Backroads Active Travel | MORAL COMPASS: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

*A Backroads private Canadian bike tour (photo: Backroads)*

Berkeley, CA – Backroads, a leader in active travel, introduced Private Reserve, a collection of trips and dates available exclusively for private bookings for a limited time, through December 31. These hand-picked Biking, Walking & Hiking and Multi-Adventure trips offer departures for the company’s most sought-after European locations during the highly requested travel months in the fall. Destinations include Portugal’s Algarve & Alentejo, Spanish Pyrenees to Costa Brava, German & Austrian Alps, Scottish Highlands, the Dolomites and Basque Country.

Backroads Private Reserve caters to the unique needs of private groups, giving them first access to some of the company’s most popular European trips before opening the dates to the public. With competition for travel dates—especially in September—at an all-time high, Backroads decided to offer a block of departures solely for private bookings.

The company has been running trips for private groups for over four decades and recognizes the logistics involved in coordinating and booking a trip for multiple people with different schedules. Private Reserve gives private groups more options for active travel and more time to get members onboard, and offers a remarkable experience for groups, including smaller parties.

While Backroads has over 6,000 dates available for booking, more people than ever are choosing to go private and these new dates are expected to fill fast.

Private Reserve trips for 2025 are available for booking now through December 31, 2024; on January 1, 2025, any unreserved dates will open to the general public.

Biking

Walking & Hiking

Multi-Adventure

“We know the effort it takes to corral your private group, choose a destination and settle on a workable date. We also know what it feels like when everything finally comes together, only to fall apart when you discover that trip has been booked by someone else in the meantime,” said Backroads Founder, President and CEO Tom Hale.

“We created Private Reserve to give private groups first crack at those hard-to-get locations and dates—especially those coveted September departures—giving organizers a little more breathing room and less competition for preferred dates. And with our online private trips search tool, reserving that ideal date for your group is a snap.”

For more information on Backroads’ Private Reserve trips, visit Backroads.com or call 800-GO-ACTIVE.

Backroads was founded in 1979 by Tom Hale and has been a leading innovator in active and adventure travel for over 45 years, offering expertly planned active adventures highlighting the unique character of each destination. The company offers multiple ways to go active: Biking, Walking & Hiking and Multi-Adventure tours; Private Trips, Women’s Adventures and Family Trips designed for three distinct age groups: Families with Kids & Teens (best for ages 7–17; all kids 4+ welcome); Families with Older Teens & 20s (for ages 17+; younger siblings 14+ welcome); and Families with Young Adults 20s & Beyond (for ages 20+; younger siblings 17+ welcome), plus Active Ocean & River Cruises and Dolce Tempo trips for travel at a more relaxed pace but still decidedly active. Backroads also offers Safari, Culinary, Home Base and Snow Adventures. For more information, visit backroads.com or call 800-462-2848.

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*Backroads: You can still book an active family adventure to iconic places like Yellowstone National Park © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com*

You can still book the perfect summer vacation in destinations across North America and Europe, including Wyoming, Maine, the Canadian Rockies, Iceland, France, Spain and Switzerland–Backroads

Backroads, a leader in active travel, released their top picks for a last-minute family adventure – the perfect antidote to summer doldrums and vacation procrastination. With a few clicks of the mouse or a phone call, families open the door to a world of possibility and discovery in iconic US national parks, such as Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Great Smoky Mountains and the Grand Canyon. Or they can venture farther from home to discover the natural beauty and rich cultures of France, Iceland, Switzerland and Canada, among other Backroads destinations. Whether it’s biking, hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, exploring a cave dwelling, learning how to make mozzarella or kids-only fun, Backroads has options for every member of the family.

With over 30 years of experience in family travel, Backroads seamlessly handles the planning and logistics of hundreds of Biking, Walking & Hiking and Multi-Adventure vacations around the world. Parents trust Backroads to do the heavy lifting for an active summer vacation so they can just show up and have a blast with their kids. From riding family-friendly bike paths in the Czech Republic to saddling up for a horseback ride with local wranglers in Montana or kayaking in the crystal-clear waters off the coast of Mallorca, there’s never a dull moment on a Backroads family trip. The company’s commitment to excellence, its flexible itineraries and exceptional Trip Leaders set it apart in the active travel industry. Three or more leaders guide every trip so parents can enjoy some quality adult time while kids, teens and 20-somethings get to hang out with leaders and their peers.

Backroads guests consistently rave about experiencing an active vacation with likeminded travelers, and this is especially true for families. That’s why Backroads is the only travel company that offers Family Trips for three different age groups so families can experience the magic of traveling with other guests in similar life stages: Families with Teens & Kids (best for ages 9+), Families with Older Teens & 20s (one or more kids age 17+) and Families with Young Adults 20s & Beyond (one or more kids age 20+). With summer—and perhaps college or other important rites of passage—on the horizon, it’s a great time to book a family vacation.

Snapshot of Backroads Family Trips with space available Include:

Basque Country Multi-Adventure Tour
Brittany & Normandy Bike Tour
Bryce, Zion & Grand Canyon Multi-Adventure Tour
California’s Yosemite Multi-Adventure Tour
Czech Republic & Austria Multi-Adventure Tour
Great Smoky Mountains Multi-Adventure Tour
Loire Valley Bike Tour
Maine’s Acadia Multi-Adventure Tour
Oregon’s Bend & the Cascades Multi-Adventure Tour
Portugal Multi-Adventure Tour
Spain’s Mallorca Multi-Adventure Tour
Spanish Pyrenees to Costa Brava Multi-Adventure Tour
Switzerland Multi-Adventure Tour
Wyoming’s Yellowstone & Tetons & Montana’s Big Sky Multi-Adventure Tour
Wyoming’s Yellowstone & Tetons Multi-Adventure Tour

“Getting away with your kids on a summer vacation is a great bonding experience no matter how old they are,” said Backroads Founder & President, Tom Hale. “Our kids grew up on Backroads trips and as they got older, I realized how important it was to have activities and meals designed for specific age groups. That’s why Backroads offers family trips for three distinct age categories. Teens and young adults want to engage with their peers, and the same goes for the younger ones. Meanwhile, parents are connecting with other parents, and there’s this great synergy happening between people in the same stage of life. Everyone’s just having a great time being active, spending time outdoors and learning and experiencing new things. We defy any kid to say they’re bored on a Backroads trip!”

Backroads was founded in 1979 by Tom Hale and has been a leading innovator in active and adventure travel for over 40 years. Guests join Backroads to bike, hike and so much more—on expertly planned active adventures highlighting the unique character of each destination. The company offers multiple ways to go active: Biking, Walking & Hiking and Multi-Adventure tours; Active Ocean & River Cruises, Active Safari, Active Culinary and Snow Adventures; and Dolce Tempo trips for travel at a more relaxed pace. Backroads also offers Private Trips and Family Trips designed for three distinct age groups: Families with Teens & Kids (best for ages 9+), Families with Older Teens & 20s (one or more kids age 17+) and Families with Young Adults 20s & Beyond (one or more kids age 20+). Repeat guests and referrals from past guests make up many of the travelers that Backroads hosts each year in hundreds of locations across the globe.

For the complete collection of Backroads Family Trips and more information, visit backroads.com or call 800-462-2848.