My son had a blast on his trip
My son had a blast on his trip. The amount of adults, security, and overall safety during the entire experience made it a lot easier as an anxious parent at home.
About EF Explore America
Data updated- Website
- efexploreamerica.com
- Category
- Travel & Vacation
- Location
- United States
- Status
- Unclaimed
- Last 12 months
- 195 reviews
- Replies to negative
- 89% (8/9)
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About this business
Building tours that go beyond expectationTaking a modern approach to educational travel means we design each and every one of our class trips with one thing in mind: To go beyond the same-old highlights you could see with anyone else. No matter where you go, or how subject-specific you want to get, our tours go beyond the textbooks, beyond the monuments. We’re driven to build incredible experiences that resonate with today’s students and provide lessons that will stick with them—wherever they go next.We empower educators to do their best workMore specifically, we help teachers change their students’ lives through educational travel. We have the experience needed to make sure your trip is both immersive and educational, and we’ll support you before, during, and long after your tour.Let's get startedFor over 55 years, EF has helped people see new places, experience new cultures, and learn new things about the world and about themselves. EF Education First is a family owned and operated company, founded in Sweden in 1965 with the mission of opening the world through education. As a result of our culturally immersive programs, over 15 million students have learned a language, discovered the world, or earned a degree with EF. Teachers are our people, literally: We employ close to 30,000 of them worldwide.
Written by the business, not verified by us.Is EF Explore America legit?
EF Explore America (efexploreamerica.com) has a 4.6 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 195 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Travel & Vacation and its reputation is excellent. Praise is nearly unanimous, with 91% rating it 4 stars or higher; The business has replied to 89% of negative reviews. Last updated 2026-09-03.
What reviewers say
AI generatedReviewers overwhelmingly had a great experience with this company. Customers frequently mention that the professional tour guides and local staff are extremely helpful, friendly, and well-organized throughout the entire multi-day journey. Travelers truly appreciate the smooth trip planning, clear checklists, and supportive resources that make the overall preparation completely stress-free for all participating families. Though some reviewers were not happy with unexpected schedule changes, exceptionally long travel days, or missing meal arrangements experienced during the tour. A few other consumers also felt that certain itinerary stops felt rushed, poorly coordinated, or lacked adequate safety supervision during free time.
Auto-generated from all reviews of this business. For reference only.What people say
Perfection
The trip was jam packed, but so well planned. I also felt our tour guide, Ann, was extremely responsive to the needs of the group. It was the perfect balance of seeing as much as possible and keeping energy levels up. Worth every cent.
Exceptional Experience! Absolutely Worth It!
Our 16-year-old daughter just returned from the Boston trip with EF Tours, and to say she had an AMAZING time is an understatement! As a parent, you always hope these educational trips live up to the promise, and EF Tours exceeded our expectations in every way. Key Highlights from Her Trip: - Perfect Balance of Structure & Freedom: When she first saw the jam-packed daily itinerary, she was a bit skeptical. However, it turned out to be perfect. They packed in an incredible amount of US history and sightseeing, but still enjoyed dedicated free time each afternoon to explore local markets and hang out. - Surprising New Passions: She completely fell in love with places she initially dreaded visiting—like Fenway Park, Plymouth, and the Boston Tea Party museum. The tour guides clearly know how to keep teenagers engaged! - Social & Personal Growth: Joining up with students from other states and schools was a fantastic experience. Because she traveled independently, she branched out, made wonderful new friends, and built great rapport with the group. (She did notice that students who had parents hovering nearby tended to stick to their sides—if you're on the fence, let your teen experience this solo! But either way, it's an incredible trip to take). - Fantastic Value & Great Food: The all-inclusive price was extremely reasonable. The meals provided were awesome—so good, in fact, that she didn't even touch the backup snacks she packed. Plus, she managed to find great souvenirs while spending under $100 total. - Top-Notch Safety & Peace of Mind: As a parent, my favorite detail was the night-time security. EF Tours promises a safe environment, and they deliver—once the kids were in their rooms at 10:00 PM, a security guard was stationed in the hallway all night to ensure no unsupervised wandering. A Quick Tip for Future Travelers: This trip is highly active! They walked about 6–7 miles a day at a fairly brisk pace and tackled plenty of stairs. Make sure your teen is ready for some serious physical activity so they can keep up comfortably and fully enjoy the itinerary.
Good experience, but rushed and needs refinement.
I didn't realize that I didn't put the appropriate traveler's insurance package when we initially signed up our kids for the trip. Getting it corrected was an extreme hassle and made me question whether to keep the kids in. Ultimatum choices are never a good experience. We ended up taking one kid out and leaving the other in. That being said, my son said he had a great time on the trip and would do it again. They saw a LOT of sites, museums, and shows. This was a great experience for him and I appreciated the chance to allow him to go. The two biggest points of contention are: 1. Meals are barely paid for. The kids get a prepaid debit card with a set amount of money on it that basically works out to $20 per meal for lunches and dinners. Breakfasts are provided by the hotels. $20 Barely covers most meals in New York and DC! The allotment should be increased to $30+. 2. While they visited a lot of museums, they were basically rushed through and spent a maximum of 40 minutes to maybe an hour at each museum which is hardly enough time to appreciate any museum. Overall, it was a good experience, but for as long as EF Explore America has been doing this, I would think it would be a little more refined.
Reply from EF Explore America2026-07-17
Thank you for sharing this, and we're sorry to hear the pre-departure process felt stressful at times. We're so glad to hear your son had a great time and would do it again! It's wonderful to know he was able to experience so much on his tour. We appreciate your feedback on the meal allowance and want you to know this is something we are actively looking at as we work to keep up with rising costs in the cities we visit. We hear you that $20 can feel limiting in cities like New York and DC, and that feedback is helpful as we continue to evaluate our programs. Regarding the pace at museums, our itineraries are designed with students in mind, balancing the number of experiences with the energy and attention spans of younger travelers to make the most of each day. We recognize that for some, more time at each stop would feel more meaningful, and your feedback will be passed on to our teams. Thank you for your feedback!
Tour guide Tim was amazing
Tour guide Tim was amazing! Bus bathroom spelled like urine (Thomas was the driver) he was also unfriendly and didn’t interact with students at all. The bus windows and cup holders were filthy. Mostly good food options except the cafeteria in the capital building. Food was bad and too expensive for kids. Disappointed with ghost tour in Alexandria. The tour guide was very scripted and not authentic. It was also boring and non interactive. Too much unnecessary walking (like we haven’t walked enough already)
Reply from EF Explore America2026-07-17
Thank you for sharing, and we'll make sure Tim hears the kind words. Glad he made such a great impression! We appreciate the feedback on the bus conditions, the Capitol cafeteria, and the ghost tour experience. These are all helpful notes that we'll pass along as we continue to evaluate our vendors and partners. Thank you for the feedback!
10/10 Would Recommend
My son had the best time and made lots of memories . I did not travel with him but it was stress free and I had no worries about his safety. The trip was so full of experience and things he got to experience for such a great price .
Washington 2026
This was a wonderful experience of a lifetime especially with all that is going on in our world our students not only get to hear about history but also get to experience it in real life. I am so glad my child was able to go, and thankful to Mrs. Wilhelm who made the family back home feel connected and included.
Had an awesome tour guide and bus…
Had an awesome tour guide and bus driver. Great experiences with new friends and locations. Learned some new things about LA. Good food.
A fun and educational experience!
My daughter and her classmates had the best time! Everything they did was enjoyable and they really learned so many things.
Our tour guide Craig was amazing
Our tour guide Craig was amazing! He’s simply the best!
Boston Tour Five Stars
My son, Jaxson, had a great time in Boston! Thought the tour director, Pam, did a great job leading the kids. All of the tours were fun and interesting and he never felt bored. As a parent, I had peace of mind sending him and felt he was in good hands. Overall a great experience with memories that will last a lifetime!
My daughter had an amazing trip and…
My daughter had an amazing trip and loved her tour guide!
Great trip, but disappointed in tour guide.
It would have 5 stars, but our tour guide wasn’t great. His communication was lacking, and at times it felt like we were a burden to him. While we were in Washington DC he definitely showed political bias. There were things out of the company’s/guide’s control (slow or not working elevators, monuments and areas hard to get to or inaccessible due to the current events) but it was otherwise a great trip. I appreciate that everything for the most part was taken care of and I didn’t really have to do anything but show up. I do wish we had more time to spend in the Smithsonian and at Mount Vernon. There is so much to see in only a two hour time period.
Enjoyable safe adventure
Such a great experience
Such a great experience. We had the best time and Liz was great!!
My son loved his trip to Boston and New…
My son loved his trip to Boston and New York City. It was his first time flying and traveling to a city. I felt confident that his chaperone and the EF tour guides would keep the kids well informed and educated on safety matters while on tour. Only thing I would say is to get a till card so that if all the money allowed for meals is not used- your money will stay on your child's own till card. Our son didn't have his own till card prior to his tour, so if there were any cash left for him for meals- we did not get that cash back. One night was raining so they were not able to have an activity with Wolfe Adventures Tour of Boston. We were not reimbursed for the cancellation of that activity. Overall, would recommend EF tours!
Overall the experience was good
Overall the experience was good. There were some changes in the agenda. The concern is that the girls were given the opportunity to venture out in the city on their own. Due to some of the hatred some Spurs fans experienced, as a precaution I would strongly recommend some type of tracking for the participants and minors. Safety reasons.
Our daughter was safe and had a great time!
Our daughter was safe, she was tired, so so much and had a great time! EF also worked so well with me to allow her to stay a few days longer and return home with us after spending time with family in NY. everything was incredibly flawless!
My son had a great time on the trip!
My son had a great time on the trip! He said it was very organized and he learned a lot about history. The guides were fantastic.
Great trip with amazing tour director…
Great trip with amazing tour director and memorable sites and experiences. EF makes it easy and takes care of everything! Been on 5 trips as a tour leader and can't recommend then enough!
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