2026 Shepherd & Aprende NYC Trip

Itinerary and Registration Form

Day 1 (Sunday)

Depart Phoenix Sky Harbor for a New York City area airport. Upon arrival, meet your full-time tour manager at baggage claim, collect any luggage, and meet the waiting motorcoach to transfer to NYC. Drop luggage at the Hampton Inn New York Times Square and check in to the rooms, if time permits. Walk to the group dinner in a local restaurant. Round out the night with some free time amidst the lights of Times Square, then return to the hotel for the overnight stay.

Day 2 (Monday)

Breakfast at the hotel, then walk to a midtown Manhattan rehearsal studio for the first of two workshops with a Broadway actor or coach. Lunch on own in the area with meal money provided. Walk down 34th Street past the flagship Macy’s, the largest department store in the United States and location of the famous Thanksgiving Day parade, then take in a view of the imposing Empire State Building. Following a short subway ride to the Upper West Side, stroll through Central Park on the way to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. At The Met, take a guided docent tour of the collections with a focus on music and the arts. Walk through the Upper East Side, then take the subway back to the hotel to freshen up before the evening’s activities. Walk to Gayle’s Broadway Rose at the Edison Hotel for an entertaining dinner featuring singing servers and future Broadway stars and end the day 850 feet above the street to the Top of the Rock, with gorgeous night-time views of the entire illuminated metropolis. Return to the hotel for the overnight stay.

Day 3 (Tuesday)

Breakfast at the hotel, then walk to the rehearsal studio for the second and final Broadway workshop of the trip. Take the A Train to Columbus Circle and pick up a box lunch to enjoy in Central Park, then walk to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Here, take a guided tour of the campus including the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, which houses one of the world’s most extensive research collections in the fields of theater, film, dance, music, and recorded sound. The visit will explore up to five historical artifacts such as Jerome Robbins’ diaries, letters from Hal Prince to Andrew Lloyd-Webber, and more. Speed back to the hotel on the subway to change, have dinner as a group, and attend a Broadway show. After the show, return to the hotel for the overnight stay.

Day 4 (Wednesday)

Breakfast at the hotel. Walk to the Museum of Broadway for a visit to its multi-floor collection of authentic artifacts covering more than a century of Broadway history. Lunch on own with meal money provided and free time for shopping at flagship stores for Disney, M&Ms, and more in Times Square. Attend a matinee Broadway show to be determined, then have dinner together as a group before attending the final evening Broadway show of the trip.

Day 5 (Thursday)

Breakfast at the hotel, then check out and load the luggage on the bus. Drive to the downtown financial district to see the 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero, Zuccotti Park, Wall Street, and the Trinity Church cemetery where Eliza and Alexander Hamilton are buried. A box lunch will be provided to eat overlooking the East River. From Pier 16, take a 50-minute guided cruise around New York Harbor, seeing the Brooklyn Bridge, Battery Park, Ellis Island, and of course the Statue of Liberty. Once back ashore, depart for the airport, where an allowance will be given for dinner in the airport. Depart for Phoenix.

Tour Price

  • $2,100-$2,400 per person with at least 40 travelers, final price announced when airfare is secured (no earlier than July 15, 2025)
  • + $331double supplement for adults
  • + $994 single room supplement for adults (not cumulative)
  • Price is based on ACH/check/online bill pay payment
  • Credit card payments will be assessed a 3% surcharge

Payment Schedule

  • 11 $200 monthly payments due on the 15th of each month: June 15, 2025 through April 15, 2026
  • The final payment will be adjusted to match the final trip price, and will include any double or single supplements

Cancellation Schedule

  • $50 non-refundable through August 15, 2025
  • $150 non-refundable from August 16, 2025 through October 15, 2025
  • $300 non-refundable from October 16, 2025 through December 15, 2025
  • $600 non-refundable from December 16, 2025 through February 15, 2026
  • $1,200 non-refundable from February 16, 2026 through April 15, 2026
  • From April 16, 2026, all tour payments are non-refundable

Tour Inclusions

  • Roundtrip airfare between Phoenix and New York City
  • 1 full time tour manager per busload
  • Private motorcoach transfers on arrival and departure day
  • 4 nights at Hampton Inn by Hilton New York Times Square
  • 3 Broadway Shows
  • 2 Broadway Workshops
  • Entrances:
    • Top of the Rock
    • Guided visit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
    • Guided tour of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
    • Guided visit of New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
    • Museum of Broadway
    • New York Harbor Sightseeing Cruise
  • All meals on tour:
    • 4 breakfasts at the hotel
    • 2 box lunches
    • 3 cash allowances for 2 lunches and 1 dinner/snack at the airport on the final day
    • 4 dinners, including one with entertainment
  • NYC Metro (subway) tickets as needed
  • All gratuities to tour manager, drivers, and service staff
  • Coverage under a $2M tour operator liability policy (this is not personal travel insurance)

Tour Exclusions

  • Airline baggage fees
  • Transportation to and from Sky Harbor
  • Snacks, souvenirs, and items of a personal nature
  • Trip protection/cancellation insurance policies
  • Any other items not specifically mentioned
Shepherd Junior High School Travel Dates:
Sunday May 24 – Thursday May 28, 2026
Kyrene Aprende Middle School Travel Dates:
Sunday May 31 – Thursday June 4, 2026