Press Releases

Classic Journeys Scores A Knockout With Adventure Tours Of North America

Closer-to-home walking vacations showcase continent’s scenic wonders

La Jolla, CA (March 2010) – Chalk it up to cabin fever…that time of year when virtually everyone who’s been cooped up all winter starts fantasizing about their next vacation. Not just any vacation, but one that's a real adventure this time, someplace in the Great Outdoors with fresh air and spectacular scenery and a list of activities as long as your arm.

But wait…doesn't that kind of adventure travel tour mean taking two weeks off, spending a small fortune, and bracing for the endurance test of multiple long-haul flights?

Absolutely not. Classic Journeys features 20 full-blown adventure tours in North America – criss-crossing the U.S. and Canada from coast to coast – and placing guests smack dab in the middle of nature at its magnificent best.

The demand is definitely there. In fact, the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) has just confirmed what Classic Journeys has known for years. In its latest Industry Snapshot, 55% of adventure tour operators reported that their customers are increasingly interested in closer-to-home, shorter-haul vacationing.

"This is precisely why we're offering more walking adventures within a few hours’ flying time from home than ever before," observes Edward Piegza, president and co-founder of Classic Journeys. "By giving our guests the opportunity to spend less money overall – and more time on the ground where the fun begins – we’re providing them with getaways they can enjoy now without a single regret later."

The company’s most popular walking trips without crossing an ocean? Gold medal-winning Quebec & Charlevoix, the hands-down favorite last year with 36% of North American bookings, and Montana's Glacier Park, where twin trips, one a cultural walking adventure and the other a family travel adventure, accounted for 27% of the company’s North American tours.

But other winners abound. In the Best Newcomer category: the company’s Nova Scotia Family Journey, heading into its second year. Fresh from a short flight, parents and kids arrive ready to hit the ground running on coastal paths and forest trails, with sea kayaking and whale watching thrown in. It's all about making the most of an amazing maritime province where native Mi’kmaq Indians and European settlers left their mark, and every step is a 360-degree photo op.

Whether they’re hiking a sandy shore on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, whitewater rafting in the Canadian Rockies or clinging to a cliff-hugging trail in the Grand Canyon, Classic Journeys guests get a daily dose of history and culture while mixing and mingling with colorful locals. There’s no worrying about logistics, agendas or scrambling to come up with activities to keep everyone amused; it’s all been seen to by the company’s expert guides.

Go North, head West…whatever direction guests want to take, there's a Classic Journeys itinerary ready to offer them the adventure of a lifetime. The company’s portfolio of walking tours in North America is accessible, affordable, and, at six days and five nights long, perfect for a weeklong getaway.

For more information about touring North America with Classic Journeys in 2010, readers may speak directly with a Guest Services Coordinator at (800) 200-3887, or click on www.classicjourneys.com/northamerica for detailed itineraries, departure dates and pricing.


About Classic Journeys:

Classic Journeys offers cultural walking tours, culinary tours and family vacations in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the South Pacific. Guests enjoy luxury accommodations and gourmet meals that reflect the best of each region, coupled with soft adventure activities, daily interactions with locals, and native guides who make countries and cultures come alive. Tours are six to 12 days long with two to four hours of easy-going walking per day. Land-only tour prices range from $2495 to $7995 per person (with discounts for small groups and children traveling with parents). Average tour size is 10, limited to a maximum of 18 guests per departure.

Sign up for E-News

Get updates on the latest travel