Travel 101: Choosing excursions

Excursions can enhance your tour with additional activities that satisfy your travel cravings. Not sure which excursions to add? Follow this flow chart for inspiration.

Cuisine? Art? Adventure? All of the above? Now that you know which kinds of experiences are right for you, take a peek at some suggestions below.

Add more cuisine

Homemade pasta eaten side-by-side with the chef. Spicy street food in India. French wine from a centuries-old vineyard. Sushi straight from a fish market in Tokyo. There’s no question about it: Local cuisine is one of the best (and most delicious) gateways to culture. Here are a few tasty excursions that travelers love.

Khantoke Dinner

On our Thailand: The Golden Kingdom tour, revel in a delectable dinner as you eat in the customary northern Thai way, sitting on floor mats at low-top tables while food is served in large platters. You’ll get to relax and enjoy your meal as you are entertained by a variety of cultural performances.

Rustic Italy: Farmhouse Dinner & Wine Tasting

Experience on our Amalfi Coast Walking Tour see the rugged beauty of Southern Italy with a visit to a local farm. After touring the lush Mediterranean grounds, toast to your evening with a glass of prosecco, and then sit down for a four-course dinner and sommelier-led wine tasting.

Tango Show & Dinner

On our Grand Tour of South America spend a night in Buenos Aires celebrating traditional flavors and rhythms. As you dine on regional dishes and Argentine wine, live musicians and elegant dancers provide memorable entertainment.

Add more scenery

Near or far, our planet is full of breathtaking, diverse settings. Some of the best moments of a trip are the ones when you stop and sit back in awe of your surroundings. These three stunning landscapes have stood the test of time, inspiring artists, writers, and travelers for generations.

Monet & the Landscapes of Giverny

On Paris: The City Experience visit Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny to discover the subtle colors, soft light and fragrant flowers that inspired the masterpieces. Claude Monet’s Water Lilies series is made up of some of the most iconic works of art ever created.

Mount Pilatus

On our Germany, Switzerland & Austria tour see the Alps from a different angle. After a scenic cruise on Lake Lucerne, hop aboard the world’s steepest cogwheel train and make your way up 7,000-foot Mount Pilatus. From the peak, you can see 200 miles of stunning Alpine scenery on a clear day.

Aran Islands

On Ireland: Traditions of the Emerald Isle experience the pristine and remote, Aran Islands off Galway Bay. This outpost of Irish culture that has remained essentially unchanged for the past few centuries—islanders still speak Gaelic and rely on fishing and farming to make a living.

Add more art

Whether it’s iconic works or local crafts, a culture’s artwork gives insight into the people that live there. These three excursions show very different types of art, each influential, important and striking in their own way.

Frida Kahlo museum

On Highlights of Mexico: Oaxaca to Mexico City, you can explore Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s home, Casa Azul, in the artsy neighborhood of Coyacán. There, you’ll have a chance to learn all about Frida Kahlo’s life and view some of her astounding artworks.

On Scandinavia: The Capitals to the Fjords visit the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark’s most popular art museum. On top of the unique collections, including a famous seaside sculpture park, the design of the museum itself is renowned as a stellar example of modern Danish architecture.

Iconic Sights: Vatican City

On Venice, Florence & Rome visit Vatican City, the pinnacle of Classical and Renaissance art. A few highlights: the sculptures in the Vatican Museums, Michelangelo’s ceiling at the Sistine Chapel and the enormity of St. Peter’s Basilica, whose contributors read like a rolodex of influential Renaissance artists, including Bernini, Michelangelo, Bramante, Peruzzi and Raphael.

Figueres & the Dalí Theatre-Museum

This excursion takes you outside Barcelona to Figueres, the hometown of Salvador Dalí. The’s town Dalí Theatre-Museum houses the world’s largest collection of Dalí’s works, as well as the artist’s burial crypt underground. After admiring his works, get insight into his daily life as you wander through the small town.

Add more history

It’s almost impossible not to learn about history when traveling, whether you’re exploring ancient ruins or sampling recipes that have been passed down through generations. For those of us who seek out experiences all about history, the excursion options are seemingly endless. Here are just a few:

The Lost City of Herculaneum

Just like its famous sister city of Pompeii, Herculaneum was also glazed over by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. On this excursion, on our Puglia & Southern Italy tour, a guide shows off the small city’s well-preserved wonders, including frescos and mosaics that decorated the homes of the wealthy and the narrow streets that characterized the area.

Bethlehem & the Church of the Nativity

On the Wonders of Ancient Israel tour learn all about Christian history on this excursion. Travel to Bethlehem, a Palestinian city known as the birthplace of Jesus, for a tour of one of the world’s oldest Christian communities. Visit the Church of the Nativity, believed to be the spot where Mary gave birth to Jesus, as well as the Old City and Manger Square.

Windsor Castle

Visit Windsor Castle on the Highlights of England, Scotland & Ireland tour . Founded by William the Conqueror in 1070, Windsor Castle is the world’s largest and longest-inhabited castle. After stepping inside, it’s easy to see why it’s been the British Royal Family’s preferred retreat for the past 900 years.

Add more adventure

Sometimes it’s the moments that push us outside our comfort zone that create the most memorable experiences. Each celebrating nature and wildlife, these three excursions bring you right into the action.

Sky Walk

On Costa Rica: Rainforests, Volcanoes & Wildlife walk where birds fly. Trek through the canopy layer of the Monteverde cloud forest on a series of suspended bridges for a whole new perspective on Costa Rican’s diverse flora and fauna.

Antelope Canyon exploration

On a tour of the national parks, you can add a visit to the astounding Antelope Canyon. After exploring with a Native American guide, you’ll hop aboard a raft on the Colorado River and learn more about the indigenous history of the Southwest.

Cape Tribulation Daintree National Park

In Australia, join a guide for a cruise down the Daintree River. Together, you'll keep your eyes peeled for wildlife—including crocodiles! Then, you'll set out on a guided walk in the rainforest to learn more about the native flora and fauna.

What sort of excursions are you drawn to? Tell us on Facebook!