Backroads in the News
Backroads is regularly featured in local and national publications. Here are some of our favorite articles:
Media Mentions
Backroads Made My Summer Vacation Impossibly Happy
July 14, 2023
It is easy for me to put my finger on the best part of my recent Backroads trip: I didn’t have to do any planning in advance or troubleshooting during the trip and each day of my family’s active vacation was incredible.
Active Travel Is Still Huge — Here’s How Backroads Is Meeting the Demand
June 30, 2023
Tom Hale knows a thing or two about active travel — after all, he’s been in the business since 1979, when he founded Backroads to offer bike tours. Now, 44 years later, the company has evolved to provide a wide variety of high-end, active tours in close to 60 countries.
The Best Part of Group Tours? Meeting New People. It’s Also the Worst Part
March 24, 2023
With social skills rusty after Covid, it’s more dicey than ever to put a group of strangers together. The result is that tour guides are sometimes called upon to play both mediator and therapist.
Backroads Names Its Favorite Romantic Hotels
February 2, 2023
The active tour company names its most romantic overnight spots.
Two vacations rolled into one? Yes please. On a cruise, I discovered the best way to bike Croatia is by boat
December 29, 2022
During my weeklong voyage, I cycled roughly 300 kilometres, returning each night to my floating hotel room aboard a small luxury ship.
Why Village-to-Village Hikes Are One of the Best Ways to Explore Europe
December 15, 2022
Few European travel experiences are as quintessential as an inn-to-inn hike.
Travelers Stay in Step with Walking Tours
November 26, 2022
Companies that offer walking tours report big spikes in business compared to before the pandemic. And some destinations are blazing ambitious new walking trails to attract travelers.
I Biked My Way Through Sicily — and It Was the Best Way to Discover Small Towns, Delicious Food, and Local Culture
October 29, 2022
Biking may be the best way to explore Sicily — here's why.
Backroads Has The Perfect Active Vacation For Every Kind Of Traveler
August 20, 2022
Active Travel has never been hotter as a category within the travel industry then it is right now. But it is also far more encompassing than it has been in the past, which means you don’t have to be physically gung-ho to enjoy these kinds of trips, you just have to be open to new experiences - and that is what today’s travelers overwhelmingly say they want, life experiences.
Bike tours take off after COVID, as a recent trip to Portugal proved in spades
August 2, 2022
Affordable, friendly, rich in history but still finding its footing in modern Europe, Portugal is the breakout destination for U.S. tourists, with travel up 41% over last year.
The Post-Divorce Breakup Trip Is Having a Moment
June 12, 2022
More people are taking trips to mark the end of a marriage or relationship, say resorts, destination spas and travel advisers. Travel has come roaring back this year, and some people whose relationships ended during the pandemic are looking to observe the split with a trip.
Freewheel the Finger Lakes
May 23, 2022
As the riesling grapes around New York's Finger Lakes begin to ripen, active-tour company Backroads will take to the wine region's rolling hills and lakeshore paths in a series of new five-day culinary-exploration-meets-fall-color cycling tours.
Not all seniors are into cruises and bus tours: Here are 5 active trip ideas for 50+ travelers
May 17, 2022
Most tour companies specify a trip’s activity level and many will tell you approximately how many miles you’ll cover each day on foot or bike. Active travel specialist Backroad salso categorizes its tours according to traveler type; while it does not list a “50 and older” group, active seniors who enjoy traveling with family or a variety of age groups may fit under “family” or “20 and older.” And a new division of Backroads, Dolce Tempo, offers several levels of “easygoing” excursions.
Summer family travel blooms with spring
April 13, 2022
Spring is here, and summer family vacation planning isn't far behind. Parents looking to take the kids to Europe can take comfort in the fact that complicated pandemic restrictions have eased across the Continent and in the U.K.
Cycling and River Cruises with Backroads & Ama Waterways
April 11, 2022
In 2015, AmaWaterways and Backroads teamed for a variety of active travel river cruising experiences – adventuring through Europe’s most captivating destinations with what she called Backroads’ “immersive, meticulously planned biking and hiking tours, then ending the day in the comfort and luxury of an AmaWaterways river ship.”
Taking the kids: Celebrating women when you travel this spring
March 24, 2022
We are at the tail end of Women’s History Month, but as you plan your spring and summer trips, consider noting women’s contributions wherever and however you travel. Consider it a teaching moment for your kids.
Nothing Like A Family Bike Trip in Death Valley to Make You Feel Alive
March 16, 2022
He proposed they take the family excursion to celebrate his 84th birthday. ‘I’ve always wanted to go there,’ he said. ‘We need to do it before I get old.’ And so off they went, all six of them.
5 Irish Adventures
March 16, 2022
What’s the best way to explore Ireland, which is once again open to travelers? For those with a sense of adventure, seeing the country by bike or on foot with a specialized small group tour company is the way to go. St. Patrick’s Day is a timely reminder to book before the season starts. Here are five outfitters that offer creative itineraries.
E-Bikes Are Making Cycling Vacations Accessible to a New Crowd
February 25, 2022
Face it: Not everybody likes riding bikes. Electric bikes let both fans and detractors pedal as much or as little as they want.
Over 50 and love to travel? These 7 tour companies are perfect for you
February 1, 2022
Guided tour specialist Backroads, which specializes in cycling, hiking and multisport vacations, knows that a love of athletic pursuits in the great outdoors is a lifelong passion for many. And to appropriately scale its offerings to different age groups, its trips range from active to easygoing, with a lot of flexibility built into the offerings that make them especially appropriate for senior travel tours.
Think you can’t handle a bicycle tour? Consider using an e-bike
January 19, 2022
Getting to know your way around a new town can be challenging, whether you’re traveling or relocating. In either case, I’ve always been a proponent of doing so via running or cycling, thanks to the unique vantage point the activities offer. When I temporarily relocated to the Boulder, Colo., area late last summer from the sea-level Mid-Atlantic region, I decided to apply my approach with a city bike tour. This one came with a twist, however: We took to the town on electric bikes.
7 Tour Companies That Cater to Travelers Over 50
January 19, 2022
Most tours for older travelers do a good job meeting the needs of travelers in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and even 90s, but there are some travel tour companies for seniors that go above and beyond. And while age is just one of the many factors that defines your travel style, it’s still nice to know you’re traveling with a company that puts in the extra effort to make their tours for seniors really work for everyone on the trip.
Here are the travel tour companies for seniors that shine especially bright when it comes to the offerings, amenities, and details that serve older travelers.
Biking Through the Balearic Islands
January 14, 2022
Berkeley-based Backroads has been leading guided biking, hiking, and multi-sport adventure trips around the world since 1979, when founder Tom Hale first had an idea in the middle of the night to start a bike touring company and encourage active travel (Backroads.com). They’ve slowly started adding back some of their international destinations, taking all precautions, and welcoming travelers again safely. They’ve also added E-bikes, which is a game-changer for those who may be intimidated by the thought of pedaling over anything steeper than a speed bump.
Taking the kids: How to have a safe and sane family vacation this winter
January 13, 2022
Backroads, the leader in outdoor travel, has trips for families whether your kids are in elementary school, high school, college or 20-something. There are trips in U.S. national parks, as well as Canada for 2022. Both companies also offer options for private trips.
Montenegro is having a moment
December 22, 2021
Backroads, for example, is featuring two Multi-Adventure Croatia to Montenegro tours – one "Easygoing" for people like myself who prefer a dolce tempo pace (Backroads lingo for slower travel and e-bike assistance) – both of which also include kayaking and sailing.