Near or far, family travel is a chance to connect, explore, and turn curiosity into discovery. Certain destinations can even extend school study, bringing ancient civilizations and different cultures up close. Here’s our select global guide to places where textbook lessons come to life.
Boston
Best for older grade-schoolers
What’s New: Ask AI-supported holographic figures about their experiences during the American Revolution as part of the Museum of African American History’s ongoing exhibit Black Voices of the Revolution, which spotlights the roles of enslaved and free Black men and women in America’s struggle for independence.
Extra Credit: Both Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street, Boston, and Four Seasons Hotel Boston offer private walking tours of the Freedom Trail, where historic sites include the Paul Revere House, the Old North Church, and more.
Washington, D.C.
Best for middle school students
What’s New: Coinciding with the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026, Washington, D.C., is poised for two major openings: the undercroft of the Lincoln Memorial, a behemoth subterranean space including a theatre presentation and interactive exhibits, and the expansive National Geographic Museum of Exploration.
Extra Credit: Marvel at the monuments and memorials lit up at night on a private driving tour—with stops for photos—organized by Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C.
Athens
Best for middle school students
What’s New: When it opens in 2026, the National Museum of Underwater Antiquities in Piraeus, near Athens, will highlight Greece’s maritime history with more than 2,500 artifacts, including a replica of a trireme.
Extra Credit: Let the team at Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens take you and your crew on a guided visit to the Temple of Poseidon, at Cape Sounion. It’s sure to be a big hit with Percy Jackson fans.
London
Best for high school students
What’s New: The Bayeux Tapestry—a depiction of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, including the critical Battle of Hastings—goes on view at the British Museum in the fall of 2026, on loan from France.
Extra Credit: Explore the Tower of London on a private guided tour arranged by Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge, seeing the Crown Jewels and learning about imprisonments, executions, and a recent excavation of 14th-century burials that may be tied to the Black Death.
Petra and Amman, Jordan
Best for high school students
What’s New: Archaeologists continue to make discoveries in the ancient city of Petra; a 2024 dig revealed a 2,000-year-old tomb with 12 skeletons, one of which was holding a ceramic cup, an example of Nabataean pottery.
Extra Credit: Along with guided visits to Petra, Four Seasons Hotel Amman offers such unique experiences as painting at the Roman ruins of Pella.
Kyoto, Japan
Best for middle school students
What’s New: Kyoto’s famous Kiyomizu-dera and Toji temples are known for their illuminated night displays. Pair a visit to one of them with an immersive experience at the new teamLab museum Biovortex, where multisensory digital art exhibits include Forest of Resonating Lamps: One Stroke, whose illumination changes in response to human presence.
Extra Credit: Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto offers a host of special tours, which can include visits to the feudal-era Nijō Castle and the Yasaka Pagoda or an after-hours tour of the imperial gardens at Sennyū-ji Temple.
Mexico City
Best for older grade-schoolers
What’s New: The recently opened Museo Casa Kahlo focuses on iconic artist Frida Kahlo’s early family life, highlighting never-before-seen letters, childhood photos, and clothing, as well as a recently discovered mural. It’s a few blocks from the famed cobalt blue Museo Frida Kahlo, which showcases Kahlo’s artwork and marriage to Diego Rivera.
Extra Credit: Have the team at Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City arrange a private hot-air balloon ride over the spectacular Teotihuacán pyramids, where a major pre-Columbian city once flourished.
