Backroads
Backroads
Tom Hale, Backroads founder and president, built Backroads with his passion for exploring the world’s most fascinating places actively. Thirty five years later, each Backroads employee and legions of loyal travelers could not imagine a better way to travel—immersing yourself in the life of a region and exploring hidden corners while enjoying the benefits and enormous satisfaction of traveling under your own power. These are experiences you cannot have behind the wheel of a car, or on a train or a tour bus, or in a few excursions from a cruise ship or a secluded resort. Active travel is, at its heart, a way of connecting more authentically with the world. Sure, Backroads provides superb accommodations and meals, and opportunities you could never arrange on your own. But all of our comprehensive planning and support is aimed at something far simpler: bringing you the immediate, highly personal satisfaction of discovering a new world on your own terms.

Articles Written

Backroads Hiking Trip in Yosemite
April 7, 2020

Bite-Sized Backroads Trip: Yosemite

With so many of us home and unable to travel at the moment, we thought it would be nice to bring a bit of the magic of travel (and one of our favorite national parks!) right to you and your family. So we asked Trip Leader Russell Grange to take us on a "Bite-Sized Backroads Trip" to California's epic Yosemite National Park

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Backroads Hiking Trips in Iceland
February 6, 2020

Why "Journey" Should Be Your Word of the Year

According to U.S. News & World Report, about 80% of New Year's resolutioners will lose their resolve by mid-February.

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Hahnenkamm Ski Course
January 17, 2020

Hahnenkamm Streif - Austria's Epic Ski Race

Imagine blasting down an icy slope, blinded by fog and flat light, nothing protecting you besides a helmet, goggles, and a spandex speed suit. Enter Hahnenkamm Streif: the world’s most demanding and dangerous downhill course.

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December 24, 2019

Ljubljana: Europe's Hidden Gem

Half the size of Switzerland, yet brimming with attractions - from Venetian coastal resorts in the south to the majestic Julian Alps and emerald-green lakes in the northwest - Slovenia is a hidden jewel still buried in misunderstanding

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Waterfall Costa Rica
November 12, 2019

The Heart of Costa Rica

Sometimes obscured by lush rainforests, dramatic volcanoes and pristine beaches, the true heart of Costa Rica awaits your discovery.

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Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki
October 15, 2019

Enchanting Lodges of New Zealand

Ever stayed somewhere so fabulous that you never wanted to leave? These two wilderness lodges on New Zealand's South Island have left one of our leaders awestruck!

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Bryce & Zion Bike Tour Video
August 28, 2019

Bryce & Zion Bike Tour Video

Cycle through millions of years of geology in the red rock canyonlands of two iconic National Parks in Utah! Check out our video showcasing Backroads Bryce & Zion Bike Tour.

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Santorini, Greece
July 10, 2019

The Hidden Corners of Santorini

Santorini is a Greek island like no other. Stunningly beautiful and distinct from its neighbors in the southern Cyclades, its overwhelmingly gorgeous scenery and fascinating rich cultural history are best paired with moussaka, souvlaki and some of the best wines in the world rooted in 3000 years of viticulture.

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July 2, 2019

Namibia & Zimbabwe Active Safari Video

We're excited to release our very first video to come from our Africa Active Safaris.

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Thomas Cole, A View of the Two Lakes and Mountain House, Catskill Mountains, Morning 1844
June 25, 2019

Ansel Adams, Georgia O'Keeffe & the Landscapes That Inspired Them

Explore with Backroads the remarkable landscapes that inspired the art of Ansel Adams, Georgia O’Keeffe, Claude Monet and many others.

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