The WRI field trips immerse students in the human-water interactions that shape water discussions on both a local and global scale. Driving tours of the Saratoga Lake watershed and boat tours of Saratoga Lake itself help students better understand the social, cultural, and natural influences contributing to the controversies associated with a search for a new drinking water source. The first-hand visualization of the watershed is also critical to helping students develop creative and practical community-based research questions. An international field trip to the Valley of Mexico places our local water issues in a global context for students and helps emphasize the challenges facing many communities in water-stressed regions of the world.