Harriet Tubman, an American abolitionist born into slavery. Hear how she escaped and made some 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 enslaved people building what’s been called an “Underground Railroad”. Learn how in later years, Tubman served as a scout and spy for the Union Army and was also a voice for women’s suffrage (the right to vote).

Maya Angelou
Join a skilled Chautauqua presenter who portrays Maya Angelou, an American poet, memoirist and Civil Rights activist. Hear the inspiration behind her essays and books of poetry, and the prolific career spanning over 50 years. This work is drawn from Angelou’s a series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her early childhood years.

Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement
Join a skilled Chautauqua presenter who portrays Rosa Parks, an American activist in the Civil Rights Movement best known for her pivotal role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott. She’s been called the “First Lady of Civil Rights” - find out her story, in “her words’.

Selma and the Voting Rights Movement
Take a closer look at the Voting Rights Movement in Selma, Alabama in its totality: causes, consequences, and participants.

Harlem History & Black Heritage in NYC
Experience first hand the busy streets of Harlem while learning about its unique culture, landmarks, and history.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Native American Experience

The Cherokee Nation is proudly the largest tribe in America, made up of 370,000 citizens. More than 137,253 of those citizens reside in the nation’s 7,000-square-mile jurisdiction in northeast Oklahoma. The innovative spirit and the fairness and respect that are at the core of being Cherokee, the tribe continues to flourish just as they have throughout history. During the Virtual Tour students will get in-depth look at the lives of the Cherokee Indians, from their first encounters with Europeans to events, such as the Gold Rush and the signing of the Indian Removal Act by Andrew Jackson, that led to their forced relocation to Indian Territory in 1838.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour

Panama’s Indigenous Tribe

Step into the world of Panama’s indigenous Embera Tribe and see how these native people live, create and work deep in the rainforest. From wildlife to traditional food, drink and body decoration, to housing and the active role of tourism in their daily routines, see the beauty of the Embera people who are proud to share their culture with visitors.

Click Here to Schedule this Virtual Tour