When my husband and I plan our trips, we usually act as our own travel agent. We select the accommodations, book the flights, and are fully in charge of our day-to-day itineraries. Since we are often away for a month or longer and appreciate having flexibility, this type of travel works well for us.
The task of researching and arranging our trips falls mostly on my shoulders, something that I’ve never enjoyed doing. Even though – so far – our trips have turned out great, I often find the planning process to be stressful.
We have several friends and family members who travel mostly on group tours. OAT, Road Scholar, and Viking are just three of the many organizations that offer attractive packages of pre-planned excursions.
We recently had the opportunity to join a group tour of Valle de Guadalupe – the well-known winemaking region of northern Baja California, Mexico. It seemed like a great way to learn more about the area, indulge in culinary delights, sip excellent wines, and experience this type of travel. All we had to do was pay Road Scholar some money and show up at a hotel on the U.S. side of the border. The next morning, a dedicated bus took our group of 14 over the border and everywhere we went for the next six days.
We know several people who have made this trip on their own. It is very doable, but we weren’t crazy about driving in a foreign country, and driving after drinking wine didn’t seem like a great idea in any country. I also would have had to do a lot of research to determine what hotel to stay at, and which wineries and restaurants to visit.
As it turned out, our tour guide was fabulous, our ocean-front hotel in Baja was lovely, and the food and wine were bountiful and so, so good.
I imagine my husband and I will continue to plan many of our trips, but our positive experience has opened our minds to small group tours. Depending on the destination, combining a group tour with time tacked on at the beginning or end – or both – could give us the deeper dive a group trip can provide, with the flexibility of solo travel that we love.
Do you prefer to create your own travel plans, or go with a group?
If you’ve gone on group tours, do you have a favorite provider?
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That sounds like an ideal way to travel. What a nice trip you had. We used to drive four hours from our home to a Mexican resort town called Puerto Penasco on our own. Because they’ve had two cartels fighting each other rather than one in control, I’m not anxious to go back. But I loved every trip we had, except when we got pulled over the last drive by the Mexican police. We didn’t break any laws, but had to pay a few hundred dollars anyway. I think a small group trip would be a better idea now.
Being with the group made the whole experience so much easier. Even crossing the border – both ways – was expedited. We felt very safe at all times. I think if we made this trip on our own (we probably wouldn’t have gone alone… but if), we would have missed so much. I can’t believe that I had never been to Caesar’s and had their famous salad!
I will have to look into small group travel.
Sounds like you’ve experienced the best of both planning worlds, Janis! I, too, am the trip planner and organizer, mostly for our road trips. Other than booking KOA campgrounds for travel with our RV, and decent lodging when we travel to Arizona, we stay with family.
But, the international travel bug bit last month when we decided to do a Viking River Cruise in October 2026. They do Everything! So many moving parts, let them do the heavy lifting. I got stressed just trying to get to Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone a few weeks ago. 😆
Glad your trip was excellent. You live very close! 😉
We have several friends who have taken Viking cruises. I’ve been considering the one from Amsterdam to Budapest. I look forward to hearing about your experience. And, yes, let someone else do the heavy lifting !
We did Passat to Romania and it was absolutely amazing! We didn’t do Viking and chose to do it as a bike trip but man it was worth every penny of their doing the lifting!
I enjoyed following your trip, Bernie. I will look into that adventure… it sounds wonderful!
looking back, I’ve realized that some of my favorite trips were the ones that my husband and I signed up for a group trip, but came early and stayed after the trip concluded, using that time to explore on our own.
like you, I was the one who did the research and planning. I quickly discovered that the best use of my time and energy was to compare the various travel companies and select which one we would be using. The time before, and after the group trip was easy, because it was only for a few days
Now that I’m a solo traveler, group travel has been my salvation.
I think combining a group trip with solo travel makes the most sense, especially when traveling somewhere completely new. Our small group was made up of three couples, and the rest were single (although two were sisters and two were friends who travel together). The single travelers all expressed how this type of travel gave them the opportunity to explore the world while enjoying the company of others.
Thanks for your comment!
I am a loyal fan of Road Scholar, soon to take trip 10. For years I traveled on my own and resisted tours. But i wanted to visit destinations that didn’t appeal solo. I still will go solo to places like Paris or Italy. And I usually stay a few extra days either at the beginning or end of a tour. I also generally do my own flights.
Wow, 10 trips with Road Scholar! If our trip was any indication of the quality of their offerings, we’ll definitely travel with them again. I agree that some places can be visited comfortably without a group, but I think others would be better enjoyed when someone else is managing most of the experience.
If you are interested in SE Asia River cruises, ii high recommend Pandaw. Lovely boats, great food, wonderful staff. And I did a wonderful safari with G Adventures which operates the National Geographic Journey level tours. Safe travels.
Thanks for the recommendations!
I have always wanted to do a Road Scholar trip but was a bit apprehensive about it. From your positive experience (and the comment by Marie) it sounds like I should leave the anxiety behind and just go!
I think Road Scholar does a good job setting expectations for each trip. This one was more about food and wine and less about exploring cultural sites. Others who have gone on several RS trips said that most of them involved a lot more walking (which I love to do and would have helped burn off some of the calories I was consuming 🙃). I hope you try them out – it’s a great way to travel, especially if going alone.
Being a single, I prefer group tours so that I don’t have to plan or worry so much about safety or getting lost. I have a terrible sense of direction. Sadly, my boyfriend prefers road trips in his camper which I also enjoy. For a Boeing retiree, he’s strangely averse to flying. I think he did too much of it in his working life. I was very impressed with my Rick Steves tour of Scotland. Small group, great guide, wonderful hotels and easy travel. Plus, Rick Steves lives in my region and I approve of his politics and philosophy. I did go early so that I could stay a couple days with a friend in Edinburgh. We did activities not on the tour and I had a chance to recover a bit from the jet lag.
I’ve heard that the Rick Steves tours are great (and I have a lot of respect for him as a person too). I think combining a tour with self-directed travel is the way to go. We had a couple of women on our trip who left their husbands at home. Like you, they didn’t let their partner’s disinterest stop them from traveling where they wanted to go.
Yes, I’m not comfortable planning a whole trip, but having a few days on either side to do off-tour activities would be perfect. I have ex-pat friends in Nice, France and in the Basque area of Spain, so perhaps I should plan a trip there.
Hey Janis! I’m not at all surprised that you had an excellent time in Baja AND with Roads Scholar. Having done both i can agree that the experience is usually wonderful. Thom and I have been to wine country over a dozen times and had some of the most amazing dining locations with superb food. Oh and the wines and their selections are excellent. And our one trip to Japan with Road Scholar was so much more than just visiting the sites. Great guides who were very knowledable, excellent hotels and transportation and the people on the tour were friendly and intelligent. I highly recommend that them to others. And now? Who knows? ~Kathy
Since you and Thom are seasoned solo travelers AND fans of Road Scholar says a lot. We got so much more out of this trip than we would have if we had gone by ourselves. Since our guide was a native of the area, she was able to add to our understanding of the area and culture. Having RS plan everything was a huge burden off my shoulders. I was able to relax and enjoy knowing that all was taken care of.
This looks like it was a fun trip Janis – your research paid off. I took a bus tour down the coast of California beginning in San Francisco and ending up in L.A. back in 1980. We had a one-day trip to Tijuana. Our tour guide said we must go to the liquor store and buy a bottle of vanilla to take home with us as it’s very potent and great for baking. So, since my mom loved to bake, I got her a bottle. The smell when you removed the lid would knock you off your feet. I have not traveled in a long time, since the 80s, but since I always traveled solo, I went with a tour group (American Express and Maupintour at that time). I went on a Panama Canal Cruise for 14 days, no set tour, but we had tours organized for us by the ship at every port of call where we docked.
I remember buying vanilla in Tijuana many years ago! You are right about it being exceptionally strong (not sure why). One of these days, I’d love to go on a Panama Canal cruise. I’ve heard that the water levels are dropping so I should probably go sooner than later.
That vanilla was very potent – I was glad the tour guide suggested getting it. The Panama Canal Cruise was nice – 14 days, about half of them at sea with no land tours though and I was traveling alone. It was restful and very hot, even for mid-October. That’s interesting that you say that because at the time I booked that cruise, I was undecided whether to take an Alaskan cruise or the Panama Canal cruise. Who knew that now the icebergs are melting – will the whole Alaska experience be gone one day? Same as your thoughts about the water levels dropping.
We like solo travel before and after our bike trips. We usually tack on 5 to 7 days before and the same after. Sometimes in a totally different country. Seems I usually organize all the bike trip details for the group I still am doing a fair amount of “heavy lifting” but it is totally doable. Go for whatever feels the best for you two and combine that with the situation/country you are going to. Aka not driving in Mexico.
I really like the idea of combo travel. A group tour would give a great overview and provide more education than we might learn on our own, then stay on somewhere longer to see and do more. I think the key for us would be to find a small group so we don’t feel like a big blog of humanity shuffling from one place to the next.
Yes a 6000 to 10000 cruise ship would put me off travel. But we had 28 on this last boat and sail. The next one is 32. The Danube was 96 but we didnt all bike together.
Those numbers sound very doable. 6,000 to 10,000, not so much.
I’ve not traveled in decades and rarely before that. I did always contact hotels directly rather than go through a third party. And I’ve always heard that the problem with group tours is that they rush you through everything too fast, trying to hit too many points of interest. Your last trip, however, sounded delightful.
I agree with contacting hotels directly when we travel by ourselves. I have often found that we get a better deal and the hotels appreciate not having to share their profit with a middle man.
I think different tour companies offer different experiences. I loathe the idea of traveling with a huge group and rushing through a trip (visions of “If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium”). Yipes!
My husband did all the planning for our trips, and I was happy with that.
Lucky you! It’s nice when you have someone who enjoys it and is good at it.
Group or sólo travel. Another way of looking at it. Although i have fun travelling with someone, i really prefer to travel on my own. When traveling with someone, the interaction is inward looking, and enjoying indeed the togetherness. However when you travel on your own, you automatically become outward looking with the possibilty of interacting more with those in the local community. I have learnt so much from the people i have encountered. For the same reason, i usually have no fixed route or schedule, ready to follow whatever happens. Something…..always unexpectedly happens!
I’ve never done any truly solo traveling (no group, no travel partner), although I did stay on for a few days in Paris once after my traveling partner went home. Since I’m a bit of an introvert, I’m not sure I’d be happy by myself in a strange place. It sounds like you’ve found the perfect way to travel. I love the unexpected too… it makes the trip more fun and makes better stories when you return.
We have always organised our trip ourselves, which I don’t mind doing. This we tried on all inclusive holiday package that we booked online and that was very different for us. We haven’t tried group holiday as such but maybe we will try. I know several people who are only doing group organised holidays and they love it. I think for some destinations it might be very good for safety reasons.
Most of the people in our group had taken multiple group tours (either with Road Scholar or another firm) and had found that that kind of travel worked well for them. It was definitely an older group (mid 60s to early 80s) but most everyone was in pretty good shape. Self-directed travel is great but, I agree, certain destinations would be better experienced as a group.
I do the planning and organising or we’d stay home, Janis, but I admit it can be stressful. I do like to go my own way but if you have like minded people, and can afford it, there are some wonderful group opportunities out there. We did a very small group tour for our walking expedition in northern Portugal. We could not have done it easily on our own. Looks like you had a wonderful time xx
I found the group dynamics very interesting. We came from all over the US and, although all of us were retired, our life experiences and outlooks were varied. Just like with any trip, those who came with a positive attitude had the best time. 😊
During our travel years, we utilized tours except for one which a friend planned and had positive experiences all around. I am a very organized person, but the stress involved in planning a trip including all the various pieces is more than I’d willingly take on. I applaud your skills.
I wish I was skilled, Judy. Although I haven’t yet booked any disasters, I don’t like the stress of worrying that I have. 😱 I long for the good-old-days when you could just dump everything into the lap of a travel agent. and let them plan your trip. There are definitely both good and bad aspects to having so much information at your fingertips online.
Years ago, I worked at a travel agency, and the agents did a great job of planning and taking care of everything. Their compensation came from the various airlines, hotels, etc. For one short trip, we had a membership that supposedly included travel planning. So, I spent some pleasant time with the agent, she made the plans and secured the necessary tickets only to find out at the end I had an invoice for her services. Lesson learned. 🙂
I guess those days of “free” travel planning are over. Of course, when the agents were compensated by the providers, maybe their recommendations could be swayed one way or the other? I hope your lesson wasn’t too expensive. 🫤
The thought of being trapped on a bus with a dozen strangers and having to make small talk with them for six days was enough to nearly send my introverted self into a panic attack. Seriously, how did you manage that type of travel? Wasn’t it exhausting? Or are you not as introverted as I am?
Alan’s sister and brother-in-law are the international travelers (professional grade) in the family. They’ve been with OAT for years and love the company’s tours. My sister-in-law and one other woman came down with Covid in Italy a couple of years ago while on a tour. Their illness required a week’s quarantine before they were able to fly back to their respective homes. My sister-in-law insisted that our brother-in-law fly home because he hadn’t contracted the illness and she didn’t want him to. The OAT staff in Italy took exceptionally good care of these two women during their period of quarantine. It’s when things DON’T go right that a company’s true colors will become apparent, and they were quite pleased with OAT’s support. In fact, they’re back in Italy on another OAT tour right now.
Although I enjoyed some of my fellow travelers more than others, I didn’t feel “trapped” at all. Of course, I always had Paul to hang out with if I didn’t want to socialize with others. It was actually interesting to learn a bit about each person (some more interesting than others) since we came from various parts of the U.S.
I’ve heard good things about OAT too. It sounds like they did a wonderful job taking care of your brother-in-law. Getting sick and figuring out the medical system in a foreign country can be challenging.
Well, it depends on where you are going. We went several times to the High Arctic. This is a place you can hardly visit on your own. Well, it’s possible, but we are not adventurous enough. We always look for expeditions that don’t take more than 30 people. That’s okay. Besides the Arctic, we only go to places in the British Isles and in Scandinavia. We love to plan these trips. For us, the planning is already part of the holiday. We couldn’t imagine travelling with a lot of people. We were once invited on a cruise, but we found the idea of travelling with such a large group of people so dreadful that we declined, even though the trip would have been free of charge.
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
I think we will continue to do most of our trip planning ourselves, certainly when we travel in the U.S. and Canada. A few years ago , we made several month+ trips to the interior of Mexico and planned everything ourselves. There are a few destinations that I would feel more comfortable – at least at the beginning – to be with a small group. We took a cruise to Alaska once, which was nice but, I agree, cruising isn’t our preferred way of traveling. Too many people!
I travel exclusively with Road Scholar; I’ve done 8 so far. At this point in my life, I am focusing on trips outside the US. My last trip was to Switzerland; it was amazing! I always add on a day, sometimes a few days, to the planned trip. I have never been disappointed with Road Scholar tours. The tour leaders are knowledgeable, and I love the idea of not having to plan all the details. I do my own flights, as I want to earn all the miles from using my favorite credit card. I am a solo traveler, and have found it a safe way to travel throughout the world.
Carole
It’s good to get another endorsement for Road Scholar. Based on my one trip, I’d definitely travel with them again. I love that so many people are comfortable traveling solo. It would be a shame to give up see the world just because someone didn’t have a partner – friend or spouse – to travel with.
Thank you for your comment!
Typically I tend to book our own itinerary. I have a group of 4 girlfriends I have travelled fairly extensively with, we tend to split up responsibilities, do our research and then make decisions as a group. We enjoy the planning leading up to the trip and are like minded in how we like to travel so it works for us. Looks like you had a wonderful trip!
You are so fortunate to have friends that travel well together. That isn’t always the case. I love the idea of splitting planning responsibilities and making joint decisions. I hope you have a lot of fun adventures planned!
I enjoy planning and organizing our travels. It does take a lot of work, but that’s part of the process which helps me learn more about the region. I like to discover hidden gems and plan some activities that don’t turn up on everyone’s top 10 list. I shudder at the thought of being on a large group tour, wearing a lanyard badge, following a tour guide, etc. But, as you describe, a small group tour might be worth looking into. I can see how it gives you a deep dive into the culture. I might consider…as long as I still have some flexibility in planning my own thing, too. Thanks for the info.
I really, really wish I enjoyed the planning process. I probably put way too much pressure on myself. I have a couple of friends who LOVE trip planning and I would love to learn their secret. Can I ask what resources you use to find these “hidden gems”? I’m always afraid that I’ll miss seeing something special (and often do).
Janis, I’m no expert, but my family usually raves about our trips, and we always have a wonderful time. To plan, I definitely start with the standard fare: tripadvisor, getyourguide, expedia, etc. to see what the buzz is. Those sites, though, are promoting ‘tours’, as if that is the only way that you can experience xyz, by paying someone to take you to that experience. Sometimes that is true, but not always. After that, I check things like lonely planet, atlas obscura, rick steves, and similar sites that give a potentially different take on what a traveler could focus on in that area. Lastly, I type in random search wording like “unexpected things to do in xyz”, “personal travel experiences in xyz”, which usually brings up links to personal travel blogs where people talk about their real experiences. I go through several iterations with different questions, and usually find a variety of resources that point me in many directions. Which is good, because my family group has many different interests. I start researching early and spread it out over weeks a little at a time, so that I can mull things over. I guess the key is that I have fun learning about new places, and the only parts I really stress about are flights, lodging, car rental, and such. Planning seems to come pretty easy to me.
Thank you for this great information… I’m definitely taking notes! I have also found that Atlas Obscura can be a goldmine for interesting side trips. Planning fights and accommodations can be stressful, especially when the prices keep changing.
My husband is very indecisive and I get really stressed by the logistics of big travel so even though we don’t travel much, we usually book through an agent. We did a lovely European river cruise through Avalon several years back. It was so relaxing and wonderful. The food was superb. The on-shore guides were fabulous. Avalon isn’t a high end as Viking but it was perfect for us.
I know several people who have taken river cruises and loved them. Being on a small boat rather than a huge cruise ship sounds wonderful. I’m definitely going to add that to my travel bucket list.
I’m glad this was a positive experience for you both, Janis. I would consider small group tours for the ease of it and the not having to worry about anything. Ah, that sounds blissful! 🙂
That being said, the only group tour I ever did was when I replaced my dad as my mom’s travel partner, ten years ago, when they’d planned an organized trip to St. Petersburg in Russia. I enjoyed the ease and luxury of it, but the fact that you have to stick to a schedule and go where you’re told put me off a bit.
As you know, Mark and I travel independently 100% of the time and 24/7. Having to research every single thing – from camping to shopping to driving routes to running errands and where to find literally everything every single day – gets exhausting. That’s why it’s important for us to sometimes stay in the same place for multiple nights.
There definitely positives and negatives to small group travel. I can’t imagine how stressful it would be to have to plan travel on an ongoing basis (for our 9-week trip to Europe two years ago, I mostly just had to arrange our main travel plans in advance – planes, trains, hotels – then it was done). I think it would work well to go on a small group tour, then plan to stay on several weeks to really explore the area. So much to see, so little time. 😎
I think if I ever end up in Europe, I’d like to do a group tour the first time. The idea of having someone else shuttle us around is pretty appealing. I’d want one that offered generous non-group time too, so we could do some solo exploring.
Interesting about Mexico’s winemaking past. I had no idea!
There are so many tour companies and they all offer different experiences. I’d prefer one that had a lot of free time built in also. In any group you’ll find varied interests – food, photography, churches, nightlife, etc. – so having time to enjoy these away from the group is ideal. I hope you and Tara get to experience Europe one day!
I’ve never done this type of trip…yet! But I do like the idea of going with a small group or tour company. I’ve had a great time going to a lodge for a specific type of retreat (twice now) and not only were the host and guest speakers fabulous but my fellow guests were a delight as well. I suppose it makes sense that the people who would be attracted to the types of things I’m interested in seeing and doing would share the same curiosity and zest for life too. So I shouldn’t be surprised that we all got along so well!
Thanks for sharing your experience, Janis. I would definitely consider this for future travels.
Deb
Your lodge trip sounds wonderful as well. On our trip, wine was definitely the attraction… and food… so much food. For our next trip, I need to allow for a lot more exercise opportunities. 🙃
In the days when we did N American road trips John always booked the flights (he usually had air miles) and I planned the route and booked hotels. We both had one or two slip ups but it usually worked! Before that we have done small group travel and probably wouldn’t choose it again unless for places that it is difficult to get around on your own or where it is impractical, such as wine tasting. Who wants to be the designated driver? Your trip sounds ideal for that!
This trip was perfect to “test out” small group travel. Not having to worry about having a designated driver (or even finding our way around on the back roads completely sober) made the whole experience so much easier.
My husband and I really enjoyed the cross country road trip we took last year. Although there was somewhat of a timeline since we were seeing friends and family along the way, we were able to adjust several times when we decided to stay a bit longer here and there.
I’ve taken several group tours and have enjoyed them very much, but I also like to plan my own and more flexibility.
Your trip looks and sounds like it was the perfect introduction to group tours/travel for you.
I like traveling both ways too, depending on the destination. If only I could convince my husband to do all of the planning…
We sort of split some of the travel plans up. If He-Man books the airline tickets and car then I book the hotel. It helps some. I usually plan the place, and itinerary.
We have never done group tours and disliked the idea of being stuck with people who may not be pleasant. It happens. Janis, I see how a wine tour would suit a group, and best of all, it worked out well for you both. Looking into future travel on my own, I am considering joining a women’s trekking group. We shall see.
Our trip was fairly short and most everyone was pleasant (there’s always someone, right?) so it worked out well. I asked our tour guide if her various groups had distinct personalities and she said yes. I imagine some are more fun, or serious, or complainy than others. We, fortunately had a pretty good one.
My husband and I have always planned our own trips, sometimes with the help of a travel advisor. We’ve avoided group tours just because they usually involve packing up each morning before boarding the bus for a new destination and hotel, and we don’t really like to spend much time on busses and having to stay in a different hotel each evening. But it sounds as if your trip didn’t involve changing hotels? And I have a good friend who has done many Road Scholar trips and loved them!
I was very happy that we just had one hotel so we could unpack once. And, fortunately, it was really lovely so we enjoyed our stay. I imagine other, longer tours, would involve more packing and unpacking, which doesn’t sound like a lot of fun.
I love travel planning. Sometimes it’s very involved and the whole trip is pre-planned activity after pre-planned activity. Sometimes, though, I book our trip and it looks something like this: Pay for airfare and all-inclusive. Arrive. Relax, eat, swim, read on the beach… I can still brag that I planned the whole thing myself! 😉
Your excursion looks very nice and that hotel view is gorgeous.
You’ve shared a few of those all-inclusive trips and they look amazing. Of course you can brag about planning the whole thing… after all those fancy drinks with the colorful umbrellas don’t order themselves!
Too true! 😂
We do both, depending on location, but the only group touring we’ve done have been biking tours in Europe, usually with a boat involved. We did do one bike tour as a self-guided, supported trip (they provide gear and lodging and schlepp the bags from place to place). We’ve arranged them all through Tripsite.
We always do some add-ons before, after or both. Sometimes I book, sometimes he does, and I agree the planning is stressful. When a hotel turns out to be worse than anticipated, I get a bit upset with myself for the poor choice.
I’m not ready for Viking cruises just yet, but the Road Scholar ones sound intriguing.
We’ve had friends take various bike tours and they had a great time. Now that most of the bikes are probably electric assist, even better! I’ve never heard of Tripsite so I’ll check them out.
I agree about feeling bad if I make a bad decision on hotels. It doesn’t happen often but I feel responsible. Fortunately, my husband is very flexible and doesn’t complain.
Great to see you back on your blog – enjoying the travel life seems to be you & your husbands forte!
I definitely am an occasional blogger. 😎 I got your note and will reply back soon.
I’ve not been a fan of organised tours, as I like to have time to do my own thing, and I find that organised tours tend to have a really busy schedule. But they do have their strengths, and the lack of hard work and the responsibility and worry about getting it right would be a big one!
I think different tours, and different providers, offer choices tailored to various travel styles. I like having a lot of free time too. Sometimes it makes sense to go 100% self-directed, sometimes traveling with a (small) group and guide would work best. I really like the idea of doing a bit of both.
Going solo is something I love, it’s so nice to have full agency over the itinerary
I love the flexibility too… it’s the planning I’m not crazy about. Our future travel will probably be mostly self-directed with a few (small) tours added in. Happy travels!
What a great post, Janis. My husband and I have talked more about group tours as we contemplate going to places where we might be too inexperienced to make our own arrangements. I took my 90+ year-old dad on a tour a couple of years ago, and it was lovely to have everything in place for us – including history and cultural talks that were fascinating. What a wonderful way to explore Mexico. I’m adding it to my to-do list. 🙂
I can think of several places I’d love to visit but wouldn’t feel comfortable going without the support of a small tour group. A month in Italy? No problem. A month in India? I’d look for a tour and then maybe stay on a bit after.
Yes, exactly. I hope you do more of them!
I have not done a Roadscholar trip but have looked at them a number of times. Nice to hear your perspective. I used to enjoy all the planning for a trip (many years ago), but now find it very, very stressful. The last two trips we took overseas (Iceland and Kenya), we used Gate1 travel and I would use them again. Their focus in on local guides for really strong local knowledge. We did a small group (Kenya) and a larger group (Iceland) and I would stay with the smaller group tour in the future. But right now, no big travel plans… my focus is on the house build.
Iceland and Kenya are two destinations that I’d prefer to visit with a small group and a knowledgeable guide. I haven’t heard of Gate1 so I’ll check them out. Thanks for the tip! One day, the house build will be in the past and you’ll be happily traveling again!
An interesting post, Janis. Also gems when I read through the comments. You make a great point about wine tours/drinking/driving – not a good mix. Chuck and I usually go on our own. We did the one month Iceland camp (small RV) trip including our daughter and my(our) friend. The right mix of people and it turned out better than expected. I have been part of some great food tours, one recently in Ottawa – a day trip. Wine tour in Napa Valley – also a day trip. We did one memorable three week tour through Europe – a Rick Steve’s tour. This was a great way to get into popular spots without waiting and many of the smaller lesser known places (“Europe through the back door”) We added on a couple of weeks on our own in Portugal. Re: your questions – I guess it depends … many variables … even when touring on our own, a local guide is usually worth it. Your photos are enticing. This specific tour was ‘fabulous’ on many levels. 💕 Erica
I’ve heard good things about Rick Steves’ tours and, of course, I’ve used his travel books many times. I imagine that we’ll travel in various ways in the future, depending on the destination. A good, knowledgeable guide – for a day or a week – is golden. They allow you to have experiences and get a better understanding of the area than you can get on your own. Happy travels, Erica!
This looks like my kind of trip. Love that view from your room! We have always booked our own trips as well. We were saving the pre-booked group travel for when we are old… ahem. 😊However, a few years ago we found a great deal to Thailand through World Travel and decided to book it (same reasons as you for traveling in a foreign country). Great experience and we would definitely do it again. We got to see things we probably would not have otherwise, had wonderful accommodations and traveled with much less stress.
I had that same thought about group travel but as I learned more and more from friends, I decided to try it even though we are incredibly young 😎🙃. I’m glad we did! We won’t always go with a group but there are definite advantages.
Your wine tour in Mexico sounds like it was very enjoyable. The size of your group looks perfect. I enjoy planning and organizing our travels mostly to Europe and usually start about 6 months in advance. By the time we arrive at a hotel, it feels like I’ve been there before. We have done two cruises where we took tours that were offered through Regent as part of the package. Some were interesting and others not so much. There are certain countries that I wouldn’t want the two of us going solo, especially ones where the alphabet is different than our own because we usually drive. I must say your posts are always interesting and thought provoking.
I know that you are a terrific trip planner and I admire your skills. I think there are definitely two camps: those who love everything about the time and effort that goes into the research… and those who find it stressful. I agree about visiting countries with a different alphabet. I can usually work things out more or less if they use our alphabet, but if not… yipes!
This particular trip seemed well suited to taking a tour. Even though we know some Spanish, it just felt better having everything planned for us. Also, having a designated driver was golden.
Husby and I don’t travel much. Neither of us likes to leave to dog in a kennel, but if we did, I like the tour guide approach. He doesn’t. I guess we’d have to figure that out, too!
Hi Jacqui! I never liked leaving animals behind either. Once my kitty died, we decided not to have any more pets until our traveling days were over, especially when we often are gone for a month or more.
Wow, lots of comments here! We almost always plan our own travel. However, some of our most memorable trips were organized by professionals (and which I blogged about in the early days.) If I had to recommend anyone, it would be Duma Explorer, based in Arusha, Tanzania. They also have a US office. See their Trip Advisor coverage. We went on a nature photography safari and it was outstanding. Great balance between adventure during the day, good food and comfy places to sleep at night. Everything, including logistics, was great.
I am definitely going to check out Duma Explorer… I have never heard of them. A photography safari sounds wonderful, as does yummy food and comfy accommodations. Thanks for the tip!
We’ll probably plan our travel for the most part, at least in the foreseeable future. I can really see how going with a group can be very attractive, depending on the area visited, age, and whether or not someone has a travel companion. Good to have options!
Like you, I usually plan my own trips. And I usually don’t plan a lot because I love spontaneity. Matter of fact the one Roads Scholar trip I took right after I retired was a huge disappointment. They had just changed from their old Elderhostel model to the spiffy new RS model, which didn’t sit well with me. And it was a cruise to Alaska. I hated the cruise. However, the RS classes and activities were good.
I just returned from the trip of a lifetime to Churchill, Manitoba to see Polar Bears. I don’t think it’s possible to do that w/o using a tour company. The town of 900 swells to about 2000 during tourist season and housing/dining are at a premium. The tour companies work out all the kinks and schedule their activities to make sure everyone has a bed and a nice meal. This spreads the business equitably around the few establishments that exist in this little village. I was mighty impressed. And there were only about 16 people in our group, which was quite manageable.
Every once in a while it really is nice to not have to make all those decisions.
Your trip sounds wonderful! You are so right about mostly liking the ability to be spontaneous but also realizing that a planned trip works well in certain circumstances. I was thrilled not to have to make any of the specific plans at all… except if I wanted granola or pancakes for breakfast. Small groups can be a lot of fun.
Just came across your work and find it very engaging. I will be following your stuff. Cheers
Welcome.
Janis, wow, you did have a great view from your hotelroom.
And glad the group tour worked out so well. It has been years since we did anything with groups – but as you noted, it does have perks with being able to follow along and see what unfolds. And so glad your recent experience was a good one.
Oh and wow, Caesar’s Salad was first created in the 1920s” ??- I would have thought Ceasar’s salad was from Italy!
Haha! I think a lot of people think the salad was named after the emperor. I can’t believe that it had taken me so long to go to the actual source and sample the real thing. It’s one of the perks of group travel… you get to have experiences that you’d probably not have on your own.
🙂 yes – those perks matter – and I enjoyed the photos that let us feel so much of the trip