The country is slowly opening back up after coronavirus, and many people are feeling ready to take a vacation. With travel restrictions still in place in a lot of countries, a great option to finally scratch that travel itch is a U.S. road trip!
Here we've chosen 10 of the top tour operators with unique U.S. trips that will be perfect for those wanting to resume traveling a little closer to home.
U.S. Tour Companies and Tours
U.S. tours are often focused on national parks and monuments, history, and adventure activities. There are countless tours great for Baby Boomers, Millennials, families, and solo travelers. Tours range from relaxed to full on active, so you can choose your travel style.
1. Collette
Collette is ideal for active travelers who enjoy a comprehensive guided tour, with a lot of activity, and local experiences. These tours can involve extensive walking, sometimes over uneven surfaces, so a certain basic level of physical fitness is required.
Collette tours are open to everyone, but the majority of people on your tour will be older - in the 50+ range. Collette tours are ideal for travelers who want to have fun, enjoy the outdoors, and are open to new experiences. Travelers who enjoy the finer things, value a premium to luxury style of accommodation and transportation, yet have an adventurous spirit will love traveling with Collette.
Colette’s U.S. tours focus on nature and outdoor adventure, as well as culture and history. From Niagara Falls to the Grand Canyon, these tours highlight North America’s vast and diverse regions. Each region in the U.S. has its own unique culture and history, like Paul Revere’s ride through New England, jazz clubs in New Orleans, or cowboys and ranches in the Midwest.
Collette U.S. Tours to Consider:
America's Music Cities: Featuring New Orleans, Memphis, & Nashville
Canyon Country: Featuring Arizona & Utah
Spotlight on South Dakota: Featuring Mount Rushmore & the Badlands
See All U.S. Collette Tours >>
2. G Adventures
G Adventures truly offers something for everyone. Trip styles include Classic, Active, Rail, YOLO (You Only Live Once - for 18-39’s), National Geographic Journeys, Marine, Family, Local Living, and Private Groups.
If you are the kind of traveler who packs running shoes before dress shoes, hiking attire before dinner attire, and has a sense of adventure before playing it safe, then G Adventures is the perfect fit for you.
G Adventures’ U.S. tours tend to be very structured, so if you like independent time on your tours, this may not be the choice for you. These tours focus on natural wonders, culture, and cuisine. G Adventures prides itself on helping travelers create memories to last a lifetime.
G Adventures U.S. Tours to Consider:
USA & Canada Road Trip: Eastern Highlights
USA Road Trip: San Diego, Grand Canyon, & Vegas
National Parks & Bright Lights
See All U.S. G Adventures Tours >>
3. Contiki
Sociable, spontaneous, and easy-going Travelers who are between the ages of 18-35 will definitely love the Contiki travel experience. These are trips for those young people who travel for the sheer joy of meeting locals, experiencing the nightlife, relaxing in the sun, and pounding the pavement for the next unique local gem.
Having a good time, being active, and spending less time in museums is something to expect on a Contiki tour. If you’re the kind of young person who likes meeting a lot of new people, are excited to try new things, Contiki is a good choice.
Contiki trips are very much about being young and having fun - so you might miss a particular cultural attraction in favor of a group decision to instead explore a local market or neighborhood not in the guidebooks. Contiki tends to attract partiers more than bookworms.
Contiki’s U.S. tours focus on nature and being active. They emphasize experience over ticking off iconic places (like Vegas, New York, Whistler, & Miami) on your bucket list. While on a U.S. tour you’re likely to stay in central hotels and luxe camping sites, both near nature.
Contiki U.S. Tours to Consider:
Best of USA: Start in Los Angeles, End in New York City
Southern Stars: Start in New Orleans, End in Atlanta
4. REI Adventures
REI trips are very adventure focused, with the emphasis on getting outdoors and enjoying nature. If you are the kind of traveler who prefers putting on a pair of hiking boots and hitting the trail for a several hour excursion in the wilderness, these trips are for you. Getting out into nature for REI Adventures means anything from white water rafting, to trekking, to river cruises.
There are several solo travelers, family, and women only tours available. A wide range of ages are welcome, though the core age group is between 18-40. On Family Friendly trips it is recommended that children be no younger than 8 years old. Not all activities will be open to the younger travelers in the group, but these trips are specifically designed to make sure everyone has something fun to do!
REI Adventures’ U.S. tours are all about outdoor adventure. You’ll experience hiking, kayaking, backpacking, and camping. All in the great U.S. wilderness. Top locations include the Grand Canyon, the Great Smoky Mountains, Joshua Tree National Park, and Yosemite.
REI Adventures U.S. Tours to Consider:
Appalachian Trail Hut to Hut Hiking Pemigewasset Wilderness
White Mountains Ice Climbing Basics
Rocky Mountain National Park Family Adventure
See All U.S. REI Adventures Tours >>
5. Row Adventures
Row Adventures specializes in small, customized tours, highlighting history and culture with the help of authentic local connections. Most trips involve some camping, but there are lodge-based options as well - higher end lodging, motels, and ecolodges are available as well, depending on the location and type of trip.
They cater heavily to families, as well as couples, and even retired-aged adults, provided you don’t require mobility assistance, as these trips usually involve walking, hiking, and being active in general. Additionally almost all trips take place on or around water, and many involve kayaking, rafting, or other multisport activities.
Row Adventures’ U.S. tours include Idaho rafting, Oregon Rafting, and Montana Canoeing. These tours are all about water sports - hence the name, Row Adventures. You’re in for canoeing, kayaking, rafting, camping, and some fishing in the northwest United States.
Row Adventures U.S. Tours to Consider:
Coeur d'Alene River Fly Fishing
Raft & Ranch: Ultimate Western Vacation
Missouri River Canoe Trip: A Lewis & Clark Expedition
See All U.S. Row Adventures Tours >>
6. Intrepid Travel
The kind of traveler who gravitates to Intrepid Travel is one who has a real sense of adventure - whether this means hard adventure, or simply going deeper off the beaten path. Accommodations, which range from guesthouses to home stays, are locally owned, allowing a more authentic taste of the region, while also contributing to the local economy.
Intrepid tours generally offer ample free time in their itineraries, meaning travelers have many opportunities to explore on their own!
Intrepid’s U.S. tours focus on authentic experiences. This means you’ll likely travel by ferry, bicycle, or streetcar, and you’ll likely stay in cabins and hogans (a traditional Navajo structure). Most of Intrepid’s tours in the U.S. focus on national parks, and outdoor activities, but there are trips that take you to bustling cities like New York.
Intrepid Travel U.S. Tours to Consider:
Trekking the Appalachian Trail
Seattle to San Francisco: Oregon Discovery
Vegas to LA: Grand National Parks
See All U.S. Intrepid Travel Tours >>
7. Road Scholar
Tours with Road Scholar are specifically designed for older travelers and with a heavy focus on gaining deeper knowledge through educational activities, led by guides who are experts in a variety of fields.
Open minded, active, and worldly life-long learners who have a sense of adventure and willingness to try new things, will love the cadence of a Road Scholar trip. Walking trips, train treks, small ship cruises, and riverboat voyages are among the different trip options.
Road Scholar has recently added special grandparent-grandchild trips and programs for three generations traveling together. On a Road Scholar tour you can expect a lot of unique cultural, artistic, historic, and local insights. Meet artisans, learn local crafts, and feel the camaraderie of being around other travelers who enjoy the educational aspect of travel.
Road Scholar’s U.S. tours focus on education, and the history of the United States. As you travel through the country you’ll engage in archeological activities, culinary classes, and history lectures. You may also have the opportunity to visit a national park, sail down a river on a cruise, and visit national landmarks.
Road Scholar U.S. Tours to Consider:
Bicycling Rail, Trail, & Country Lanes in Rustic Pennsylvania
Cooking in the Countryside: A Culinary Classroom in Vermont
The Specialty Birds of South Texas: The Big Enchilada of Birding
Charleston & Bulls Island by Land & Sea: Kayaking, Hiking, & Birding
See All U.S. Road Scholar Tours >>
8. Topdeck
Topdeck tour focuses on providing friendly and authentic guided group tours where like-minded 18-39 year old travelers can have amazing group experiences. There are several trip types to choose from, from camping, to immersive, to multi destination, to sailing.
Typically on a Topdeck tour, you will be running around, moving between a lot of places (which in some cases means very long bus rides), going out a lot, meeting new people, and staying active throughout your tour.
Topdeck’s U.S. tours are all about exploring. Whether it’s the Grand Canyon, Miami beaches, New York City, or the Las Vegas strip. A lot of the U.S. tours Topdeck offers include lots of the outdoors. You’ll hike national parks, swim in the ocean, rivers, and lakes, and camp under the stars. They also offer tours that take you to big cities where you can experience American culture and food.
Topdeck U.S. Tours to Consider:
9. Tauck
Tauck is a long-established high-quality tour operator with a strong reputation as one of the top companies offering upper-mid-range to luxury group travel and river cruises for the 50+ crowd.
Large family or friend groups could find a great fit at Tauck. They even offer family river cruises. Solo travelers are very welcome on Tauck trips, and pay a low single supplement. They also offer numerous specifically solo friendly tours.
Tauck’s U.S. tours take travelers on a cultural journey through the incredible landscape in the United States. From spending time in national parks and visiting historic mansions, to going to a luau in Hawaii, there’s something for everyone.
Tauck U.S. Tours to Consider:
Spirit of the Desert: The National Parks of the Southwest
10. Globus
Globus is one the oldest tour companies in the business, and is still family owned today. Globus tours include mostly everything in their base rates, they choose hotels that are in the heart of a city (where the action is), allow a good amount of free time to explore a destination on your own, and use knowledgeable local guides.
Tours ours are heavily aimed at active older travelers, particularly recent retirees and baby boomers in the 50+ range, as well as seniors. Globus believes in a more relaxed travel style, where you will be introduced to the culture and history of a destination through visits to major sites and attractions.
Globus’ U.S. tours focus on the history of the country. On a tour you might see the famous memorials in Washington D.C., visit Mount Rushmore in North Dakota, or experience live jazz in New Orleans. Tours also visit many national parks, including Denali National Park in Alaska and Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.
Globus U.S. Tours to Consider:
Discover Glacier National Park, Hells Canyon, & Washington Wine Country
New England & the Hudson Valley
Parks & Canyons Spectacular with Denver
The Best Road Trips in the United States
Road trips are as American as apple pie! This classic vacation in the United States involves packing up the car, camping out, sightseeing, and playing tons of car games.
On a U.S. road trip you can see forests, deserts, canyons, and great plains. You can spot the incredibly diverse wildlife across the country, discover different cultures and food, and learn about the country’s history.
Below, we’ve listed the best road trip routes in the U.S.
1. Pacific Coast Highway
California’s longest highway is the Pacifc Coast Highway, a 653 mile drive down the coast. The highway starts in Dana Point and goes all the way to Leggett. While on this road trip, you can stop in Malibu, to visit the sandy Zuma Beach, San Simeon, to tour Hearst Castle, San Luis Obispo, to stay at the iconic Madonna Inn, Big Sur, to hike one of the national parks, Monterey, to visit the aquarium, and San Francisco, to see the Golden Gate Bridge and the Redwoods.
For the foodie travelers, California is full of unique cuisine from all over the world. The best things to eat during your road trip include avocado toast, fish stew, fish tacos, prawns, garlic ice cream, oysters, Korean BBQ, clam chowder, and sea urchin.
2. South Dakota Black Hills
This road trip is classically American with its beautiful scenery, long history and unique culture, and lots of roaming bison. Start your trip with the views along the Badlands Scenic Byway, and make sure to stop at Wall & Badlands National Park.
As you drive through the Black Hills of South Dakota, you should stop at Bear Butte State Park, a sacred Native American site, and Mount Rushmore, the famous mountain where the faces of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln are carved.
For the foodie travelers, you’ll want to stop and try some South Dakota specialties. On the top of your must-try list should be Kolache, a small fruit filled puff pastry brought to America by Czech immigrants. Another delicacy is wojapi, a Native American sweet dipping sauce made from berries. It is most often eaten with fry bread, or on top of ice cream. Finally, you should dry chislic, which is essentially fried cubes of various meats. And don’t shy away from trying the buffalo, as it is a local favorite.
3. Blue Ridge Parkway
Blue Ridge Parkway connects two national parks in the Southeast of the U.S. It connects Shenandoah, Virginia and the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. The entire 469 mile road is the most visited road that is controlled by the National Parks Service.
On the Virginia portion of this road trip, you will travel along Skyline Drive, where you are able to “ride the sky” in Shenandoah National Park. The photography opportunities are endless on this 105 mile stretch - you’ll probably have a hard time choosing where to stop to look out over the edge of the mountains, since it’s all breathtaking. You can also make a stop at Luray Caverns to see the largest cavern on the East coast.
In North Carolina, you should stop in Asheville and explore the lively arts scene, before making your way to the Great Smoky Mountains. While on this road trip, make sure to stop and try traditional dishes like roast turkey and fried chicken, and the locally made wine!
4. Flint Hills National Scenic Byway
Flint Hills National Scenic Byway takes you through the scenic rolling hills of Kansas. This drive is about 47 miles and offers views of the tallgrass prairie - one of the only remaining of such landscapes in the United States. The land hasn’t changed much since the Kaw and Osage Native Tribes lived here.
The Flint Hills Area is home to attractions like the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, the Kaw National Heritage Park, and the Kaw Missions State Historic Site & Museum. The small towns along the drive are full of charm and feature great shops, restaurants, art, and antiques.
Travelers hoping to taste the Midwestern have come to the right place! In Kansas you’ll find a rich selection of barbeque, including ribs and hot wings. You’ll also want to stop and try brown bread frozen custard. A classic Kansas dessert of custard flavored with brown sugar and vanilla, with tiny bits of brown bread mixed in. And of course, a state known for growing wheat is going to have excellent beer.
5. Overseas Highway
This 150 mile drive on Route 1 takes you from Miami to the Florida Keys across 42 different bridges. This iconic drive can be seen in movies, commercials, and TV shows, usually during a car chase. The entire drive can be done in 4 hours, but you’d miss some incredible attractions in the Keys if you didn’t stop along the way!
There are 5 regions in the Keys: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key, and Key West. Key Largo is the largest of the Keys, and popular attractions include the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary.
Islamorada is a great place for sportfishing, but it is extremely commercialized. Marathon is about halfway between Key Largo and Key West, and is home to the Dolphin Research Center, and the largest segmental bridge in the world.
Big Pine Key is known for the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, a great place for shallow dive experiences. Key West is the southernmost city on continental United States, and features attractions such as the Hemingway House, Harry Truman’s Little White House, and the Heritage House & Museum.
While in the Florida Keys you can’t miss out on classic key lime pie, conch fritters, and pink shrimp. This road trip features incredible views of the ocean, tons of historic landmarks, and delicious food.
6. Hana Coastline
Located on the Eastern side of Maui is Hana coastline. A 59 line road winds through 59 bridges, black sand beaches, and gorgeous waterfalls. Along the road are many stops worth taking including ‘Ohe’o Gulch, a rainforest stream featuring plunge pools and waterfalls, the Pipiwai Trail, a 1.8 mile trail through lush rainforest that opens up into a bamboo forest, Hana Lava Tubes, caves created by underground lava rivers, and Ho’okipa Lookout, where you can see some of the best surfers in the world taking the waves.
A classic Hawaiin food you’ve most likely already tried is poke, but nothing beats authentic, fresh Hawaiian poke. Three other foods you should try while in Hawaii include shave ice, a sweet treat containing shaved ice and flavored syrup that is perfect for the hot weather, Kalua pork, a traditional Hawaiian dish of pork butt that has been cooked for hours in underground ovens called “imu,” and spam musubi.
7. Wyoming to Montana
Starting in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and ending in Glacier, Montana can be done in a day, but why not take your time driving through the gorgeous Big Sky Country! Sites include steep cliffs, rushing rivers and waterfalls, geysers, glaciers and wildlife.
This road trip takes you to three of the best national parks in the United States: Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier. This road trip should be done in the summer because the national parks close in the winter, and the heavy amounts of snow and ice in this region can be unsafe for a road trip.
During your drive through Wyoming you’ll want to stop and try some of the local specialties. Wild game is big in this midwestern state, and you can have a taste of the wild in elk burgers, bison jerky, cutthroat trout, beef steak, and rocky mountain oysters. In Montana, popular local dishes include wheat Montana cinnamon rolls, huckleberries, meat pie, and bison burgers.
8. Olympic Peninsula
For this northwestern road trip should start in Seattle, Washington and head west across the Olympic Peninsula for a 300 mile drive. The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the country’s most impressive scenery and plenty of hiking trails.
The drive takes you directly through Olympic National Park, where you will see one of the largest temperate rainforests in the United States. Olympic National Park is home to three different ecosystems: glaciated mountains, rugged coastline, and lush temperate forests. Visitors can climb, hike, and backpack through each of these terrains on the many trails throughout the park.
Culinary loving travelers will want to try the seafood in Washington, as it is some of the best! Popular dishes to try include sockeye salmon, geoduck, oysters, clam chowder, Beecher’s mac & cheese, morels (a type of mushroom), dungeness crab, and lavender ice cream.
9. Route 66
Affectionately nicknamed the Mother Road, this cross country drive is over 2,500 miles long. Route 66 is known as being the quintessential road trip experience. This route reached peak popularity in the 1950’s before being removed from the U.S. Highway System in 1985. Travelers wanting to see multiple states and feel a bit of nostalgia while on the road, will love this road trip.
Route 66 starts in Chicago and drives through Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Northern Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and ends in Los Angeles, California. Popular quirky attractions along the way include a large statue of Lincoln on a wagon in Illinois, the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle in Oklahoma, the Cadillac Ranch in Texas, tons of lively neon signs in New Mexico, the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, and the Santa Monica Pier in California.
While in Chicago, you should try some authentic deep dish pizza. In Kansas City trying burnt ends is basically a rite of passage. Oklahoma is known for loving root beer, and you should stop to sip a cool glass of the locally made beverage.
Everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes the puffy tacos. This innovation of deep frying tortillas originated in San Antonio, and has taken over the state. In New Mexico you can’t miss out on the blue corn pancakes. While passing through the hot desert of Arizona you’ll want to try a prickly pear margarita. Before you reach your destination of Los Angeles, you should stop and try a slice of apple pie.
For even more unique travel check out the Top U.S. National Parks to See with a Guide >>
