Atlanta
Educational Tours
& Student Trips

The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park is the cornerstone of any Atlanta educational tour and one of the most important civil rights sites in the United States. Here, students walk through the neighborhood where Dr. King was born and raised, visit his childhood home, and step inside historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he preached alongside his father. The National Park Service visitor center anchors the experience with powerful exhibits on Dr. King’s life and the broader Civil Rights Movement.

Adjacent to the park, The King Center was founded by Coretta Scott King to preserve and advance her husband’s legacy of nonviolent social change. Student groups visit the reflecting pool and the tombs of Dr. and Mrs. King, explore exhibits on their lives and work, and learn about the philosophy of nonviolence that guided the movement. For history, social studies, and civics groups, these connected sites offer a profound and moving encounter with one of the most important chapters in American history.

The Georgia Aquarium is one of the largest and most impressive aquariums in the world, and a highlight for student groups of every age. Home to tens of thousands of animals across millions of gallons of water, the aquarium is one of the few in the world to house whale sharks, the largest fish species on earth, along with manta rays, beluga whales, dolphins, sea otters, and African penguins. Students walk through a massive underwater tunnel surrounded by marine life, explore interactive exhibits, and take part in education programs that connect directly to lessons in marine biology, ecology, and conservation. For science groups, the Georgia Aquarium delivers an unforgettable, immersive experience that brings the diversity of ocean life vividly to life and inspires a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights connects the history of the American Civil Rights Movement to the ongoing global struggle for human rights today. Located in downtown Atlanta, the center uses immersive, powerful exhibits to trace the fight for civil rights in the United States, including a deeply moving interactive lunch counter sit-in experience that lets students feel the courage the movement demanded. The galleries then broaden the lens to human rights movements around the world, challenging students to connect past and present. For students studying history, civics, or social justice, the center provides essential context and emotional depth that complements the King sites and encourages students to think about their own role as engaged citizens.

The Atlanta History Center rounds out a well-balanced Atlanta itinerary with a sweeping look at the history of the city, the region, and the nation. Set across a sprawling campus, the center features expansive exhibits, historic houses, and beautiful gardens. Among its highlights is the Atlanta Cyclorama, a massive cylindrical painting depicting the Civil War’s Battle of Atlanta, along with one of the nation’s most significant Civil War collections. Student groups explore exhibits on Southern history, the growth of Atlanta, and the people and events that shaped the region from the 19th century to today. For history and social studies groups, the Atlanta History Center offers rich context on the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the rise of the modern South, deepening the broader story students encounter across the city.

With more than 30 years planning educational travel, Educational Travel Adventures has helped over 20,000 educators create unforgettable student trips throughout the United States’ most dynamic learning destinations. Atlanta offers a rare combination of pivotal civil rights history, world-class science, and deep American history, all within one accessible Southern city. From the childhood home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the whale sharks of the Georgia Aquarium, students engage directly with the history, science, and culture that shaped the modern South and the nation.

• Custom Atlanta itineraries built around your curriculum, grade level, and group goals
• End-to-end trip planning, including aquarium reservations, civil rights site programming, museum scheduling, lodging, and ground logistics
• Secure online registration and family payment portal with flexible payment options
• Proven safety and on-site support, including vetted partners, 24/7 assistance, and experienced Tour Managers throughout the Atlanta trip

Planning an Atlanta school trip means coordinating emotionally significant historic sites, a world-class aquarium, and multiple museums across the city with appropriate pacing for your group. Our team handles every detail so educators can stay focused on student engagement.