“Did you ever think,” I said to my son, halfway through a Backroads trip to Argentina’s Lake District, “that one day you’d be sipping champagne on a private boat in the middle of a lake in Patagonia?” “This is epic,” came his response. It wasn’t the only epic moment on that trip. There was the snowcapped Andes, the Southern Cross in the night sky, the wine tasting. How many 22-year-olds, I mused, could speak intelligently about the regions and varieties of Argentinian wines? This is just part of what growing up traveling gave my son.

In honor of Mother's Day and all the inspirational, kind and strong moms who keep things running smoothly (both at Backroads and in life!), we want to shine a spotlight on one of our favorite moms in our Backroads community. Meet Alison Iles, a former Trip Leader and mom of two champion mountain bikers in Canada. Alison has worn many hats at Backroads in her 35-year tenure, most recently that of Regional Director of the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia. We sat down with Alison to talk about travel, motherhood and her thoughts and advice on raising kids who embrace active outdoor adventures.

Every year, the World Happiness Report reminds us of something we already knew—some places just feel, well, happier. That feeling comes from a unique blend of connection, nature and balance, plus a certain je ne sais quoi that shifts in subtle, fascinating ways from place to place. In this year’s CNBC list of the happiest countries on Earth, nine of the top ten are places you can explore with Backroads, with a few exciting new trips in 2027!

Many countries call themselves “the crossroads of Europe,” but Romania has a particularly strong claim to take the cake. It’s where the Danube meets the sea, where the Balkans meet Central Europe, where Latin culture meets Slavic and where north meets south.

There are certain places on our trips that guests remember long after they’ve gone home. The Blackford Highland Games field is one of them.

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower,” wrote Albert Camus, and October says it’s true. Dynamic colors, shifting light, foliage stepping back so the wildlife can really stand out–the world just looks a little different at this time of year.

This Earth Day, we’re taking a closer look at how sustainability shows up across Backroads, from how we operate behind the scenes to how we design our trips and how we give back to the communities where we live, work and explore. We don’t think of responsible travel as just one initiative. We are taking a holistic approach by making choices every day to reduce our impact and support the places that make our trips possible.

National parks are the places where many of us formed our fondest memories with family and friends.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary and travelers like you are prioritizing curiosity, connecti

Whether you’ve decided to get a head start on summer, find yourself with unexpected time off or are just a little behind on planning, here is a selection of trips departing