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The 10 Best Group Travel Tour Companies for 2023

Caroline Morse Teel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her adventures around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

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For those truly epic, once-in-a-lifetime destinations, you want to leave your itinerary to the experts. Whether your dream is to see the Big Five on an African Safari, trek tall mountains, explore European cities, or something even wilder, a group tour is the easiest way to do it.

However, picking the wrong group tour company is the quickest way to ruin your trip. Make sure you choose a tour company that aligns with your goals and travel styles. Do you want an intimate group tour or do you prefer to make lots of new friends in a big group? Does the price line up with what you like (luxury vs. budget)? Is the itinerary going to all the places you want to see? 

We’ve done the research and found the very best group travel tour companies for 2023 for every type of traveler.

Best Overall Group Travel: Exodus Travels

With trips on every continent, Exodus Travels covers anywhere on this planet that you could possibly want to go, from popular destinations like the Amalfi Coast to well off-the-beaten path adventures like Tajikistan. This award-winning group travel company boasts thousands of repeat customers who sign up for trips year after year (97% of past participants would recommend Exodus Travels to a friend). 

These small group tours operate with only around 12-16 people, and always feature experienced local leaders who can give you a unique insight into your destination. Exodus Travels caters to any type of travel style, including trips broken down by type of activity (think walking, cycling, multi-adventure, winter, or cultural) as well as type of traveler (family, age group, etc.). There are curated collections (coastal, “away from it all”, European wilderness, and trips of a lifetime) to inspire you, as well as self-guided options for when you want all the benefits of a group tour planner without the actual group. Looking for that special safari? Exodus Travels just partners with the African Wildlife Foundation to create carefully curated luxury adventures that go above and beyond the standard safari. 

Exodus Travels tours work for almost any budget, with options that range from affordable to premium. 

Top Trip: Explore under-the-radar Europe by foot on Exodus Travels’ Lakes & Mountains of Slovenia walking tour .

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Best Adventure Group Travel: World Expeditions

World Expeditions has been taking adventurous travelers to remote locations all over the world ever since its first group trek through Nepal in 1975. Today, World Expeditions offers active itineraries on every continent. Intrepid travelers can opt for trips themed around mountaineering, rafting, cycling, hiking, and more. 

World Expeditions aims to leave communities and places where they operate tours better than they found them. Trips are created using the company’s Thoughtful Travel Charter as a guideline, which emphasizes respect for the environment, sustainability, having a positive impact on local communities, protecting wildlife, and more. 

World Expeditions’ trips are capped at just 16 people to provide a good experience for participants, and there are no single supplements for solo travelers willing to share a room with someone of the same gender. 

Top Trip: Summit Africa’s tallest mountain on a fully-supported trek up Kilimanjaro on World Expeditions’ eight day trip up the beautiful Lemosho Route . 

Best Budget Group Travel: G Adventures 

For travelers on a budget, G Adventures offers cheap group tours that make dream destinations accessible to nearly anyone. (Think: sailing the Galapagos for just $1,124 , criss-crossing India’s Golden Triangle for $559 , or spending 8 days in Bali for less than $800.)

G Adventures is one of the best tour companies for solo travelers as well, as most trips don’t have a single-supplement. You can choose to share a room with another G Adventures solo traveler, or pay extra to have your own space.

G Adventures keeps costs down by opting for cheaper hotels and local meals, and making certain activities optional (for an additional cost). Pick your travel style—options range from “basic” to more luxe tours run in partnership with National Geographic. Family tours, local living tours (featuring homestays), and wellness-focused tours are also available. 

Top Trip: G Adventures’ China Express trip is a great way to see the highlights of China if you’re short on both time and budget. 

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Best Educational Group Tours: EF Go Ahead Tours

When you really want to learn about a destination, consider a group trip with EF Go Ahead Tours . EF is the world’s largest private education company, and the Go Ahead Tours arm capitalizes on the company’s relationships with local educators, historians, and tour guides to create group trips that take you deep into a destination. 

These small group tours generally cap at 38 travelers, and feature unique educational experiences. For a bucket list trip, EF Go Ahead Tour’s special event tours are particularly enticing, as they offer behind-the-scenes access to tough-to-plan trips like Oktoberfest in Munich or Cherry Blossom season in Japan. 

Intimidated by solo travel? EF Go Ahead Tours is a great option for solo travelers, since it offers designated trips for solo travelers , where everyone is traveling alone, making it less intimidating.  

Top Trip: Bring the tastes of Italy home with you on EF Go Ahead Tours’ Food & Wine: Piedmont & Tuscany tour (operated in partnership with America’s Test Kitchen), where you’ll learn how to make local dishes. 

Best Responsible Group Travel: Intrepid Travel

Looking for a responsible group travel operator that focuses on bettering the communities and destinations they visit? Intrepid Travel is the world’s largest travel B Corporation, a certification for companies doing good. 

Intrepid Travel’s tours focus on sustainability, diversity, inclusion, and sustaining communities. The company has its own charity, The Intrepid Foundation , which has donated over 7 million dollars to over 130 community organizations. 

Intrepid Travel’s small group tours attract a wide range of travelers, but they are especially great for younger travelers, as they have a large number of trips designed for people aged 18-29 . (Other trips, including family-focused trips, are geared toward any age.)

Top Trip: Experience unforgettable wildlife encounters on Intrepid Travel’s Premium Uganda & Rwanda trip which includes time with the mountain gorillas of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. 

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Best Private Group Travel: Kensington Tours

Whether your group consists of just two people or involves taking the entire extended family, Kensington Tours will take all the hassle of planning out of the equation. This private group operator creates personalized trips and itineraries tailored to your preferences, while their experts handle all the logistics and bookings. 

Plans are entirely flexible, and can even be changed while on the trip on a whim. Need some inspiration? Browse Kensington Tours’ travel ideas , to get some ideas for your next adventure. 

Top Trip: Sail around the stunning shores of Croatia and the Dalmation Islands on a private luxury catamaran on Kensington Tours’ fully customizable tour . 

Best Polar Group Travel: Chimu Adventures

Whether you’re headed north to the Artic or south to Antarctica, Chimu Adventures has the perfect polar group trip for you. Chimu Adventures has some of the most variety for polar trips, with options to fly, cruise, or a combination of both to get to your destination.

For an ultra-unique Antarctica trip, Chimu Adventures offers cruises departing from Australia or New Zealand (most Antarctica trips depart from Argentina). Can’t stay long? Book one of Chimu Adventures’ scenic flights to Antarctica , which fly as far as the south pole in one spectacular 16-hour day.

Chimu Adventures is one of the cheapest group trips to Antarctica, with rates starting under $5,000.

Top Trip: If you’re pressed for time (or simply don’t have the stomach for the Drake Passage), Chimu Adventures’ Antarctica Fly Cruise will get you to the ends of the earth quickly and smoothly.

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Best Group Tours for Solo Travelers: For the Love of Travel

Group tours can be a great way to meet new people, but they can sometimes skew on the older age range. If you’re between 25-39 and a solo traveler looking to meet new people, you’ll love For the Love of Travel . All participants on the trips are between 25-39, and according to the company, 80 percent are solo travelers—so you’ll make friends fast. Hoping to meet someone who will be more than just a friend on your next trip? Trips include a balanced number of “gal and guy spots” to ensure an even balance of genders within groups (and of course, non-binary genders are always welcome). 

For the Love of Travel offers weeklong (or longer) international trips as well as shorter weekender trips to nearby destinations like Mexico or Denver—perfect for people without a lot of vacation time.

Top Trip: Sleep in a glass igloo under the Northern Lights, go sledding with huskies, and warm up in traditional saunas on For the Love of Travel’s Lapland tour , already booking dates for 2024.

Best Biking Tours Group Travel: DuVine Cycling

Biking through the rolling hills of Italy or across the mountain roads of Chile sounds like a dream, but the logistics seem daunting (especially if you don’t want to haul all your own stuff from point-to-point). Enter: DuVine Cycling , a luxury small group tour company that specializes in bike trips. 

With trips across Europe, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the United States, DuVine Cycling is a cyclist’s dream. Choose from all-biking trips or mix things up with a cycle and sail bike tour or a multi-sport adventure —no matter what, everything is included, from luxury boutique accommodations to top-quality name brand bikes. 

Top Trip: DuVine’s Holland Bike Tour promises “tulips, windmills, beer, and cheese”—what more could you need?

Best Luxury Group Travel: Abercrombie & Kent

Abercrombie & Kent has been delighting discerning travelers since 1962. Today, they take travelers on unforgettable adventures across over 100 different countries and all seven continents. Although Abercrombie & Kent’s trips are pricey, they encompass once-in-a-lifetime experiences like private jet tours around the world or luxury chartered cruises .

There are trips designed for solo travelers and families , and the small group journeys max out at around 14-18 guests.

Top Trip: Swim with whale sharks in the Philippines, feed proboscis monkeys in Malaysia, and photograph wild tigers in India on Abercrombie & Kent’s Wildlife Safari: Around the World by Private Jet trip , already booking dates into 2024.

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Welcome to Groups on Tour

At Groups on Tour, we are your group tour specialist. We offer the great value and service to ensure students and groups have the best possible experience with our personalized tours. All our tour packages and services are individually customized and not just the regular off-the-shelf packages.

We Plan the Perfect Trip for You

We have been providing group Travel planning since 1989 and have had the privilege to serve over 250,000 travelers. Our professional tour planners and guides are experienced in working with all types of groups. Be it a touring band or school tour, we design the perfect trip for you whether in the US or worldwide.

We Focus On Group Travelling

We specialize in group travel. Group leaders, directors, and teachers enjoy the benefits of working with industry veterans. With a 100% focus on group traveling, our exclusive trip approach results in more and more business every year. Our goal is to give you a comfortable and rewarding travel experience.

Exclusively Planned Group Trips

Plan your trip with Groups on Tour and experience the joy of one-on-one and personal planning. All of our trips are exclusively planned, tailored to suit your budget and requests. No "off the shelf" cookie-cutter trips.

Individually Customized Trips

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Tour Groups: Pros, Cons & Deciding if They’re For You

• Initially, with family (parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.)
• With friends
• Just the 2 of us
• Solo travel
• Many people have, of course, also traveled with their own families once they’re adults and have kids. Joe and I don’t have kids so we’ve never experienced that type of travel
• Group tours

That last category, going on group tours, is really its own thing, quite different from traveling with people you know. It has its place, but also isn’t for everybody.

Going on a group tour has its own set of pros and cons. Before you go on one, it’s probably best to consider both, so you can determine if going on a group tour is something that’s for you or not.

Pros of group tours

You don’t have to plan much.

Probably one of the best parts of going on a group tour is that you don’t have to do a lot of planning. Group tours are generally pre-set, so there’s a lot less work to do ahead of time. Although you may have some free time where you’ll have to decide what to do, for the most part, the itinerary is already laid out for you.

You don’t have to worry about transportation

If you’re making your own travel plans, you have to figure out all the logistics of getting from Point A to Point B to Point C, to Point D, etc. Plane? Train? Rent a car? Even going from place to place within a city can be daunting. With a tour, they already have the bus/shuttle/flights all done for you (as an example, this would never have happened if we were on a tour)

You have the opportunity to make new friends

Meeting new people is not necessarily a positive for everyone (I’m an introvert; I totally get it).

Some group tours are even made for specific groups, such as singles, LGBTQI+, seniors, people of certain skin colors or religions, etc. So you may be in a group of people who you have something in common with.

You don’t have to travel solo

Some travelers have no one to travel with because of reasons. Going on a group tour allows you to avoid having to travel solo (this might be especially important for women, who may not feel safe going to certain locales on their own).

The safety factor

Speaking of safety for solo women travelers, some locations in the world are simply not as safe as others, regardless of gender. The mere fact that you’re part of a group can increase your safety. Your guide will also (hopefully) look out for you, since they know how to avoid potential problems.

Having a guide who’s familiar with the area can also help you from getting ripped off by merchants, warn you about potential issues ahead of time, etc. (i.e. when we were going to Angkor Wat, our guides warned us that the merchants in a particular area were particularly ruthless in trying to sell things to tourists. They told us how to respond to them [or rather, NOT respond] so the merchants would leave us alone and we wouldn’t get stuck buying something we didn’t want.

You learn more about what you’re experiencing

A tour usually has guides who are familiar with your locale and can tell you more about what you’re experiencing, as you experience it, than what you may learn on your own.

You get to do things you otherwise might not experience

Our most recent group tour was to Vietnam/Laos/Cambodia. Some of the activities included seeing things that required hiking up literally hundreds of steps.

I’m not a big fan of stairs because of my asthma. I can do the hike; it just takes me a long time because I have to rest and catch my breath so often. If there was a certain view we wanted to see, we might do the hike, albeit very slowly.

Because we were on the tour, I was able to say I’d stay at the hotel (because I didn’t want to slow the rest of the group down), and Joe was able to go on the hike with the rest of the group, at a more normal pace (read: not have to stop every 20-25 steps so I could stop gasping for breath). He might not have gone if we weren’t on the tour, instead saying let’s not bother, knowing that it would be a difficult activity for me.

A group tour may also allow you to experience activities only open to groups, or that might be difficult if the activity doesn’t have any sort of English translation and you don’t speak the language, or that you literally just wouldn’t have found on your own.

It could be cheaper

Because tours get group rates for hotels, activities, restaurants, etc., going on a tour may wind up being less expensive than if you planned everything on your own.

Budgeting is easier

When you’re on a group tour, you may still need to pay for some things. Alcoholic drinks. Souvenirs. A meal or two. Tips for your guides. But going on a group tour means it’s easier to budget because you know you have your upfront cost already done and it’s just those little incidentals to consider.

You always have someone to take your photo

Sometimes you don’t want a selfie; sometimes you want a real, full-body-with-background shot. You may be able to get a stranger to take your picture (and hope they don’t steal your camera/phone). But if you’re in a group, there’s always someone to ask to take your picture (and they may ask you, as well).

Cons of group tours

You’re generally stuck with their itinerary.

Group tours have a set itinerary and there’s little wiggle room for choice. So you may miss something you’ve always wanted to see, because it’s not on the tour. That might not always be the case (i.e. on our tour of Vietnam, a part of the group, a family of 4 said they would skip {whatever the afternoon/evening activities were] because they were going to see something else), but sometimes it can be.

The same goes for where you get to go shopping. The scheduled “shopportunities” we had on our Adventures by Disney tours were at places that sold art, jewelry, specialty coffees, etc. None of that is for me – give me a touristy crap shop ANY time. 😉 (to be fair, we went past those too. But the few times we actually stopped at places that had those, we had, like, 5 minutes to explore. We had 45 minutes at the art and jewelry place though).

Similar to being stuck with a group tour’s itinerary, you’re also pretty much married to their scheduling. Not a morning person? Sucks to be you if the first activity of the day consistently starts around 8am (I may or may not be saying that from personal experience LOL).

There’s little opportunity to be spontaneous

Because you’re on a set itinerary, being on a group tour means you don’t really get a chance to explore. See a sign for a waterfall down this path and you want to check it out? Too bad, because the group is on their way to a lookout over there.

Guided tours can be exhausting

This goes hand-in-hand with scheduling. When you travel on your own, you go at your own pace. When you’re with a guided tour, you’re at the mercy of their planning more than you’d typically do, walking faster than you’d prefer, etc. It can be a constant go-go-go for upwards of 12 hours at a time and by the time the tour is done, you need a vacation because of your vacation.

All. The. Peopleing

Group tours mean a whole lot of being and interacting with others. If you’re an extreme introvert, that may not be your idea of a great vacation.

Even if you’re not an introvert, sometimes you just may not be compatible with the other people on your tour. You may be stuck with people you really don’t like, don’t want to talk to, etc.

Your guides might not be that great

Just as you may or may not like your fellow group tour members, your tour guide could be awesome…or not. Or sometimes your main tour guides are great but your local guides may not be your cup of tea.

Yeah, I know I said the cost of a group tour could be cheaper than doing it alone. On the other hand, some group tours wind up costing more than if you did everything without a tour. You need to do your homework.

Paying up front

Going on a group tour means paying for that tour months ahead of time. For some people that could be an issue.

Are group tours for you?

Obviously, whether or not group tours are something you should consider is a Your Mileage May Vary situation.

Joe and I have been on about a half dozen Adventures by Disney group tours (the American Southwest, Australia/Tasmania, The Rockies/Banff, Hollywood/Disneyland, Ireland, and Vietnam/Laos/Cambodia). We’ve also been on one (to Cuba) that was a private tour with guides but all planned for us, and another (Iceland – here are 17 Iceland tips the guide books don’t tell you about ) where our hotels and rental car were taken care of and our itinerary included “recommended” locations but which we went to was up to us.

We’ve found that when going to a location we know little about, especially one where English is not the primary (or secondary) language, we much preferred doing a tour – that was especially true for Cuba, Iceland and our recent tour to SE Asia. We’ve also gone on one (that Disneyland tour) because it allowed us to see some behind-the-scenes things that, at least at the time, were only available to people on the tour.

Like I said, group tours have their place. They have their pros and their cons. We’ve determined they’re good for us some of the time. How about you?

Feature Photo: Public Domain by Oregon DOT

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I’m not a tour fan personally. The waiting on the slowest person so you can proceed to the next place you’re told to be drives me nuts. Somebody is inevitably late and that just eats into your time. I also like to wake up when I choose rather than having to put my suitcase outside my door before sunrise. You also get a lot less time to do what you want so you miss out on lots of the little experiences that make travel memorable. That said, I’m not anti-tour. It’s just not for me at this point.

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How a Group Tour Changed My Whole Approach to Travel

When my vacation plans changed at the last minute, i finally decided to try a group tour for the first time..

Review: EF Go Ahead’s Food & Wine: Piedmont & Tuscany with America’s Test Kitchen

I’ve always considered myself a fiercely independent traveler. I’ve navigated more than 50 countries on my own, and while I have sometimes booked short excursions, usually for a day, it had never occurred to me to book a group tour. That changed when I decided to take two of my children on a family tour with Intrepid Travel .

I had originally planned on spending our winter break in the Middle East, but changed my mind at the last minute due to safety concerns . Because of the abrupt change, I knew I wouldn’t have time to plan an itinerary, book hotels, and arrange transportation before our departure date. However, I didn’t want to let that stop me from having an adventure. I’m glad I took a chance on a group tour because it changed the way I travel. Here’s how.

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The Trip Planning Was Incredibly Stress-Free

I spent a little time comparing tour companies , but quickly honed in on Intrepid. The company offers a variety of itineraries for families at different price points, and a few of my friends had been on tours with them before and had a good experience. I also liked that Intrepid offers specialized tours for different types of travelers, including family tours . 

At first, I was planning on taking an “original” style family tour but upgraded to a “comfort” tour, which included more activities and meals along with upgraded accommodations. Although it cost more, the company’s 10-day Morocco Family Holiday tour was still within my budget and looked like a good value. 

BEFORE YOU GO: The 5 Most Important Questions to Ask Yourself Before Booking a Tour  

Once I committed to a tour, my planning was essentially done. This was a huge relief. I normally spend hours searching for hotels , figuring out some must-do activities in every location along with some off-the-beaten-track attractions, researching transportation options, and gathering restaurant recommendations. Although I often find this process fun, it’s also time-consuming and can become draining for trips that involve several stops.

Even though a group tour was not exactly what I would have planned on my own, Intrepid’s Morocco itinerary was fairly close. I thought giving up some control was well worth the trade-off of not having to do all the planning on my own. Because Intrepid uses local teams based in their tour destinations to plan trips, I also hoped that having a local involved would bring me to places I never would have found on my own. 

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Instead of reading hotel reviews and booking entry tickets, I spent the weeks leading up to my family vacation learning more about Moroccan culture. I knew this would enrich my experience more than figuring out all of the details that are needed for a trip abroad to run smoothly. I’m usually a mix of excited and stressed in the week or two leading up to a big trip. This time I was mostly excited, and my stress was at a minimum. 

While I won’t stick exclusively to group tours in the future, this trip taught me to not sweat the small stuff so much. I don’t need to spend so much time finding the perfect hotel or restaurant to have a great trip. 

Group Trips Are Fantastic for Solo Travelers and Parents Traveling on Their Own

Before I had a family, I often traveled on my own. While I enjoyed solo travel , it was lonely at times, even more so when I stopped staying at youth hostels and lost access to the fantastic communities they provide. Now I frequently travel with my two younger children. They are fantastic travel companions, but on longer trips I sometimes find myself longing for adult interaction or an extra pair of hands. Additionally, even though my kids usually get along well, they sometimes get sick of each other in the absence of any other playmates. 

TRAVEL WITH TEENS:   10 Best Vacation Ideas for Families with Teenagers

On my Intrepid trip, I had other adults to talk to throughout the day. This was a refreshing change from my usual experience of going a week or more without speaking to another adult for more than five minutes, usually for transactional matters like checking into a hotel. My kids also quickly made friends with the other children on the trip. Not surprisingly, all of the families on the trip had similar interests and an adventurous spirit. My children and I were the only Americans in the group and it was interesting learning more about life in New Zealand, Canada, and Australia from the other families we traveled with.

The parents in the group quickly started leaning on each other for support. One mom, also traveling alone with her children, asked me to take one of her daughters on an outing so she could get some one-on-one time with her other child. I asked a different mom to keep an eye on my son while I packed our things for the next day. It was nice not feeling like I was completely on my own. 

UNIQUE TRIPS: Hate Bus Tours? These 7 Unique Guided Tours Were Made for You

This “it takes a village” spirit is something I want to bring with me in my future travels. Although it’s not possible to replicate the experience of traveling with other families, it is possible to seek out connections away from home. For example, on a recent trip, my son wanted to play soccer with local children who lived near our hotel. Instead of rushing him away so we could squeeze in another activity, I let him play. He wound up meeting up with the other kids every night we were there, sharing candy and communicating with an app. The nights playing soccer were a highlight of that trip for him, and something I probably would not have let him do before my experience with a group tour.  

I Appreciated a Slower Pace

I have serious FOMO and often pack too much into my days when I travel. When I first reviewed the itinerary for my trip, I noted right away that it had downtime and even an entire free afternoon built into the trip. While I know that many people enjoy this balance, I was worried I would feel bored and come away feeling like I had traveled halfway around the world and missed seeing all there is to do. 

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The reality is, it’s impossible to do everything. Trying is exhausting and impossible. There is always something left on the to-do list at the end of the trip. It was refreshing to go into a trip not attempting to see an entire country in two weeks and being okay with that from the outset. 

While there were a couple of other things I would have liked to have squeezed in, I was very happy with the balance of activities and downtime on my trip. Other than all-inclusive family vacations and trips to family resorts , I normally don’t schedule time to just relax while I am traveling. It was really nice to have time to read and play UNO with my kids. I also liked that Intrepid had a couple of optional activities for those of us who didn’t want quite as much downtime as others. 

MONEY MATTERS: How Much Should You Tip on a Guided Tour? All Your Gratuity Questions Answered  

I do still feel pressure to see and do everything when I travel, but going on a group trip helped me see the value in traveling at a slower pace. Some of my favorite moments from my Intrepid trip happened during scheduled downtime, giving me and my children time to just enjoy being with each other without the pressures of work and school. It’s a lesson I’ve tried to carry with me as I’ve planned future trips. 

Learning from a Local Is Invaluable 

One reason I chose Intrepid is the company uses all local guides, and most tours use the same guide throughout the trip. While it’s obvious that learning from locals is the best way to get to know a country, I had underestimated just how valuable traveling with a local guide would be. 

TOUR REVIEW: Adventures by Disney’s South Africa Tour Is a Lesson in Culture, History, and Beauty  

I learned so much about Moroccan culture through our tour guide, who was always willing to answer questions about his life and traditions. He even brought us to his family home to meet his parents and niece, which was a very special experience. Aside from being able to share the history of everywhere we visited, I also liked that our guide warned us about scams to watch out for, tipping culture, and advice on bargaining. He was also very helpful when it came to practical matters like finding an ATM.  

For future trips, I will be more open to taking guided tours with local guides, even if it’s just for a few hours. I will also make it a point to try to talk to more locals when traveling, as long as I can do so without bothering them too much.

Even though it wasn’t what I had originally planned, not only did I have a great experience on my trip with Intrepid, it has also forever changed the way I plan to travel.

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How to Plan Traveling Alone vs Booking a Group Tour: Pros and Cons

Posted on Last updated: June 9, 2022

Before heading abroad, many young people these days are trying to weigh their options of doing an organized group tour as a solo traveler, or figuring out how to plan traveling alone. In this post, I will weight the pros and cons of tours and solo travel to help you decide!

There’s a lot to take into account- the amount of effort you are or aren’t willing to put into planning your solo travels out, how much money you want to spend, how much partying you want to do, how long you want to spend in each place, how early you want to wake up each morning, and how tied you want to be to a strict schedule.

I have traveled alone on tours and alone by myself in different continents and can confirm they both have their benefits and costs, but which one is right for you? This lengthy list of pro’s and con’s of each travel method should help you decide!

What to Consider When Travelling Alone on Group Tours

For the sake of this article, I am referring to group tours as organized group travel (usually by bus) where there is a specified length, itinerary, and core group of people throughout. It is common for solo travelers to book group tours all over the world!

All the qualities I’m going to list aren’t constant across all tours but are definitely things you’re going to want to think about before you go. Some destinations are better for tours, such Croatia sailing . Read about the Best Group Tours and Companies on the Planet .

Top Recommended Group Tour Companies for Solo Travelers

For younger solo travelers (under 40ish) looking for tour groups, check out Topdeck , Stoke Travel , Contiki , Life Before Work , Koda Sail , EF Ultimate Break , Busabout , Wind Collective , Intrepid Travel Youth Tours , and more.

This list includes some larger companies and some smaller and more boutique ones. Choose what’s best for you or message me on Instagram if you have any questions or need advice!

Booking Group Tours for Solo Travelers

For starters, booking group trips for solo travelers is TOTALLY normal! If this is what you are worried about, don’t be. I have both been a tour guide and a solo traveler passenger on group tours and can confirm that there are usually plenty of solo travelers and that they are often integral parts of the larger group very quickly.

Many group tours have bonding activities to help everyone get to know each other, and by the end, you will feel like one happy family. Most tour groups welcome solo travelers and many guides will put extra effort into making sure you feel included. Of course, this depends on how social you are and the group you get, but generally, it works out well.

On Tours, You Spend Less Time in Each Place

It’s not surprising that tours spend very little time in each destination (1 or 2 days, and 3 at most), which makes it tough slash impossible to really cover everything . Add in a hangover from hell some mornings and there’s no way you’ll get through all the obligatory cultural activities that you really should see in each place.

I always like to think of tours as an introduction to a certain country, area, or continent, where you’ll get to see a large number of places very quickly. This will orient you to the area and enable you to decide which places you liked, didn’t like, and want to go back to someday. This is a good way to look at it if you’re traveling for the first time and don’t know where to start.

On a Group Tour, You Put Minimal to Zero Effort in Planning and Transportation

People pay more for tours because, well… they don’t have to do jack squat. Forget the googling, train ticket buying, airline perusing, and missed busses (well you can still miss the bus on a tour :P) that come with traveling on your own – tours have it all sorted for you from start to finish, even many meals!

Get on the bus when your tour guide says so, meet in the common room when they say so, sign up for optionals when they pass the sheet around, grab a room key and a bed in the hostel they take you to.

Depending on the tour company, you can usually trust that you will be staying in adequate accommodation and that you will have optimal optionals to do. Hell, you can read the trip notes to see all the plans and possible inclusions beforehand, but in my experience no one really does that anyway… it’s all about the trust in the tour company!

On a Group Tour, You’re Stuck with the Same Group The Entire Time (of 10-50 people)

Your tour group can be completely awesome or can ruin your experience, and it’s just a risk you’ll have to take. If you get an awesome group that clicks, it could be the best time of your life with new best friends.

If you get a cliquey group that does’t get along, it might be hard to get everyone to have fun together. Most groups end up somewhere right in the middle, with a few party starters/group clowns that get everyone else going, and a few quiet ones that may be brought out of their shell.

In smaller trips (like the ones I lead) of 7 days, group isn’t as much of an issue. But getting into longer trips of 30-50 days, the group can make or break the tour. And again, you can’t really control this, it’s just the luck of the draw. The reality of tours is that each and every person in the group comes expecting something a bit different, and you can never satisfy everyone – all you can do as a passenger is try and prepare yourself for what it will be like.

You Might End Up Partying Too Much on Group Tours as a Solo Traveler

This is just a sad (or awesome) reality in the world of tours, depending on what you’re looking for… especially in Europe (but true everywhere really). Tours do have a small stigma of being party-centered, and there will always be a few people on your tour who are just there for the party. Nearly all companies will include both nightlife and culture/history into their tours, and it’s up to you as the passenger to balance the two.

It’s a true test of willpower when the entire group has decided to go out, say, before a 9am walking tour or a 6am bus time. You’ll have to learn to rally with a hangover, resist the urge to go out (and loads of peer pressure) at least sometimes, or if you want both, how to put your body through the true test of long-term bending 😛

You Aren’t Really Solo on a Group Trip

Maybe you are traveling alone, but as soon as you join a tour you are alone no longer! Everyone may have been separate when they got on the bus, but now you’re one big group.

Sure, it’s a bit harder meeting everyone if you’re solo, but soon everyone will know each other well enough and forget who actually came with who. On tours, the ‘solo’ part of your solo travel doesn’t last too long.

History is Included + Tour Guide

With group tours, you often don’t have to seek out walking tours, museums, or history because your tour guide will know basically everything. Tour guides will be your sensei of all things, and it’s a great asset to have someone to help out all the time.

Tour guides often organize walking tours or visits to historical monuments/museums, and give the history spiel of a place on the bus before arriving. Just make sure you’re awake! I feel that people on tours often tend to zone out during the historical and cultural bits, which is a big shame because you are missing out on a big part of your travels by doing so.

Get Your Entire Itinerary, Packing List, Optionals & Inclusions Beforehand

Group tours will give you ALL the info before you go: what you’re doing, where you’re going and how, and what to bring. The tour company does all the research on cool things to do, places to eat, and things to bring for you, so you don’t have to do much preparation or planning at all. This can be a good or bad thing!

…. But Sometimes You Forget How to Think

The fact that everythin g is done for you just furthers the whole ‘minimal effort’ thing to a point where sometimes passengers can hardly function as human beings on their own on tour without their tour guide (sorry, that must be the tour guide in me coming out… but it’s all too true! :P).

It’s kindof like at certain points passengers forget how to think for themselves after relying too fully on their guide to tell them everything. When, in fact, they could have looked up their trip notes, listened to the tour guide the first time when they mentioned all the timings, or maybe done a tiny smidge of research on their destinations or activities just so they were a bit more prepared.

If you were traveling alone, you might know a bit more about your plans, wouldn’t you?! But then again, that’s why some people pay for tours. I have literally had people ask me what time it is when they had their phone in their hand… among many other stupid things.

How to Plan Traveling Alone + Pros and Cons of Solo Travel

Because I’m writing this for a younger age group of more budget travelers, I am assuming you will be mostly staying in hostels, budget hotels, and cheaper rentals throughout your travels. Hostels are one of the best places to get travel information, from the people who work there or fellow travelers alike!

B&B’s and apartments make it a bit more difficult to get access to travel advice and info (although the privacy is seriously appreciated sometimes, I know), but it’s nothing a trip to the nearest travel agency can’t help.

You Do ALL the Planning When Traveling Solo

This is a part some people love, but some people hate. If you travel on your own, you have to seek out and book each and every hostel/hotel, activity, train, bus, and flight all by yourself.

It may sound daunting, but there are an incredible amount of resources that help you do all these things. For some reason, planning my travel is one of my favorite things to do. It’s so exciting and I often feel better when in control of my own destinations.

Resources for Planning Solo Travel

Hostelworld is the only site I use to book my hostels – it has everything you could possibly need. Photos, descriptions, ratings, reviews from real travelers with bio’s, maps, and more, for not only hostels but hotels, b&b’s, apartments, and hotels. I always think it’s better to pay a bit more to stay in city centers so you’re closer to all the action.

Skyscanner is also the only site I use to book my flights – it expertly compares fares from over 30 sites to find you the cheapest one. See the blue bar up a bit on the right? Try it for yourself and see how they compare fares!

GOOGLE – Seriously guys, google everything. Gotta get from Barcelona to Rome? Google “Barcelona to Rome” and check your train, ferry, plane or bus options come up on different websites. Want to know where to eat in Lima? Google that, and see what comes up!

One piece of advice I can give regarding googling is to be a bit selective on which links you read – often advertisements, TripAdvisor, and tourism boards come up first, which could be useful, but sometimes I like digging a bit deeper off the first page to find personal blog posts from locals and travelers.

Busses – Busses are the cheapest way to get around most places, and the systems are different everywhere. Try Megabus, Flixbus, National Express, or Eurolines in Europe, and Greyhound in the USA.

Australia has different bus lines in each state (google 😉 ), and in Southeast Asia you book everything through local travel agencies who always take care of you. Stay tuned for my travels through the remaining continents!

Trains – Trains are also usually a good bet, especially in Europe. There are lots of resources to learn about Eurail and possible rail passes to save money.

So this of course takes a good amount of effort and requires you to be on top of your plans and educated about how to get from A to B. But, this is exactly the travel experience a lot of people value, and it makes you feel much more accomplished than blindly allowing a tour bus to take you wherever it goes that day!

Hostels will always help you out with the best options in that city, and are the best resource for info you could ask for. To read my best tips & hacks for backpacking in Europe, click here! 

Stay However Long You Want When Traveling Solo

Depending on how much you want to see during the time you have allotted for your travels, planning your own routes allows you to stay as long as you would like in each place. Some people plan out the entirety of their travels before they go, which is awesome, and some (like me) prefer to plan it as they go.

Arrive in one place with two nights booked, see what you think, and extend if you are feeling it and book your next place if not. Ask your hostel the best places to go from there, or the best ways to get where you want to go, or, again, google it 🙂 Hostels can usually book transportation for you as well.

Option to Meet + Travel With New Friends

Oftentimes while solo traveling, you meet a group of people you really get along with. Another awesome thing about traveling in a more freestyle way is that you can choose to join a group of friends on a whim if you would like to.

Even if they’re going the opposite direction or to places you didn’t initially see yourself going, sometimes things like this can fall together beautifully if you meet the right crew. This is something that is of course not possible on an organized tour – you’d have to hope for a good group!!

You May Run the Risk of Things Selling Out/Getting Stuck

If you are booking travel as you go, you always run the risk of the popular hostels, busses, trains, etc selling out before you book them. This happens a lot during peak seasons, holidays, or major events/festivals. If the transportation you want is sold out, you might get stuck somewhere unintentionally.

To avoid this, make sure to book any events or holidays (Running of the Bulls, Chiang Mai Lantern Fest, Australia Day, La Tomatina, Oktoberfest, you get the point) far enough in advance that you can be sure you’ll get a spot in your accommodation/transportation.

Solo Travel Entices You to Come out of Your Shell

Traveling truly alone is a fantastic learning experience and encourages you to find things within yourself that you may not have known you had. Everything is up to you, including interactions.

Want to go out at night or socialize a bit? Well, you’d better not be afraid to walk right up to a group in the common room and introduce yourself! Especially if you want to be social while traveling alone, you must come out of your shell a bit, and do this each time you arrive in a new place. It’s a great way to force yourself to step out of your comfort zone.

Traveling Alone Requires Extra Effort to Get Culture & History

This one is debatable, but it is definitely true that it’s harder to learn about the history & culture of a destination when you are traveling on your own vs. on a group tour, because, well, tours give you all the info you need as you are going.

Picture yourself on a tour bus, looking out the window while arriving into your next town, with your tour guide on the mic at the front going on and on about the battle that occurred here in 1587. Have you zoned out yet? Just make sure you are aware when this is happening or it defeats the purpose!

If you are traveling on your own, you may need to put a bit more effort in to ask about walking tours or sign yourself up for cultural activities while you are there. It’s pretty obligatory to go to religious sites, famous museums, etc in each new town.

There’s Always the Option to do Day Tours

If you are planning your own travel, you can always sign up for day tours in the destinations you visit. This is true nearly everywhere – do a day tour to Tuscany while in Florence, a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef while in Cairns, a day tour to Stonehenge while in London, a day (or a few) to Ha Long Bay in Vietnam.

This is a great way to get a little bit of organization into your life and be able to let others take care of your travel for you, for once! In fact, it is much better to do an organized day tour for certain activities/destinations than to try and navigate them yourself, because day tours often include multiple points of interest all in one.

Just because you’re planning your own doesn’t mean you can’t hand the reigns to someone else once in a while!

Well, aspiring travelers, I hope this has given you some more insight about how to plan traveling alone or whether you;r prefer to join a group tour… or a nice little mixture of both! Let me know in the comments if you have any more questions or concerns… and of course, Pin this post if you liked it!

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Moscow metro of the last 20 years

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Moscow Metro Underground Small-Group Tour - With Reviews & Ratings

Moscow metro underground small-group tour.

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Tour Information

Key Details

• Mobile Voucher Accepted
• Free Cancellation
• Duration: 3 Hrs
• Language: English
• Departure Time : 10:00 AM
• Departure Details : Karl Marks Monument on Revolution Square, metro stop: Square of Revolution
• Return Details : Metro Smolenskaya
• If you cancel at least 4 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
• If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
• Tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.

Go beneath the streets on this tour of the spectacular, mind-bending Moscow Metro! Be awed by architecture and spot the Propaganda , then hear soviet stories from a local in the know. Finish it all up above ground, looking up to Stalins skyscrapers, and get the inside scoop on whats gone on behind those walls.

Know More about this tour

We begin our Moscow tour beneath the city, exploring the underground palace of the Moscow Metro. From the Square of Revolution station, famous for its huge statues of soviet people (an armed soldier, a farmer with a rooster, a warrior, and more), we’ll move onto some of the most significant stations, where impressive mosaics, columns, and chandeliers will boggle your eyes! Moreover, these stations reveal a big part of soviet reality — the walls depict plenty of Propaganda , with party leaders looking down from images on the walls. Your local guide will share personal stories of his/her family from USSR times, giving you insight into Russia’s complicated past and present. Then we’re coming back up to street level, where we’ll take a break and refuel with some Russian fast food: traditional pancakes, called bliny. And then, stomachs satiated, we are ready to move forward! We’ll take the eco-friendly electric trolleybus, with a route along the Moscow Garden Ring. Used mainly by Russian babushkas(grannies) during the day, the trolleybus hits peak hours in the mornings and evenings, when many locals use it going to and from their days. Our first stop will be the Aviator’s House, one of Stalin’s Seven Sisters, followed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — and you’ll hear the legends of what has gone on inside the walls. Throughout your Moscow tour, you’ll learn curious facts from soviet history while seeing how Russia exists now, 25 years after the USSR.

Local English-speaking guide

Pancake snack and drink

Additional food and drinks

Tickets for public transport

Souvenirs and items of a personal nature

Tips and gratuities for the guide

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking

Dress standard: Please wear comfortable shoes for walking. For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people

Traveler Reviews

This tour exceeded our expectations. Nikolai (Nick), our tour guide, was very knowledgeable, thorough, and has a great personality. He didn't take shortcuts and really covered everything that was on the agenda in great detail. We saw beautiful metro stations and learned the history behind them, including many of the murals and designs.

We did the tour with Anna her knowledge and understanding of the History surrounding the metro brought the tour alive. Well done Anna!

This tour was amazing!

Anna was a great tour guide. She gave us heaps of interesting information, was very friendly, and very kindly showed us how to get to our next tour.

Amazing beauty and history.

An excellent tour helped by an absolutely amazing guide. Anna gave a great insight into the history of the metro helped by additional material she had prepared.

great tour and guide - thanks again

great will do it again, Miriam ke was very good as a guide she has lived here all here life so knew every interesting detail.a good day

IVE talks first US tour, finding self-love and not being afraid to 'challenge' themselves

K-pop girl group IVE members possess distinctive traits – confidence, boldness and strength, to name a few. The group's name, a contraction of "I have," epitomizes the group's ethos as members Gaeul, Yujin, Rei, Wonyoung, Liz and Leeseo seek and celebrate self-love.

"The most important and key things of our songs is loving ourselves," Wonyoung, 19, told USA TODAY. "If you're worrying about something and if you want encouragement from someone, we could do it (through) our songs."

IVE made its way onto the music scene in late 2021, meteorically rising to become a staple in today's K-pop landscape. Their studio album, EP and single albums have all peaked at No. 1 on South Korea's Circle Album chart and the group has received various accolades, including Song of the Year, Best Female Group and Rookie of the Year.

2024 marks the third anniversary of IVE's debut and this year is already shaping to be another pivotal one.

The group recently released their first English-language single " All Night " in collaboration with American rapper Saweetie . And IVE is embarking on the U.S. leg of their first world tour, including stops in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Newark, New Jersey.

"We're really excited for it, so we hope that you'll stay tuned," said Gaeul, 21.

IVE embarks on its first US tour

On Wednesday, IVE kicks off their first U.S. jaunt as part of the "Show What I Have" world tour. The group is set to perform in six cities across America.

The first show will be at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. The tour wraps March 29 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

The members are eager to tour the U.S., with the group's leader Yujin saying she's "really looking forward to it." Liz, 19, shared how she wants to visit each city's attractions and Leeseo, 17, echoed similar sentiments.

In terms of the shows, DIVE (the name for IVE's fans) can expect elevated performances mixed with IVE's signature flair.

"Some of the songs we reproduce and remake just for our world tour," said Wonyoung. "Also some units are preparing for brand new songs to perform." The tour as a whole highlights IVE's growth as artists, tackling different and varied stages.

The members cannot wait to interact and meet their fans in the states. "I want all of our DIVEs to get a lot of energy from us," said Yujin, 20.

Defining IVE's artistry and sonic identity

From " Baddie " to " I AM ", the group's tracks underscore themes of individuality and conviction. The members know who they are and what they have, spotlighting their individual charms and talents.

IVE's recent six-track mini album " I'VE MINE " featured three singles, " Either Way ", " Off the Record " and "Baddie". Each dives deeper into the concept of self. Ultimately, they construct a reality of IVE – a group who is unapologetically themselves and unafraid to confront norms and try new things.

"I think that 'IVE MINE' album represents that we can do everything, every color, every song," said Yujin. "From now on, we want to challenge (ourselves) to (do) more song genres."

Moving forward, the members want to experiment with their sound. Wonyoung wants to try a more rock sound, while Leeseo wishes to explore a style that is "grand and gorgeous."

No matter what they do, the group remains strong to its identity and messages. "I wish that IVE could be explained with the word IVE; that no one can be able to replace us," said Gaeul.

IVE members reflect on growth

Over the last almost three years, the members have grown very close, said Wonyoung. "I feel like we're more related to each other than before."

During this time, IVE has evolved not only as a group, but as individuals. Yujin shared how she's gained a deeper appreciation for music. Rei, 20, has become unafraid to express herself and try new things.

Leeseo, who debuted at just 14 years old, noted how she's matured. This growth reflects in other members. Gaeul said she's learned how to love herself and others.

"Before my debut, I wasn't as confident in myself," she explained. But as IVE has come into their own, so has Gaeul. "I began to enjoy what I do and I want to return that love to our fans."

This message resonates throughout IVE, who has a deep appreciation for DIVE. Liz hopes to give back the love she receives from their fans.

"I have that desire to return it," she said. "I feel like I am growing through that."

Solo Traveler

Solo travel tips, destinations, stories... the source for those who travel alone.

Solo Traveler On a Group Tour: It’s Not What You Think

December 23, 2022 by Tracey Nesbitt

What is it like for an independent solo traveler on a group tour?

It's a question that is often asked in our Facebook community, the Solo Travel Society .

Strong opinions are sometimes expressed. There are those who believe that only those who travel independently are solo travelers. There are those who believe that as long as you set out alone to join a tour, you are traveling solo. Some prefer the company of others on a tour. Some prefer solitude.

At Solo Traveler, we take the more expansive view that you can decide for yourself what constitutes solo travel. So whether you plan every little detail yourself or prefer to have someone else take care of it, whether you wander about a destination alone or in the company of people you meet along the way, whether you set out alone and join day tours from time to time or book yourself on a group tour in a private room or even share with a stranger, you are practicing your own style of solo travel.

Almost all of my travel has been of the independent variety, so when Globus invited me to experience their new travel style called Choice Touring, I jumped at the chance. I took their Green with Envy: Ireland by Design tour so I could give you a perspective as an independent solo traveler on a group tour.

Solo Traveler on a Group Tour: 8 Days in Ireland

Day 1: Arrive in Dublin

Depending on arrival time, some travelers had time to explore a bit of Dublin on the first day. The first scheduled event in the itinerary is dinner at your hotel to meet your tour director and the rest of the group. We stayed at The Gibson , a modern, 4-star hotel in the Dublin Docklands area.

A really nice buffet breakfast is included every day, with lots of variety. If you are a coffee lover, I will venture to say that you will not be impressed with any regular coffee served to you in a hotel restaurant in Ireland. The key is to look for a coffee machine that makes cappuccinos and lattes. That's the best you're going to do, but it also offers the added bonus of takeout cups so you can grab and go.

If, like me, you're not a morning person, you will appreciate that takeout coffee. You may not appreciate the 7:00 am breakfast time if you are accustomed to waking on your own schedule when you travel. As the trip progressed, though, I discovered that as a solo traveler on a group tour, I got more out of my day by having a defined wakeup time. With a deadline to be packed and have my luggage ready to be picked up and loaded on the bus, my day was extended and I actually ate breakfast, which I frequently don't do.

Day 2: Dublin-Kilbeggan-Athlone-Westport

On Day 2, we hit the road and started the trip off with a bang with a guided tour of a distillery and a morning whiskey tasting at Kilbeggan Distilling Co. Established in 1757, there's a lot of history within those walls. The tour was really interesting, but I'm afraid I wasn't strong enough to taste the three whiskeys that were offered. My fellow travelers made up for it, though.

Next up: more whiskey! We traveled to Athlone and visited the oldest pub in Ireland, Sean's Bar. As our Tour Director pointed out, many places claim to be “the oldest in Ireland” but this one has some credentials; Sean's Bar has been officially recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as Ireland’s Oldest Pub. They make a mean Irish Coffee. It was still before lunchtime when I visited, but it struck me as a pub I would love to return to in the evening.

I wandered around Athlone, marveling at the stained glass windows in St. Peter and Paul's Church, created by the Harry Clarke Studios. I joined some of my group members for lunch in another pub, and then it was off to Westport.

I found the pacing of the tour to be excellent. There was plenty of time to wander and do your own thing, but not so much that you were waiting around for the bus to take you to the next destination. It was also a treat not to have to be constantly figuring out how to get from place to place. Having that part taken care of by someone else meant that I could cover more ground more easily than if I had been traveling independently.

If you're considering a group tour but are deterred by high single supplements, check out our constantly updated list of tours which, like this one by Globus, feature supplements of 20% or less .

In Westport, we stayed at the 4-star Westport Plaza Hotel. The rooms were spacious, some with jacuzzi tubs, and mine had a small balcony. A gastrobar was located on the ground floor, where I joined the tour group for dinner. This was also where breakfast was served. The hotel has a spa, which I was not able to make time to visit. All in all, a very comfortable place to rest your head at the end of a day of exploring.

Day 3: Westport

In Westport, we had our first opportunity to pick from a roster of activities. This is one of the advantages of the Choice Touring by Globus offerings–you don't have to do the same things as your travel mates, you can choose according to your interests.

In my case, I was really excited to learn to make Irish soda bread and scones. Childhood friends, Mary (previously a medical scientist) and Carmel (previously a home economics teacher), own and operate The Irish Soda Bread Way in Westport. Since only one other traveler in the group joined me, Mary drove us to Carmel's home for our baking class instead of the commercial kitchen where they would normally host larger groups. What a wonderful opportunity to not only learn to make traditional baked goods, but to sit around a table and chat about life with locals over tea and Irish coffee!

For those who were not interested in baking, there were more outdoorsy options to choose from. Some of the group chose a guided e-bike tour of Westport and others explored the beaches and cliffs of Achill Island, Ireland's largest island.

Dinner was on our own on Day 3, so my classmate and I enjoyed a lovely, leisurely meal of local, seasonal ingredients at The Curious Fish then wandered back through the pretty town of Westport to our hotel.

Day 4: Westport-Kylemore-Maam Cross-Galway

Having visited Kylemore Abbey on a previous trip to Ireland, this time I bypassed the Abbey and took the shuttle bus out to the gardens. In spite of the fact that it rained non-stop, it was a colorful, solitary walk and a breath of fresh air.

From the formal flower garden, planted in the late Victorian style and containing only plant varieties that had been introduced prior to 1901 to the glasshouses where fruit and tropical plants were grown to the less formal wooded trails, the beauty of it all transcended the grey and rainy weather. As someone who needs a lot of alone time, it was perfect. I particularly enjoyed the Fern Walk, where a multitude of ferns grow alongside a burbling stream in the shade of tall trees.

I love the landscape of Connemara and the drive from Kylemore to Galway is one of my favorites. Being able to sit back and take in the view is such a pleasure. Our Tour Director arranged for us to stop along the way to take photos.

One of the things I had wondered about group tours was whether I would find it exhausting talking to people all the time. Our group, at least, fell into a very comfortable pattern of chatting when we felt like it, staring out the window (or even snoozing) when we felt like that. There was no pressure to be “on” and we were all respectful of one another's space.

Our Tour Director, Helen Lee was astounding. Her knowledge of Irish history and culture is encyclopedic. She regaled us with stories of myths and legends, personal anecdotes from her own family, historical events, and more. She was funny and fun but also kept us all in line so we were always on time and never missed a thing. I sat close to the front of the bus, so I could see how hard she worked. I learned so much more than I would have while traveling independently, and the information was all delivered in such a personal way that it felt like a conversation with an old friend.

The next stop was Galway and time for another Choice Touring option. We could choose from a walking tour of the city followed by dinner and drinks in a local pub or a food tour of Galway's specialties with tastings at every stop.

I heard great things about the walking tour, and I can vouch for the food tour. We tasted everything from coffee to ice cream, pastries to cured meats, oysters to cheese, and more, washed down with beer, brandy, whiskey, and gin. My favorites were the gin and pink peppercorn ice cream at Murphy's and the gin and tonic (is there a theme here?) at the Galway City Distillery Co. If I were to go again, I would plan ahead to take their gin-making class.

Another good night's sleep was had, this time at the Maldron Hotel Galway. This one was a little out of the way, which was fine for me, as I was ready to put my feet up. But even for those who were ready to keep going late into the evening, it was just a cab ride away from the pubs.

Day 5: Galway-Inis Mór

On Day 5 we had the most beautiful weather of the entire trip–and it couldn't have happened on a better day, as we were taking a ferry to Inis Mór, one of the Aran Islands. The skies were so brilliantly blue and the sun so bright on the intensely green grass, it seemed unreal.

After lunch at Ti Joe Watty's pub, including a musical performance by a local musician, we set out on a minibus tour of the island. It was a great way to cover a lot of ground, with huge windows and a running commentary from the driver.

We made a few stops to wander about and take photos, then headed for the prehistoric clifftop fort of Dun Aengus. Most of the group made the trek up to the fort, but I chose not to climb up. Instead, I wandered around the shops, watched a thatched roof being installed (something I had never seen before), admired the scenery, met a woman who shared with me a recipe for Sea Spaghetti Salad (so of course, I had to buy sea spaghetti!), and purchased some of the gorgeous Aran Island wool products (which, much to my surprise, they shipped home to Canada for me at no cost).

Following the visit to Dun Aengus, the driver took us back to where we had started. Along the way, we saw more Island sights, including the area where the film The Banshees of Inisherin was filmed. Some went shopping, some of us gathered at a pub for refreshment, then we headed back to the ferry.

Day 6: Galway-Cliffs of Moher-Rathbaun Farm-Dublin

The Cliffs of Moher are one of those iconic Irish landmarks that I'd seen in photos, films, and travel books, but never in person. They do not disappoint! Our tour took us there on Day 6 to view the cliffs, take photos, and wander through the visitor center. This was really the only point where I felt like I was on my idea of a stereotypical group tour, where buses pull up, people empty out into a crowded visitor center, there are big lineups for washrooms, etc. But, if you want to see a popular site like that, there's really no getting around it.

The Cliffs of Moher were followed by an experience that was completely different and would not have been available to me as an independent traveler. We visited Rathbaun Farm, a working sheep farm, for a delicious lunch, including fresh baked scones, a tour, and a demonstration of sheep herding by a dog in training. It was a wee glimpse into a life I knew little about.

Evening brought us to another Choice Touring selection: an evening at Taylor's Irish Cabaret, including a 3-course dinner with wine and a show or a literary pub crawl around Dublin including dinner and drinks. I chose the cabaret because I had never seen Irish dancers perform live, and I'm glad I did. These were not just any dancers, but world champions who traveled the world representing their country. The dinner, in spite of the fact that they were serving a huge crowd, was delicious and it was fun to meet other travelers seated nearby.

Back in Dublin again, we stayed at The Samuel Hotel , just a stone's throw from where we had stayed on the first night, in the Docklands.

Day 7: Dublin

On our final tour day, we started with an orientation tour of Dublin. It was a great overview of some of the highlights, and gave people ideas of things they wanted to explore more on their own. We then toured the Guinness Storehouse, which was pretty spectacular. I'm not really a beer drinker, and even I found it fascinating. Floor after floor of exhibits about the history and production of Guinness can really make you work up a thirst. Which is why, when I reached the 7th floor, I took a seat in the Gravity Bar and enjoyed a beer. It's true that it tastes different in Ireland!

The rest of the day was free time until we all gathered for a final farewell dinner at a nearby restaurant. It was a fun wind down to a great week, and a chance to thank our amazing guide and Tour Director–and pick her brain for more things to do in Dublin, for those of us who were staying on.

Day 8: Depart or Continue Exploring on Your Own

The final day ended with breakfast and people departed for the airport at various times or, if they had time, stuck around to enjoy Dublin for a day or two.

You can read more about how I spent my free time in Dublin in this post: Solo in Dublin: A Fantastic Destination to Explore .

Did I Enjoy Being a Solo Traveler On a Group Tour?

So there you have it: a blow-by-blow of my experience as a solo traveler on my first group tour. Would I do it again? A tour like this one, with so much free time and choice of optional excursions, yes. Many of the tiresome aspects of independent travel were eliminated, and many things were made easier: no worrying about how to get from A to B or calculating the timing, no lugging bags on and off buses and trains, no stress over hotel reservations or day tours that won't take single bookings. Would I give up independent travel? Not a chance. But there is a happy spot in between group and independent travel where this tour sits, and I enjoyed everything it had to offer.

Thank you to  Globus  for sponsoring my trip on their Green with Envy: Ireland by Design tour.   All experiences and impressions are my own, and Solo Traveler maintains complete editorial control over all content.

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Grupo Firme Announces Their 2024 “La Ultima Peda” US Tour

Experience the power of Grupo Firme live as they bring their chart-topping hits and unforgettable party atmosphere to your city.

Tickets available starting on march 19 with a citi presale., general onsale begins on friday march 22 at 10am local time on livenation.com.

Grupo Firme, the Mexican Music stars are back on the road. The band announced their La Ultima Peda Tour, which will kick off on Friday, May 10 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will make stops across the US in Atlanta, Las Vegas, San Jose, and many more, before wrapping up in Los Angeles at the BMO Stadium.

Grupo Firme concerts are full-blown singalongs. The audience transforms into a massive chorus, voices harmonizing with the band on every lyric. This electrifying connection isn’t accidental –  fueled by Grupo Firme’s talent for performing anthems. Their music is irresistible, with catchy melodies that get in your head after just one listen.  Grupo Firme sings about love, life, and celebrating good times – themes that resonate with everyone. So, at a Grupo Firme show, shyness melts away. Everyone knows the words, and singing along is an essential part of the unforgettable experience.

This unique ability to create an immersive and inclusive experience keeps fans returning for more, eager to be part of the unforgettable memories only a Grupo Firme concert delivers.

TICKETS: Tickets will be available starting with a Citi presale (details below) beginning on Tuesday, March 19. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale beginning on Friday, March 22 at 10am local time at LiveNation.com .

PRESALE: Citi is the official card of the La Ultima Peda Tour. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Tuesday, March 19 at 10am local time until Thursday, March 21 at 11:59 pm local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com .

VIP:  Fans can also purchase VIP Packages, which may include premium tickets, pre-show soundcheck with Grupo Firme, VIP Lounge, exclusive merchandise item & more. VIP package contents vary based on offer selected. For more information, visit vipnation.com !

TOUR DATES:

Fri May 10    San Antonio, TX    Frost Bank Center

Sat May 18   Laredo, TX              Sames Auto Arena

Sat May 25  Houston, TX            Toyota Center

Sat Jun 01    Miami, FL                Kaseya Center

Thu Jun 06  Tampa, FL               Amalie Arena

Sat Jun 08   Charlotte, NC          PNC Music Pavilion

Sat Jun 15    Newark, NJ             Prudential Center

Fri Jun 21     Bristow, VA             Jiffy Lube Live

Thu Jun 27  Nashville, TN          Bridgestone Arena

Sat Jun 29   Atlanta, GA              State Farm Arena

Sat Jul 13     Milwaukee, WI       American Family Insurance Amphitheater

Fri Jul 19      Tinley Park, IL       Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre

Sat Jul 27    Kansas City, MO     T-Mobile Center

Fri Aug 02   Austin, TX               Moody Center

Sat Aug 10   Edinburg, TX          Bert Ogden Arena

Sat Aug 17   El Paso, TX              UTEP Don Haskins Center

Fri Aug 23   Denver, CO              Ball Arena

Sun Aug 25 Salt Lake City, UT  Delta Center

Sat Aug 31   Sacramento, CA      Golden 1 Center

Sat Sep 07   Las Vegas, NV          T-Mobile Arena

Fri Sep 13     Fresno, CA               Save Mart Center at Fresno State

Fri Sep 20   Ridgefield, WA         RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater

Sat Sep 21   Seattle, WA                Climate Pledge Arena

Sat Sep 28   Chula Vista, CA        North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre

Sat Oct 05   San Jose, CA              SAP Center

Fri Oct 11      Highland, CA            Yaamava’ Theater at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino

Sun Oct 13   Oakland, CA              Oakland Arena

Fri Oct 18     Palm Desert, CA        Acrisure Arena

Sat Oct 19    Phoenix, AZ                Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

Thu Oct 24  Oklahoma City, OK   Paycom Center

Sat Oct 26   Dallas, TX                    Dos Equis Pavilion

Sat Nov 02  Los Angeles, CA          BMO Stadium

ABOUT GRUPO FIRME

The band was formed in Tijuana, Mexico on March 19, 2013, but has roots in Sinaloa. The members of the band are:

Eduin Caz – Vocals, Abraham Hernández – Second Voice, Joaquín Ruiz – Bajo Sexto, Jhonny Caz – Second Voice, Victor Zavala – Bass, Christian Téllez – Bass, José Rubio – Drums, Dylan Camacho – Accordion, Isael Gutiérrez – Manager. In February 2017, they  took a big step by teaming up with Mr. Isael Gutiérrez, president of the company Music VIP Entertainment Inc. By formalizing this alliance, they  took a fundamental and important turn in their career in every way. Coming from the underground corridos scene, they built that credibility with their fans, which is not easy for the public to accept. But as they evolved artistically, their audience embraced their versatile style in an incredible way. Today they have broken all sales records with sold outs all over the continent, in the USA, MX, and Central and South America. They have been able to live a dream thanks to music and to the people. They have broken all the barriers that supposedly existed in the music industry. 2023 has been a year of new horizons and a mandatory hiatus for the band, however in 2024 they are back, with all the energy and ready to conquer the biggest stages again.

ABOUT LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT

Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com .

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Grupo Firme

Vicente Zambrano | [email protected]

Jerry Digney | [email protected]

Live Nation Concerts

Nadia Hernandez | NadiaHernandez @LiveNation.com

Isabel Gonzalez | IsabelGonzalez @LiveNation.com

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Tomorrow X Together announces tour, 2 MSG concerts. Get tickets now

The wait is finally over, MOA.

This time around, Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun and Huening Kai will play back-to-back concerts at NYC’s Madison Square Garden on Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2.

According to The Music Universe , “The new world tour presents itself on a grander scale compared to its 2023 predecessor ‘Act: Sweet Mirage.'”

And if you can’t wait to see what the “Sugar Rush Ride” quintet have up their sleeve this summer, you can grab tickets for all 11 arena concerts as soon as today.

Although inventory isn’t available on Ticketmaster until Thursday, March 21, fans who want to ensure they have tickets ahead of time can purchase on sites like Vivid Seats before tickets are officially on sale.

Vivid Seats is a secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand.

They have a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and will be delivered before the event.

A complete calendar including all North American tour dates, venues and links to buy tickets can be found below.

At the time of publication, TXT most recently performed at Tokyo’s Tokyo Garden Theater on March 8.

Here’s what they performed that night, courtesy of Set List FM :

01.) “MOA Diary (Dubaddu Wari Wari)”

02.) “Our Summer”

03.) “Blue Hour”

05.) “CROWN”

06.) “Wonder” (ADOY cover) (Beomgyu solo)

07.) “Instead of Saying Goodbye” (RAIN cover) (Soobin solo)

08.) “Sk8er Boi” (Avril Lavigne cover) (Huening Kai solo)

09.) “Finesse” (Bruno Mars cover) (Taehyun solo)

10.) “Guilty” (TAEMIN cover) (Yeonjun solo)

11.) “Chasing That Feeling”

12.) “Hydrangea Love”

13.) “Happily Ever After”

14.) “Force”

Ahead of the release of their new mini-album, you can brush up on Tomorrow X Together’s October 2023 EP “The Name Chapter: FREEFALL.”

Over ten party-starting tracks, the group embraces their rock, synth pop, Hip-Hop, EDM and soul influences.

We suggest checking out the lively “Back For More” that sounds straight out of Justin Timberlake’s catalog , the anthemic, beat-dropping “Deep Down” and sunny bop “Happily Ever After.”

For those that haven’t listened yet, you can find “The Name Chapter: FREEFALL” here .

Many major stars that have blown up all over Asia are swinging into the U.S. this year.

Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.

•  IU aka Lee Ji-eun

•  Enhypen

•  Itzy

•  Ive

•  P1Harmony

Who else is on tour? Check out our list of the  50 biggest concert tours in 2024 here  to find out.

Vivid Seats is the New York Post's official ticketing partner. We may receive revenue from this partnership for sharing this content and/or when you make a purchase.

HIGH ON FIRE Announces May 2024 U.S. Tour

HIGH ON FIRE has announced U.S. headlining tour dates in support of the band's upcoming album, "Cometh The Storm" . The spring trek will launch on May 4 in Orlando, Florida and feature support from Venezuelan post-rock outfit ZETA and Massachusetts crossover crew HIGH COMMAND .

HIGH ON FIRE comments: " HIGH ON FIRE legion! We are stoked to take the stage in a city near you as we bring 'Cometh The Storm' to life. Looking forward to a triumphant run of shows and reuniting with friends. See you soon!"

Tour dates:

May 04 - Orlando, FL - Conduit May 05 - Columbia, SC - The Senate May 07 - Greensboro, NC - Hanger 1819 May 08 - Richmond, VA - The Broadberry May 10 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage May 11 - New Haven, CT - Toad's Place May 12 - Jersey City, NJ - White Eagle Hall May 13 - Cambridge, MA - The Middle East May 15 - Albany, NY - Empire Live May 16 - Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop May 17 - Detroit, MI - The Magic Stick May 18 - Chicago, IL - 3 Floyd's Brewing (Dark Lord Day feat. HIGH ON FIRE, ABBATH, FUGITIVE, 1349, SPIRITWORLD)

"Cometh The Storm" will be released on April 19 via MNRK Heavy . The Grammy Award -winning group, celebrating its 25th anniversary, recorded the LP at GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts with producer Kurt Ballou . The 11-song effort — the band's ninth studio album — marks the release of the first new HIGH ON FIRE music since 2018's "Electric Messiah" and the first to feature drummer Coady Willis ( BIG BUSINESS , MURDER CITY DEVILS ),alongside bassist Jeff Matz and guitarist/vocalist Matt Pike .

"Cometh The Storm" is advanced by the lead track "Burning Down" and a haunting, fever dream video, directed by Lars Kristoffer Hormander . Check it out below.

" 'Burning Down' kicks off with a classic Pike riff," says Jeff Matz . "I think this song harkens back to the early HIGH ON FIRE sound, but infused with fresh, new elements. It has a killer groove that you can really sink into. The body of the song took shape in our PNW rehearsal space, and we came up with the bridge/solo section and finalized the arrangement while we were at GodCity . Kurt Ballou 's input as a producer was also hugely helpful. His keen ears and fresh perspective were invaluable in making this album."

"I think this band's always had a really good drive," states Pike . "It's a different entity. It's its own thing. Which, I think, makes all of us very proud to be a part of it. It's not an average band."

"Being a fan of each other's bands for a long time, it feels like all bets are off and anything goes which is a liberating feeling," shares Willis . "That feeling of making something out of all of these imperfect parts and it becomes this magical, weird, new idea that none of us ever anticipated. Against all odds. That's the joy of it."

"It's interesting, whenever there's a lineup change in a band," offers Ballou . "It can take a little while to rebuild. But it's also an opportunity to reinvigorate the band and I think that's what's happened here."

"Cometh The Storm" track listing:

01. Lambsbread 02. Burning Down 03. Trismegistus 04. Cometh The Storm 05. Karanlık Yol 06. Sol's Golden Curse 07. The Beating 08. Tough Guy 09. Lightning Beard 10. Hunting Shadows 11. Darker Fleece

Universally recognized as one of the most potent acts in music today, HIGH ON FIRE creates dynamic metal that merges primal fury and aggression, hesher bombast and hall of fame heaviness. Described as "a supersonic exercise in conquest by volume," HIGH ON FIRE has rewritten the hard rock rule book since its formation in 1998, forging a style and sound that is both critically celebrated and unique. The group features vocalist and cult guitar hero Matt Pike (also a founding member of the famed underground band SLEEP ) singular bassist Jeff Matz and powerhouse drummer Coady Willis .

HIGH ON FIRE 's most recent studio album, "Electric Messiah" , was released on October 9, 2018, and won a Grammy for "Best Metal Performance", placing HIGH ON FIRE among the ranks of groups such as BLACK SABBATH , MOTÖRHEAD and METALLICA as winners of the prestigious award, presented by The Recording Academy to recognize achievements in the music industry.

Photo credit: James Rexroad

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Are the Spice Girls reuniting for a tour? Mel B had an interesting reaction on Hoda & Jenna

We'll tell you want we really want: a Spice Girls reunion!

The iconic ‘90s girl group hasn’t performed together with all five members since 2012, but Melanie Brown, known to fans as Mel B, hinted that they’re working on something “very good” while appearing on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna on March 25.

When asked what’s in the works for the Spice Girls, Brown, who was appearing on the show to discuss the expanded edition of her bestselling memoir, “Brutally Honest,” responded, “This is going to be really good and the fans are going to be really happy about it,” without elaborating further.

However, when host Jenna Bush Hager asked if fans will be able to catch the Spice Girls on a reunion tour, Brown paused and said, “Oh, I’m going to get in trouble. I'm not saying anything. OK, bye!” before walking out to laughter from Jenna and Hoda Kotb.

Read on for more about the Spice Girls and what else Brown has said about a reunion.

When did the Spice Girls last perform together?

The Spice Girls last set out on tour as a four-person group in 2019, without Victoria Beckham. The last time the original five — Brown, Beckham, Geri Halliwell , Melanie Chisholm and Emma Bunton — performed together was for the 2012 Olympics in London .

The quintet released a throwback video in March 2023, marking the 25-year anniversary of their hit “Stop.”

For the 3 1/2-minute song, the five stood directly next to one another and performed full choreography. Each one was dressed in a different outfit, likely resembling their former monikers: Scary Spice, Posh Spice, Ginger Spice, Sporty Spice and Baby Spice.

What else have the Spice Girls said about the reunion?

In a March interview on the British talk show “Loose Women,” Brown said the group was “definitely doing something.”

“I’m probably going to get told off (for saying the update), but I’ve said it. There you go,” she continued. “I’m in trouble now.”

Appearing on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna in January , Brown confirmed that fans can expect a reunion from all five original members.

In the interview with Hoda and Jenna, Brown wouldn’t give too many details about the pop group’s upcoming project, but teased it as the “gift that keeps on giving.”

Speaking with Sky News in May 2023, Brown addressed the idea of another Spice Girls tour, telling the outlet, “There will be — if I’ve got anything to do with it.”

Brown also shared on her January appearance on TODAY with Hoda & Jenna that the Spice Girls were newly available on British stamps , which had never been done before for a female pop group.

“It is massive for the Royal Mail. Usually it’s the queen and the king. Now, we’ve got Spice Girls, a girl group, on there, which doesn’t quite seem to make sense but it does to us,” she said with a laugh.

Becca Wood is a news and trending reporter for TODAY Digital based in New York City. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

Valspar Championship, Round 3: How to watch, featured groups, live scores, tee times, TV times

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Round 3 action from the Valspar Championship gets underway Saturday from the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, the final event of the TOUR's Florida Swing.

Five players lead after Friday including Stewart Cink, Brendon Todd, Mackenzie Hughes, Chandler Phillips and Kevin Streelman, all of whom currently sit at 6-under. A crowded leaderboard sits one back at 5-under including Peter Malnati and 15-time TOUR winner Justin Thomas who carded a second-round, 2-under 69.

The second round of the Valspar Championship was suspended due to darkness at 7:25 p.m. and will resume Saturday at 9 a.m.

Here's everything you need to know to follow the action.

HOW TO FOLLOW (all times ET)

Television:

• Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3-6 p.m. (NBC)
• Saturday, March 23: 'PGA TOUR Originals Credentialed: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard,' 2-3 p.m. on NBC: “PGA TOUR Originals Credentialed” delivers an inside look at the stories of the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. Follow France’s Matthieu Pavon and the Arnold Palmer Cup Exemption David Ford for their debuts at Bay Hill, meet Orlando artist Ryan Rustand, dive into the history of Arnie’s place, and go inside the ropes as Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan.

'Credentialed: Arnold Palmer Invitational' | PGA TOUR Originals

PGA TOUR LIVE ON ESPN+

PGA TOUR LIVE is available exclusively on ESPN+

• Main feed: Primary tournament coverage featuring the best action from across the course
• Marquee group: Showcasing every shot from each player in the group
• Featured groups: Traditional PGA TOUR LIVE coverage of two concurrent featured groups
• Featured holes: A combination of par 3s and iconic or pivotal holes

Radio on SiriusXM and free at PGATOUR.com/liveaudio :

• Saturday-Sunday: 1-6 p.m.

FEATURED GROUPS

Marquee groups and featured groups will be finalized once Round 2 concludes

Marquee Group

11 a.m.– Xander Schauffele, Ryan Brehm, Maverick McNealy

Featured Groups

10:33 a.m. – Billy Horschel, Matt Wallace, Greyson Sigg 10:49 a.m.– Eric Cole, Daugherty, Springer

Then will leave Cole group to pick up 11:55 Group with Bezuidenhout, Young, Svennson

Featured Holes :

4 (par-3), 8 (par-3), 15 (par-3), 17 (par-3)

With unique ball marker, Kevin Streelman contending at Valspar

Amateur Nick Gabrelcik rebounds from tough opener with Friday 67 at Valspar Championship

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