Babyboomers.com

Suddenly you have an urge to travel, but your husband isn’t in the mood, your best friend is busy and you don’t want to take off on your own. The ideal solution? A group tour conducted by a museum, college or an educational institution, states travel expert and author Evelyn Kaye.

The New Breed of Tour

“Today’s tours are different from the old, ‘If this is Tuesday, it must be Belgium’ variety,” Kaye notes. “Groups now are aimed at the inquisitive traveler — with trips to, say, Indian cliff dwellings in New Mexico and whale-watching expeditions in New England.”

Once you’ve chosen your tour, all you have to do is pack: no tickets to book, no arrangements to make. And because you pay group rates, a tours will usually cost less than traveling alone. “For many, the best part of a group tour is the chance to meet others who share your interests and enthusiasm,” Kaye adds.

Today's tour groups, spawned from museums, colleges and educational institutions, offer a wide variety of vacation experiences for the adventurous to the studious.

Who’s Who in Group Touring

According to Kaye, the long-established leader in the group-tour field is the Smithsonian Institution Associates Program, which offers more than 100 domestic and foreign study tours. “You can take a week-long journey down the Mississippi River on a fully restored steamboat, accompanied by a history professor as your guide,” Kaye states. “Or, perhaps you’d enjoy riding in a covered wagon on a stretch of the Missouri trail discovered by Lewis and Clark in the early 1800s while a folklorist regales you with local cowboy legends.”

Tours for the Adventurous

If you like to do as well as see, you can choose a hands-on experience through the University Research Expeditions Program in California. You can arrange to assist experts on projects ranging from the study of mule deer in local canyons to the rock art of Hawaii. Or, Kaye suggests contacting Earthwatch, a nonprofit group that matches volunteers with some 110 research projects worldwide, and help scientists study ancient civilizations.

Tours for the Incurably Curious

“Many colleges offer travel tours for their alumni, although undergraduates can usually sign up, too,” Kaye states. “For instance, Stanford University in Palo Alto, California offers a five-day cycling trip to the Napa Valley wine region and a three-week tour of the Soviet Union.”

For Friends of Art

More than 250 museums across the country also offer unusual travel programs. If weaving, rug making and fabrics are your passions, you’ll enjoy watching local artisans in Guatemala, Nepal and Morocco, on tours sponsored by The Textile Museum of Washington, D.C.

Kaye adds that The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City will escort you to the Tate Gallery in London and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. For tours to such places as Japan, Thailand and Burma, she recommends contacting The Asia Society of New York City.

Meet Your Fellow Creatures

“For animal lovers, The New York Zoological Society features a three-day visit to the Wildlife Survival Center in Georgia and a safari in Africa,” Kaye continues. “Or, you can watch fat seals basking in the snow fields as you tour the spectacular glaciers of Antarctica with the American Museum of Natural History. Even the National Audobon Society sponsors a tour to the Galapagos Islands.”

Arranging Your Tour

When calling to inquire about the facts and figures of a tour, Kaye suggests asking these key questions:

• How established is the sponsoring organization? How long has the tour been running? If you’d like, request the names of people who’ve taken a trip so that you can contact them.
• Who’s the expert? The leader or lecturer will set the tone of the trip. Is he or she qualified and knowledgeable?
• What’s included? Make sure you know what you are paying for. Will you have to pay for extra excursions? Is tipping expected, if not included?
• What are the accommodations? Lodgings vary from tour to tour, so get the specifics. Then ask yourself if you would be happy sharing a bathroom or comfortable staying in ship’s quarters. Be sure you know where you’ll have to “rough it” so you can plan and pack accordingly. (ARA)

Travel expert Evelyn Kaye is the author of 18 books, including the award-winning guide “Travel and Learn,” “Active Woman Vacation Guide,” “Family Travel,” and “Free Vacations & Bargain Adventures in the USA” distributed by Blue Panda Publications. For more information, call (303) 449-8474.

Courtesy of Article Resource Association, www.aracopy.com, email: info@aracopy.com