1979
Tom Hale founds Backroads.
The 80s
1980
Tom Hale is Backroads: leading bike trips through Death Valley, Northern California, Colorado, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, Canadian Rockies, Puget Sound, and Bryce, Zion and the Grand Canyon; answering phones; driving vans; and repairing bikes—all while working part-time cleaning fondue pots.
1983
Backroads' corporate headquarters moves from Hale's garage to more spacious quarters in San Leandro, California.
1984
Winter trips to Hawaii are added.
1988
Mountain Biking Trips in Idaho's Sawtooth Mountains debut.
Backroads unveils European bike touring with a trip in France's Loire Valley.
1989
Backroads celebrates its 10th anniversary by adding departures for families and solo travelers.
The company expands to the Northeast US with new trips in Vermont and Virginia.
China is added to the destination portfolio.
New corporate headquarters are established in Berkeley.
The 90s
1990
New trips in Louisiana and North Carolina put southern charms on display.
1991
Biking Trips in Thailand are added.
Backroads steps out with the introduction of Hiking & Walking Trips.
1992
Two new hiking itineraries in California showcase Point Reyes and Muir Woods.
1993
Backroads introduces cross-country skiing vacations. Mountain Biking Trips in Costa Rica launch Backroads into Central America.
1994
Backroads presents the Go Active Sampler vacation (precursor to Multi-Adventure Trips), featuring mountain biking, in-line skating, trail running and tennis, among other activities.
1996
Backroads unveils 19 Multisport Adventures—trips that combine biking and hiking with other activities such as kayaking, rafting and snorkeling.
Corporate headquarters in Berkeley undergoes an expansion.
Backroads launches its website.
1998
Morocco and Nepal join the list of Backroads destinations.
1999
Backroads launches its BEST Club (Backroads Extra Special Travelers).
Millennium Trips, comprising six memorable adventures, open for booking.
New destinations to come online include the wine regions of Chile and Patagonia, the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan and the Lake Como, Umbria, Parma Valley and Puglia regions of Italy.
The 2000s
2000
Backroads' debuts Active Gourmet featuring itineraries that blend outdoor activity with culinary adventure.
New destinations include Denmark, Hungary, Vietnam, Japan and the French Alps.
2003
Backroads introduces two new trip collections: Easy Explorations for active travelers looking to explore at a more relaxed pace and Epic Journeys, cyclist-focused adventures for those who prefer the challenge.
2006
Meet the fleet of Backroads new custom-made titanium bikes.
Adventures Beyond collection goes live.
2007
Backroads is now open seven days a week!
The company further expands its international offering with trips in Hungary, Slovakia & Poland.
Weekend Biking Trips roll out in Northern California’s Wine Country.
2008
Backroads branches out with Insider Trips—destinations that go deeper into a region's culture.
A new Biking Trip in Slovenia is added.
Cyclists can now explore Oregon's Crater Lake, and Multisport Camping Trips in California's Redwood Empire make an appearance.
Backroads embraces social media with the launch of its official Facebook page.
2009
Backroads celebrates its 30th anniversary.
The 2010s
2012
The company expands its bike fleet to include upgrades to pro-level bikes and the Co-Motion tandem. New features also include downloadable GPS directions, improved elevation profiles and bike cyclometers.
2013
Backroads commits to providing three leaders (or more) and two vans on virtually every trip.
The company’s reach extends to Israel, Myanmar, Andalusía, the Argentine Andes, the canyons of Utah and Arizona and Santa Barbara.
The first People-to-People tours in Cuba launch.
2014
Backroads introduces electric-assist bikes (e-bikes).
Family Breakaway Trips for families with older teens and twentysomethings debut.
2015
Backroads launches Active River Cruises with AmaWaterways, announcing 20 departures on the Danube River.
Family Breakaway Tours continue to gain in popularity, with trip options more than doubling since launch.
2016
Backroads rolls out free GPS devices on biking trips in Europe, North America and Hawaii, with preloaded easy-to-follow directions.
Active River Cruises sail on the Seine, Douro, Rhine and Mekong Rivers.
2017
New Iceland small ocean cruise departures are introduced.
Backroads heads to the Amazon for a journey through the Galápagos, Andes and Amazon with a mix of premiere hotels and a luxurious small ship.
Multisport Trips are rebranded as Multi-Adventure Trips.
2018
Cuba by bike debuts, making Backroads the first American company licensed to offer road biking trips in the country.
Other new adventures include Slovenia & Croatia, Chile's Lakes & Volcanoes District and Scotland.
Backroads becomes the first and only company to offer trips for families with kids in three distinct age groups from young kids to twenty-somethings.
2019
Backroads launches Family Trips for 20s & Beyond for families with adult kids in their 20s.
New Multi-Adventure itineraries in Tanzania, Greece and Crater Lake and Biking Trips Kentucky to Japan debut.
The new multi-country journey in Sardinia & Corsica is an instant hit.
Backroads joins forces with Under Canvas to premiere active Glamping Trips in Yellowstone.
Active Weekend Getaways are introduced.
The 2020s
2020
Despite setbacks in global travel due to the pandemic, Backroads sees a surge in Private Trip bookings.
Backroads unveils a brand-new fleet of custom-designed e-bikes.
Active Weekend Getaway collection expands to Charleston, the Texas Hill Country and Northern Vermont.
2021
Backroads has its biggest year ever in the US as guest bookings to America’s national parks and destinations across the country reach an all-time high.
Backroads collaborates with Outdoor Afro on a Georgia & South Carolina Underground Railroad Trip.
2023
Active Ocean & River Cruises sail on Dutch & Belgian waterways for optimal tulip time viewing, plus the launch of a new Tahiti Ocean Cruise and Full Ship Celebration sailings on the Danube and Portugal’s Douro Rivers are introduced.
Women’s Adventures debuts with 26 Walking & Hiking trips in destinations across the globe.
Avery Hale Smith is named Executive Vice President of Backroads, joining her entrepreneurial father in leading the company to a new era of success. Sean Harrington, who started his career as a Backroads Trip Leader in 1999, returns to the company in the role of Chief Operating Officer.
2024
Backroads introduces a new Glamping Multi-Adventure Trip in Bryce & Zion, an expansion of its long-term collaboration with Under Canvas.
New Greece & Croatia Ocean Multi-Adventure Tour takes to the sea on Emerald, Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice award-winner for Small Ship Cruise Line.
Home Base Adventures, trips featuring one luxury base hotel, is announced with three Walking & Hiking Tours in Italy’s Puglia region, the Cotswolds in England and Bavaria, Germany.
The company unveils 83 Unplugged Adventures—bike tours for acoustic cyclists preferring to rely solely on pedal power—across Europe, the US, Latin America and Asia.
Tom Hale surprises Backroads’ most tenured Trip Leader, the legendary Paul Smith, by joining him in Death Valley on his 400th trip.
2025
Another adventurous year at Backroads, as the company expands its trip offering with Casual Hotels in Europe, blending activity and comfort.
Announces new 30s & 40s Trips, debuting in 2026, and expands Unplugged Bike Tours (non-electric), Women’s Adventures and Family Adventures—giving travelers even more ways to connect.
New highlights include a Basque Country Active Culinary Tour, plus journeys through the Baltics, Madeira, Cyprus, the Canary Islands, Cape Cod and more.
