Backroads

Do you have a favorite walled city of Europe? If you've walked the streets of Dubrovnik, Croatia, there's a good chance this enchanting medieval enclave tops your list. One of the great cities of the Mediterranean, Dubrovnik has been a center of maritime trade for centuries. The remarkably preserved city clings to the rocky slopes of the Dalmatian Coast and stretches out into the sapphire blue waters of the Adriatic. Stepping into the historic center of the city feels like a ...walk back through time, with narrow alleys and passageways threading among the shops, cafes, churches and local homes where children chase each other and shout greetings to visitors. Whether you come to explore, to stroll atop the city walls or take in the sunset from an oceanside café, Dubrovnik has a way of capturing your heart. It's easily one of the top highlights of our Dalmatian Coast adventures, and we can't wait to get back here soon! Here's a full list of our trips that will get you here: https://backroadsgo.com/3bH5mLB See more

Backroads trips update! With so many of our most popular domestic trips selling out this summer and fall, we just added more departures to our most sought-after trips, including Alaska, Washington's San Juan Islands, Oregon and Kentucky. So if you thought you missed your chance, get excited to come adventure with us! Scroll through these photos to learn more, or click below to go directly to these epic trips: Alaska's Kenai Walking & Hiking Tour: https://backroadsgo.com/2OoR...ttv San Juan Islands Bike Tour: https://backroadsgo.com/3rkYJ89 Oregon's Columbia River Gorge & Willamette Valley Bike Tour: https://backroadsgo.com/3rdiVJ7 Alaska's Kenai Multi-Adventure Tour: https://backroadsgo.com/2OiSHGx Kentucky Bike Tour: https://backroadsgo.com/3rekaYu See more

Happy birthday to the great state of Maine! 201 years ago today, Maine became the 23rd state, bringing with it some of America’s most prized treasures, from the sunrise-view mountaintops and crashing waves of Acadia National Park to the picturesque harbors, quaint small towns and the explosion of color that fills the forests and mountains every autumn. We love traveling in Maine and getting immersed in the less-visited corners and endless beauty of this great statebiking its... coastal roads, hiking its hidden trails and savoring its famously fresh and delicious seafood. And did we mention staying at some of the state’s most inviting and elegant seaside hotels? What a place! Scroll through these photos to see our top five reasons to visit Maine, and check out our complete collection of Maine tours here: https://backroadsgo.com/3bIEASQ Want to see a detailed itinerary of our Maine Bike Tour? Get it here: https://backroadsgo.com/3rlOvog

Where would you go if you were in a country with no trespassing laws? This week's two-minute travel blog comes from Backroads Trip Leader Keith Emslie about his home country of Scotland and the incredible opportunities that await adventurers in a land that embraces the "right to roam." Check it out! #scotland #hikingtours #adventuretravel #backroadsblog #grablifebythehikingpoles

Do you have a passion for good wine? Does your perfect meal include an expertly paired red, white or rosé? Or do you simply love the sight of a vineyard bursting with color as it flows over the horizon in perfect symmetry? Maybe all of the above? There’s just something about the combination of globe-trotting and grape-tasting, and traversing the globe in search of the tastiest varietals is sure to lead you into some incredible adventures. From Italy to Oregon, Portugal to New Zealand, here are some of our favorite wine-making destinations around the worldand the Backroads trips that will take you there. #goodwine #winetravel #luxurytravel #adventuretravel #backroadstravel

Backroads Hotel of the Week! Hidden between two towering walls of red rock, in a verdant, winding canyon in western Colorado, lies the Gateway Canyons Resort. We call his welcome oasis home for two nights on our Arches & Canyonlands Walking & Hiking Tour. It’s here that we get to rest, relax and recharge after our days spent exploring sandstone canyons, wild rock formations and winding desert trails. Located in Unaweep Canyon, which has played host to a long list of cattle ru...stlers and gold miners in its long and storied past, today the hotel is a Travel + Leisure World’s Best Hotel. Take a dip in the refreshingly cool pool, enjoy the full-service spa, soak up the jaw-dropping vistas of the surrounding red rock formations, and sip a glass of wine as you watch a nightly display of shooting stars blaze across the wide-open desert skies. Sound like perfection? We think so! Check out all the details of this adventure-filled trip here: https://backroadsgo.com/3klhjuc Want to see a complete itinerary of the trip, including hiking routes, southwestern meals and more? https://backroadsgo.com/3pRSLtR

Good news! Due to popular demand, we've just added more December departures for our new Active Weekend Getaway - Arizona's Saguaro & Tucson Multi-Adventure Tour. If you're looking for a quick and easy way to escape for a winter adventure, this is it. We spend all three nights at one beautiful and historic hacienda-inspired hotel, the perfect place to retreat after biking, hiking and relaxing in the desert sun. And since Tucson is a culinary mecca of southwestern cuisine, ever...y day features mouth-watering meals that may end up being the highlight of the whole trip. Hiking in national parks, biking car-free bike paths, exploring rugged canyons and soaking up star-filled skies. What a dream! Check out all the trip details here: https://backroadsgo.com/3mi6zwp Want to see a detailed itinerary of the whole adventure? See it here: https://backroadsgo.com/35wrWDD

Have you seen the NEW TRIPS we have lined up for 2021? Or heard about our new e-bikes? Or our brand-new collection of easygoing DOLCE TEMPO adventures? Just because the Backroads team is working from home doesn't mean we haven't been focused on creating new epic experiences to carry forth the Backroads magic into 2021 and beyond. We've always been a company that looks forward with optimism and strives to ensure we do it well, do it right and do it the best. Nothing about that is going to change. Here's to exploring the roads and trails ahead, wherever they may lead. #activetravel #goforthwithoptimism #biketours #hikingtours #grablifebythehandlebars

Backroads Trip of the Week! Ready for the hottest destination of 2020? That’s right, we’re talking about Death Valley, where a new record was set this past July for the hottest temperature ever recordedover 130 degrees Fahrenheit! But fear not, our trips here are in the shoulder seasons when temperatures allow for glorious biking through these undulating ancient sand beds (and incredible spring wildflowers!). Our Death Valley Weekend Getaway Bike Tour is four days of fun in the desert sun, with nights spent at one of our favorite desert oasis hotels. Check out these photos shot by Backroads guests to learn more about this incredible landscape, or check out the trip details here: https://backroadsgo.com/34efLf7 Want to see a detailed itinerary of the trip? https://backroadsgo.com/2TfK6U5

Exciting update! Hawaii is a GO for this winter. Yesterday Hawaii lifted its quarantine restrictions and now the state is only requiring a negative Covid-19 test taken 72 hours before arrival (and a rapid test upon arrival on some islands). This means that we'll be resuming one of our most popular winter trips this December, our Big Island Multi-Adventure Tour! A favorite of couples, families and any traveler looking for an escape to palm trees, sunshine and sandy beaches (plus biking around a volcano!), Hawaii is a genuine paradise in the Pacific. Ready for some sunsets and sand between your toes? Check out all the trip details here: https://backroadsgo.com/379Xn93 #hawaii #activetravel #adventure #bigisland #volcanoesnationalpark

If there’s one benefit to this wild summer we’ve had, it’s that bikes are more popular than ever worldwide. So when the world opens up for travel again, there’s a good chance more people will be choosing to explore on two wheels. For many of us, we already know why biking is such an incredible way to discover new places. But for the uninitiated, it can seem like a baffling pursuit. What’s the appeal of bike travel? Why pedal in the sun when you could be in an air-conditioned bus? Why venture into the countryside when you could simply take a taxi from one city to the next? Fair questions. Scroll through these photos to see our Top 5 Reasons to Travel by Bike (some may surprise you!), or join us on a trip to see for yourself. #biketravel #activetravel #grablifebythehandlebars

Update from the field! We’re excited to be a part of something truly special that is happening NOW. It’s called the Underground Railroad Ride! This is the journey of five Black + Latinx cyclists riding from Mobile, Alabama to Washington, DC. It began with John Shackelford, a 25-year-old NYC bicycle messenger who wanted to find a way to inspire the youth kids who live in inner-city areas, who have never been on a bike, who have never left their communities. I want them to e...xperience the freedom of cycling. They’ve been on the road for two weeks now, and we’ve been proud to be able to provide them with Backroads ride support along the way. Here’s the first of several photo updates from Trip Leaders Abdul and Emily and the Underground Railroad Ride documentary film team who is capturing the journey. Scroll through the photos to learn more about this epic ride, and check out www.undergroundrailroadride.com to learn more about the journey and what you can do to support the cause. #undergroundrailroadride2020 #URR2020 #diversifyoutdoors #towardfreedom

When the world opens up again, there will be a lot of travelers making up for lost time. Where will be the first place on your list? The Italian Riviera should definitely be on your radar. Whether you're looking for sleepy fishing villages, coastal hiking trails through terraced vineyards, luxurious waterside retreats or to simply immerse yourself in a Mediterranean laid-back sun-soaked vibe, you won't be disappointed. Here's some fascinating history of how this place came to be. #backroadsblogs #activetravel #italianriviera #cinqueterre #portofino

Backroads Destination of the Week! Now is the time of year when it’s easy to start looking for ways to make summer last just a little bit longer, especially if you can escape to somewhere close-to-home yet refreshingly new and different. And for that, Arizona is the ticket. From the lively, artsy scene of Tubac to the wide-open deserts and star-dotted skies of the Sonoran Desert, this is a landscape of unforgettable colors and endless adventure opportunities. Discover the red...-rock landscapes of Sedona, enjoy the up-and-coming Southwestern gourmet dining of Tucson and come face-to-face with the endless hiking and biking opportunities that make this state a mecca for passionate outdoor explorers. Ready to chase the sunshine and breathe some warm desert air? We’d love to have you join us this fall! Check out our brand-new Arizona Multi-Adventure Active Weekend Getaway here: https://backroadsgo.com/3jgMLbD See more

New blog from Backroads Founder Tom Hale! Whether you're already a big fan of e-bikes, simply curious about them, or just looking for a way to enjoy bike rides with others who may not ride at the same pace, you'll enjoy reading about Tom's recent experience riding with his daughter. Check it out! #activetravel #ebikes #biketours #grablifebythehandlebars

Our next two-minute travel blog is here! Is Portugal on your travel bucket list? The beautiful town of Sintra, near Lisbon, is a highlight of our walking & hiking trip here. This seaside enclave is home to five palaces and a castle, including the famed Palace of Sintra. In today's blog we dive into a thousand years of history revolving around this magnificent edifice, with trivia and insights that bring that history to life. Take a look, and you may just find yourself dreaming of a trip to Portugal in your near future! #adventureplanningblogs #portugal #sintra #activetravel #hikingtrips

Exciting news! We've announced our NEW TRIPS for 2021! With all the unexpected detours of 2020, we’re looking ahead more than ever to new adventures and new horizons. And there’s so much to look forward to! From our first Multi-Adventure Trip on the South Island of New Zealand to a brand-new Biking Trip in Scotland and an epic Walking and Hiking trip in the rugged landscapes of Chilean Patagonia. Hike through refreshingly rural Quebec, explore the stunning foothills of the Italian Alps, discover hidden corners of Alaska’s famed Inside Passage the list goes on. Pack your bags and get ready for some awesome new Backroads adventures in 2021! You can check out the full list of new trips here: https://backroadsgo.com/3kqo78I #adventuretravel #wanderlust #grablifebythehandlebars

Backroads Trip of the Week! Joshua Tree National Park may be a favorite escape for local climbers and weekend road trippers, but it manages to stay refreshingly less-traveled compared to its more famous national park cousins. More than its namesake trees, you’ll find expansive boulder gardens for climbing and scrambling, trails to hidden oases of shady palm trees and waterfalls, wide open fresh air landscapes and even abandoned gold mines and cattle rustler hideouts. And did ...we mention the dark skies far from city lights that offer some of the best stargazing in the West? A perfect destination to extend your adventures into the spring and fall, this place is a true gem for the modern-day Milky Way-chasing explorer. Check out these recent photos snapped by Trip Leader Trina Sustersic on our Palm Springs & Joshua Tree Active Weekend Getaway. All the trip details can be found here: https://backroadsgo.com/2FJXs7J Want to see a detailed itinerary of the trip, including our nights spent at our fantastic Palm Springs luxury retreat? https://backroadsgo.com/3c9Cawp

Booking travel plans in such unpredictable times can be intimidating. We get it. So we’ve updated our booking policies to ensure you can plan your next Backroads adventure with complete peace of mind. This means fully refundable deposits, ultimate flexibility for transferring your travel funds to different or future trips, and a lot more time for you to finalize your plans before final payments are due. Planning your next great travel experience should be fun and worry-free, and we want to ensure that’s the experience you have with Backroads. You can find all the specific details of our updated booking policies here: https://backroadsgo.com/33tGzqd We look forward to having you join us soon. #activetravel #adventuretravel #luxurytravel #grablifebythehandlebars