Grab an iPad and snuggle up in your favorite spot – you’re about to virtually travel the globe! When physical travel isn’t possible, technology becomes a wonderful tool to help kids discover the beauty and many wonders in the world. From tours of historical buildings and interactive maps to viewing animals in the wild, check out these amazing educational – and FREE – virtual field trips that can be explored from home or school!
More Learning Fun: Choose a destination and activity
- Cook a recipe from the area
- Draw a picture about what you saw
- Create your own model from legos, clay or playdoh
- Read a book with the same theme
- Write a comic or story about the destination
Animals, Aquariums & Zoos
Lots of Sharks, Doo Doo
Look out for that shark! Throughout the day, viewers can get an up-close and personal glimpse of sharks at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. From Sevengill sharks to Leopard sharks and Pacific Angel sharks, these toothy creatures swim the waters of the 90-foot-long exhibit alongside colorful reefs, fish, and rays.
A Walk on the Wild Side
Walk on the wild side and view live animal cams offered by the San Diego Zoo in sunny California! The cams showcase the lives of baboons, polar bears, koalas, tigers, and many other animals who call the zoo home. Which cam is your favorite?
Little Baby Bears
What can be more adorable than twin baby polar bear cubs happily playing? Check out the furry babies on a cam broadcasted from the Ouwehand Zoo’s tundra exhibit in the Netherlands! The cubs, named Akiak and Sura, play under the watchful eye of their mama bear, Freedom, and grandma bear Huggies. Even their names are sprinkled with cuteness!
A Zoo Down Under
Good day, mate! Take a peek at the Australia Zoo and all the wildlife encounters it offers as your personal tour guide, Robert Irwin – son of the late wildlife expert, Steve Irwin, shows you just how wildlife can get down under!
Authentic African Safari
From Impalas to fierce lions and grazing zebras, viewers can head to Etosha National Park in Namibia, Africa for a true safari from afar. See animals in their natural habitats, how they flourish, and take in the beauty and wonder of Africa.
A Visit to the Amazon
Learn about the rainforest and the amazing animals that call it home! Observe how they adapted to their environment and see how they evolved over time.
Gentle as a Giant
The Houston Zoo broadcasts a variety of live animal cams to give viewers a glimpse into the lives of their animals. One of their most popular cams feature their giraffes. Throughout the day, students can log on to see giraffes grazing, at play and to learn about these sweet, gentle giants.
Caring for Pets
Animals require lots of love, care, and attention! Stop by an animal shelter and discover how veterinarians work to keep the animals healthy and learn the best tips on caring for a new pet.
Nature & Space
Cruise to the Galapagos
Channel the late Charles Darwin and visit the Galapagos Islands while aboard the ship, Endeavor II. Sightsee and gaze over the terrain and learn about the diversity of animals and plants found nowhere else in the world!
Behind the Falls
Niagara Falls is one of the most beautiful attractions in Canada – are you ready to journey behind it? Take an elevator and descend 125-feet into the table rock where you’ll walk through a short tunnel and gain access to two observation portals, located directly behind the falls!
A Wilderness Adventure
Yellowstone National Park, located in Wyoming, is a gorgeous 3,500-square-mile area that sits atop a volcanic hot spot that is home to bears, wolves, bison and antelope. Virtually explore the park with the National Park Service and learn about its dramatic canyons, alpine rivers, lush forests, gushing geysers, including the most famous, Old Faithful.
Beautiful Bahamian Corals
Dive into the turquoise waters of the Bahamas and learn about life among the coral reef! Get an up-close look at reef biodiversity and see why reefs are such an important part of our oceans.
Fly Over a Volcano
Fly over the beautiful Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano in Russia and check out its spherical views and lava flows. The volcano, which erupts once every few years, will give kids a peek into a natural, but magical world.
Explore a Colossal Cave
Through an interactive tour, explore the largest cave in the world, located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam. Formed during the Cambrian-Permian era, the cave is believed to be almost 450 million years old!
Journey to the Grand Canyon
Make a short stop and check out one of the deepest canyons in the world – The Grand Canyon! Spanning almost 2,000 feet, the Grand Canyon is bigger than the entire state of Rhode Island! That’s pretty large for a rock formation!
Stars Above the Sahara
Take in the beauty of stellar constellations, which consist of billions of stars within the Milky Way. This picturesque view can be found in North Africa in a sky that lights up the Sahara Desert at night.
Rover Over Mars
Travel to another planet and explore alongside a trusty rover with the International Space Station! Through the use of a WebVR experiment, NASA gives those on earth a glimpse of the beauty beyond our world – no high-tech spaceship required! Explore outer space and the surface of mars at home or school.
Science Tours
The American Museum of Natural History offers virtual tours and video tours for online learning including Virtual Field Trip to the Butterfly Conservatory, Virtual Tour of the Planet Earth, Virtual Field Trip to the Hall of North American Mammals and more.
History & Landmarks
The White House
Through the tall fence and over the green lush lawn, visitors can take an online tour of the Executive Office, see the array of art and décor of the White House and learn about its history in just a few clicks!
Explore Ellis Island
Millions of immigrants stepped onto American soil at Ellis Island from 1892 to 1954. Follow the immigrant’s footsteps online with an interactive virtual tour and hear their inspiring stories.
English Time Traveler
Travel back in time to the 17th century as you explore and learn about daily life in a quaint, historical English village.
Step into the Smithsonian
Embark on an interactive journey to the renounced Smithsonian Museum of National History in Washington, DC! The museum offers 145 million pieces throughout exhibits with plants, animals, fossils, minerals, meteorites, rocks, cultural artifacts, and more – making it the largest natural history collection in the world! Explore the museum virtually with this interactive tour.
The Medieval Louvre
Originally built as a fortress by French king Philippe Auguste, the museum lets virtual visitors glide through the historic remains of the Louvre’s Moat with the click of a mouse! Built in 1190, the museum is a celebrated piece of French history.
Dive to the Titanic
Over a hundred years ago in 1912, the Titanic made its final voyage carrying 2,200 passengers on board. Despite being coined “unsinkable” the ship hit an iceberg and sank in the chilly waters of the North Atlantic. The shipwreck site was discovered in 1989 and offers visitors to virtually visit the wreck on the ocean floor or take a virtual tour of the Titanic.
Liberty for All
You can’t visit New York without stopping to admire the Statue of Liberty! Take a tour of the neoclassical sculpture, located on Liberty Island. From the ground to the crown, you’ll find yourself in awe of this historical statue’s size!
The Ancient Pyramid
Brave the sand and sun and trek to the oldest and largest pyramid in Giza, which is also one of the only ancient pyramids to remain largely intact! Through computer simulation, discover the hidden channels and tunnels of the pyramid, and explore one of the Seven Wonders of the world.
Longest Wall in the World
Take a long walk from behind the screen as you discover the history and beauty of the Great Wall of China. The wall, which begins in Hushan and spans through to Beijing, spans a massive 13,000 miles! Best of all, you can virtually take this long walk without tiring out your feet!
Inside the Palace
Advance through the iron gates that are adorned with gold embellishments and into one of the homes of the Queen of England. Buckingham Palace, located in London, features 775 rooms – which include 52 bedrooms and 78 bathrooms! Talk about a palace built to suit a queen!
The Secret Annex
Located in North Holland, the secret annex was a cleverly disguised hiding space that housed wartime diarist Anne Frank and her family. The building itself is nestled along the Prinsengracht canal and served as a business during World War II. Now a museum, visitors can step into history, visit the annex and revel in Anne’s story.
Pearl of the Harbor
Visit Hawaii from your computer to see one of the most treasured historical landmarks – The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. The beautiful memorial celebrates the lives of sailors and marines who fought for our freedom during the attack of Pearl Harbor in 1941.
When in Rome
Enjoy an interactive tour of the Sistine Chapel, the official residence of the pope in Vatican City. With each click, you will be captivated by the gorgeous art painted by Michelangelo and the elaborate detail that spans the architecture of the palace.
Tour the Taj
Visitors can digitally explore the Taj Mahal, an ivory-white mausoleum built alongside the Yamuna river in India. By using computer simulation, viewers can explore the inner and outside portions of the structure as well as see stunning photographs of the landmark when each interest point is clicked on the map.
Views from the Skyline
Stop by the Empire State Building and take in the views from the 102nd floor! Located sixteen floors above the observatory, the Empire State Building’s top deck offers the most spectacular views of the city without the fear of heights!
Mountain of Many Faces
It’s time for a trip to South Dakota – where you can see the impressive carvings of Mount Rushmore. Mount Rushmore, which was completed in 1941, features granite faces of U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln -all from approximately 60-feet up in the air!
The Lincoln Memorial
Washington, DC is home to one of the most recognized monuments in the country – The Lincoln Memorial! Viewers can tour the American treasure right from home! The memorial was built to honor Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. There is even an urban legend that says the face of general Robert E. Lee is carved onto the back of Lincoln’s head. Explore and see if you can find it!
Just For Fun
Hey Batter, Batter
Calling all sports fans! Check out the famous Yankee Stadium through Virtual Venue and see where your favorite players hit home runs! The interactive tour offers viewers the opportunity to see the New York stadium from soaring heights, from the scoreboard, or from on top home plate!
Oh Dairy
Just like Wisconsin, our Canadian neighbors in Ontario work hard to produce a variety of milk and cheeses for us to enjoy. Step into their factory and learn how these dairy favorites are made, packaged, and transported to local stores.
Have a Slice
If you’re a fan of pizza, you’re in luck! Take a virtual tour and step into the kitchen of Peace A Pizza, a Florida-based parlor that will teach you everything you want to know about making and baking delicious pizza pies!
At the Fire Station
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live at the fire station? Jet off to Toronto where you will see firsthand how firefighters live, care for their trucks and prepare for their jobs that help fight fires in their communities.
Everything is Sweet
Nothing is sweeter than freshly made pastries, cakes, and baked goods! Bake alongside Cake Boss star Buddy Valastro as he takes you on a tour of his famous bakery, located in the heart of Hoboken. From the family tradition of baking to a sense of community, this shop bakes up just as much love as it does sugary treats.
A Sip of Cola
Get ready to see where the popular American beverage, Coca Cola is made! Watch in amazement as you tour the soft drink factory which shows how the bottles are constructed, filled, and prepared for your fridge.
Vroom, Vroom
Buckle up and go behind the scenes at the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan! Through an educational tour, you can learn how customers impact the design of vehicles and the engineering behind them as well as see how testing for Ford F-Series trucks is performed.
Houston to Base
Get ready for a mission – to go behind the scenes at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas! Viewers can learn about the innovations in aerospace technology as well as watch history be made with the launch of Starliner/CST-100 spacecraft and the deployment and utilization of the Space Launch System (SLS). Get ready for liftoff!
Discover Wisconsin
Our State Capitol
On Wisconsin! Walk the halls of our Wisconsin State Capitol and learn about its rich history, beautiful architecture, and political purpose. The building, located in Madison was completed in 1917, is 284 feet from the ground floor, and features the Wisconsin statue on the dome. It proudly houses both chambers of the Wisconsin legislature in addition to the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the office for our state governor.
Wisconsin Dairy Love
Wisconsin of course, is widely known for its dairy – delicious cheese and fresh milk, but do you know how the farm operates? Put on your boots and head to the barn, it’s time to learn about our namesake! Through an interactive virtual farm, viewers can learn what it takes to run a 150 or 1,500-cow dairy farm. Toggle between options for both a small and large farm and click to explore. You’ll find it ah-moozing!
All about Art
Spend the afternoon browsing creative paintings and sculptures from the collections and exhibitions at the Museum of Wisconsin Art! MOWA, which is located in West Bend, features beautifully curated works from various artists, including local creatives. From modern inspirations to classical renditions, there is always something new surfacing in the museum!
Little House on the Prairie
Head to the prairie and find the little house! Many have read the stories of writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, but did you know you can tour her first home, located in Pepin, Wisconsin? Wilder’s home became the famous setting for her first book, Little House in the Big Woods, and thanks to technology, you can virtually tour that inspiring little cabin in the woods!
Parents: Links for virtual tours and trips are hosted and maintained by external sites like, but not limited to, YouTube, Explore, and National Geographic. We strive to provide the best content possible but encourage parents to sit alongside their children as they digitally explore. Also, find more things to do inside on our big list of ideas of things to do at home!
