England - Activities & Trips

Around the Campus, Around the Town  With its river and bridges, art and architecture, concert halls, theatres and cinemas, bookstores and record shops, tea and coffee houses, open markets and cool shops, footpaths and bike trails, and parks and playing fields; Cambridge is one of the world’s great college towns.

The architectural heritage of Cambridge is as much a part of the city’s character as its contribution to education. Summer is an especially rewarding time to live in Cambridge. July is “Festival Month,” featuring festivals devoted to film, theatre, and music, where this city of 125,000 literally comes alive every day and night. Our evening activities and excursions reach beyond Cambridge to the villages and castles of the English countryside.  Students will visit Windsor Castle, Stratford-upon-Avon, and much more, including an optional weekend trip to Paris.  During our week in London, we will explore all of the nooks and crannies that truly make it one of the world’s royal cities.  Students will have the opportunity to visit Alton Towers, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Piccadilly Circus and more.

Weekend Road Trips (Included in Tuition)

Windsor/Windsor Castle

Spend the day in this historical “royal” town overlooking the Thames. If the Queen is not in town, we will take a tour of the Castle. We will visit the tomb of Henry VII at St. George’s Chapel. Walk along the Thames until you reach Eton College, with buildings dating back to the 15th century. Students choose between Stratford and Windsor/ Windsor Castle.

Stratford-Upon-Avon

Stratford-Upon-Avon is Shakespeare – he was born, married, and buried here. We picnic by the Avon River, visit Anne Hathaway’s cottage, and may attend a performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Students choose between Stratford and Windsor/Windsor Castle.

Alton Towers Amusement/Theme Park

England’s largest and best amusement/theme park is on the grounds of a former estate. Some of the major thrills at Alton Towers include: Nemesis, Europe’s first inverted roller coaster; Oblivion, the world’s first vertical drop roller coaster; and Rita – the Queen of Speed, a launched roller coaster which accelerates to 60 mph in approximately 2.5 seconds.

Optional Excursion

Optional Get Away Paris Weekend
Paris, France (July 13-15)

Join us for a memorable weekend in perhaps the world’s most beautiful large city. We’ll travel by EuroStar high-speed train to the city of lights. Daytime offerings include: strolls along the River Seine to Notre Dame; an all day guided historical tour of Paris; a tour of the treasures of the Louvre; the Impressionist Masters at the Musee d’Orsay; the avant-garde art and street performers of central Paris; and Napoleon’s Tomb. We’ll have time to mingle with students on the Left Bank near the Sorbonne and stroll the Champs Elysees. Evening highlights include: dinner in quaint Parisian cafes, visit to the Arc de Triomphe, the Rue de’Rivoli; Paris at night from the Eiffel Tower; and a farewell illumination boat cruise down the River Seine.

Fee: $895 Includes day and evening activities and admissions per itinerary, Parisian guide, breakfast and dinner daily, round-trip train travel and air-conditioned hotel accommodations in central Paris. (Limited Enrollment)

Excursion fees may not be transferred to another student and are non-refundable after May.

Activities On & Off Campus 

Cambridge (3 weeks)

• Punting (or Rowing) On The River Cam Our annual Summer Discovery “Group Punt” is an excellent group mixer and bonding activity. A great tradition involving a flat bottom boat that is propelled by a pole-wielding student usually short on balance and long on laughter.
• Market Square Centuries old daily open market in the town square offering everything from farm fresh fruit and veggies to clothes, CD’s, and Cambridge t-shirts.
• Historic Colleges Walking Tour Small group tour of Kings College Chapel, the original Winnie-the-Pooh manuscripts and poetry by Tennyson at the Trinity College Library, and Trinity’s Great Court.
• Midsummers Common, Jesus Green and Parkers Piece Enjoy tranquility or your favorite sport in Cambridge’s magnificent green parks.
• Cambridge International Arts Festival The finest theatre, music, dance and avante garde productions England has to offer. 
• Cambridge Film Festival One of Europe’s most acclaimed festivals celebrates its 20th year with over 80 screenings.
• Plays, Plays, Plays Incredible shows in Cambridge, Stratford, and London.
• Concerts, Concerts, Concerts (transportation provided, tickets additional) The best in Rock and more. Recent shows include: Cold Play, Snow Patrol, Sheryl Crow, and the Cambridge Philharmonic.
• Warner Brother’s Multiplex Cinemas Check out the summer’s biggest blockbusters.
• Fitzwilliam Museum Home to works by Turner, Monet, Rembrandt, and Michelangelo. Medieval Brass Rubbing Great fun to create, and to hang at home!
• Murray Edwards College Video Theatre Latest in video hits and classics nightly.
• Karaoke Night Fever Pick the song & sing along.
• Annual Lack of Talent/Talent Show
• Strawberry Picking at Pickney Farms You pick’em and eat’em.
• The Big Weekend Enjoy a weekend full of live music, carnival rides, spectacular fireworks display, and exotic foods at this exciting festival. *See the Olympic Torch as it passes through Cambridge during the evening festivities.
• Duxford Airfield Home of 100 vintage and modern aircraft including the “Memphis Belle” and the original Concorde Supersonic Jetliner.
• The Orchard Tea Gardens Enjoy this English pastime in an apple orchard alongside the River Granta. Here’s where kings and princes (including Cambridge alumni Prince Charles) have sipped tea.
• Rock n’ Bowl Rock, dance, and bowl to your favourite tunes.
• Ely Cathedral A stunning 14th century architectural masterpiece. Saffron Walden, Angsley Abbey, and Grantchester Afternoon visits to the villages and mansions of the Cambridgeshire countryside.        

London (1 week)

• Tower of London and Crown Jewels Ancient fortress, palace, and prison with a glorious and gory history, as well as the dazzling Crown Jewels.
• Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace Watch this famous ceremony at the royal residence.
• London West End Theatre Enjoy an original hit show that’s not playing in the USA.
• Big Ben and Parliament Home to the House of Lords, House of Commons, and the most famous clock tower.
• Westminster Abbey This historic landmark, build about 1050, is the site of every coronation and the recent Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine.
• National Gallery An art lover’s dream – Botticelli, Renoir, Vermeer, and Constable, to name a few.
• Spitalfields Market & Brick Road London’s newest trendy/bohemian area with dozens upon dozens of vintage clothing stores and international food stalls.
• Covent Garden A former flower market now dominated by shopping, street performers, and the world-famous Royal Opera House.
• Piccadilly Circus The heart of shopping and entertainment in London’s famous West End.
• Leicester Square The center of London’s movie culture, world film premieres, and the Odeon - largest cinema in Europe.
• Hot Haute Couture Home to designers Stella McCartney, Manolo Blahnik, and Jimmy Choo in Soho and Camden Town.