Travel | Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania

Girl Scouts love to travel—from the field trips they take as Brownies to the global adventures they go on as teens. If you love exploring different places and cultures, then Girl Scouts is the place for you.

How far will your Girl Scout experience take you? That decision is entirely yours!

There are three different ways to travel with Girl Scouts: Council travel with girls from Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania, troop travel, or through Girl Scouts of the USA with Girl Scout Destinations or the new Girl Scout alumni travel program.

Council Travel

Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania has multiple travel opportunities to travel throughout the year. From regional day trips all the way to international trips, there are many opportunities to explore the world with fellow Girl Scouts. These trips are open to not only Girl Scouts, but also to their parents or troop leaders to help you have the best experience possible.

Upcoming Council Trips

Niagara Falls, NY: June 6, 2026 toggle arrow

Enter the splash zone and get ready for an expedition to Niagara Falls, NY. People from all over the world travel to see this landmark—it's the largest waterfall in North America! Our council is lucky that this magnificent wonder is just a short bus ride away.

Grade Levels: Daisies-Ambassadors and Volunteers
Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026
Trip Cost: $170/Girl Scout, $185/adult

Learn more and register.

Capital Adventures - Washington D.C. 2026 National Convention: July 22-25, 2026 toggle arrow

Pack your bags, Girl Scouts—it's time for an unforgettable adventure in our nation's capital! Join us for three fun-filled nights in Washington, D.C., as we celebrate history, culture, and Girl Scout sisterhood at the 2026 Girl Scout National Convention!

Grade Levels: Daisies-Ambassadors and Volunteers
Dates: July 22-25, 2026
Cost per person:
Single (one person to a room): $1400
Double (two people to a room): $1100
Triple (three people to a room): $975
Quad (four people to a room): $900

Learn more and register.
Download the itinerary.

Scotland and Ireland: June 19-July 3, 2028 toggle arrow

International Trip to Scotland and Ireland 2028
Castles, cliffs, and Celtic tradition! Travel to Scotland and Ireland with a blend of urban city exploration and a touch of natural wonder. Visit Edinburgh and Sterling Castles and see if you can spot the Loch Ness Monster on a boat cruise. Explore Glasgow before heading to Belfast as you travel along the Antrim Coast and stroll on the Giant’s Causeway. Stop in Dublin for a city walk and a visit to Phoenix Park, then head to the Ring of Kerry to check out Galway, Connemara, Killarney, the Cliffs of Moher, and take a city walk through Limerick— Ireland’s third largest city. End it all with a trip to Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone! This trip is jam-packed with fun, so bring your sense of adventure.

If you are a group of six or more, please reach out to Amber Carson at acarson@gswpa.org about special group discounts.

Grade Levels: Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors as of the summer of 2028, and adult volunteers
Dates: June 19-July 3, 2028 (tentatively)
Trip cost: Pricing is dependent on current promotions. Please use the link in the event listing to check the current cost.

Learn more and register.
Download the itinerary.
View the presentation.

Important Resources

Domestic Travel Payment and Refund Policy toggle arrow

If you choose to cancel your trip, your refund will vary based on how soon the trip is occurring. Your deposit is not refundable under any circumstances, not limited to accident, financial hardship, illness, or death.

Deposits are required to reserve your spot on the trip. A portion of the total payment is due each month leading up to the trip. You are welcome to pay for the trip all at once if you’d like. Whether you pay in installments or in full, the refundable portion remains the same in case of a cancellation.

If Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania or the tour provider cancels the trip, your full amount will be refunded unless otherwise stated by the tour provider.

Payment Schedule (unless otherwise noted in the trip description)

Days Prior to the Trip	Amount Due
At time of booking	Deposit of $100
90 days prior to the departure date	50% due of total cost (deposit included)
60 days prior to the departure date	75% due of total cost (deposit included)
30 days prior to the departure date	Full amount due

Refund Policy

Days Prior to the Trip	Amount Refundable (sans deposit)
At time of booking to 121+ days to the departure date	All payment except the $100 deposit
90-120 days prior to the departure date	75% of total trip except the $100 deposit
60-89 days prior to the departure date	50% of total trip except the $100 deposit
30-59 days prior to the departure date	25% of total trip cost except the $100 deposit
Less than 29 days prior to the departure date	None

Financial Assistance toggle arrow

Financial aid is available for our council trips, excluding trips where we partner with Explorica Worldwide or EF Tours. Please fill out our financial assistance application in order to apply.

Troop Travel

Girl Scout troops can travel together as a group. Together, Girl Scouts and their troop leaders can create a plan and prepare for an amazing trip.

From local day trips to coast-to-coast treks, your girls will learn how to explore the country with Girl Scouts. To see what kind of trip best fits your girls, start by looking at the Travel Progression Chart. This will help you figure out where you are as a troop and the travel steps along the way to get to where you want to go. For more information and resources about beginning your travel experience, check out the Girl Scout Guide to U.S. Travel.

Trip & High Adventure Application toggle arrow

Once you have your plan for your troop trip, you may need to fill out a Trip Application. This must be submitted and approved prior to a troop booking the following activities or making any non-refundable deposits:

1. Overnights
2. Travel of more than 200 miles roundtrip
3. All high-adventure activities

To see the procedure, check out this helpful PDF. When you are ready to fill out your application, you can do so online here. Be sure you have an itinerary, know who is attending the trip with you, and have the details of your trip sorted out before submitting your application. You will need to fill out this application with ample time (we recommend four weeks at minimum for regional trips) so your trip can be approved before your travel.

Travel Training toggle arrow

Field Trips and Local Travel
This introductory course is the recommended starting point for volunteers who are new to leading troop travel and are planning a local field trip that does not include an overnight stay or high-adventure activity.

Although the course is optional for introductory-level travel, it is a prerequisite for 263 Let’s Travel the USA.

Let’s Travel the USA
This advanced course is the next step in the travel training sequence. It is appropriate for troop leaders and other volunteers supporting troop or service unit travel who have not previously completed 263 Let’s Go Travel and are supporting more advanced travel that includes long-distance, overnight, and/or high-adventure activities.

You can access these courses through gsLearn. Log in to MyGS and select gsLearn from the welcome screen. In the Content Library, search for "travel."

Resources

Destinations

Check out Girl Scout Destinations, the ultimate adventure program for girls ages 11 and older. With a ton of different trips to apply for every year—from surfing camp on the east coast and breathtaking hikes out west to the crazy-cool wonder of new cultures abroad—there’s something amazing for everyone to experience.

These trips are for Girl Scouts ready to travel independently (without caregivers or troop leaders). You will make friends from all over the country as you travel with Girl Scouts from different states, see and learn new things, and pack your bags full of inspiring, life-changing experiences and memories. Find your trip today ! Trip destinations change annually, but you can go to places like Japan, Costa Rica, Switzerland, the Galapagos, Peru, Scotland, Germany, Mexico, and more!

Timeline

September 20	2024 Destinations are posted on the Girl Scouts of the USA travel page. Applications are now open!
November 15	Destinations applications and two references are due for early-round application.
December 1	Early-round application acceptance emails sent.
December 15	Early-round accepted girls’ deposits due.
December-March	Rolling application period.
January 10	Girl Scouts who apply, accept, and make a deposit on a Destination by this date are automatically eligible for D-Pass funding without any additional action necessary by the Girl Scout.
January 13	Awardees of D-Pass funding announced.

How to apply toggle arrow

It is recommended that Girl Scouts check out the Application Worksheet prior to applying. This document can help you know what you will need to fill out on the actual application and have it all written down ahead of time.

You will also need two references to complete your application. You will need their email address to complete the application. It is always important to ask your reference before you list their email. Make sure that you complete the application with plenty of time so their portion can be completed before the deadline.

D-Pass Funding toggle arrow

Our council has a special grant just for Destination travel. This funding, called the D-Pass, is awarded annually. Girl Scouts simply have to apply for a Destination, accept it, and make a deposit by Jan. 10 and they will automatically be entered into the funding pool.

Alumni Travel

Check out Girl Scout’s new partnership with Club Adventures, a AAA-owned tour operator. We hope you’ll join us as we explore the world together. Get details here.

More Ways to Connect

Check out these other ways to connect and learn about travel opportunites available to you as a Girl Scout

Global Girls Club

The Global Girls Club is our first-ever council patch dedicated to travel and becoming a global citizen! While earning this patch, you will develop an awareness of the world through cross-cultural learning opportunities, find cool new ways to travel, and learn that you can be a citizen of the world without having to travel far and wide. Complete the patch on your own by downloading the guide for your level:

Global Girls Club guide for Daisies and Brownies
Global Girls Club guide for Juniors and Cadettes
Global Girls Club guide for Seniors and Ambassadors

Travel Rally

For those looking to connect with others interested in travel, we have a special, online Travel Rally just for you. This is the place to share photos from trips, ask for recommendations, and build a community of fellow Girl Scouts with wandering feet. You can find the Rally and request to join here.

Juliette Low World Friendship Fund

Juliette Gordon Low believed that when girls travel the world, they have an unparalleled opportunity to foster cultural understanding. That's why the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund was formed in 1927 to support girls as they travel internationally, connect with sister Girl Guides, and take action globally.

Donations to the Juliette Low World Friendship Fund support girls' international travel and participation in training and other global events. These unique opportunities for building international friendships connect Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from nearly 150 nations.

Give the gift of international travel, and make the world a better place! Download the Contribution Form (PDF) or donate online.