Rutgers, Temple, Drexel and St. John's in 3 Days: A New Brunswick, Philadelphia and Queens Drive Trip
A parent-first plan for seeing Rutgers–New Brunswick, Temple and Drexel in Philadelphia, and St. John's in Queens from one New Brunswick hotel: official tour sign-ups, visitor parking at every campus, meals between tours, things for siblings and weather by season.
Old Queens, Rutgers–New Brunswick (Mar 2026). Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Last checked Oct 26, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).
Check before you go. Tour times, sign-up rules, parking and seasonal closures change often, sometimes weekly. Every campus section below links to that school's official visit page and shows when we last checked it. Confirm there before you book or drive. College Visit Guides is not affiliated with or endorsed by any college or university. Names are used only to identify them.
The short version
Trip at a glance
Schools
Rutgers University–New Brunswick · Temple University and Drexel University, Philadelphia · St. John's University, Queens
Days
3: Temple and Drexel in Philadelphia, then Rutgers, then St. John's on the way to a New York airport. Arrive the day before.
Fly into
Newark (EWR), about 25 miles from the hotel by road. Fly home from JFK or LaGuardia, each about 8 miles from St. John's.
Best base
The Heldrich in downtown New Brunswick, about 8 minutes by car from the Rutgers Visitor Center.
Car or transit
Plan on a car: the base is about 63 miles from Temple and about 51 miles from St. John's by road.
Registration
All four schools take tour registration online. Rutgers bus tours have no waitlist.
1. Who this guide is for
This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to see four big universities along the Philadelphia–New York corridor: Rutgers–New Brunswick, Temple and Drexel in Philadelphia, and St. John's in Queens.
Instead of changing hotels, you sleep at The Heldrich in downtown New Brunswick every night, which sits roughly between Philadelphia and Queens, and drive out each morning.
Why this order
Day 1: Temple's weekday tours pair a short admissions presentation with an outdoor walking tour led by student Owl Ambassadors. Drexel runs an information session and tour Monday through Friday and on most Saturdays, about 9 minutes away by car.
Day 2: Rutgers runs an information session and bus tour of about 2.5 hours that drives through all five New Brunswick campuses and stops at a sample first-year residence hall room.
Day 3: St. John's student-led walking tour of its Queens campus takes about 1.5 hours. JFK and LaGuardia are each about 16–17 minutes away by car, so the trip can end there.
Book the Rutgers bus tour first
Each Rutgers student may bring only two guests, and guests must be registered in advance. There are no waitlists.
Rutgers posts its tour schedules on Sept. 1 for fall, Feb. 1 for spring and June 1 for summer.
Tour availability varies by season.
Rutgers doesn't allow visitor parking on home football game days, so avoid those dates for day 2.
Temple lists a fall open house on Nov. 7, and St. John's lists one on Nov. 14.
In summer, St. John's notes that campus beautification projects often keep tours from seeing all areas of campus.
2. The suggested 3-day plan
Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. New Jersey Turnpike, I-95 and New York traffic can make them much longer. Some legs were measured in one direction only.
Nominatim placed St. John's 8000 Utopia Parkway at a campus storefront with that address, so St. John's times are to that point, not to Gate 1.
Arrival day: fly into Newark and drive to New Brunswick
EWR → The Heldrich (10 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick)
Driving (no traffic)
~36 min, 25 mi (routing estimate)
Walking
Drive (rental car)
The Heldrich → Rutgers Geology Museum (85 Somerset St.)
Driving (no traffic)
~3 min, 0.7 mi
Walking
~11 min walk, 0.5 mi
Check-in is at 4 pm. The hotel doesn't run its own parking: self-parking is $25 a day in the Morris Street Garage on New Street, or valet is $30 a night from the front door.
If you arrive early on a Tuesday–Friday, the free Rutgers Geology Museum is open 10–4 during the academic year.
Day 1: Temple (morning), lunch, then Drexel (afternoon)
The Heldrich → Temple's Montgomery Garage (1859 N. 11th St., Philadelphia)
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 24 min, 63 mi (routing estimate)
Walking
Drive
Montgomery Garage → Temple Welcome Center (1101 W. Montgomery Ave.)
Driving (no traffic)
Park and walk
Walking
~3 min walk, 0.1 mi
Welcome Center → Howard Gittis Student Center food court
Temple tours go rain or shine. If the confirmation email doesn't show up, check your spam folder.
Book a Drexel slot that leaves time for lunch and the short drive from Temple.
Day 2: Rutgers bus tour, then the Gardens or the Geology Museum
The Heldrich → Rutgers Visitor Center (100 Sutphen Rd., Piscataway)
Driving (no traffic)
~8 min, 3.5 mi
Walking
Drive
Visitor Center → Busch Student Center (604 Bartholomew Rd.)
Driving (no traffic)
Short drive
Walking
~19 min walk, 0.9 mi
Visitor Center → Rutgers Gardens (130 Log Cabin Rd.)
Driving (no traffic)
~11 min, 5.2 mi
Walking
Drive
Visitor Center → Rutgers Geology Museum
Driving (no traffic)
~6 min, 2.2 mi
Walking
Drive
Check-in and the information session are at the Rutgers Visitor Center on Busch campus in Piscataway.
No meals are provided on the tour; bring water or a snack. The Visitor Center has water refill stations and a vending machine.
Day 3: St. John's, then fly home from JFK or LaGuardia
The Heldrich → St. John's University (8000 Utopia Pkwy., Queens)
Driving (no traffic)
~1 hr 19 min, 51 mi (routing estimate)
Walking
Drive
St. John's → New York Hall of Science (47-01 111th St., Corona)
Driving (no traffic)
~11 min, 5.2 mi
Walking
Drive
St. John's → JFK
Driving (no traffic)
~17 min, 8.1 mi
Walking
Drive
St. John's → LaGuardia (LGA)
Driving (no traffic)
~16 min, 7.3 mi
Walking
Drive
St. John's → EWR
Driving (no traffic)
~49 min, 27 mi (routing estimate)
Walking
Drive, if you fly home from Newark
Check out of The Heldrich by 11 am, or before you leave for Queens.
Enter through Gate 1 on Utopia Parkway and check in with Public Safety for a parking pass; you'll be directed to visitor parking and the Kelleher Welcome Center, where the tour begins.
3. Campus by campus
Old Queens, Rutgers–New Brunswick (Mar 2026). Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
The information session and bus tour takes about 2.5 hours, led by student Scarlet Ambassadors and an admissions representative. The bus drives through all five New Brunswick campuses, with stops along the way that include a sample first-year residence hall room.
Rutgers Visitor Center: 100 Sutphen Road, Piscataway, on Busch campus.
There are no full residence hall tours and no university-wide open house. A self-guided tour is available in the Rutgers–New Brunswick app.
Visitor parking
Park free in Busch campus Lot 48, across from the Visitor Center; no permit is needed.
Visitor parking isn't permitted on home football game days.
Getting there
About 8 minutes and 3.5 miles from The Heldrich by car.
What to know
The Busch Student Center has Gerlanda's Pizza & Deli, Qdoba and Szechwan Ichiban, all open weekdays and closed weekends.
Rutgers Gardens is about 11 minutes away by car, with no admission fee.
Contact
New Brunswick admissions: 848-445-4636. Tour accommodations: tours@admissions.rutgers.edu
Last checked Oct 26, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Weekday tours run most weekdays, with two time options: a brief admissions presentation, then an outdoor walking tour led by Owl Ambassadors. Registration is required, and tours go rain or shine.
Tours start at the Welcome Center, 1101 W. Montgomery Ave.; the entrance is on North 12th Street.
Visitor parking
For weekday tours, Temple directs visitors to the Montgomery Garage, 1859 N. 11th St. Parking is $6 an hour, isn't validated, and is credit card only.
Getting there
About 1 hour 24 minutes and 63 miles from The Heldrich by car (no-traffic estimate).
What to know
The Howard Gittis Student Center food court has Chick-fil-A, BurgerFi, Which Wich, Twisted Taco, Zen, Wingstop and Saladworks.
Contact
Admissions: 215-204-7200, Monday–Friday 8:30–5
Last checked Oct 26, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
An information session plus campus tour is offered Monday through Friday and on most Saturdays.
Admissions Visit Center: Main Building, Room 212, 3141 Chestnut St., at the northeast corner of 32nd and Chestnut. Weekdays 8:30–5.
Visitor parking
Drexel Garage (Lot G), 3330 Market St., entrance on Ludlow Street: weekdays $24 before 4 pm or $19 after 4 pm; weekends $19 a day. Exit within 15 minutes of paying.
Alternatives: Park America at 3101 Market St., or metered street parking on Chestnut Street until 8 pm.
Getting there
About 9 minutes and 4.5 miles by car from Temple's Montgomery Garage.
What to know
Gather Food Hall, 3025 Market St., is about a 5-minute walk from the Main Building.
The Franklin Institute is about 4 minutes away by car.
Contact
Admissions: 215.895.2400, enroll@drexel.edu
Last checked Oct 26, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Campus tours are student-led; pick a date and register on the official visit page.
The walking tour takes about 1 hour 30 minutes and includes stairs and hills. For mobility accommodations, email visit@stjohns.edu at least 48 hours before your visit.
Tours begin at the Kelleher Welcome Center.
Visitor parking
Enter through Gate 1 on Utopia Parkway and check in with Public Safety for a parking pass. Visitors must display a valid permit, available at the Gate 1 information booth or the Public Safety office.
Getting there
About 1 hour 19 minutes and 51 miles from The Heldrich by car (no-traffic estimate); about 17 minutes to JFK.
What to know
Campus dining is open to guests, including Montgoris Dining Hall and the Marillac Food Court, which has a Dunkin'.
The New York Hall of Science is about 11 minutes away by car.
Contact
Visits: 718-990-6238, visit@stjohns.edu
Last checked Oct 26, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
4. Where to stay: one base in downtown New Brunswick
Expedia hotel links are affiliate links: if you book through one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Hotel · Our pick
The Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center
10 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick
Why here
A downtown New Brunswick base about 8 minutes from the Rutgers Visitor Center, roughly between Philadelphia and Queens, so every tour day starts from the same room.
Christopher's, the hotel restaurant and bar, is on site for easy dinners after long drive days.
Good to know
Check-in 4 pm, check-out 11 am. Cancellations are due by 4 pm, 24 hours before arrival.
The hotel doesn't own or operate parking: self-park in the Morris Street Garage on New Street for $25 a day, or use valet at $30 a night ($1 surcharge on card payments).
Mini fridges in every room; pack-and-plays free on request; rollaway beds $30.
Geology Hall, 2nd floor, 85 Somerset St., New Brunswick
Free. Open Tuesday–Friday 10–4 during the academic year and on select Saturdays; closed Nov. 21–30 and Dec. 19–Jan. 18. About an 11-minute walk from The Heldrich.
Open year-round with no admission fee: 8–5 from Oct. 1 to March 31 and 8–7 from April 1 to Sept. 30; closed Mondays. Expect uneven terrain on some paths.
Open daily 9:30–5. Adults $29, teens 13–17 $25, children 3–12 $23, 2 and under free; special exhibits cost extra. On weekdays, it suggests visiting after 2 pm to miss school groups.
Open Wednesday–Sunday 10–5, last entry at 4; it has a fee-based parking lot entered from 46th Ave. and 111th St. About 11 minutes from St. John's by car.
At Rutgers, Busch Lot 48 is free with no permit, except on home football game days.
At Temple, the Montgomery Garage is $6 an hour, credit card only; at Drexel, the Drexel Garage is $24 on weekdays before 4 pm.
At St. John's, get your visitor parking pass from Public Safety at Gate 1.
If you fly into EWR and out of JFK or LaGuardia, check your rental company's one-way fee; we haven't confirmed these.
Tour day comfort
Temple's walking tour is outdoors, rain or shine, and St. John's tour includes stairs and hills; wear comfortable shoes.
Bring water or a snack to the Rutgers bus tour; no meals are provided.
Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Philadelphia, Newark and LaGuardia airports)
Spring: April averages about 65°F/44°F in Philadelphia, 63°F/44°F at Newark and 61°F/46°F at LaGuardia.
Summer: July averages 88°F/70°F in Philadelphia, 87°F/69°F at Newark and 86°F/72°F at LaGuardia.
Fall: October averages 67°F/49°F in Philadelphia, 66°F/49°F at Newark and 66°F/53°F at LaGuardia; November averages 55–56°F highs at all three.
Winter: January averages about 40–41°F highs and 26–29°F lows, with 7–9 inches of normal January snowfall.
Parent checklist
Register for the Rutgers bus tour first, with up to two guests registered in advance; there's no waitlist.
Register for Temple's weekday tour, Drexel's information session and tour, and St. John's campus tour.
Check the Rutgers football schedule before picking day 2; visitor parking isn't allowed on home game days.
Book The Heldrich for all nights and reserve a rental car.
Email St. John's at least 48 hours ahead if anyone needs mobility accommodations.
After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.
8. Student-athlete recruiting visits
For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.
Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.
Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.
Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
Division I (Rutgers University–New Brunswick, Temple University, Drexel University and St. John's University): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.
Planning around the season
Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.
Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.
Coming soon
Planning more college trips?
Visit-season reminders and new trip guides from College Visit Guides. Newsletter coming soon.
Sources
All checked Oct 26, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.
