There are usually so many amazing options for fun tours while traveling. I believe that the 1 thing you MUST do EVERY TIME you travel is to take some sort of tour because it’s the best way to make fun memories when you travel.
How to Make Fun Memories When You Travel
3 Reasons why you should take a tour every time you travel:
#1 Taking a tour is a wonderful way to make fun memories when you travel!
#2 Taking a tour is a great way to check out major cities and make new friends, especially when you are a solo traveler.
#3 Taking a guided tour is one of the best ways to see popular tourist attractions in a foreign country, especially when you don’t speak the local language.
There are TONS of different types of tours, so get excited about reading some of my all-time favorites. I’m certain that I will show you some options you’ve never thought of!
I'm excited, let's skip right to it!
Fun Tours While Traveling
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Segway Tours
My favorite tour of all time was probably the Segway tour that we took last Christmas in Savannah, Georgia. If you’ve never done this then PLEASE give it a try!
On our tour, we each had earpieces so our tour guide could tell us about the landmarks we were seeing as we cruised through the streets of Savannah. It was SUCH a good time!
One of the best parts about doing a Segway tour is you can cover a large area in a short amount of time.
If you have teenagers and you want to incorporate something educational on your trip, THIS is the best way to do it! It’s the most fun you can have while taking a tour.
They have Segway tours ALL over the world including Nashville, Washington DC, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Spain, Italy, France, and MORE! It’s a fun way to explore any area in any country.
Food Tours
There are two different types of food tours that I recommend.
A tour of a place that teaches about a specific type of food.
I took a coffee/chocolate tour at a plant during my trip to Hawaii and I did a tour of a business that makes bread/cookies when I was on my Mission Trip in Guatemala. These types of food tours are educational, fun, and tasty.
A guided tour in a town that allows you to sample various types of local food.
In the post Paris Restaurants You will Fall in Love With I shared about a private guided food tour that was INCREDIBLE. When you take these types of small group tours you get to see different areas that you’d never know about and you get to try different foods. Another time I did a self-guided food tour. It was really different because you use an app to pick which locations you wanted to sample. I DEFINITELY recommend doing a guided food tour when you are visiting a new country!
To find a guided food tour just go to Get Your Guide or Viator and enter the city you are visiting then search for food tours. You will be amazed at all the different options! Viator has over 53,000 search results for “food tours” all over the world!
Self-Guided Tours
Walking Tours
Some of the guided tours can be a little pricy, especially if you have a larger group. There are plenty of tours that you can do on your own for FREE.
The best part about self-guided walking tours is you get to determine your group size and you can tailor the travel experience to work best for your family members.
CONFESSION: One time I created a self-guided covered bridge tour that involved doing shots. Feel free to use that travel tip on your next trip.
In Virginia Beach, I went on a day trip to Norfolk, Virginia and found a map for a self-guided tour. There are so many printable maps online for self-guided tours. It’s one of the best free things you can do on vacation.
PRO TIP: Use Pinterest to search for "self-guided walking tours" in the area you are visiting.
Mural Tours
Murals and street art are so much fun to see when you’re traveling to a new place! In my post about my trip to Virginia Beach, I shared some information about the awesome Vibe District which has a link for a self-guided mural tour. Check out the video below for a glimpse of the self-guided mural tour.
In Nashville, they have either self-guided mural tours or a mural tour by Golf Cart! You can search online for a self-guided tour map in most areas that have a lot of murals.
In Aruba, they offered a guided mural tour but we saw plenty of murals on our own.
Whether you get there by golf cart, Segway, bus, or with a self-guided map…. just make sure that you go on a mural tour at least ONCE!
To find a guided mural tour just go to Get Your Guide or Viator and enter the city you are visiting. Then do a search for “mural tours”.
PRO TIP: The best time to do mural tours is on a major holiday when most things are closed. A self-guided mural tour is never closed!
Bus, Trolley, or Train Tours
I’ve mentioned before that one of the first things I like to do when I am traveling to a new city is to take a bus, trolley, or train tour. This helps me to check out the area quickly so I can see what it has to offer. It’s much easier to see the area when you’re not trying to navigate with directions or manage public transportation.
The best part is, not only do you get to see “the lay of the land” but it’s also fun and educational.
To find a bus, trolley, or train tour just go to Get Your Guide or Viator and enter the city you are visiting, then search for the type of tour you want.
PRO TIP: Sometimes it's cheaper to use a hop-on hop-off bus to get around than to use a taxi or Uber!
Want more valuable travel tips? CLICK HERE to read about How to Pack a Suitcase That Saves You Money!
Architectural Tours
When I travel I LOVE to see all sorts of architecture. Touring old buildings, like the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower in Baltimore Maryland, and seeing modern buildings like the Keep Memory Alive Event Center in Las Vegas, Nevada are such fun ways to create core memories while traveling.
One of the best parts of traveling is seeing different ways that other countries create architecture, so make sure you find some interesting buildings to tour next time you are somewhere new.
Skip the Line Guided Tours
When you are trying to take a tour of popular travel destinations you DEFINITELY want to look into getting a “skip the line” ticket. On my trip to Rome, I wanted to see popular places like the Colosseum and the Vatican Museum. The lines were INSANELY LONG so I was REALLY GLAD I had purchased skip-the-line tickets ahead of time.
When you are taking a guided tour, it’s a great time to ask the local guide for other suggestions like good restaurants and street food in the area.
Factory Tours
It’s a lot of fun to tour a factory where things are made to learn more about them. In my post about my trip to Aruba, I talked about touring the Aloe Factory and Museum. When I went to Hawaii I toured the Dole Pineapple Plant. Wherever you are, take time to tour a factory to see an interesting local product that you can learn more about.
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Wine or Distillery Tours
A wine tour is ALWAYS a good time! It’s not only delicious, but I love to go on wine tours to see how wine is made in other places. Aside from wine, you can also tour other spirits.
In Paris, France I did a wine and cheese paring and in Virginia Beach, I did a fun distillery tour. You should definitely try a spirits tour to see different techniques and try flavors from other locations.
If you’re going to go out to bars and clubs at night in a new city then it’s a good idea to do a guided tour like a bar crawl. Safety while traveling is of utmost importance and as a general rule, it’s not usually safe at night in big cities. There’s greater safety in numbers travel buddy!
PRO TIP: Wine & Spirits tastings are perfect rainy day activities.
Historic Tours
When you are traveling there is usually some interesting history for you to experience. When I took a trip to the Historic Triangle of Virginia, they had SO many historical tours available.
I like new experiences so I think it’s fun to take tours of old jails. I toured one when in Williamsburg, Virginia and in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. If you have the opportunity to take a historic tour then you should give it a try!
Adventure Tours
4x4 Tour
You know I think the 1 thing you MUST do EVERY TIME you travel is to take a tour. Some of my FAVORITE tours have been very adventurous. In Aruba, I went on a 4×4 tour all around the island and it was AMAZING.
During the Island Ultimate Jeep Safari Tour, you get to ride around the island in an open-air 4 x 4 Land Rover and see tons of different attractions. Check out some pictures from that tour below.
Kayaking Tour
Recently I went to North Carolina with my daughter. While we were there, we took a guided kayak eco tour. It was so much fun! If you’re trying something for the first time, a guided tour is a PERFECT way to learn something new.
Helicopter Tour
The most adventurous tour I ever did was when I was in Hawaii. I took a helicopter tour over the island of Oahu with the doors off! Now I’m not saying that the 1 thing you MUST do EVERY TIME you travel is to do something super dangerous, BUT if you think it’s fun, then maybe you should try it!
This was by far one of my favorite things I’ve done on vacation. Check out my TikTok video below to see a glimpse of the helicopter tour.
If you decide to take a helicopter tour I promise it will be one of your favorite vacation memories. Check out helicopter tours in places like Tennessee, New York, Miami, Spain, Dubai, and more!
Cruise and Boat Tours
Another adventure tour I suggest is a cruise or boat tour. It’s a relaxing way to get a whole different view of the area you are visiting! I took a short champagne cruise on the Seine River when I was in Paris and an informative boat tour in Savannah, Georgia. They were so much fun!
Most popular lake areas have boat tours which will include a meal. Enjoy some animal sightseeing during a late morning brunch or watch the sunset over the lake with dinner and drinks.
If you are in the Phoenix area, there’s an awesome tour on the Dolly Steamboat. It is on Canyon Lake in the Tonto National Forest, just 50 miles northwest of the city. The views are spectacular!
Ready to plan a cruise vacation? CLICK HERE to read about All the Details for an MSC Cruise Review.
Unique Tours
Exotic Car Tour
In Las Vegas, Nevada I decided to do an Exotic Car Tour and it was really fun! You can rent a car for the day and take a short road trip or you can participate in a guided tour.
The guided tour lets you drive one of the exotic cars and there are two other cars, with drivers, that follow on the tour. You travel through places like Red Rock Canyon and stop to switch cars when you want to. It is definitely a cool experience and a unique way to see a new place!
Tuk-Tuk Tour
The most unique tour I ever took was in Guatemala. That’s where I went on a tuk-tuk tour and at the end of the trip we were surprised with an amazing view of a volcano. Check out the video below for a glimpse of the tuk-tuk tour in Guatemala.
Preserving Your Memories
I’ve given you a ton of creative ways to make unforgettable memories on your family vacations, but now what?!
Hopefully you have a travel diary or travel journal where you keep notes about all the new places you explore. The next step is to preserve your memories.
Preserve the memories of your trip by:
Making photo books, a travel scrapbook, etc. Save your brochures and ticket stubs from your fun tours while traveling to create a memory box or shadow box of your family trips. One of the most common ways to display your favorite pictures is in frames or in a photo album on the coffee table in your living room.
It makes for a great conversation starter and you will enjoy telling all the fun stories about the different places you’ve traveled.
I’ve suggested a really wide variety for you to try out next time you travel because one of the best things you can do every time you travel is to try something new. It’s about creating connections and core memories that last a lifetime.
PRO TIP: I like to purchase my tickets in advance online so I have them all in one travel app on my phone. Get Your Guide and Viator allow you to book in advance with FREE cancellation within 24 hours of your scheduled event. Check them out to find tours for things I’ve suggested in “Best Way to Make Fun Memories When You Travel”.
If you liked “Best Way to Make Fun Memories When You Travel”, then you might also want to read How to Pack a Suitcase That Saves You Money so you can start packing for your trip!
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LET’S CONNECT: Which one of the tours from “Best Way to Make Fun Memories When You Travel” do you think you’d definitely want to try?
