Guided Travel is not synonymous with Baby Boomer Travel. Millennial travelers and travelers of all ages and generations are realizing the unsurpassed benefits and value of guided travel.
But the typical Baby Boomer traveler has experienced decades of organizing and planning in the workplace, community and at home and welcomes the freedom and ease of guided travel.
Guided Travel is ideal for family travel, relieving any one person for all the planning and pleasing the whole cast of characters.
Our Self-Guided Family Travels
My husband, eight-year-old daughter and I took our first European vacation, which I had extensively researched and organized down to the smallest detail, to London. We had a marvelous and exhausting 10-days exploring the city and nearby sites.
My husband early on decided that he wasn’t exactly enjoying the numerous inconveniences (lack of ice, warm beer, no coffee refills, lack of air conditioning, the list goes on) and could happily continue to spend his long awaited vacations right in the USA. He definitely had a spirit of wanderlust, but preferably within the USA.
Our family travels subsequently focused on seeing the 50 states, all of the national parks and major cities and landmarks in our magnificent country. I’m so thankful that I had these unforgettable experiences with him. But I believe he would have enjoyed foreign travel too if we’d had the ease of Guided Travel.
Mother-Daughter Guided Travel Experience
The winter after he died, my daughter and I worked with a travel agency and tried our first guided travel trip during Christmas and New Year’s. We toured Spain, Portugal and Morocco. It was 100% stress-free, well organized and such carefree fun that I knew guided travel was the only way for me to enjoy solo travel or mother-daughter travel in the future, and especially foreign travel. Our group included three solo travelers, two families each with four kids, lots of couple or girlfriends of all ages.
I’ve since traveled to over 75 countries on guided tours.
Advantages of Guided Travel
Here are my main reasons for choosing easy breezy, hassle-free Guided Travel:
- First and foremost it’s stress-free and carefree.
- The Tour Manager or rep waiting for you at the airport at your destination sets the tone for what’s about to be an easy breezy trip. It’s SOOO reassuring.
- You leave the planning, researching, and organizing to experts. Period!!!!
- You get more for your money.
- The Tour Manager is a well-organized professional with extraordinary knowledge of the destination and possessing enviable people skills along with a strong desire to lead the group through an outstanding, memorable experience.
- SAFETY – knowing that the Tour Manager is expecting you for all the activities is quite a safety net. He/she has safety advice from avoiding a mishap to the safekeeping of your money and passport. Also, should there be a mishap, he/she inevitably can assist you in resolving it.
- Bypass the long lines since all arrangements and tickets have been purchased in advance.
- The solo traveler is solo, but not alone. You’re guaranteed to have the love of travel in common with the group.
- All main sights, hidden gems and even an occasional surprise awaits.
- Tour managers and local guides always have recommendations for activities, restaurants and even shopping for free time.
- You can plan on having a great trip, not logistics. All details including latest changes at points of interest, traffic situations and restaurants are known by your tour manager who is constantly being updated.
Stress-Free Travel
My recent Guided Travel experience with Collette Tours’ Italy’s Treasures met all of these expectations and even included transportation to and from the airport from my home. Did I say “stress-free”?? Collette’s attention to itinerary detail and pace of our activities was excellent, especially with the frequency of breaks and late mornings.
The Disadvantages of Guided Travel
Yes, guided tours are comprehensive. You’ll see all of the destination’s renowned sights and many little-known gems. BUT…. you can nap when you return home.
Group dynamics are just that – just like the workplace or any place where there are humans. Tour managers are remarkably adept at maintaining an enjoyable cohesive climate. Have you tried Guided Travel yet? No? What are you waiting for? Yes!! What’s the greatest aspect of it??