Heinz Family Part 2!

Well, Noah is officially home from his big 7th-grade adventure—a class trip to Washington, D.C. and New York City!

The excitement started early when the group was scheduled to head out… but thanks to a mix-up on the tour company’s end, they missed their first flight. What should have been a smooth departure turned into a day-long layover in the Minneapolis airport. The kids made the best of it (as kids do), even as they were split across three different flights just to get to Washington, D.C. Eventually, everyone landed, reunited, and hit the ground running.

Once in D.C., the crew made up for lost time. They visited the White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Capitol Building, Pentagon, Mount Vernon, and the Museum of Natural History. Noah soaked up the history, and was in awe of the landmarks he’s only ever seen in textbooks until now.

From D.C., they headed to New York City, where things got even more surreal. The group took in the sweeping views from the top of The Edge skyscraper, stood at the base of the Statue of Liberty during a harbor boat tour, walked through the solemn grounds of the World Trade Center Memorial, and explored the magic of Central Park. They were also able to take in a broadway play at Times Square and saw Aladdin!

And while we were craving updates on Noah himself, most of what we received were… food photos. More specifically, cheeseburger photos, complete with rankings.

Luckily, Aunt Rachael was one of the chaperones. She came in clutch, sending actual photos of Noah and his two best buddies, Sam and Bennett!

It’s hard to put into words what a trip like this means for a middle schooler—new cities, big history, and inside jokes. We’re so proud of how Noah rolled with the bumps, soaked up the sights, and made the most of the adventure.