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Active Travel Trends for 2025

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10 Best Europe Vacation Tours for Families

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An Unlikely Journey

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Nine Trips, Four Nations, One Kingdom: Which UK Adventure Fits You?

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Welcome to The BackBeat!

Your go-to guide for epic adventures. Dive into tales from the road and trail, straight from our expert Trip Leaders, and get the inside scoop on planning your next escape. From pro tips and a peek behind the scenes to bucket-list destinations and unforgettable travel stories, inspiration is here.

Group of people smiling in front of an art mural with two bikes on either side
June 26, 2025

Bicycle Island: Cuba Community Ride

Backroads first introduced Cuba People-to-People tours in 2013. These tours follow an itinerary licensed by the United States Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under a category called “Support for the Cuban People.” The Support for the Cuban People license allows us to travel in Cuba with a planned schedule of meaningful interactions with Cubans.

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Active river cutting through two large mountains
June 24, 2025

Yellowstone National Park in Every Season

Yellowstone became the world’s first national park in 1872, when President Ulysses S. Grant set the land apart “as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” This vast natural space of over 2 million acres has served exactly that purpose for over 150 years now.

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June 19, 2025

Wine Regions on Every Continent: An Around-the-World Tasting Adventure

If sipping a glass of Pinot while overlooking vineyard-draped hills is your idea of bliss, you’re not alone. But why stop at Napa or Bordeaux when the world is bursting with wine regions just waiting to be explored? Whether you're a casual enthusiast or a full-blown oenophile, these regions offer the perfect pairing: epic landscapes, rich culture and of course, outstanding wine. Pack your palate and your passport—this is your ticket to a global wine adventure, tailor-made for travelers who crave a taste of something different.

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June 17, 2025

Time Travel to Estancia Cristina

I used to call it “the end of the world,” but I was corrected by the locals who rightfully refer to it as “the beginning of the world.” After spending a few weeks in Patagonia, I now understand why. This faraway land straddling Chile and Argentina is larger than life, raw and multifaceted. Despite the long journey to get there, everyone who gets to visit this land leaves it feeling lucky, like they were made privy to a well-kept secret.

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Three girls smiling while holding up a Croatia flag
June 12, 2025

Gear Shifts and Growing Pains: Coming-of-age on Two Wheels

In my family, our vacations look a little different. Through my childhood and into adulthood, our family get-togethers consisted of biking through the Spanish Pyrenees, across the Croatia/Montenegro border, or hopscotching the mythical Greek isles. By the age of 22, I had been on five Backroads trips all around the world. Each adventure provided me with a challenge and memories I hold with me today. As I reflect on the formative years of my life, at every adolescent milestone, a Backroads trip has been there.

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June 10, 2025

Our Favorite, Less-Crowded Alternatives to European Destinations

It’s been several summers since the pandemic, but it seems like Europe’s wave of “quarantine revenge travel” is still cresting. Whether it’s on Croatia’s photogenic Adriatic isles, in Prague’s fairy-tale lanes or along Venice’s canals, Europeans (and Europe-lovers) will tell you without any doubt: we’re feeling the pressure of eager tourist crowds.

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Two women sitting in front of an orange house, with a bike parked out front
June 5, 2025

The Southwest's Human History

Rugged, radiant and steeped in stories, the American Southwest is more than a destination—it’s a journey through layered landscapes and layered histories. From the sandstone arches of Utah to the red rock canyons of Arizona, the cliff dwellings of New Mexico to the alpine mesas of Southern Colorado, this region invites adventure travelers to explore on foot and by bike, tracing the footsteps of Ancestral Puebloans, Spanish explorers and the Indigenous communities that still call this land home. Wherever you're trekking or riding in the Southwest, each trail tells a tale—etched in stone, sun and spirit.

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June 2, 2025

Beyond the Safari: Building Community in Tanzania

When I first joined Backroads, I never imagined how far this adventure would take me—literally and metaphorically. From cycling and hiking the far corners of Europe, trekking the jungles of Central America to guiding guests in the vibrant cultures of Asia, I’ve been privileged to learn, grow and share in some of the world’s most extraordinary places. But nothing has felt quite as much like coming home as leading trips in Tanzania.

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May 29, 2025

Biking in Scotland–The Key to Happiness?

Scotland. A land known for its misty mountains and distilleries with history hiding behind every corner. But beyond the castles and bagpipes there’s a whole world to be explored–by bike!

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May 29, 2025

Must-See Spots in Andalusia

My first time in Andalusia, I arrived in the enchanting city of Granada in the evening. I walked on narrow streets snaking through ancient neighborhoods and cramped bazaars on my way to my lodging for the night. Up on the hill, overlooking the city, was the citadel of La Alhambra. It was glowing reddish-orange, outlined by the thick black of the night sky. It was powerful and majestic, a historic stronghold whose presence was an artful backdrop to a vibrant city. Granada was fully on display. So began my love of Southern Spain.

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