Long, long ago, when I was a Girl Scout Junior, my troop saved up to take a trip to Chicago. It wasn’t our first time planning a trip – we’d taken field trips, enjoyed troop camp at Lakamaga, and even spent a day in Duluth in our days as Brownies. All year, we poured our little hearts into money-earning projects and carefully planned our trip, from flights and hotels to sightseeing (the river cruise and Bean were must-sees). We sold homemade crafts, reached out to local newspapers, and had our best cookie year ever. We tracked our project on a super awesome poster and as the summer got closer and closer, the excitement was palpable. I cannot stress enough how much fun I had with my Girl Scout sisters leading up to and during that event—it’s a memory we still cherish today.
Even more importantly, I developed a life-long love for travel, which has brought me all around the world to five different continents (and counting)! From planning budgets to arranging logistics, to problem-solving on the fly (and in a language I don’t know!), traveling has made me more resilient, outgoing, and capable than I could have ever imagined back then when I was pushing those extra boxes of Thin Mints on unsuspecting customers.
Okay, enough reminiscing. Why am I telling you all this? Well, here at Girl Scouts we think every girl deserves a chance to see the world and gain all of the incredible skills that travel can cultivate. This is why we offer many different travel opportunities so girls can see new places, meet new people, and learn about different cultures and ideas. Like everything in the Girl Scout program, travel is a progression – while a Daisy troop may not be ready for a two-week trek across Patagonia, an Ambassador troop that has successfully planned and executed trips throughout their Girl Scout experience could totally pull it off (side note: if your troop decides to do this, can I come?)! If exploring their state, country, and world sounds like something your troop might be interested in, check out the different options below:
- Field trips are a great way for girls to catch the travel bug. Connect it to their Journey and make it a girl-led process by having girls choose the place, plan the schedule and budget, and lead the way! Always make sure to follow Safety Activity Checkpoints when planning a Girl Scout activity.
- Getaways are short travel programs designed specifically for Girl Scout troops, with lots of locations all over the USA and abroad! Catch the musical Wicked “For Good” in Florida, go to Space Camp in Alabama, have some Yosemite Fun in California, explore Boston’s Chinatown Neighborhood, or hang out at the beach!
- Destinations are the ultimate adventure for individual girls ages 11 and older! With different trips every year, there’s something amazing for everyone to experience. Make friends from all over the country as you travel with Girl Scouts from different states and pack your bags full of inspiring, life-changing experiences.
- International Events lets Girl Scouts go global! Browse this travel page for international events for troops hosted by global scouting organizations, and information about how to visit our amazing WAGGGS centers.
There’s a whole world out there for Girl Scouts to explore. So check out our Trips & Travel tutorial for information on River Valleys’ travel process, and start wanderlusting with your troop today!
Natasha Brownlee – Natasha is a Program Specialist at River Valleys, where she develops and leads awesome Girl Scout events – and runs the In the Loop blog! Her background is in curriculum development, programming, and creative writing. She has BA’s in Peace Studies and French and a MSc in Gender, Development & Globalization and has worked with various girl-centered organizations in the US and abroad. Natasha loves traveling around the world, practicing yoga, and hanging out with her dog, Rooney!