USA Tour Pros

16/03/2023

Back to DC this weekend to really get this Student Season rolling!

13/03/2023

It's tour week and some final itinerary reviews are done!
You can follow my travels during this 20th Tour Season on:
YouTube: bit.ly/3YkRSfk
Instgram: bit.ly/3YHIUbo
TikTok: bit.ly/3Jx8740

10/03/2023

Who's leading Student Tours this season?

TommyEss's short video with ♬ You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

07/03/2023

Just taking a stroll on the Jersey Shore when a smell from the Ocean City, NJ boardwalk reminds me of my teacher from 7th grade.

Just taking a stroll on the Jersey Shore when a smell from the Ocean City, NJ boardwalk reminds me of my teacher from 7th grade.

03/03/2023

Tough to lose this icon in Manhattan's diminishing Little Italy neighborhood.

The owner fell behind on rent during the pandemic and set up a GoFundMe to pay some of it back, but the fundraiser never reached its goal of $35,000.

24/02/2023

2023's tour #1 is in the books and here's a short review of our DC adventure.

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel: bit.ly/3YkRSfk

Join me on tour in Washington, DC as I kick off my 20th tour season on the roads of America.

16/02/2023

16/02/2023

When preparing for your tour it is a MUST to call to re-confirm appointments and reservations, no matter whether you've previously had any hiccups with a venue/restaurant in the past.

This morning I got a callback from a church which said they had gotten my message requesting more information regarding my group's participation for this Sunday's Mass. When the call came in the woman said we are nowhere on their schedule, so I replied with detailed information from the woman's own email to the tour operator. She admitted she made a simple mistake...she put the school down for participating on March 19th and NOT February 19th.

Of course it's a simple mistake any of us can make, but as a Tour Pro it's our job to re-confirm appointments and reservations so we don't look foolish, or even miss an appointment/performance/meal due to an error like this.

Make you re-confirmation calls and stay safe out there!

16/02/2023

Gather 'round children..."Twas the night before my tour season open..."

TommyEss on Instagram: http://bit.ly/3JWjuTW
Please subscribe to my YouTube channel: bit.ly/3YkRSfk

https://youtu.be/wW4qJ6kiWJw

It's tour time, and the season is finally here. Join me as we get started in Washington, DC for my 20th tour season!

09/02/2023

After almost two decades on the road I have learned some valuable things which I hope make my tours today more engaging, interesting, and memorable!
But having said that, these are the five things I wish I knew before leading my first tour.
If you like this video please give it a thumbs-up, leave a comment, and share it!
Please subscribe to my YouTube channel: bit.ly/3YkRSfk

09/02/2023

When it comes to my career in the group tour industry, I'm often asked by passengers and friends, "How did you get into this?"

This video helps explain my process to becoming a USA Tour Pro.

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel: bit.ly/3YkRSfk

09/02/2023

Old man winter may be chillin' but the tour prep continues with my regular exercise. This will all pay off for me during the endless days of back-to-back tours in the sweltering days of June. Do you look forward to heading out like I do to enjoy frigid temps? 🥶💨

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel: bit.ly/3YkRSfk

09/02/2023

In celebration of my 20th Season on the roads of America leading group tours, I thought I'd take you along! The plan is to shoot short videos of all things touring...from how I got into this industry, to how the tours are built and sold, to the actual daily grind of the season. We've got a few empty seats so come along and experience a year in the life of a USA Tour Pro and all the challenges and rewards the job entails. I can guarantee you'll learn a lot about an industry you probably know very little about. And, it may just entice you to take a tour oneday. Let's Go!

Please subscribe to my YouTube channel: bit.ly/3YkRSfk

04/04/2018

A first in my career...

As we enjoyed our dinner in the ground floor of 30 Rock tonight, in a private dining room, I noticed a older Chinese female chatting with one of our students at a table accessible to the public as they walk by. The young man’s face was registering a puzzled look so I walked over and asked who she was. She said “Auntie, auntie.” I said ok, then notified the lead teacher that a relative was chatting with a student.

Our meal ended and as the rowdy students prepared to do their count, my colleague called me over to tell me: “The young man just told me he does not know that woman, he had never seen her in his life.” I asked the young man “what was she talking about?” He said, “She was speaking mostly Chinese but I believe she was saying student touring is dangerous.” He was confused, nervous, and a bit shaken.

I immediately scanned the area around the Starbucks by the ice rink and sure enough, the same woman, now with three other Chinese women all about 55-65, were semi-circling a group of our Asian students. I immediately approached the group and asked the group of women, “Who are you ladies, what do you want from these students.” They played dumb, as a group, and said “No English” a few times but did not leave the area. I told them I was calling security on them, which I did, who immediately called Police to respond.

This wasn’t a mistake tonight, these women were up to something and I have never witnessed a similar scene in my 15 years of NYC tours. They appeared to be the same women you would see on Canal Street, who are often aggressive with their handbags sales pitch, but not sinister.

Tonight, this was a sinister act.

Beware, my colleagues.

29/03/2018

Sculptor of Korean War memorial soldiers dies at 93

We all owe a debt of gratitude to the sculptor responsible for one of the nation’s most remarkable monuments, located in Washington, DC. The Korean War Memorial is a staple of the tour itineraries of hundreds of tour operators.

A Vermont sculptor who designed the statutes of soldiers for the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington has died. Frank Ga***rd was 93.

06/02/2018

Google inks deal to buy Chelsea Market for $2 billion

Perhaps new ownership will be friendlier to our tour groups?

Search Google for “Chelsea Market” and you’ll see that they now own the building.

31/01/2018

Sign the petition: No climate deniers at American Museum of Natural History

Time to kick this clueless climate-denier OFF the Board of Directors at NYC’s American Museum of Natural History!

Tell the American Museum of Natural History to drop Trump donor and climate disinformation funder Rebekah Mercer from its board of trustees.

29/01/2018

Expert Advice for Navigating Times Square on a School Trip to NYC

Get your NYC tour group up-to-speed with these City tips.

Visiting the iconic sights of the Big Apple is an education unto itself, with most first-timers experiencing a rush of adrenaline and nerves about what to expect.

26/01/2018

SCHOOL TRIP SPOTLIGHT: The NEW American Revolution Museum at Yorktown

Licensed Washington, DC Guide Erika King does a fantastic job getting us up to speed on the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.

Through reenactments, theater experiences, and museum exhibits, the new American Revolution Museum at Yorktown personalizes the story of America's founding.

16/12/2017

Here’s the actual email I received tonight from the DC’s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, copied and pasted:

“Beginning January 1, 2018, you will be charged a late fee to renew and after January 31, 2018, you will be required to reinstate your license.

Thank you,”

Who is in charge of this office? Who would ever approve of such a poorly-worded and grammatically incorrect email?

BTW, I already had renewed my license a month ago.

08/12/2017

FAO Schwarz is finally coming back to Midtown

They’ll be back!

FAO Schwarz will return to Midtown Manhattan next fall in a smaller space but one definitely big enough to accommodate its iconic Walking Piano. The high-end toy retailer exited its flagship store …

27/09/2017

Delta flights to offer free in-flight texting

Another sign of the apocalypse...

Delta flights worldwide will soon have free texting through a Gogo app.

10/04/2017

Man Violently Dragged Off Plane After United Airlines Overbooks Flight

Another dismal example of how the public is treated by the bully airlines, who are cash-rich and customer experience-poor.

The airline said the plane wouldn't take off until four people volunteered, according to one witness.

24/03/2017

Click here to support Al Coleman Medical Fund by Melissa Coleman

Many of you have probably worked with, or met, Al Coleman while on tour somewhere in the country. And while many of us relish our ability to lead tours without being a full-time employee of a tour operator, life as an Independent Contractor has its challenges. With our cherished independence and freedom of scheduling comes the very real struggle to pay our own health insurance. Al is no different than many of us in that respect.

Please consider supporting Al at this difficult time with any donation you are able to afford. I am sure he'll thank you down the line with a little of his signature trash talk.

Good luck Al, and get well soon!

My name is Melissa. I’m writing on behalf of my brother. Al Coleman is a writer, singer, tour guide, planner, sports fan, occasional trash talker, traveler, movie watcher, tennis player, Christian, brother, cousin, and friend, among many other things. He loves to laugh. He loves a good meal (wh...

22/03/2017

Perspective | A place to vent: Stone towers were an attempt to reduce hot air in U.S. Capitol.

About those stone towers on Capitol Hill...

It’s always been hard to cool and heat the domed building.

15/02/2017

No, Really, That’s a Travel Agency

Well this certainly is an innovative idea that can put more vacationers on the road and in our cities, leading to more tour industry jobs.

An Austin business books your trips while doubling as a wine and coffee bar. It’s one of a new breed of vacation planners.

30/09/2016

Pastrami Bombshell: Carnegie Deli Is Closing For Good at the End of the Year

Gluttons aghast at the news...

The 79-year-old deli will stop serving its sky-high sandwiches in just a few short months

11/05/2016

A first look inside the Smithsonian’s African American museum: Stunning views, grand scale

The anticipation gets amped-up in DC.

With Phase One of the 400,000-square-foot building complete, it goes “from paper to 3-D.”

03/05/2016

Today's graduation class of new FDNY firefighters includes 3 women, making it a total of 52 women on the city's force, or .5%.

29/04/2016

World War II monument opens in Washington, D.C. - Apr 29, 2004 - HISTORY.com

Happy 12th Birthday to DC's WWII Memorial.

On this day in History, World War II monument opens in Washington, D.C. on Apr 29, 2004. Learn more about what happened today on History.