Backroads in the News
Backroads is regularly featured in local and national publications. Here are some of our favorite articles:
In his 20’s, working an office job he hated, Tom woke up in the middle of the night with a wild idea: why not take people on bike trips? No playbook. No investors. Just a sense that he could make a living doing what he loved. His first trip? Four guests riding through Death Valley, pitching their own tents. From there, Backroads scaled to hotels, while weathering a bike burglary, a van rollover in the desert, 9/11, the Great Recession, and a pandemic that brought tourism to a halt.
Yearning for a taste of adventure? Imagine cycling through the glorious hills of Portugal’s Douro Valley to see its terraced vineyards, quaint hillside villages, forests, epic vistas, amazing markets, and farm estates, and later spending your nights aboard a small luxury Douro River cruise ship.
Avery reveals how her own childhood travels—from immersive village experiences in Ecuador to studying abroad in India—shaped her perspective on what makes travel truly meaningful. These formative journeys ultimately led her back to Backroads, where she now works alongside her father (the founder) to create exceptional active travel experiences focused on cultural connection and personal growth.
Tour companies are launching itineraries for travelers in their 30s, 40s, and 50s that focus on active adventures in destinations like the Dolomites, Peru, Mexico, and Portugal’s Douro Valley.
Demand is soaring for health-focused itineraries that go beyond traditional wellness. Why just sit on a beach when you can get a diagnostic overhaul that might make you live longer?
Backroads has launched a new trip collection designed for travelers in their 30s and 40s, featuring nearly three dozen itineraries with more than 70 departures worldwide.
Backroads, the global leader in active travel for more than four decades, has just announced a new chapter for a new generation.
So, last September we joined an expertly led Backroads trip meant to highlight some of the most evocative sections of the mystical trail. One of the world’s top active travel companies, Backroads offers hundreds of outdoorsy itineraries in more than 50 countries.
Backroads’ new 30’s & 40’s collection of walking, biking, and multi-adventures targets younger travelers with off the beaten path locations, focusing on deep authenticity and cultural immersion.
For the second installment of our new Getaway Guide series, T asked readers who hadn’t settled on their summer travel plans yet to describe their dream trip (but set a realistic budget, not including airfare). After consulting with a few travel experts, we came up with some suggestions. Below are answers to several of the most intriguing queries we received, and for more travel ideas, you can read our first batch of responses here.
Like many who try a multi-day bike trip for the first time, I felt both excited and intimidated by the idea of cycling for two or three hours a day. It didn’t help that I’d be pedaling solo in a foreign land (Germany), wouldn’t be riding an e-bike, and didn’t have a clue how to use GPS.
Every generation seems to be a world apart from the one that comes after it, and millennials and Gen-Z’ers are no exception. And when it comes to travel, those differences are pronounced. Younger travelers tend to prefer budget-friendly accommodations, and are more likely than millennials to plan trips based on what they’ve seen on Instagram. Gen-Z travelers are more likely to follow travel influencers on TikTok, and millennials are more keen on researching trips and finding deals.
From tennis courts in Monte Carlo to Japanese bike trails — Leonora Field-Foster rounds up the fanciest places to practise your swing, shot and stroke around the world.
There was a time in the not-so-distant past when the phrase “solo travel” was most likely to evoke imagery of Julia Roberts cycling down a grassy path in Bali, or of Diane Lane dragging her suitcase toward a Tuscan villa. This cinematic (and perhaps a little idealistic) depiction of what it looks like to embark on a solo adventure has begun to fizzle out, and now, the notion of taking a trip with oneself isn’t gawked at, but rather, quite common.
Heather and Avery talk about the joys of active travel, places they have been and future adventures. Avery Hale Smith, Chief Experience Officer at Backroads Travel was born and raised in the Bay Area experiencing her family’s extensive travels and time spent in nature at an early age.
There’s something both totally thrilling and deeply discombobulating about graduating from college. For most grads, you’re in your early twenties and are launched out of the school pipeline and into the world, a place where you’re on your own for money, health insurance, and life goals.
Here’s Why Luxury Wellness Seekers Are Hiking the Camino de Santiago This Year
On a Backroads walk through Slovenia, I discovered a little-known Alpine country with a rich culture, untrammeled and full of surprises, with a mandate for outdoor adventures.
The Search Is on for Future Backroads Trip Leaders to Follow in His Footsteps – Company Now Accepting Applications for 2025 Season.
Trekking 85 Miles with Grandpa, Scuba Diving with Grandma