In-Person FAM Training Trips for Tour Guides

In addition to our online offerings and books, we offer a variety of in-person training trips throughout the whole year. Below you’ll find the current schedule.

We have three kinds of in-person trainings.

Boot Camp

If you’re new to the industry, and looking to become a tour director or guide, or you’re experienced but looking to improve your skills, our Boot Camps are intense one-week in person that put you to the test in small groups of 12 or less. We work on technology, incredible storytelling skills, creating and implementing wow moments, and so much more!

Intensive Destination Trainings

Our destination trainings are legendary! For tour directors and guides looking to learn the technical ins and outs of a city or tour route, we run you through the ringer. From great stories and commentary to wow moments and logistics, these are 12-hour days out in the world, teaching you guiding craft in the places where you’ll guide! There’s no better way for experienced tour directors to up their game and get ready for the tours they’ll lead.

Technology & Storytelling Workshops

We are known for our focus on implementing new tech-techniques into every aspect of our touring lives. And our storytelling workshops are intense chances to work on delivering your best material. You’re given assignments and we break down our “secret sauce” to becoming an incredible communicator!

What can I expect on a TripSchool training?

Experiential. Immersive. We call what we’re doing Intensive Destination Trainings. Simply put, we’re trying to change what it means to be “trained” in a city. We cover all the basics, of course, but also go above and beyond to show you the stories, wow moments and special tricks and hidden spots that make a city feel more local, authentic and fun to your guests. Our teaching model is all about giving you the most interesting, local experiences we can find, so you can then share them with your guests.

We have fun.

Yes, these are long, busy courses, but they’re also fantastic trips to great destinations! We’ve learned about war battles while snowshoeing under the stars with hot chocolate, and discovered Chinatown by eating some of the most exotic foods we’ve ever tried. Plus the friends and fun you have is also the networking that may help you land your next tour directing job!

We work you hard.

TripSchool is fun, but also hard work. We’re not interested in wasting your time or money. We push you all day and into the night, covering as much as we can while still giving you quality experiences everywhere. Think of it as tour guiding bootcamp, without all the yelling or push-ups!

We include a lot.

Our trips aren’t barebones. We hire expert local guides, pay for cruises, take you to the tops of buildings, behind the scenes tours, get private access to special buildings. We pack the trips with lots of experiences we pay for and include on the trip, because we think it’s the best possible way to learn.

We go behind the scenes, and share insider knowledge.

We’ve had everything from private tours of Fenway Park and Madison Square Garden to insider looks at art galleries and talks from tomb guards at Arlington National Cemetery. And all along the way, we share our hidden gems and insider tips, and connect you with vendors and local contacts who you can then use to create your own wow moments!

We focus on wow moments.

The “wow” is that moment when your group stops and thinks: what a great collective experience we’re sharing! It could be a special food, view, video, story or hidden stop that makes the day. Whatever it is, we are constantly pointing them out and sharing what’s worked for us, so you look like a pro from day one.

We host food & drink evenings with industry experts.

You might meet a Broadway theater director or a tour operator ready to spill their secrets about what they’re looking for. We’ve even had them hire our students right after meeting them at an event. Our mixer evenings are designed to pull back the curtain on the industry and the places we train you in.

We make you a better tour director and guide.

You’ll become a better storyteller.

Only if you’re up for it, we will assign you a topic and let you deliver your commentary to the group. And we’ll constructively critique you, helping you understand the tricks and craft that make your delivery more engaging.

We’re obsessed with technology.

Our grads mention how great it is to hear about special phone apps, software, and our secret ways we include technology to give groups the best possible experience. The stuff we’ll share will change the way you approach your job, both in front of the group and behind the scenes.

The friends you meet will be the ones you lean on in the industry.

Much of the value of the tour is the relationships you’ll create with other guides. They’re the ones you’ll be meeting out on the road, and will be there to support you with their knowledge and friendship. They’re also people who will recommend you for work with tour operators.

After the trip

You become part of the TripSchool family.

The in-person training is only the beginning. We are a continued resource, in person and online to support you as you grow in your tour directing career. Ask us questions. Lean on our graduates for support, encouragement, advice and networking to jumpstart your career.

You’ll get access to resources on Campfire.

The TripSchool Portal is where you’ll find all the information about what we talked about. Phone numbers of industry vendor contacts, logistical information for each sight, lists of the apps and images and videos we use to make a trip come alive, and all the special little notes to help you succeed in this career from day 1.

You’ll become part of our graduate directory for tour operators.

The grad directory is where tour operators can find you easily, rest assured you’re trained well, and hire you for jobs!