Mission Trips in the United States

What are mission trips in the United States?

Mission trips in the United States send groups to serve for a week alongside local churches and ministries in American communities. Experience Mission (EM) hosts U.S. mission trips for youth, college, family, and adult groups all across the country, in small towns, large cities, and communities recovering from disasters. Trips run 6-7 days and require groups of 6 or more people.

Here are some reasons groups choose to serve in the U.S.:

• Shorter travel - Many teams can drive to their community, no passports needed
• Lower cost - Trip fees are less than those of most international trips
• Multiple opportunities - Teams can choose to serve in urban or rural settings, close to home or where they feel most needed
• Year-round ministry partners - Every trip joins a church or ministry serving its community long before and after a team visits
• Crossing cultures at home - Teams come face to face with communities, cultures, and expressions of faith across the U.S. much different from their hometown

The best fit depends on your group's ages, budget or fundraising goals, and availability. For the story behind each community, read the best domestic mission trips for 2027.

Which EM communities host mission trips in the United States?

EM partners on mission trips for groups in 12 U.S. communities. Community pages have all the important information about local partners, ministry opportunities, open weeks, and trip logistics. Check out the group mission trips page to see all EM communities and explore trip options (or scroll up to see all U.S. communities!).

Your group's youngest participant sets the starting point. Grade ranges run from "Late Elementary and up" to "9th grade and up" (including options for adult mission trips), so the sections below list each community with its grade range and cost.

What are urban U.S. mission trips like?

Urban mission trips pair your team with ministries serving neighbors day-to-day in some of the largest cities in the U.S. Teams come alongside local partners, serve together, listen and learn, share meals, and take on the practical work supporting their year-round outreach and ministry.

Four EM U.S. communities fit here:

• Chicago, Illinois - 9th grade and up, $495 per person. Teams join Sunshine Gospel Ministries, a South Side ministry with more than a century in the city, for guided conversations about inequity and reconciliation, community gardening, and neighborhood beautification.
• New York, New York - 9th grade and up, $475 per person. Teams work alongside The Salvation Army's Manhattan Citadel and New York Temple, helping with a daily food pantry, kids' programs, and outreach in the neighborhood.
• Portland, Maine - 6th grade and up, $475 per person. Teams serve in the soup kitchen at Preble Street, support refugee families through The Root Cellar, and sort medical supplies with Partners for World Health.
• Savannah, Georgia - 9th grade and up, $495 per person. Teams stay at Old Savannah City Mission, a shelter offering meals, showers, and housing, and also assist the city's home repair program for local families.

What are rural U.S. mission trips like?

Rural mission trips place a team in a small town where a church or ministry carries much of the community's care. EM's rural communities include Navajo Nation in Arizona; Pikeville, Kentucky; Marion, North Carolina; Newport, Tennessee; and Highland Lakes, Texas. Trips cost $495-$585 per person for 6 days.

Muskegon, Michigan, is a small city along the shores of Lake Michigan where EM teams support foster and kinship families alongside Kids Belong. Teams help with yard work, household chores, and projects that open more housing for foster children, and may lead a Kids Club for local kids. Muskegon welcomes 6th grade and up at $495 per person.

To compare all 5 communities, explore Rural and Native American Mission Trips.

Can a team serve in a U.S. community recovering from a disaster?

Yes! Two EM communities currently welcome teams into long-term recovery, with local residents and organizations setting the direction. Around Marble Falls in Central Texas, neighbors are still recovering from the July 2025 flood, and teams join the Ark of Highland Lakes, which unites local churches. In Newport, Tennessee, families are still rebuilding after Hurricane Helene, and teams join several local ministries.

Both communities welcome 9th grade and up, and Central Texas trips are available for volunteer groups year-round. For a closer look at EM's recovery work, visit the Disaster Relief & Recovery page.

What's unique about Texas border and Puerto Rico mission trips?

Two EM partner communities sit outside the typical urban/rural distinction, and both are incredible opportunities for teams to serve and learn in the U.S. Here is a closer look at each:

• Rio Grande Valley, Texas - $599 per person, with a 15-person team minimum and 2027 dates coming soon. Teams serve with Border Perspective, a service-learning ministry started by a former member of EM staff, and with local churches that provide food, clothing, and hygiene kits to immigrant families along the border.
• Rincon, Puerto Rico - $795 per person for 7 days, with a 5-person team minimum. Teams serve with The Family Church and Pastor Jose Garcia as local families rebuild and bring life to communities after years of hurricanes and other disasters.

Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so U.S. citizens do not need a passport to travel there!

What does a week on a U.S. mission trip look like?

Most days center on worksite projects, local ministry support, and, in some communities, Kids Club or other outreach opportunities. Summer trips (June through August) include an Evening Gathering, where teams worship, pray, and reflect together. The exact work, housing, and schedule vary by community. Each mission trip community page lays out the details, including lodging, meals, and travel to work sites before you register.

Which U.S. mission trip fits my group?

Start with your group's ages, then compare communities on cost, travel, and service opportunities. Each age group has its own page with more details:

• Middle school - Portland, Muskegon, Navajo Nation, and Marion welcome 6th grade and up, and Pikeville welcomes late elementary students and older. See Middle School Mission Trips.
• High school - Every U.S. community welcomes 9th grade and up! See High School Mission Trips to learn more.
• Mixed-age youth groups - Groups that combine middle and high school students can get more details on the youth mission trips page.
• Families - Families with younger children can compare communities that welcome late elementary and 6th grade students on the family mission trips page, or submit an interest form to learn more.
• College teams - College groups can find U.S. mission trip options and details on college mission trips.
• Adult teams - Explore U.S. mission trips for adults
• Church teams - Serve your neighbors as a faith community on church mission trips.

If your group is undecided on where to serve this year, choose the community that welcomes your youngest participants and budget/fundraising capacity, then let the type of service decide between the remaining options.

Are U.S. mission trips safe?

Yes! Safety planning starts before a team arrives and continues all week, with EM field staff and local partners guiding the work on site. Four layers apply to every U.S. trip:

• Adult leadership - Each team brings a leader age 21 or older who stays responsible for the group, with a ratio of 5:1 students to leaders for middle school and 7:1 for high school students
• Screening - All group volunteers age 18 and older complete a background check under EM's background check policy
• On-site staff - EM field staff carry medical kits and hold First Aid and CPR certification
• Insurance - Each team member comes prepared with their own domestic medical insurance

The Health & Safety Plan explains emergency response and how EM and team leaders share responsibility.

How much does a U.S. mission trip cost?

Per-person costs for EM's U.S. group mission trips currently range from $475 to $599 for 6 days, and $795 for 7-day trips in Puerto Rico. Chicago, Savannah, Muskegon, and most rural communities cost $495, while New York and Portland cost $475, Pikeville costs $550, and Rio Grande Valley trips cost $599 per person.

Trip costs cover housing, meals, project supplies, and EM field staff. Budget separately for getting your team to the community, adult background checks, and driving to work sites.

Churches and families often share the cost through fundraisers. EM's Mission Trip Fundraising Guide offers ideas, and the registration and payment policy lists deposit and payment due dates.

When do U.S. mission trips take place?

Summer is the main season in most U.S. communities. Central Texas and Puerto Rico welcome teams all year, and Newport is open in spring and summer. Navajo Nation also offers a spring break trip for teams of 20 or more, and Chicago has spring weeks for college teams.

Open weeks change as teams register, so check each trip page for current dates or send an interest form to share yours.

Should a group serve in the U.S. or abroad?

Weigh your group's readiness, budget, and calendar. U.S. trips are not simply cheaper versions of international trips, but completely different service and learning opportunities. Practically, the two options differ in a few ways:

• U.S. trips - No passports, 6 to 7 days, and $475 to $795 per person
• International trips - A passport for every team member, 7 to 12 days, and costs starting around $855 per person

Some international communities also require larger minimum team sizes. Compare options on the international mission trips page, and keep in mind that each trip page lists its own team minimum.

How does a group plan a U.S. mission trip?

A group leader registers the team, and EM support staff help at each step. Allow several months to recruit leaders and raise support. The path looks like this:

1. Choose your community - Match the youngest participants' grade, dates available, and your budget
2. Submit an interest form - Tell EM your group's size and dates on the interest form to get all the details you need before registering online
3. Book your travel - Reserve vehicles or flights early, since transportation to the community is not included
4. Prepare leaders and team - Name a leader age 21 or older, meet the adult-to-student ratio for your group, finish background checks, and work through EM's cross-cultural training

For details on each stage, read EM's how to plan a mission trip guide.

What is EM's approach to a mission trip in the United States?

A trip close to home can sometimes feel like it needs less preparation, but EM's 7 Healthy Service Principles ask the same of every team, whether you serve in Savannah or Namibia: take great care in how you show up in the community.

This means taking the posture of guests and learners, not tourists or experts. Local churches, shelters, and neighbors carry this work all year.

Visiting teams do best when they ask questions, listen to their hosts, and watch for what each community already does well. Along the way, it is EM's goal that volunteers understand they are stepping into a community already in motion, find that relationships outweigh projects, and see that each person bears the image of God and is worthy of love.

See all 7 healthy service principles as part of EM's approach to missions.

U.S. Mission Trip FAQs

Find a U.S. mission trip for your group!

Explore 2027 mission trips in the United States and choose a community that matches your group's dates, grade range, and budget. Browse group mission trips to view every EM partner community, what trips look like there, and per-person costs.

Written and reviewed by Experience Mission Staff - Updated: October 2026