Bright lights in the big city: Warrington & Vale Royal College students visit the concrete jungle!

The group had an early start to their trip, taking a 7:30am flight from Manchester Airport. Once they hit the ground, they headed straight to Times Square to experience one of the world’s busiest pedestrian locations and admire the neon lights of some of the most well-known brands. No New York Trip is complete without a visit to the top of the Rockefeller Center, where students enjoyed views across the city and a beautiful sunset.

After unpacking their bags, catching a late-night bite to eat and some well-deserved sleep, students got straight into another busy day of sightseeing. They spent the day visiting the famous Grand Central Station, appreciating the spectacular views of The Empire State Building, and strolling around the trendy district of Soho, before finishing the jam-packed day with some delicious food in Little Italy. Level 3 Travel & Tourism student, Sofia Parr, said: “I really enjoyed the authentic Italian food and quirky shops in Little Italy and I loved seeing how different people live in the city.”

The next day, students explored Lower Manhattan and got to live like a true ‘New Yorker’ by catching the subway to Battery Park, before they boarded a ferry to the Statue of Liberty. This special experience inspired a lot of students, in particular Sarah Rigby, who said: “Seeing the city from different locations, landmarks and viewpoints was so amazing, especially from Lady Liberty.” Then, after also admiring the views from Brooklyn Bridge, students strolled across to the famous financial district of Wall Street to experience its lively atmosphere and witness some of the titans on the New York Stock Exchange. They later visited Ground Zero, the memorial for the September 11 attacks to the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre, and learned how this disaster changed not just American, but world history.

To round up their trip, the group stopped by the quaint and charming residential village of Greenwich in Manhattan, before taking the subway to 4^th Street and people-watching at Washington Square Fountain. After a relaxed morning, they spent the afternoon in the iconic Central Park area, home to thousands of movies and TV show cameos, before enjoying some tasty food in a true American diner and catching their flight back to the UK.

Students returned to college buzzing to share memories with friends and bring their new experiences back to the classroom. The college is already planning next year’s trip and can’t wait to take its future students on more exciting adventures!

Find out more about our business and travel & tourism courses.