“How do I choose a New England Tour that’s right for me?” This is one of the most common questions I’m asked by visitors to my web site.

New England tours usually consist of a themed itinerary with a professional escort, and put together by a knowledgeable tour operator from the region. Basically, an expert has already done the grunt work of figuring out the attractions and areas to see.

Tours typically include in the price: hotel, transportation, sightseeing, and meals… but not airfare.

Request a free brochure and get started planning your New England tour here.

New England packages typically include airfare and hotel, with the additional option of a rental car, but don’t include sightseeing or meals.

Most are aimed at budget conscious travelers. Packages were once the domain of Travel Agents but many airlines and hotels now provide better rates online directly to consumers.

Online sites such as Travel Now and Hotel Club let budget minded vacationers put together their own package.

Now here’s my quick tips on…

What To Look For In a New England Tour:

1. If you intend to travel with kids and young adults (7-18 year olds) make sure the itinerary is family focused.

2. Quality of hotel is important. Feeling unsafe or in a cattle house even one night can ruin a vacation. Quality tours only use four or five star hotels.

3. Look for all-inclusive New England tours so you know most of your expenses are covered. The best include tips, taxes, gratuities, meals, entertainment and excursions. A reputable company will explain what is not covered.

4. Avoid tours that use budget hotels and provide plenty of free-time to explore on your own. These are just cobbled together discount packages with no value-added by the tour operator.

5. If available request a tour brochure. This removes the final decision from the emotional hype and instant gratification of the web, so you can choose and discuss the most appropriate tour with others.

6. The New England region is prime tour country. But it’s varied and you can’t do it all. Choose a focus such as coastal New England, or a classic tour that includes the lakes and rural areas, and the mountain regions. One of my personal favorites is the south coast of New England with Newport, and its marvelous Mansions… the geological wonder of Cape Cod, and the Islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

It’s never too early to plan a New England tour. Summer and Fall are the busiest seasons in the region but tours fill up fast for these times, sometimes a year in advance. So get cracking on your planning by visiting a New England tour site like the one here.

Have a great week and I’ll be back with more tips for New England vacations next weekend.

Cliff Calderwood
Executive Director
New England Vacation Guide

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