Westcoast Connection Blog

US NATIONAL PARKS

From grandiose canyons to towering peaks to pristine lakes, US National Parks offer some of the greatest natural wonders in the world, and for some of us, without venturing too far from home. Setting out to explore a number of these parks in one summer might sound like a tall task but with our perfectly planned and perfectly paced teen tours, for ages 13 – 18, the adventure unfolds with ease. Take Californian Extravaganza for example, and you’ll visit the first 5 awe-inspiring US National Parks on this list! You can also visit these incredible US National Parks with any of the following trips, which feature varying trip lengths and itineraries: American Voyageur, California & the Canyons, Eastcoast Encounter, Northwestern Odyssey, U.S. Explorer and Ultimate California.

7 Spectacular US National Parks

Bryce Canyon National Park

Often referred to as one of their favorite US National Parks, trip members love the contrast of Keep Reading »

Adventure Travel At Its Best

Do you love adventure travel and activities that you can caption “don’t try this at home”? If so, you’ll want to try all of these activities that will give you that adrenaline rush you’re looking for! A big part of traveling is to step out of your comfort zone and try new things, and here’s no exception, as you won’t want to miss out on any of the excitement. As you overcome any uncertainties you may have, you’ll quickly feel a sense of accomplishment as you step out of your harness and helmet – yes safety first at all times – and smile from ear to ear. We’ve seen it time and time again, so here’s your chance to come and embrace your adventurous side!

6 Adventure Travel Activities: Rafting

White water rafting is always a thrill, especially when you take the plunge over Tutea Falls, New Zealand, the largest commercially rafted waterfall Keep Reading »

5 Stats That Will Get You Excited About Your Future In STEM!

In a world where technology is advancing so fast that it’s hard to remember a time before smart phones, apps and online shopping, it makes sense that the future for STEM careers is bright. An education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) may be something you’re considering so we thought we’d share a few of the latest stats that may help support your decision.

5 Stats About STEM Jobs: 93 out of 100 STEM occupations had wages above the national average. Most STEM occupations earn nearly double the national average wage, where the national average wage for all STEM occupations was $87,570. Employment in STEM occupations grew by 10.5% between 2009 and 2015, which is nearly double the growth of non-STEM occupations. 7 out of the 10 largest STEM occupations were computer related. Out of all the computer and information systems jobs, applications software developer was the STEM occupation that represented the most Keep Reading »

Destinations we LOVE

Do you LOVE to travel?

Traveling to new places is a bit like a love story. You long for the day to see one another and when the moment finally comes you get butterflies in your stomach. After coming face to face with your crush, sparks fly and you have the time of your life. The days breeze by as you experience new joys and emotions beyond your dreams and when it’s time to say farewell you embrace one another and say until we meet again, as you head home with a heart full of memories to cherish and friendships to last a lifetime.

Get crush’n on these destinations we LOVE:

Paris

Climb the Eiffel tower for the best views of Paris, see Mona Lisa smile, cruise down the River Seine, listen to the chimes at Notre Dame, stroll along the Champs Elysees and take a photo next to the Arc de Triomphe. The Keep Reading »

Two weeks being #17inthecity

We welcome Harleigh as a guest blogger! Harleigh was a participant last summer on the Seventeen Fashion Experience in New York City – here’s what she has to say about it. Check out Harleigh’s own blog at Harleigh Hearts.

I have always loved fashion and style trends and about a year ago I started my own teen fashion and style blog. It has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done and has led to a lot of great opportunities, like attending shows last February during New York Fashion Week and an internship at one of my favorite dress designers. So when I read Seventeen’s Facebook post about the Seventeen Fashion Experience, I immediately knew I wanted to attend. Being part of this summer program was an amazing opportunity to grow as a blogger. Let’s face it… Seventeen is like the teen style blogger’s bible—who better to learn Keep Reading »

Something Out of the Movies – California and the Canyons

California and the Canyons has been very busy since our last blog. The laughs have not stopped as we continue to bond and create unforgettable memories. When we arrived at Ventura, California we had a fun day where we worked as a team to pitch our tents on a beautiful campsite. The next day was spent with an intense completion between the boys playing football on the beach.

On our drive to Los Angles, California our trip members were challenged to an epic game of “Name That Tune”. They certainly brought their “A” game as many of the chosen songs turned into bus wide sing-a-longs. When we arrived in Los Angles we are all excited to scout out UCLA where it was cool to see what it was like to live on campus. It was something out of the movies.

Speaking of movies….Universal Studios was a definite highlight, where we were able Keep Reading »

Farewell Friends – California Sprint

Get ready Los Angeles, 42 energetic teenagers are about to hit the town! Venice Beach had us in awe with all of the colourful artwork and positive vibes all around. The trip members got the chance to check out some of the little beach shops and walk around this world famous spot. Some of us found some pretty unique apparel that will always remind us of our time in California. Following our Venice Beach excursion, we settled into our dorms at UCLA and some of us went down to the gym for a quick workout and some of us went for a quick dip in the pool! That evening, it was time to hit the Hollywood Highlands! The hustle and bustle of Hollywood kept everyone on their toes with many encounters with very distinctive characters on the strip. The excitement kept us going all night long especially after a delicious Keep Reading »

The Voya-Journey of a Lifetime- American Voyageur

Dear Voyageur Parents and Friends,

We started the last leg of our adventure in Las Vegas. Our first evening in Vegas we saw the indoor canal at the Venetian hotel and enjoyed the famous fountain show at the Bellagio hotel. Everyone enjoyed the glitz and glamour of the strip lit up at night. The next morning, we stopped at the Stratosphere and enjoyed terrifying rides and amazing views of Las Vegas. That afternoon we enjoyed the Forum Shops, the pool and some trip members got to tour the T-Mobile Arena, which will soon host a new NHL team. We ended our day by heading to New York, New York to ride the coaster and enjoy some authentic New York eats followed by trying drinks from around the world at the Coca Cola store!

The next day, we entered Zion National Park where we started a competition and broke into teams! The Blue Keep Reading »

Killer Canyons and Majestic Mandalas – Cost Rica Community Service

After a nice night at the bonfire our group was energized from a great night sleep to finish off our service in Flamingo. We were working on a new house which needed an uplift in order to allow the family to live there happily. Our group got right to work sanding and painting making sure that the house looked amazing after we left. We even enjoyed one last visit to the beach to wrap up a few days of service and fun.

The next day we were all packed up and ready to for a nice drive to Arenal. What a site to roll into! It was a clear day on a clear day and from our hotel we had a great view of the volcano and other surrounding areas. After checking in we enjoyed some nice games before going off to the hot springs. This was the most beautiful place Keep Reading »

The Memories are Forever with U.S. – U.S. Explorer

The U.S. Explorer has been California Dreamin’ this past week, and we have been loving it. In the past few days, we have seen so much of the Golden State – San Diego, Los Angeles, Lake Tahoe, and we are now in San Francisco.

In San Diego, we totally stayed classy despite the warm weather. Hanging out with the pandas, polar bears, and giraffes at the San Diego Zoo was incredibly cool for our trip members. It was super interesting to learn how the zoo is involved with animal conservation projects around the globe, and is even working on a gene bank for endangered species!

We had an awesome day at Moonlight Beach, learning to surf and facing the waves of the Pacific Ocean. We all looked like pro surfers in our wetsuits. Most trip members managed to get up on the board at least once or twice. It was gnarly, dude!

Hanging out Keep Reading »

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