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Summertime...and the travelin' is easy!
Dear Traveler,
Nothing says "School's out for summer!" like a carefree vacation packed with exciting new adventures and discoveries. And nothing compares to the fun, laughter and easy camaraderie your family will enjoy when traveling with Backroads.
We make family travel a cinch by handling all the tedious logistics and the time-consuming details so you can relax and focus on having the time of your life. With our trademark mixture of amazing activities, family-friendly hotels, kid-approved cuisine and stellar personal service, your gang will be able to simply enjoy one another's company. And look forward to the lifetime memories that come from exploring incredible new places together as a family!
Give us a call at 800-462-2848; we're here daily from 7 am – 5 pm Pacific time.
We can't wait to have you join us this summer,
Alison Iles
Family Trips Manager
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| Journey Beyond
Backroads trips take you (waaaay) beyond the typical paint-by-number tourist itineraries. You'll feel like you've got an exclusive all-access pass into the heart of the destination you're exploring. Your kids will be exposed to different cultures and landscapes, and see firsthand the places where the stuff of history books actually happened!
With Backroads this summer, kids can...
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paddle a canoe
...in Alsace & the Black Forest! The younger set joins a Backroads leader for an easygoing paddle on the Ill River. It's a super chance to practice teamwork and check out the countryside from a different perspective. There's also biking on the famed Route du Vin, visits to storybook villages, and a fascinating mélange of cultures sure to delight the whole family. As for other kid-approved highlights this week? Black Forest cake and cuckoo clocks, of course! | |
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go horseback riding
...in Brittany & Normandy! No visit to this region would be complete without a close encounter of the equine kind. After a morning bike ride with the whole gang, kids saddle up for a leisurely guided horseback ride through the woods. Other trip highlights include bike rides to historic D-Day beaches, a magical visit to the island monastery and cathedral of Mont-St-Michel and a lesson in the art of glassblowing, just for the youngsters.
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travel back in time
...in the Czech Republic & Austria! If your kids are intrigued by castles, knights and damsels, this biking trip promises to be a super cool experience. Kids will visit the Mitterkirchen open-air history museum, enjoy a scavenger hunt in the fortress city of Český Krumlov and view a fascinating falconry demonstration. And don't forget the theatrical sword-fighting demo performed exclusively for us! | |
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take to the water
...on Croatia's Dalmatian Coast! Follow trails past vineyards and olive groves and down to untouched Adriatic beaches where the swimming is incredible. Go sea kayaking (with lessons for beginners) in protected inlets and bays. Island-hop aboard ferries and traipse through towns with ancient cobbled streets and battlements where sentries once kept watch for pirates.
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go rock climbing
...in the Dolomites! Near the Cinque Torri, one of the region's most famous rock climbing areas, our expert local guide teaches kids the basics of safety and fun on the rocks. Back on solid ground, there are mountain bike excursions on tranquil trails, hikes made easy with gondola and chairlift rides, hearty and delicious cuisine (including a festive fondue feast!) and jaw-dropping mountain scenery.
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defy gravity
...in the Dordogne! There'll be plenty of unbridled glee—and maybe even a Tarzan yell or two—at the Forêt des Ecureuils (Squirrel Forest) aerial adventure park. Kids of all ages will love soaring through the air on the park's exciting network of platforms, zip-lines and ropes. But wait, there's more: Explore ancient castles and fortresses. Visit villages carved out of cliffs. Canoe the Dordogne River and snack on crêpes. Ready to join in the fun? | |
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taste the sweet life
...in Holland & Belgium! Young chefs will discover the secret to making delectable Dutch waffles during a fun-filled private lesson. They'll also learn about—and taste—delicious Belgian chocolate in Bruges. But it's not all about the sweets. Special activities like canoeing on a canal in Leiden, the birthplace of Rembrandt, and viewing historic windmills at Kinderdijk are sure to be a hit as well. | |
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go for a Zodiac ride
...in Iceland! It's a fun-filled trip in the sparkling blue Jökulsárlón lagoon, zipping around and up to towering luminescent icebergs. Our local guide will help young ornithologists become experts in all things aviary, as they keep eyes peeled for the great skua, greylag goose, red-throated diver and the clown-faced puffin. Other trip highlights include an excursion by "super jeep," the chance to gawk at a geyser, trek on a glacier and have a splashing good time rafting the Hvítá River. |
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try a new sport
...in Ireland! While grown-ups enjoy a bike ride or round of golf, kids make a go of Gaelic football, a mixture of rugby, soccer and basketball. The leaders will verse everyone on the rules, but in the end, it's all about just having fun! There's lots more to enjoy on this trip, like a lively sheepshearing demo, tasty fish 'n chips, a ride to historic Ross Castle by horse-drawn cart, and a delightful evening of traditional storytelling. | |
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learn to fence
...in the Loire Valley! Our storybook castle hotel provides the perfect backdrop for fencing lessons. Kids step back in history as they wield épées under the watchful eye of world-class fencing master Rudi van Oeveren. After learning proper technique, strategy and form, they'll fancy themselves young knights! They'll also have fun exploring incredible castles and checking out the amazing inventions at the former home of Leonardo da Vinci.
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create a work of art
...in Sicily! A morning bike ride leads you through rolling green hills and fragrant citrus orchards to Caltagirone, the capital of Sicilian ceramics. Here kids head to a local pottery school for a ceramics demo and the opportunity to paint their very own piece of pottery—a souvenir they can treasure. Later, an evening of folkloric music and dancing reveals vibrant Sicilian culture in full swing. The younger crowd can look forward to a biscotti baking lesson and an off-road jeep excursion too! | |
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scramble on rocks
...in Spain! Junior mountaineers will love the sense of accomplishment they'll feel on the "via ferrata" course with an expert local guide. Donning harnesses, they'll learn how to navigate over rocks using ladders and cables built into the terrain. It's an exhilarating mixture of hiking, rock climbing and rappelling. Kids will also have fun crafting ceramics, churning butter at a traditional farm and frolicking on white-sand Costa Brava beaches. | |
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start a travel journal
...in Switzerland! With plenty of fresh air, sparkling lakes, enormous glaciers, delicious fondue and chocolate and loads of fun activities, this trip may inspire your child to record all she experiences. Special highlights include an authentic luge ride, a trip across Lake Thun in a paddleboat, a thrilling cog train journey to Grindelwald at the foot of the spectacular Eiger peak, and the chance to make "beautiful" music on a traditional Swiss alphorn. | |
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go truffle hunting
...in Tuscany! Your kids are sure to be enchanted by Strella and Nebia, a pair of talented truffle hunting dogs. Not only do kids have the opportunity to accompany the dogs on a hunt and see them in action, they'll also have a blast dabbling in watercolor techniques with a local artist and exploring the nooks and crannies of San Gimignano, a classic medieval city crowned with stone towers.
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GUEST QUOTE
"We are eager to experience the Backroads magic with our family again as soon as possible."
Anne Juster - Cleveland, OH
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CALL 800-462-2848 or your travel agent to reserve your trip. Open daily from 7 am to 5 pm, PT.
All contents and photography © 2012 Backroads | 801 Cedar Street, Berkeley, CA, 94710 | 800-462-2848
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