Why settle for a typical vacation? Discover a foreign land or travel cross-country with an experienced guide. Tours are a fun, informative, and safe way to make the most of your travel plans.
Guided tours can be found anywhere in the world. A few of the most popular destinations include:
• A New Zealand mountain bike tour, with a mix of backcountry, single track, and downhill treks through the North and South Islands
• Safari in Madagascar with its exotic rainforests, carnivorous plants, over-sized butterflies, and sparkling beaches
• Shopping and spa vacation in Mumbai. Fashion Street awaits along with numerous world-class dining and lodging
• A wine tour through Napa Valley, from Stags’ Leap to Cuvaison Estate; alternatively, a luxury wine tour and tastings throughout Italy. Eat lunch in a Tuscan palazzo surrounded by Chianti vineyards
• A guided tour through Montreal, Quebec, the closest thing to France on the American continent. Visit the St. Lawrence Seaway, dine at the Old Port, buy local designer fashion, and sit outside at a quaint outdoor cafe while sipping a French-pressed coffee. Tres bien!
• Let an expert guide you through the vibrant nightlife in Bangkok
• Take a comprehensive tour of Central America and see the sights in Belize, Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Panama
Keep in mind that not all tours are centered around a location. Other tours involve specific interests, such as religious pilgrimages to churches, cathedrals, or mosques. You can include walking or biking tours to get a more intimate feel for your destination and view the area through the eyes of the locals.
U.S. Motorcycle Tours
Whether you want to ride a motorcycle through the sunny beaches of Florida or view the fall foliage of New England, numerous opportunities exist for motorcycle touring. Cross-country tours can be self-driving or guided, and span from California to New York.
You’ll be on the road for several weeks, so be sure to keep emergency responders, police, and even a car accident lawyer on Staten Island in your phone contacts in the event of a negligent accident. Minor risks aside, nothing is more exhilarating than a motorcycle tour of your favorite destinations. Rider Magazine publishes a list of motorcycle tour operators.
Customs and Procedures
When visiting a foreign land, there are customs to follow that may not be readily apparent to the casual visitor. Under the leadership of an experienced guide, you will learn about the local culture of an area so you may avoid faux pas or, to be 100 percent realistic, put yourself in danger.
An experienced guide will know the best neighborhoods and also probably more important, the shady neighborhoods and areas to avoid. Research shows that visitors to a foreign country, under the guidance of a local tour guide, reduce their risk of being victimized by a pickpocket by about 30 percent.
But that unsettling fact aside, being led around on tour is simply fun. You will be joining a group of other like-minded individuals who have the same goal as yourself, which is to have an epic vacation. Meeting others while touring is a great way to make connections and increase your social circle to include people that have similar interests.
Another benefit of guided tours is organizing and staying on plan is much easier with the added help. They lay an itinerary out for the day. You simply show up and have a great time. Don’t forget your camera!