Vinnie Van GO Says Get Educated at These Companies without Enrolling

Dropping off a student is not the only reason to visit a major college campus this fall. Most have beautiful architecture, museums and historic landmarks. The travel experts at GO Group, LLC, an international ground transportation company, have these recommendations:

Located in leafy Hyde Park, south of the Loop, is the University of Chicago with beautiful Gothic buildings and landscaping. Don’t miss the soaring Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, modeled after the cathedrals and historic college chapels of the British Isles that hosts celebrations, graduations, commemorations, concerts, worship services and tours. The David and Alfred Smart Museum offers a permanent collection of over 7000 objects, spanning five centuries of both Western and Eastern civilizations. The Henry Moore Sculpture - “Nuclear Energy” commemorates the creation of the first sustained nuclear chain reaction, which was realized by a team of University of Chicago scientists led by Enrico Fermi. This knowledge eventually led to the creation of the nuclear bomb and, subsequently, to its use in Hiroshima.

In Boston, if you’re near Harvard, take the Harvard Student-Led Walking Tour which guides visitors on a walk through Harvard Yard, providing a history of the university, general information, and a unique view on the student’s individual experience. The free tour is about an hour long. The school also has an Official Harvard Military History Tour and a Self-Guided Walking Tour of Harvard Yard with pamphlets that can be purchased from the office.

UCLA offers world-famous cultural, entertainment, and sports with a half-million visitors annually. Check out the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden with 70 sculptures on five acres or take in a performance at the Geffen Playhouse which garners national recognition each year. The Hammer Museum is a unique, cutting-edge arts institution that connects the classics and the contemporary through its varied collections and exhibitions.Admission to all exhibitions and public programs is free.

The University of Washington campus in Seattle spans 643 acres and serves more than 30,000 undergraduates. There is much to see and do, including the Sylvan Grove Theater which holds four 24-foot tall Ionic columns from the original University building downtown and are some of the oldest-standing architectural pieces in Seattle. The football team plays at the famed 72,500-seat Husky Stadium, which overlooks Lake Washington. Behind the stadium, find the Waterfront Activities Center which offers canoeand row boat rental for use on Lake Washington.

At Southern Methodist University in Dallas, check out the Meadows Museum, home to extensive collections, publications, and exhibitions as well as host to educational programs and workshop. The museum also has a plaza and sculpture garden with fountains, paths and green spaces and outdoor sculptures, including Sho (2007), a 13-foot-tall sculpture by contemporary Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. Political and history buffs won’t want to miss the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. Framed by the four themes of freedom, opportunity, compassion, and responsibility, the Museum features the Decision Points Theater, Sept. 11 Display, a full-size replica of the White House Oval Office, and a 20-foot-tall, 360-degree, video wall with a montage of the 44 U.S. Presidents.

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