<p>While you have to do what your instincts tell you are right for your child, I always supported any opportunity for my d to travel in high school (and college). Of course, understanding that I had all details, agendas, chaperone info. As others have mentioned, for some of these kids, this may be the only opportunity they ever have to go to NYC. I know college kids today who have never been outside of their home state, much less had an opportunity to see a show in NYC.</p>
<p>My daughter’s high school had an annual bus trip open to all 11th graders to D.C. which took place over Thanksgiving holiday. Her high school honors english class went to literary sites in England. Neither of these trips were mandatory but she still talks about the things she saw, ate, and did on these trips. I don’t have any regrets over allowing her to go. Travel in itself is educational and I’d support the travel if you can swing it financially.</p>
<p>I’d want to know more about the hotel in NJ – which hotel exactly, where is it, and how they plan to get back and forth between the hotel and the city. It’s already a short trip, and the travel time between NYC and the hotel in NJ will eat up a fair amount of that time.</p>
<p>This is something I am very aware of at the moment, as I live in Manhattan and have recently had to do a great deal of travel between here and my mother’s apartment in NJ. Trust me, it’s time-consuming.</p>
<p>Sodium, those were many of the same questions I asked last night! The hotel is a Holiday Inn in Totowa, NJ. I was told that the buses that transport them to NY/NJ will be the mode of transportation each day into the city and it sounded like, to anyplace not walkable on foot.
Are you aware of this town (Totowa) and the distance to mid-town???</p>
<p>I’m not clear though – is the bus that will take the kids from the hotel to the city (and back) the same bus that will be taking them from Ohio to NY/NJ?</p>
<p>Totowa is not that close to NYC. Why not Jersey City, which is only a path train away. Candlewood Suites is $10 more than Holiday Inn, but you probably could fit more kids in a room.</p>
<p>D1’s biology teacher wanted to take the kids down to St. Thomas during a spring break. D1 was very excited initially until she found out where they were staying - in a tent by a beach. She asked the teacher why they wouldn’t stay in a hotel where there is bathroom and running water.</p>
<p>That’s what I was told - same bus that travels from Ohio will be the bus that takes them into/around the city. That was told to me by one of the dads (who I trust) who chaperoned the last trip, 4 years ago.</p>
<p>Maybe this is the same hotel they stayed in - I will have to check that out.</p>
<p>Yep, that’s the hotel. According to the hotel site, Manhattan is 18 miles away. 18 miles in not so good traffic = a LONG trip, right?</p>
<p>probably, when I went on trips, we were always on the same buses. Except coming back from Disney and we had to switch part way through on the way home because there was no heat and the windows were all fogging up so the driver couldn’t see (and all the kids were dressed for 75-80 degrees from Florida, lol)</p>
<p>The thing about taking a bus from NJ to Manhattan and back again is that you can get really hung up in traffic at whatever river crossing you take. (The Lincoln Tunnel or the George Washington Bridge seem to be the two likeliest points of entry if you’re coming from Totowa.) I take the train whenever I can.</p>
<p>I second the concerns about a hotel in Totowa - traffic on the bridges/tunnels into Manhattan can be a real nightmare!!</p>
<p>Also, if you are using busdrivers from Ohio, I would be very concerned about their ability to navigate NYC - it can be stressful, even for those from the tri-state area. I live in NJ, and our busdrivers got lost going to Carnegie Hall!! (Sometimes GPS units do not work in the city) Can you check on the specific experience of the busdrivers? I assume you are using a commercial bus company, so they should be able to give you drivers who have actually had experience in NYC.</p>
<p>I would have to sya that I would nix this trip. I don’t like the lateness of planning and info to the parents- that is an indicator that there won’t be great planning on the trip or great awareness of potential safety issues. Also- Totowa to NYC- skip it. What an annoyance that will eat up a lot of time. Also- if it is the same bus- then when does the driver sleep? I would be concerned that he would be making the trip back to Ohio in a potentially unsafe condition.</p>
<p>Its all a matter of what you think is good for the kids. Why it has to be related to music or anything else is a reasonable question. Sometimes I worry that these things are excuses for free trips for the chaperones (although it doesn’t seem like such a great deal to me) or worse, attempts to create opportunities for improper contact with students. Are parents permitted to go if they pay their way? </p>
<p>In any case, most of the music trips I’m aware of, even for college level students, often have them begging for someplace to “perform” and for an audience to hear them, as well as for host families to keep them. If the kids enjoy the trips, and they possibly learn a little, maybe its worthwhile. The thing that is annoying is that the music teachers present it as a fait accompli. I would think that the parents would have a little bit of a say-so in something like this.</p>