8 Things to Know About Taking a Guided Tour

Here are 8 things to know before you take a guided tour.

Why do you travel? There are so many ways people answer this question—to relax with family and friends, enjoy natural wonders, dive into history and architecture, try traditional foods, and experience the local culture in small towns and big cities. More and more, we find ourselves seeking guided tours, whether on a day trip, weekend getaway, or family vacation. How do you know if you should book a tour or try the “do-it-yourself” method? Based on our experiences, here is a short list of benefits and drawbacks to consider, along with tips that might come in handy before you book a guided tour.

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*Originally published in 2016; latest update January, 2024.

Over the years we have enjoyed a variety of guided tours. These have ranged from history and food tours, half-day guided hikes, full-day tours, and recently, a 12-day Rick Steves Heart of Portugal Tour. Among other things, we’ve learned about glaciers in Alaska, ghosts in Key West, architecture in Chicago, pizza and more in Brooklyn, and the history behind several of Portugal’s famous monasteries. My growing appreciation for letting someone else lead and arrange activities stems mainly from the reasons outlined below.

But it wasn’t always this way. Over the years, I often acted as family tour guide upon arrival at a new destination. But was the getting lost and driving aimlessly really time well spent? Some might argue yes, but probably not the best use of time. So, how do you know if you should book a tour or try the “do-it-yourself” method? To help, consider this short list of benefits and drawbacks, plus tips and details to read before you book a guided tour.

Benefits of Taking a Guided Tour

1. Learn From a Local. One thing we appreciate more and more is the insight and knowledge a local guide can offer. Based on taking a diverse mix of guided tours over the years, we realize how much value having a guide has added to our experience. It’s a chance to learn tidbits of history and gain insight that we probably would not have learned exploring on our own, making it well worth the money. This was evident on our recent Portugal tour, and every city tour we have taken, including a walking tour in Denver. It was that tour that took us into the lobby of the historic Brown Palace Hotel, which led to a reservation for a delicious afternoon tea on the last day of our trip.

Food tours like the Original Annapolis Seafood Crawl and the Savor Gettysburg Food Tour combine the best of both worlds, offering a unique combination of history and delicious bites while hearing from a local guide.

A DC Metro Food Tour combined local cuisine with history on the streets of Old Town Alexandria, sharing stories of George Washington’s visits to places like Gadsby’s Tavern. In Portugal, we booked the Sintra and Cabo da Roca with Pena Palace Full-Day Small Group Tour from Lisbon before our official tour started. This small group tour was one of several highlights of our trip and allowed us to enjoy a stress-free day seeing the popular Pena Palace (pictured below) and other tourist sites. Our knowledgeable local guide not only shared tons of history, he also helped us bypass the lines, including at the local pastry shop.

8 Things to Know About Taking a Guided Tour || Learn about history while sampling local cuisine in Old Town Alexandria.

2. Helpful Introduction to a New Destination. On several occasions we arrived at a new destination, only to discover that finding our way around was tricky or traffic is far worse than we expected. To quickly understand the layout of a city and find places of particular interest where you might want to spend more time, take a tour soon after arrival. Jumping on a “hop-on, hop-off” bus is one way to do this. We tried this in Key West, Florida with the Old Town Trolley Tour. Listening to the humorous narrative from our bus driver was perfect on a hot summer day as we hopped on and off to explore various attractions.

In Alaska, we jumped right into a stress-free guided hike our first full day. It was the perfect way to relax and enjoy the spectacular views in Chugach State Park without fear of getting lost or having to arrange transportation to the trailhead on our own. Plus we gained a local perspective from our guide to kick off our our 10 day Alaska Vacation. Check out this view!

3. Exposure to Unique Experiences. As you stroll the streets of Chicago, you can’t help but be impressed by the towering buildings surrounding you. It wasn’t until heading out on the Lake & River Architecture Tour with Wendella Boats that I experienced the iconic skyline from a different perspective. As the boat cruised along the Chicago River, our guide entertained us with stories and shared information about the buildings towering above us. This tour takes you through the Chicago Harbor Lock and onto Lake Michigan, where skyline views from the river and the lake await! The same was true when we went on a bucket-list guided kayak adventure in Alaska’s Resurrection Bay. It was well worth the money for the priceless memories.

8 Things to Know About Taking a Guided Tour. This unique photo was taken from the Chicago River on a Wendella Boat Tour.

Our recent Heart of Portugal tour included a visit to a local cork farm. I probably wouldn’t have even considered this on my own, but the day spent on the farm and the delicious lunch after the tour was memorable! I now have a new appreciation each time I uncork a bottle of wine!

Drawbacks of a Guided Tour

While the benefits of paying a tour guide definitely outweigh the drawbacks in many situations, there are a few things you should know about guided tours before you make a reservation.

4. Tours Can Be Expensive. Solo travelers or couples may find a guided tour to be an affordable solution, especially when it comes to full-day tours. It’s an opportunity to meet fellow travelers and have fun without all the stress of planning and logistics like transportation. On the other hand, dropping $100 + for a family of four or more to take an afternoon tour may be a vacation budget breaker. As a family, we usually picked one big-ticket guided tour per trip that gave us the most bang for our buck.

One way to mitigate the high cost for city tours is to consider a “pay as you like” tour. Free Tours by Foot offers tours in over a dozen US cities and has partnered with similar name-your-own price companies throughout Europe. I loved the historic walking tour in downtown Charleston, South Carolina.

5. Accessibility/Bad Weather. In some cases, popular tours need to be booked weeks in advance, in which case you don’t have much control over the weather. Tours generally operate rain or shine, so be prepared with an umbrella or rain jacket. Comfortable walking shoes are a must! Most tour companies do a decent job of describing the level of physical activity and accessibility for a specific tour. We love the balance between walking and sitting down that we often find on food tours.

Tips for Booking a Guided Tour

6. Read the Reviews. This is a common theme across the blog but I strongly believe in the value of online reviews. Tripadvisor is a favorite; for the most part, people are honest and will let you know whether or not an attraction/tour is worth the money. Sure, there are always a few reviewers who don’t like anything, but you can tell by the general tone whether a tour is worth the money. A tour site like Viator offers customer reviews and a chance to browse multiple tours for a single destination.

7. Understand the Cancellation Policies. Some tours have a strict cancellation policy, so be sure to read the fine print before you book. For others, like our day trip to Sintra from Lisbon, booked months ahead through Viator, we could cancel up to 24 hours in advance. Tours typically operate rain or shine, with some exceptions for severe weather. In some cases, you can book within a few days of the tour, which helps in planning, but more popular tours may require a purchase weeks in advance.

8. Look for Deals. Sign up on your favorite travel sites 3-6 months prior to visiting a destination. Be sure to also check for discounts offered through places like AAA or the local warehouse store at the destination you are visiting. Check for cash back offers through your credit card; some companies offer deals when you book travel and tours with vendors through their site.

You can check out these related posts to get more information on some of the tours we have taken. And feel free to share your tour experiences in the comments below.