I once took a history-focused tour of Israel with a guide who hated questions. He would deliver short lectures on each destination and then growl, “Proceed.”

Then, halfway through the tour, we got a new guide, Lior. He loved history. He welcomed discussion, even when it came to Israel’s complicated political past and present. And he turned the tour completely around for us.

There’s an easy way to find a guide like Lior: choose a company that specializes in educational tours for adults. What sets these apart from traditional guided tours? First, the depth of knowledge. Leaders of educational tours are subject matter experts — in the case of museum travel programs, they may be among the world’s foremost authorities on a destination’s architecture, art, ecology or history. And second, the other members of your group will probably be a lot like you: well-read, curious and adventurous.

There are a few drawbacks to educational tours, of course. You may not have many opportunities to go off and do your own thing. Solo travelers are generally welcomed, but may be paired with a roommate or face paying a supplement. Educational travel can be expensive, too, although keep an eye out for deals when you book last minute.

A Few of the Best Educational Travel Companies

The best-known of all educational travel companies is the nonprofit Road Scholar, formerly known as Elderhostel. Founded in 1975, Road Scholar runs tours in 150 countries and all 50 states.¹ Its tours tend to be affordable, too; Road Scholar says participants can save 20 percent, on average, compared with tours run by commercial operators. How can you choose from among 5,500 tours? Start with Road Scholar’s most popular offerings, which include tours of Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Sicily, Southern Italy, Australia and New Zealand. And if you’re in the mood for a truly grand adventure, consider Road Scholar’s World Academy tour: Voyage around the world in 115 days, visiting 25 countries. Fares start at just under $40,000.²

Go Ahead Tours, part of EF Education First, promises small tour groups of 14 to 35 travelers, led by both an experienced tour director and local guides who know everything about their cities. In addition to the usual destinations, Go Ahead offers some unique specialty tours. “The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation” traces Martin Luther’s footsteps across the Czech Republic and Germany.³ “Wines of Eastern Europe” takes travelers to abbeys, villages and vineyards in Budapest, Vienna and Prague.⁴ One nice perk: Go Ahead will let you travel free if you organize a group of six to travel with them.⁵

If you share Indiana Jones’ fascination with ancient artifacts, an archaeological travel tour might be perfect. Organizations like The Archaeological Conservancy and Andante Travels can take you to see Mayan pyramids, Cambodian temples, the Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan and even the secret archives of the Vatican. One archaeological tour that intrigues us is here in the United States: an exploration of the Empire of Cahokia. Scientists are still investigating the massive, thousand-year-old earthworks of Cahokia, which today stand just outside of St. Louis.

Amazing Museum Travel Programs

Museum travel programs led by expert curators are an ideal way to learn about art and architectural history. Travel with The Met is the prestigious travel program run by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “More than just a vacation, a Travel with The Met international exploration combines curatorial expertise and behind-the-scenes viewing arrangements with spectacular itineraries and interesting companionship,” the Met says.⁶ The Met runs about two dozen tours per year to places you’ve probably never been. In 2017, destinations included Morocco; Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan; and the Balkans. Some tours are voyages aboard the 1931 sailing ship Sea Cloud.

Smithsonian Journeys is a museum travel program run by the Smithsonian Institution, offering more than 350 departures on seven continents. Take a close look at the Smithsonian’s special interest tours, which cater to unique and unusual passions. The “Inside the Russian Space Program” tour flies participants to Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a VIP viewing of the manned launch of a Soyuz spacecraft.⁷ The “Italian Cars” tour takes travelers behind the scenes at the Lamborghini and Maserati factories, then culminates with the Mille Miglia vintage racecar rally.⁸ For parents, kids and grandparents, Smithsonian Journeys also offers family tours of Peru, Japan, Alaska and Ireland, among other places.

Museum travel programs aren’t all lavish international trips, however. Many museums run educational tours of U.S. cities and regions. The Art Institute of Chicago, for instance, has offered a three-day “Art and Architecture of Harbor County” program that includes viewings of a private contemporary art collection, a visit to artist Fred Olsen’s studio, and local galleries and art centers.⁹ Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts has a three-day trip to coastal Maine that visits Winslow Homer’s studio and the home of the Wyeths.¹⁰

Don’t assume that because you’re part of a tour, you’re protected against travel emergencies. Smithsonian Journeys tours, for instance, include emergency evacuation insurance and access to emergency assistance service; but that’s it.¹¹ Robust travel insurance can protect against unexpected, but all too common, travel crises: covered medical emergencies, cancelled flights and lost luggage. Get a quote for your next adventure!

Richmond-based travel writer Muriel Barrett has a terrible sense of direction, and has spent many happy hours getting lost in Barcelona, Venice and Jerusalem. Her favorite travel memories all involve wildlife: watching sea turtles nest in Costa Rica, kayaking with seals in Vancouver and meeting a pink tarantula in Martinique.

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